Sports Picks & Predictions

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The East Carolina Pirates have been a really good under team for me in the past couple years. East Carolina is improved defensively, and they are much slower paced than they were in the past. Tulsa had toyed with playing a quicker tempo earlier this year, but their last couple games they have been slowing things down again. Both meetings between these two teams last year finished well under this posted total. Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* The Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic meet on Monday night. Orlando is playing on one day of rest and the under is 14-8 in their 22 games on a day of rest this year. Elfrid Payton is listed as questionable for this one, and if he does play he'll be at far less than 100 percent. Payton is a guy that gets things running for the Magic, and this injury certainly hurts the Orlando offense. 

The three referees in this game are very helpful to the under. Combined, they have a record of 42-27 to the under so far this year overall. Two of the three referees here have strong long-term under trends. 

The under is 4-0 in Orlando's last 4 games. The under is 6-0 in their last 6 following a loss by more than 10 points. A 10-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* I have admittedly been wrong about Manhattan a few times this year. Manhattan is a team I've looked to play overs with, and so far they have been a good under team. I think that will change. Manhattan still plays at a quick tempo, and they are still fouling as much as any team in the country. Manhattan has had some awful shooting numbers, which I assume will improve at least somewhat.

Siena is playing even faster this year, and the Saints are great at getting to the line. Siena put up 89 points and got to the line a whopping 44 times in the first game between these two teams. The total here has been lowered by about 6 points from the first meeting. That's too big of an adjustment. Manhattan should knock down a few more shots at home, and I think this one gets past the posted total. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Oakland Golden Grizzlies are an extremely high scoring team. Oakland plays at the 15th fastest tempo in the country out of 351 teams. Youngstown State has a terrible defense, and they play at the 61st tempo in the country.

Oakland and Youngstown State have played 3 of their last 4 games to a total of 168 points or higher. Yes, this total is a bit higher than that, but that's because of the new rules in college hoops that has led to a lot more scoring this year. Youngstown has given up 100 points or more three times this year. Oakland may get to almost 100 here. 

The over is 5-0 in Youngstown State's last 5 games. The over is 6-0 in Oakland's last 6 games following an ATS win. An 11-0 angle. Take the over. 

*3 Star Sunday Night Football CASH* The Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers have a lot on the line in this one. In many games in week 17, I believe it is hard to predict where the total will go because the teams aren't motivated. These two teams are going to be motivated.

Green Bay looked awful last week, and they should play better here. The Packers defense will try to make Teddy Bridgewater beat them. Can he do it? I'm not sure he can. Green Bay's offense has changed quite a bit in recent weeks as well. With McCarthy calling the plays, the Packers are running the ball more often and using up the clock.

The under is 3-0-1 in the Vikings last 4 road games. The under is 4-0 in the Vikings last 4 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. The under is 3-0-1 in their last 4 after gaining 350 yards or more last game. The under is 5-0 in the Packers last 5 home games. A 15-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Nebraska Omaha Mavericks play at the third fastest tempo in the country out of 351 teams. IUPUI has shown that they are willing to play at the pace of their opponent so far this year. Last year's meeting between these two in Omaha finished 89-84, and with the new rules, scoring is up a lot this season. 

Both of these teams foul a lot, so a lot of trips to the charity stripe could play a key role in this game. My numbers made this game 162 points. Take the over here. 

*4 Star NFL 100% Angle CRUSHER* The San Diego Chargers offense is totally one-dimensional. They cannot run the football. Being one-dimensional in the NFL is dangerous against any defense, but against a defense like Denver it is very bad news. San Diego can't protect Phillip Rivers thanks to a ton of injuries on the offensive line. Denver ranks first in the NFL in sacks. Expect the Broncos to be in Rivers' face all day, and he's going to take some big hits.

The Chargers are missing several key playmakers on offense, and their defense has actually improved late in the season. Denver's offense is very inconsistent, but the Denver defense is easily the best in the league. The first game between these two was 17-3. I don't think this one gets very close to the total either.

The under is 4-0 in the Chargers last 4. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 vs. the AFC West. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 following an ATS win. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 after gaining 250 yards or more passing last game. The under is 7-0 in their last 7 vs. a team with a winning record. The under is 3-0-1 in Denver's last 4 vs. a team with a losing record. The under is 3-0-1 in their last 4 vs. the AFC West. The under is 2-0 in the last 2 meetings between these two. A 31-0 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The FIU Panthers have totally changed the way they play this year. FIU is stalling out offensively and looking to win low scoring games. That fits perfectly in with what Florida Atlantic has been doing of late as well. Ron Delph has played the last five games for Florida Atlantic and all five of those games have gone under the total. Delph is 7 footer who is a great defensive presence in the lane. 

Both of these teams like to mix in zone defense to slow the game down. This is a rivalry game and that often helps the under. Last year the two meetings between these teams finished at 122 and 120 points. I had this number at 120 points. Look for solid defense from both teams.

The under is 5-0 in Florida Atlantic's last 5. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 road games. The under is 6-0 in their last 6 following a loss. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 Sunday games. A 20-0 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star NFL Jets/Bills CASH* The New York Jets defense is excellent. The Buffalo Bills defense is very talented, but they have underachieved most of the year. I think Rex Ryan will do a good job motivating the defense and his team in general though as they go up against his old team and try to ruin their playoff chances.

A key factor here is the weather. There are snow showers expected throughout the day. It won't be a lot of snow that's the big problem though. The wind is the huge issue here. Wind gusts of 30 to 35 mph will make throwing the football extremely difficult. Both offenses are likely to become very predictable running the football a bunch here. That will also keep the clock going. 

In a game that means a lot to both teams and with poor weather, I see a low scoring game. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Under* 

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The St. Mary's Gaels are shooting 47% from three point range. San Diego isn't a particularly strong defensive team, so I see no reason to believe St. Mary's will struggle shooting against them. Though both teams prefer to play slowly, the new rules mean that they can't stall as much as they have in previous years. Look for St. Mary's to be very efficient here and put up a big enough number to push this over. Take the over. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The New Mexico Lobos have totally changed their tempo from last year. Coach Neal had to stall things out last year after some of his best scorers went down with injuries. This year, New Mexico is pushing the pace at every chance. Fresno State is playing much faster than last year as well, so there shouldn't be anyone slowing this one down. I had this total at 152 points. Both teams get to the line often. Take the over. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Big Sky Total* The Idaho State Bengals are a really bad team, and Weber State is the best team in the Big Sky Conference. The better team can generally control the tempo of the game, and Weber State wants to play slowly. Look for them to get a nice lead and then coast to the finish in this one. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Under* The Montana Grizzlies play the best defense in the Big Sky, and Southern Utah is without Hess, one of their primary scorers. Montana should be able to slow the game down against a short handed Southern Utah team who doesn't want to run now. Last year's game between these two finished more than 25 points below this total. Take the under here. 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*3 Star Play Under* 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*Note- Trevone Boykin was suspended a few hours after I made this selection. I would NOT recommend the over now with him out of the game. This game would be a pass for me. Boykin means too much to that team.* 

*5 Star College Hoops TOP Total of the Week* The East Carolina Pirates and the UCF Knights are both teams I've been looking to play unders with this year, and this meeting is one I had circled to play the under.

UCF is playing a much slower tempo this year due to 7'6 Tacko Fall's presence in their lineup. He changes the way they play on offense, and he makes the team much better on the defensive end. Fall has been as good as advertised this year, and he'll change plenty of shots here.

In the past couple seasons, East Carolina has been a very nice under the radar "under" team with a big style change to a much slower tempo. The under is 17-8 in their last 25 home games. They are continuing that slower pace this year, and I don't see either team looking to push the pace here.

Last year, when UCF was playing a quicker tempo, these two teams played games that finished at 116 and 137 points. The tempo in each of those games was 58 possessions, which is ridiculously slow. I like this play. Take the under. *College Hoops TOP Total of the Week* 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*5 Star Notre Dame/Virginia TOP Play Total* The Virginia Cavaliers are playing at the slowest tempo of any team in the nation. That is 351 teams. Notre Dame is playing at 317th fastest tempo, so the Fighting Irish will be happy to slow the game down with Virginia here. 

Notre Dame's offense is good, but they are down a notch from last year's team. Virginia always plays very tough defense for Tony Bennett. The Fighting Irish aren't a great defensive team, but they foul the third least of any team in the country, which is a big benefit here since Virginia is great at the free throw line.

A very slow tempo should be expected here. Barring some very high shooting percentages, I like the chances of this one staying comfortably under the total. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*3 Star Play Under* 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*4 Star ACC Total* The Miami Hurricanes have shot the ball really well this year, but they'll go up against a good defense in Syracuse in this one. Syracuse slows the game down and plays their patented matchup zone that is tough for many teams to get good looks against. The Orange have a talented group this year, and they are good defensively. 

Miami is improved on the defensive end, and the Hurricanes are always a team that looks to slow the tempo down with Coach Larranaga at the helm. This one features two teams who have defended well without fouling this year. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Early Bird Special* Charlotte looked to push the tempo early in the year, but of late they have slowed things down a couple notches. Old Dominion plays at one of the slowest paces of any team in the country. The Monarchs are also excellent on the defensive end. Old Dominion won't be giving Charlotte easy looks here. Old Dominion has played a bunch of games against weaker competition like Charlotte, and just about all of them have stayed under this posted total. Take the under. 

*3 Star Sugar Bowl 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Oklahoma State Cowboys have a way of making just about every game high scoring. Oklahoma State ranks 95th in the nation in total defense. That's really bad when you consider there are only 128 teams and so many of them at the bottom are terrible teams.

The Cowboys are giving up 42.8 points per game in their last five games. Oklahoma State's defense will be tested by Mississippi's speed on the outside. The Rebels have a lot of big playmakers starting with Laquon Treadwell. I expect a bunch of explosive plays from Ole Miss here.

Oklahoma State's offense ranks eighth in the nation in passing yards. Ole Miss has been strong on the front seven this year, but their secondary is way down from a year ago. The Rebels have four guys injured or suspended on their defensive front, so they will be thin there.

Both teams play with a bunch of pace, so I expect a lot of possessions. 

The over is 6-0 in Oklahoma State's last 6 games. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 vs. team with a winning record. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 on turf. A 15-0 angle. Take the over. 

*3 Star Rose Bowl Red Hot CASH* The Stanford Cardinal and Iowa Hawkeyes meet in what should be a very physical game in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. Stanford's Christian McCaffrey finished second in the Heisman Trophy race, and he'll get the ball a bunch here. Stanford runs the ball a bunch, and they take their time between plays as well. Stanford's pace of play ranks at 122nd out of 128 teams in the country, so they definitely take a lot of time on their drives.

Iowa has played a much weaker schedule, but thus far this year Iowa has been very good against the run. The Hawkeyes defensive front is good. On offense, Iowa rarely creates big plays. This is a Hawkeyes team that runs the ball and methodically moves the ball down the field.

This is the type of game where I see both teams having long drives that take away 7 or 8 minutes at a time. If they are forced to settle for a field goal a few times on those, as I believe they will, then the under becomes a nice value play.

Take the under. 

*3 Star Notre Dame/Ohio State Total DOMINATION* The Ohio State Buckeyes offense didn't play up to expectations this year. First of all, the Buckeyes started the wrong quarterback for a very long time this year. Cardale Jones has a big arm, but he isn't the best fit for this system. J.T. Barrett gives the team a better runner and a more accurate passer. 

For the majority of the season, Ohio State couldn't pour on the points as expected, but they seem to have found something in their last game at Michigan. Ohio State played with much more uptempo looks and it helped them wear down the Wolverines defensive front. 

That's important here because Notre Dame's defense wasn't good against the run this year. Notre Dame gave up 4.52 yards per carry. Ezekiel Elliot and this Buckeyes ground game should have big day.

Notre Dame's offense has been underrated by many. I like their big play ability, and Ohio State hasn't faced teams with as many weapons as the Fighting Irish. The Buckeyes defense is very good, but with Notre Dame should break several big plays here.

The over is 6-0 in Notre Dame's last 6 following a loss. Take the over. 

*3 Star NBA Late Night BAILOUT* The Utah Jazz play at the slowest pace of any team in the NBA. Utah is going to slow the pace of this game down in a big way. Portland has slowed down a lot in the past month also. The Blazers now rank 20th out of 30 teams in the league in tempo. 

On New Year's Eve, historical trends in the NBA tilt strongly toward the under. This makes a lot of sense when you consider that players want to be able to get home or at least to a place they can celebrate the New Year. What does this mean? It means there are typically fewer stoppages late in the game, and there are lower scoring second halves. 

The under is 6-0 in Utah's last 6 vs. the NBA Northwest. The under is 4-0 in Utah's last 4 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game. The under is 6-1 in their last 7 following an ATS loss. A 16-1 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star Michigan State/Bama MONEYMAKER* The Alabama Crimson Tide and Michigan State Spartans play a similar style of football. That should mean a lot of excitement in the Cotton Bowl on Thursday night, especially if you like hard hitting football. I expect both of the defenses to bring their best effort in this one.

Michigan State needs this game to be low scoring, and they are going to bleed the clock on offense as much as possible. Michigan State ranks in the bottom 15 in the nation in terms of tempo. Alabama is also slower than the average pace in college football. With both teams expected to run the ball a lot, that is important because it means the clock will be ticking throughout much of this game.

Michigan State's defense has been amazing in the past four games. They have allowed 12.5 points per game against some quality competition during that time. Included was their domination against the Ohio State Buckeyes offense that is very talented. Alabama will be able to move the ball here, but I don't think it will come easy, and I think they'll have to settle for some field goals.

Michigan State's offense has been really inconsistent this year, and this Alabama defense has been the best in the nation all year long. I don't think Michigan State will be able to score many in this one.

Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA Totals TKO* The Oklahoma City Thunder have been playing some great defense in the past couple weeks. This team is much healthier now, and they have been able to show their upside more frequently. 

The under is 14-4 in Oklahoma City's last 18 games overall. The under is 8-2 in their last 10 home games. 

The under is 8-3 in the Suns last 11 games overall. Phoenix is without two of their best guards, and this Phoenix offense is a mess right now. 

On New Year's Eve, historical trends in the NBA tilt strongly toward the under. This makes a lot of sense when you consider that players want to be able to get home or at least to a place they can celebrate the New Year. What does this mean? It means there are typically fewer stoppages late in the game, and there are lower scoring second halves. 

Take the under. 

*4 Star NBA Play of Day* The Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves meet on New Year's Eve tonight. Minnesota plays at the 17th fastest tempo in the NBA and Detroit at the 18th fastest tempo in the league, so both teams are just slightly slower than the average NBA team.

On New Year's Eve, historical trends in the NBA tilt strongly toward the under. This makes a lot of sense when you consider that players want to be able to get home or at least to a place they can celebrate the New Year. What does this mean? It means there are typically fewer stoppages late in the game, and there are lower scoring second halves. 

In this game, we have a Minnesota team that is struggling badly on offense, and a Detroit team that has been good defensively at home. Look for this one to stay several points under the total. Take the under. 

*4 Star CFB Orange Bowl Bookie BASHER* The Clemson Tigers and Oklahoma Sooners both have explosive offenses. Clemson and Oklahoma both play very quickly as well. Clemson plays at the 29th quickest pace in the country and Oklahoma plays at the 40th quickest tempo (out of 128 teams). With these quick tempo teams on the field together, we should see a lot of snaps and plenty of opportunities for big plays.

Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield has been great in the air raid system. I don't think Perine gets enough credit for how good he is at running back though. Since Oklahoma started being more balanced with Perine touching the ball more often, this offense has been much better. Oklahoma has scored 44 points or more in 6 of their last 7 games. 

Clemson has scored 33 points or more in 6 of their last 7 games. The Tigers have the best player on the field in Deshaun Watson as well. The Clemson running game is solid, and I really like Jordan Leggett at tight end for Clemson.

The Clemson defense is giving up 27.17 points per game in their last six games. Oklahoma's defense has also given up a lot of big plays down the stretch. The offenses should have the upper hand.

The over is 20-8-1 in Oklahoma's last 29 games. The over is 7-2 in Clemson's last 9 games. Take the over. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Louisiana Monroe Warhawks are a good under team. Monroe plays at a slow tempo, and they are a very good defensive team. They also shoot the ball really poorly from the floor on the whole. Appalachian State has been playing to the pace of their opponent of late. This should be a sloppy game. With LA Monroe favored by almost ten and getting to play their style of basketball, this total is several points too high. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Missouri Valley Money* The Wichita State Shockers and Drake Bulldogs play a similar style of basketball. Wichita State just plays it a lot better than Drake. Both teams want to slow the game down, so I fully expect the tempo here to be very slow. The two games between these teams last year finished at 124 points and 114 points. 

Look for Wichita State to get an early lead and then run the clock more in the second half. I had this one at 130 points. Take the under. 

*3 Star CFB Holiday Bowl HEATER* The USC Trojans have transformed themselves into a team that primarily runs the football here late in the season. USC has slowed the tempo down as well. Early in the season they ranked in the top 20 in terms of tempo. Now, they are right in the middle of the pack at #61. 

Wisconsin is a team that runs the ball almost every play. They have to because Joel Stave is not a good quarterback. The Badgers running game has been much less productive this year than they have been in recent years.

With both teams running the ball constantly, the clock will be ticking throughout in this one. Both defenses are much better against the run than the pass. Wisconsin is only giving up 13.1 points per game on the year. I see a low scoring close game. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Over* The New Mexico Lobos have decided to play at a much quicker pace this year. That has led to some very high scoring games. Nevada has a new coach and they are looking to push the tempo at every opportunity. 

Nevada has been fouling a lot this year, as evidenced by the fact that Wichita State (their most recent opponent) shot a mind boggling 62 free throws against them. Wow. New Mexico should live at the line here, and the Lobos are pretty good from the stripe. 

I look for a quick tempo and both teams to score in transition often. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Syracuse Orange are slowing the game down and playing some really good defense this year. Pittsburgh is always a team that prefers to play at a slow tempo. There have been a lot of low scoring tight battles between these two over the years, and I think we'll see another one of those games here.

Pittsburgh has played against a bunch of opponents who like to run this year, and that has propped up this total a few points too much. I made this game 136 points. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Under* Niagara is a team that really makes every game ugly. They slow it down and they shoot it very poorly. Niagara isn't likely to win this game, but they will probably force St. Bonaventure to play at a slow tempo and make this one a lot lower scoring than most of ST. Bonaventure's games have been. Look for a game that stays in the low 130's here. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Under* Morehead State is playing very slowly this year. The Eagles strength is in the paint and they are trying to work that to their advantage by slowing the game down. East Tennessee State strikes me as a team that appears to be playing to whatever pace their opponent wants to play at so far this year. East Tennessee State has some very high scoring games, but those were against some of the fastest paced teams in the nation. 

My numbers made this game 132 points. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The NC State Wolfpack have slowed their tempo drastically in the past few games. NC State's four slowest paced games are all in the past month. The Wolfpack have decided to control the tempo and try to win lower scoring games.

Northeastern has always been a team that prefers to slow the game down under coach Bill Coen. Northeastern won't try to speed this game up in any way.

Both of these teams are very good at playing defense without fouling, which is important in today's game. I look for a close game between these two and I have this one in the mid 130's. Take the under here. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Early Bird Special* Florida Atlantic has had 7 foot defensive specialist Ron Delph back in the lineup for four games now. All four of those games have finished under the posted total. Delph is a shot blocker and a shot changer in the middle of the paint. Since Delph has entered the lineup, Florida Atlantic is playing at a much slower pace.

Tennessee Martin is playing at the same slow tempo they played at last season. The Skyhawks won't be pushing the tempo here. Neither of these teams have been efficient on the offensive end, and neither of them get to the line often. The early start time during the week is different for the players as well. 

I made this number 128 points. Take the under here. 

*4 Star College Hoops Monday MONEY* The Detroit Titans have a way of making games very high scoring. Detroit ranks 8th in the nation in tempo. The Titans really push the pace and look to outscore the opposition in a high scoring affair. Detroit is shooting 41.2% from three-point range on the year.

Eastern Michigan is a team that prefers to run when they can. The Eagles play a zone defense that encourages the opposition to shoot it from long range. Eastern Michigan hasn't faced many opponents who shoot the ball well from three so far this year, but Detroit is definitely a team that has three point shooters all over the place. I think Detroit's combination of a quick tempo and good shooters means they can score plenty here.

Eastern Michigan put up 80 points against Nebraska Omaha, another team that likes to run. They should score a lot here as well.

Take the over in this one. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Villanova Wildcats have been a good under team this year. Villanova is really slowing down the tempo this year and looking to win with their halfcourt defense. It's been a great recipe for success against lesser opponents, and that's what they are up against here. Penn lost 62-47 last year against Villanova, and while this one might be a bit higher, I do think it should stay below the posted total. 

Villanova has held 4 of their last 7 opponents to 52 points or less, and I think Penn will score 52 or less in this one. Take the under. 

*3 Star NFL Packers/Cardinals Total DOMINATION* The Green Bay Packers offense has looked a bit better in the last couple weeks. McCarthy is now calling the plays and he has given the team better balance. The offensive line is still a problem, but they have been better than they were early in the season. 

Arizona's secondary took a huge hit when Mathieu went down with a season ending knee injury. The Packers passing attack should be good enough to exploit the Cardinals weakness there. Patrick Peterson will probably play here, but he is dinged up as well. 

The Green Bay defense is no better than average at this point, and Arizona's offense is tremendous. The Cardinals rank first in the NFL in total offense. Arizona has been picking apart just about every defense they have played. 

The over is 5-2 in Arizona's last 7 home games. Take the over. 

*5 Star NFL Game of the MONTH* The Kansas City Chiefs are playing at the single slowest tempo of any team in the league. They are taking 33.5 seconds between plays, which is the longest mark in the league. Kansas City's offense isn't very good. They have been putting up some big point totals of late because the defense has been scoring points in large amounts. That has made this Chiefs team look better than they are, at least offensively if you are looking at things like points per game. 

Cleveland's defense has been a little better in recent weeks. The Browns run defense still isn't good, but they have been slightly better of late. The Browns secondary is solid. Kansas City is likely to keep the ball on the ground a lot in this game and run the clock a lot. Cleveland has been running it a lot as well.

The weather is one of the big reasons I'm making this play as well. The forecast here is calling for rain throughout the game, and even more importantly, heavy winds of 20 to 25 mph with gusts of 30 mph. That kind of weather is very good for under bettors.

The under is 4-0 in the Browns last 4 road games. The under is 4-0 in the Browns last 4 vs. a team with a winning record. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 with less than 150 yards passing last game. The under is 4-0 in Kansas City's last 4 in Week 16. A 16-0 angle. Take the under. Top rated play. *NFL Game of the MONTH*

*4 Star CFB Saturday Night MONEY* The UCLA Bruins have a good young quarterback in Josh Rosen, and they go up against a Nebraska secondary that has struggled all year long. Nebraska ranks 122nd in the nation out of 128 teams against the pass. Look for Rosen to beat this secondary consistently with the pass. 

At the same time, Nebraska's offense has been very good down the stretch. The Cornhuskers have averaged 34 points per game in their last four contests. Armstrong and his receivers are getting more accustomed to Mike Riley's new offense. The Cornhuskers prefer to play quickly, and they like to use the no huddle package quite a bit. UCLA ranks as the 8th fastest paced team in the country as well.

UCLA's defense has been hit hard by the injury bug this year. Their two best players will miss this game. I see both offenses having a lot of scoring chances throughout. Take the over.  

*3 Star CFB Pinstripe Bowl Power Play* The Duke Blue Devils offense was up and down this year, but Duke plays at the ninth fastest tempo of anyone in the country. Indiana plays at the single fastest tempo of anyone in the country. There will be a bunch of snaps in this one, and the more snaps there are the more scoring opportunities come up. 

The Indiana defense is dreadful. How bad are they? Indiana's pass defense ranks dead last in the country. Opponents are throwing for more than 326 yards per game against them. Duke's passing game should look a lot better than usual against this Indiana defense. 

The Duke defense will be without star safety Jeremy Cash. Cash is the team's best defensive player, and he's a big loss. Indiana's offense is one of the most balanced in the country, and star running back Jordan Howard returning from an injury, Indiana is going to be even more dangerous. 

The over is 38-15-1 in Indiana's last 54 games. Take the over. 

*4 Star CFB Sun Bowl SMASHER* This is a matchup of two very good quarterbacks. I'm high on both Brad Kaaya and Luke Falk. They play in different systems, but both guys have done a really nice job progressing over the course of their careers.

Miami's offense has been pretty good since their blowout loss to Clemson. The Hurricanes finished the season strong, and they have a speed advantage on the outside here. Washington State's secondary should have trouble staying with these wideouts. 

Washington State's offense has all sorts of playmakers at the wide receiver spots. Luke Falk is the perfect quarterback for Mike Leach's system. Falk spreads the ball around and doesn't lock in on any one guy. The Cougars always like to play quickly in the Leach offense, and that won't change here.

Washington State's defense has certainly improved this year, but I'm still not convinced they are good. Miami's defense will be without two starters who were suspended for this game. 

Both offenses have a lot of big play ability. Take the over. 

*4 Star CFB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Marshall Thundering Herd were a high powered offense in the past, but they aren't that anymore. Marshall took a huge step backward when Rakeem Cato graduated. Marshall ranks 64th in the nation in total offense. I think the perception is still out there that Marshall is a good offense because of what they did in the past, and that gives us value on the under.

UConn's defense has gotten so much better under Bob Diaco. The Huskies are giving up only 19.8 points per game. This is a unit that has been consistently very good all season long. Marshall's defense is only allowing 18.4 points per game. I think both offenses will have a difficult time getting things going in this one.

The under is 5-0 in UConn's last 5 games. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 non-conference games. The under is 8-0 in their last 8 after allowing less than 170 passing yards last game. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning record. The under is 4-0 in Marshall's last 4 following a loss. The under is 6-0 in their last 6 following a loss by 20 points or more. A 31-0 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star NBA Christmas 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Oklahoma City Thunder have been a great under team of late. That's primarily because the Thunder have really buckled down on defense and they have some very high posted totals. 

All throughout the season, the Chicago Bulls have been a good under play because the offense hasn't been efficient at all. Chicago ranks 27th in the NBA in offensive efficiency. They are only ahead of Brooklyn, the Lakers, and the 76ers in that statistic. That's some bad company right there.

Earlier this year when these two met the game finished at 202. This game is played in the afternoon on Christmas Day, and we've seen afternoon Christmas Day games go under the total at a pretty good clip in the past. It makes sense because the players want to get home.

The under is 4-0 in the Bulls last 4 vs. the NBA Northwest. The under is 7-0 in OKC's last 7 home games. The under is 5-0 in the Thunder's last 5 games on one day of rest. The under is 4-0 in the Thunder's last 4 Friday games. The under is 9-0 in their last 9 when their opponent allows 100 points or more last game. A 29-0 angle. Take the under. 

*5 Star College Hoops TOP Play of the Week* The Oklahoma Sooners are always anxious to run the floor. They'll get plenty of chances to do exactly that tonight against a Hawaii team that uses full court pressure and runs as much as possible.

Oklahoma has one of the nation's best players in Buddy Hield. He is shooting better than 50% from long range, and Hawaii doesn't have anyone who matches up well with him. Oklahoma's depth is impressive, and that is why they can continually push the tempo.

Hawaii fouls a lot, and Oklahoma is a good free throw shooting team. Hawaii and Oklahoma are both teams that get a lot of second chance points. I had this game at 155 points. Take the over! TOP Rated Play- College Hoops Game of the Week

*3 Star Play Over* This is a matchup that should be pretty close. Milwaukee has some nice wins so far this year, and Minnesota is usually good at home. I expect this to be a game where we see a lot of free throws at the end because of the close nature of the game. Minnesota has played a much faster tempo at home this year, and Milwaukee shouldn't slow the game down. Take the over here. 

*3 Star Play Over* This is an ugly pick to make, but I have to do it. Bradley has an awful offense, but their tempo has picked up of late. TCU is playing far faster than they have in recent years. TCU also gets to the line at a very impressive rate. Bradley and TCU both foul a bunch, and with the new rule changes and a lot of foul shots, I have to take the over despite Bradley's inefficient offense. I think this one gets into the 130's. Take the over. 

*4 Star NBA Play of Day* The posted total here was 199.5 and has dropped to 199 or 198.5 at some books. That is despite the fact that the public is betting heavily on the over. That's a nice setup for an under bet. Dallas has improved defensively this year, and Brooklyn is a much better defensive team on their home floor.

I don't see either team being anxious to push the pace in their last game before their Christmas break. Look for both teams to be ready to head home and see their families. Lower second halves are common in this spot.

The under is 4-1 in the Nets last 5 home games. Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA 100% Angle CRUSHER* Carmelo Anthony is questionable here. He will likely try to play, but he won't be 100 percent here. New York started the season out trying to play faster, but the Knicks have slowed down in a big way in the past month. In the past month, they rank in the bottom five in the NBA in pace. For the year as a whole, Cleveland ranks 28th out of 30 teams in pace. The Cavs defense has been very good in the past month as well.

The last 5 meetings between these two have gone well under this posted total. Tomorrow is the Christmas break for the Cavs and the Knicks have two days off. In these spots it is common to see the under have more value because teams are ready to go home to their family. I often see low scoring second halves in these spots.

The under is 4-0 in the Knicks last 4 games vs. a team with a winning record. The under is 7-0 in the Cavs last 7 vs. the Eastern Conference. The under is 4-0 in the Cavs last 4 after scoring 100 points or more. The under is 5-0 in the last 5 games between these two. A 20-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*4 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The Washington State Cougars haven't played anyone good this year, but that ends tonight. Washington State's defensive numbers actually look pretty good, but I don't think they will after this night is over. Oklahoma has consistently shredded up good defenses this year. The Sooners have all kinds of scoring options. They shoot 48% from long range, and Washington State isn't going to be able to keep up.

Still, the pace of this game should be so quick that Washington State will score plenty here too. Both of these teams love to run and force the issues. Look for this game to get to 155 points or more. Take the over. 

*5 Star NCAA BB TOP Play Total SMASHER* The Norfolk State Spartans rank 323rd in the nation in pace. UC Irvine ranks 296th. This is a game that should be played at a very slow tempo. The Anteaters have one of the best defenses Norfolk State will play all season. With 7'6 center Mamadou N'Diaye in the middle of the paint clogging things up, I don't think Norfolk State will get to the hoop or the free throw line nearly as much as they usually do. 

UC Irvine has shown over time that when they grab the lead they are good at taking the air out of the ball and using up the clock. The Anteaters should win this one and keep this under the posted total. I had this one at 133 points. Take the under. TOP Rated Play

*3 Star NCAA BB Cal/Virginia Total DOMINATION* The Cal Golden Bears have been up and down this year. Cal has a 72-58 loss against San Diego State. They also have a nice 63-59 win over St. Mary's. Cal is too reliant on one on one play in my opinion. The Golden Bears aren't likely to be able to have too much success against a defense as good as Virginia. The Cavs have consistently been one of the best defenses in the country with Tony Bennett as their coach. 

Cal has been slowing the game down of late, and Virginia ranks 348th in tempo out of 351 teams in the country. I think Virginia wins with strong defense. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Under* A.J. West quit the Nevada basketball team recently, and he was considered the team's best player before the season. West will definitely be missed on the offensive end. Wichita State's defense has been elite for the last few years, and they should be elite again this year. The Shockers are slowing down the tempo more than ever this year. I think Wichita State grabs the lead and then slows the game down as they control the tempo. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Over* SE Missouri State is pushing the tempo bigtime, but they are an awful team. Missouri State's shooting numbers have been good of late, and I think they can shoot it well against a really bad defense like SEMO State. The tempo of this game should be quick enough to get it into the 140's. I see this is a value play on the over. 

*3 Star Play Under* The Wyoming Cowboys allowed the Marshall Thundering Herd to play at their pace last night, and Wyoming lost in ugly fashion. Wyoming is at their best when they are stalling and making it a race to 65 points. Houston hasn't been playing very fast, and Rob Gray (leading scorer for Houston) has been injured, so the Cougars offense isn't as potent as Marshall's was. Look for Wyoming to change the way they play tonight and get back to their normal tendencies. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*3 Star Play Under* 

*3 Star Play Over* The Texas San Antonio Roadrunners are a team that doesn't make much sense to me. They aren't a good team, but still they push the tempo almost as much as anyone in the country. The Roadrunners are awful on defense, and Cal Poly's offense has been very good this year. The Mustangs have been one of my favorite under teams in the past years, but Coach Joe Callero is encouraging his team to speed things up this year. Cal Poly should pour in the points here in a game played faster than most expect. Take the over. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Detroit Titans got back Paris Bass last game. Bass is the best player on their team by a wide margin, and he's a guy who can score 25 points per game. Western Kentucky's defense has proven to be bad throughout the season. Detroit's defense is even worse. Detroit has forced everyone they play this year to play to a quick tempo so I think they'll do the same here. This should top the 160 point mark. Take the over. 

*3 Star Play Under* 

*4 Star Play Over* The VCU Rams are still pressing and pushing the tempo with new coach Will Wade at the controls. Buffalo is also pushing the pace with a new coach at the helm. This is a relatively low total considering the tempo this game should be played at. I think there is a good chance this one tops 150 points as both teams attack the rim and get to the line a lot. Take the over. 

*3 Star Play Under* 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*5 Star TOP Play Total SMASHER* The New Mexico State Aggies have been slowing down the tempo and winning with defense this year. New Mexico State has a very big frontcourt, and slowing the game down benefits this team quite a bit. Oral Roberts has played against a bunch of very fast paced opponents, which have skewed their data so far this year. Oral Roberts is generally a team that finishes right around the middle of the pack in terms of tempo, and I think they'll play to the tempo of their opponent for the most part. 

New Mexico State's last 9 games have all stayed under this posted total in regulation. I made this one 136 points, so it's a strong enough to make it a top rated selection. Take the under. TOP Rated Play

*4 Star NFL Sunday Night Football CASH* The Philadelphia Eagles defense has allowed at least 20 points in each of their last 7 games. They have allowed 45 points in two of their last four games. Philadelphia's offense has been a little bit better of late, and the Eagles still play at the fastest pace of any team in the league by a wide margin. 

Arizona's offense has been amazing this year. Carson Palmer has been a star in this offense. Arizona ranks first in the NFL in total offense, and they are averaging 31.2 points per game. I think they'll be able to get a lot of big plays against this Eagles defense.

The Cardinals defense has been a bit disappointing of late. Arizona allowed 32 and 31 points in back to back weeks against Seattle and Cincinnati recently. They are a good defense, but they aren't elite like some thought they would be. Philadelphia will get a lot of snaps and opportunities here.

Take the over.  

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The East Carolina Pirates have really turned down their tempo in the past couple years. East Carolina relies heavily on getting to the line a lot on the offensive end, and that's dangerous on the road against a James Madison team that hasn't fouled very much so far this year. 

James Madison is playing much slower so far this year. The Dukes rank 288th in tempo out of 351 teams in the country. 

Both of these teams are much improved on the defensive end so far this year. In the meeting between these two last year the final was 70-58. I had this one at 135. Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Miami Heat have been one of the best defensive teams in the league so far this year. Miami's defense hasn't been very good in their last couple games though, and I have a feeling that will be a point of emphasis in this game. Portland's offense has gone into a funk in their last couple games. The Blazers are not going against a good opponent to be trying to turn around an offense that is struggling.

Early Sunday afternoon unders are always worth a look, and the under is 11-3 in Miami's last 14 Sunday games. Portland's tempo has slowed down drastically in the past few weeks. Portland and Miami both rank in the bottom five in the NBA in terms of tempo in the past month.

The under is 4-0 in Portland's last 4 games on one day of rest. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 after allowing 100 points or more last game. The under is 6-0 in the Heat's last 6 games vs. the NBA Northwest Division. A 15-0 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star NFL Early Bird Special* The New England Patriots offense is very banged up right now. This is one of those games where I think it would make sense for the Patriots to simply get out healthy rather than worry about scoring everytime and winning big. Since I don't trust the Titans to be able to score on New England, I'm taking the under instead of the underdog.

The New England defense has been a lot better than people realize this year. New England ranks sixth in the NFL in total defense. They rank in the top ten in the NFL in both pass defense and run defense. This is a good balanced defense. 

The Titans have scored 14 points or less in 8 of their 13 games so far this year. I don't see them being able to score much here.

The weather could be a bit of a problem too. Winds of up to 20 mph could keep both teams running the ball more often than normal.

The under is 7-1 in the Titans last 8 December games. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning record. The under is 5-0 in the Titans last 5 after gaining 250 yards or more through the air last game. A 16-1 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star NFL 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears are both better on defense than they are on offense. Though Jay Cutler played better for a while this year, he is still Jay Cutler, which means he can't be relied on in big games. Minnesota's defense played very well last week against Arizona, and they have a great defensive head coach in Zimmer.

Minnesota's passing game is bad, which will allow Chicago to stack the box and make life difficult on Adrian Peterson. None of the last four meetings have gone above 43 points. In the last two meetings, no team has gained more than 330 yards of total offense. I think the defensive theme continues here.

The under is 4-0 in the Bears last 4 vs. a team with a winning record. The under is 6-0 in the Vikings last 6 after a loss. The under is 3-0-1 in their last 4 after allowing 350 yards or more last game. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Minnesota. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between the Bears and Vikings overall. A 21-0 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star CFB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and Arkansas State Red Wolves meet on Saturday night in New Orleans. Louisiana Tech has a really good offense with Jeff Driskel (Florida transfer) and Kenneth Dixon at quarterback and running back. Driskel was a disappointment at Florida, but he's been great at Louisiana Tech. Arkansas State's Fredi Knighten and Michael Gordon are a really nice quarterback and running back combination too. Both of these teams have big play ability on offense.

When you look at the schedules these two teams played, they didn't play very many dynamic offenses, and when they did, they gave up a bunch of points. Louisiana Tech just gave up 58 points against Southern Miss in their last game. Arkansas State allowed 31 points or more five times this year, and this will be the second most talented offense they have faced this year. Both offenses in this game prefer to play at a quick tempo.

The over is 5-0 in Arkansas State's last 5 games after gaining more than 450 yards last game. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 after scoring 40 points or more last game. The over is 6-0 in their last 6 games after gaining 200 yards or more on the ground last game. A 16-0 angle. Take the over. 

*4 Star Play Over* 

*5 Star TOP Play Total SMASHER* The Florida Gators defense has been shutting everyone down this year. Florida faces an Oklahoma State team here that is short handed without shooting star Phil Forte. The Gators have some major offensive problems themselves, and they have decided to slow the game down and win with defense. Oklahoma State's coaching staff knows they have a lot less talent than they have had in recent years, and their tempo is much slower as well. 

I think this line is several points too high. This game is also played at a neutral site where shooting percentages are typically lower. Take the under. TOP Rated play

*3 Star Play Over* The Rice Owls are starting to play the faster paced game that Coach Rhoades wants them to play. Rhoades came from VCU where he was an assistant under Shaka Smart, and he is all about getting this Rice team to play faster and press. Rice is struggling defensively, and they are fouling a bunch. The Owls have been able to get quite a few quick scoring opportunities from that press, and they should be able to force some New Mexico mistakes.

The Lobos have adopted a much quicker style of play this year. New Mexico has a lot more scoring options than they had last year, and this is a team that can get hot from long range. Rice's defense has been really bad at defending beyond the arc this year. Take the over. 

*4 Star BYU/Utah Total DOMINATION* The BYU Cougars and the Utah Utes absolutely hate each other. This is one of the meanest rivalries in college football today. Both teams should be plenty motivated here. We are going to see some very hard hitting action. 

Utah's offense is really banged up right now. The Utes are expected to be without star running back Devontae Booker here. Booker carries a massive load for this offense. He's averaged nearly 5 yards per carry in his career, and he is a workhorse. Britain Covey, Utah's best receiver and best kick returner is also doubtful for this one. That means there will be a lot more pressure on Travis Wilson. Wilson isn't a guy I trust very much, especially when he doesn't have enough weapons at the skill positions around him.

BYU's offense hasn't been able to run this year, and Utah presents a major challenge for the Cougars offense. Utah has a tremendous pass rush and the Utes also have a very good secondary. 

I see both offenses struggling in a close game throughout. Take the under. 

*3 Star CFB Bowl Season Kickoff CASH* The New Mexico Lobos have the home field advantage in this one, but they are at a significant talent disadvantage. Rather than get involved on the side in this game, I'm going with the over. New Mexico and Arizona are two rushing attacks that both make a bunch of explosive plays. I think we'll see a lot of long runs in this game.

Arizona ranks 4th in the nation in pace of play. The Wildcats are going to look to get off as many plays as they can quickly, and that's obviously very helpful for an over. New Mexico's defense has improved quite a bit this year, but they haven't faced many offenses with the type of talent Arizona has.

Arizona's defense is giving up 4.42 yards per carry this year. The Wildcats haven't allowed less than 30 points in a single game in their last six contests. They allowed 45 points or more five times this year.

The over is 4-0 in Arizona's last 4 after allowing 450 yards or more last game. The over is 4-0 in Arizona's last 4 non-conference games. The over is 7-1 in Arizona's last 8 vs. a team with a winning record. A 15-1 angle. Take the over.  

*4 Star Play Over* 

*4 Star Nova/Virginia Total* The Virginia Cavaliers are always going to be one of the slowest paced teams in the country as long as Tony Bennett is their head coach. Villanova ranks 300th out of 351 teams in the country in terms of pace, so the Wildcats have slowed things down in a big way from previous seasons. 

Villanova ranks #4 in the country in defensive efficiency. Virginia ranks number 5 in the nation in defensive efficiency. Both of these teams are excellent in the halfcourt, and neither teams have shown they want to run and try to score in transition. 

Virginia's last 3 games have finished at 122, 119, and 124 points. That last game was against West Virginia, who plays very fast. Villanova has seen 3 of their last 5 games finish at 123 or lower. Take the under here. 

*4 Star Thunder/Cavs Total DOMINATION* The Oklahoma City Thunder rank 11th in the NBA in pace. They have actually ranked in the bottom ten in the league in terms of pace in the past two weeks. Cleveland has been slowing the game down in a big way this year. The Cavs have the second slowest tempo in the NBA. Cleveland's defense is now in the top ten in defensive efficiency as well. Oklahoma City is in the top 10 in defensive efficiency also. 

A total this high is hard to reach with the pace being slow and both teams playing good offense. Also very important to note is that 75% of the public is betting the over here, but the total continues to drop. That's a strong sign.

The under is 7-0 in the Thunder's last 7 games following a win by more than 10 points. The under is 7-0 in their last 7 following an ATS win. The under is 10-1 in their last 11 overall. The under is 4-0 in the Cavs last 4 following a win. A 28-1 angle. Take the under. 

*5 Star NCAA BB TOP Play SMASHER* The Belmont Bruins and Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders have a nice little rivalry. These two schools are less than an hour apart, and both teams will be extra anxious to get this game going. In rivalry games, we typically see better defensive and lower shooting percentages. 

Middle Tennessee State has a good coach, and I think he knows he can't have his team running with Belmont. MTSU hasn't had a single game this year go over this posted total in regulation. Belmont has played a bunch of teams that play exceptionally fast this year, and MTSU isn't that type of team. I think Belmont's very high scoring games against fast paced opponents gives us extra value here on the under.

In the last four years, these teams have never played a game against each other that finished with a total higher than 128 points. That will probably change tonight, but I don't think it will be higher than 150. My numbers had this one at 145. Take the under. TOP Rated Play.

*4 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The UNLV Runnin' Rebels always like to get out in transition when they can. Arizona State prefers to play with tempo under new coach Bobby Hurley. Hurley's teams are aggressive and like to attack the rim. While the line actually moved down today in this one, I see the value side being the over. 

UNLV is a poor defensive rebounding team, and Arizona State has the frontcourt to take advantage of that weakness. UNLV should be able to force some turnovers that lead to easy baskets. I had this total at 140. The over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two. Take the over. 

*4 Star Play Over* The UIC Flames rank as one of the 10 fastest teams in the country. Illinois State prefers to play quickly when they can as well. Illinois State generally doesn't shoot a good percentage, but I think they'll shoot it better than normal here tonight because this UIC defense is terrible. Everyone has been able to get easy looks against UIC.

Both of these teams do a lot of fouling, and with a total that isn't all that high, a bunch of fouls likely sends this game over the posted total. My number here was 150. Take the over. 

*3 Star NBA Total PERFECTION* The Chicago Bulls have the third best defense in the NBA when it comes to defense efficiency numbers. Chicago is 27th in the NBA in offensive efficiency. While the Bulls were expected to play quickly with Fred Hoiberg as their coach, that hasn't really happened. Chicago started at a somewhat fast pace, but they have slowed considerably throughout the course of the year to slightly below average. Memphis is still a team that likes to play slowly and work it inside to their big men. Both offenses have been struggling of late, and this total is a few points too high.

The under is 5-0 in Memphis' last 5 Wednesday games. The under is 7-0-1 in the Bulls last 8 following an ATS win. The under is 4-0-1 in their last 5 following a win by more than 10 points. A 16-0 angle. Take the under. 

*5 Star TOP Total of the Week* The Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks ranked in the bottom 50 teams in the country in terms of tempo last year. This year they rank in the bottom 40, so they are playing even slower. Last year, Martin had some very good long range shooters, but this season they don't have many good shooters on the roster. One thing that's important here is Tenn-Martin generally does a good job not fouling on defense.

St. Louis would prefer to play slowly as well, and the Billikens are very reliant on getting to the line. In fact, they rank sixth in the nation in free throws attempted. Without getting to the line, this offense simply isn't very good. Only one of their eight games this year has gone over this total (their first game of the season). 

The under is 7-0 in St. Louis' last 7 games. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 Wednesday games. The under is 10-0-1 in their last 11 vs. the Ohio Valley Conference. The under is 4-0-1 in Martin's last 5 after a win. The under is 4-0-1 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. A 29-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Miami Heat have been a great under team so far this year. Miami has slowed their pace down to where they are 26th out of 30 teams in the league as far as pace. Miami ranks second in the NBA in defensive efficiency. The Heat also have two key offensive contributors questionable tonight. Dwyane Wade and Tyler Johnson are both questionable here. 

Brooklyn has slowed down their tempo of late, and that makes sense because Brook Lopez is the strength of their team and they need to get it inside to him. Brooklyn has played better defense on their home floor. Brooklyn's offense ranks as the second least efficient offense in the league (only the 76ers are worse).

The under is 8-0 in the Heat's 8 road games so far this year. The under is 5-0 in Miami's last 5 vs. a team with a win percentage of 40% or lower. The under is 6-0 in Brooklyn's last 6 vs. a team with a losing road record. A 19-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The Stanford Cardinal have made the decision to slow the game down this year. They ranked #127 (out of 351) in terms of tempo last year. This year they rank #312 in terms of tempo. That's a big slow down. Stanford is playing against a DePaul team that has allowed their opposition to dictate the tempo all year. DePaul is coming off a game where they scored only 44 points against Arkansas Little Rock and their strong defense.

With the tempo being slow, I think it will take some high shooting percentages to go over this total. My numbers made this one 132 points. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Clemson Tigers are great at slowing the tempo down with consistency. Brad Brownell's teams are very good on the defensive end, but usually not very good on offense. Clemson is shooting a much higher percentage from the floor so far this year than they have in recent seasons, but I think much of that can be attributed to who they have played thus far.

Alabama is a work in progress, but Avery Johnson stresses defense. They should make Clemson work hard to get open looks in this game. Alabama has been playing to the tempo of their opponent so far this year, which means this should be a very slow paced game. My numbers had this one at 125 points. Take the under. 

*4 Star NFL 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Green Bay Packers are coming off a last second win over Detroit last week. Green Bay was certainly fortunate to get that win, and the Packers offense has shown in recent weeks that they have some major problems. Aaron Rodgers is still great, but the talent around him isn't good enough right now. Dallas' Sean Lee has been playing some great football, and he has helped this Dallas defense be much better since he has been healthy again. 

Dallas' offense is terrible with Cassel at quarterback. The Cowboys are going to have to run it early and often here, and Green Bay should be ready for the running game. Dallas plays at the slowest pace of play of any team in the NFL too, which is obviously helpful for the under.

The weather should be an issue here. There is a 90 percent chance of rain and 20-25 mph winds are expected too. Wind and rain is very difficult for the offenses. 

The under is 5-0 in the Cowboys last 5 on grass. The under is 4-0 in the Packers last 4 home games. The under is 4-0 in the Packers last 4 games following an ATS win. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 following a straight up win. An 18-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star Raiders/Broncos Total* The Denver Broncos have the best defense in the NFL. The secondary is amazing and the pass rush is the best in the league by a wide margin. Oakland's offensive line has been having some issues of late, and Derek Carr has looked shaky under pressure.

The Denver offense isn't very good regardless of who is at quarterback. The running game has been a bit better of late, but Oakland's defense has improved quite a bit in the past month. 

The first meeting between these two teams saw a 16-10 Denver win, but the Broncos scored the game winning touchdown on an interception return. Neither offense could get going in that one. Look for a low scoring game again. Take the under.