Sports Picks & Predictions

*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 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. 

*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 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 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. 

*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 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 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 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. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The DePaul Blue Demons host a very sneaky good Arkansas Little Rock team tonight. Little Rock has wins at Tulsa and at San Diego State this year. Little Rock has a new coach this season, and he has this team playing some suffocating defense. They will slow the tempo of this game down and make DePaul work really hard for every shot. The Blue Demons aren't a team that pushes the tempo much, so I think this game is played in the halfcourt throughout. My numbers had this at 127. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Over* These two teams met earlier this year and the total finished at 153. The shooting numbers weren't very good in that one, but the tempo was quick. As long as both teams continue their past trend of playing quick, I like our chances of cashing with the over in this one. The shooting numbers should be better than last game, because neither defense is good. Take the over here. 

*3 Star Play Over* These two teams played just a week ago and that one sailed well over the posted total. Both of these teams like to play quickly, and they both foul a bunch. A game where both teams get in transition and both teams get to the line a lot is one of my favorite spots to play the over. North Texas' defense is one of the worst in the country. I had this one at 153. Take the over in this one. 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*4 Star NCAA BB Top Total* The UCF Knights are playing at a much slower pace this year thanks to their 7'6 center Tacko Fall being on the team. Fall is a freshman who has made a big impact already on the defensive end. Florida Atlantic has a bad offense to start with, and I don't see them getting many good looks at the hoop here. UCF has committed the least amount of fouls of any team in the nation.

Both teams prefer to slow the game down. I had this number lined at 128 points. Take the under in this one. 

*3 Star Play Over* Davidson has been shooting the lights out in every game except their loss to North Carolina. I had the over in that one and lost, so I'm still a little upset that Davidson picked that game to shoot it so poorly. I don't think it will happen again though. Western Carolina has a terrible defense, and they put opponents at the line a bunch. The Catamounts are going to give up a big number against Davidson here. Both teams love to run so the tempo should be enough to get Western Carolina plenty of points. Take the over. 

*4 Star Play Under* The Michigan State Spartans and Florida Gators are both ranked in the top six in the nation in defensive efficiency. Michigan State has been shutting down the opposition, especially in their last few games. I'm not impressed with Florida's offense right now, but the Gators work hard on defense and play good team defense. Tom Izzo's team doesn't give the opponent second chances, and without those second chance points Florida's offense should be in trouble. Take the under. 

3 star play- Here are two teams who love to slow down the tempo and George Mason has been really bad on the offensive end this year. My numbers had this one at 132 points. Take the under in this one. 

*4 Star Play Under* 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*4 Star Play Under* 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*3 Star NBA TGIF CASH* The Memphis Grizzlies experimented a bit early in the year with playing faster, but it didn't work out well. Their tempo has slowed down in recent weeks. I expect them to end the season as one of the slowest paced teams in the league. 

Charlotte ranks 7th in the NBA in defensive efficiency. The Hornets have been much improved on the defensive end this year. Al Jefferson and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist are out for this game, and those are two of their best offensive weapons. 

Two of the three referees in this game (Curtis Blair and Courtney Kirkland) have a strong under record in the past few years, which is a nice bonus for this play.

The under is 35-16-1 in Memphis' last 52 home games. The under is 5-0 in the Hornets last 5 playing on one day of rest. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The San Diego Toreros just beat San Diego State 53-48 last game. San Diego plays at the 340th quickest tempo out of 351 teams in college basketball. Their opponent tonight, the Denver Pioneers, play at the 350th ranked pace in the nation. 

This number is certainly lower than I would like to play an under at in the new shot clock era, but my numbers suggest this will stay under this very low total. In fact, this could end up being one of the lowest scoring games of the year thus far.

Denver has played their last two games to 120 points and San Diego is far worse offensively than Denver's last two opponents. This one is low for a reason. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Over* The Boise State Broncos are playing quicker this year. The Broncos have some very good scorers in Anthony Drmic, Mikey Thompson, and James Webb. Loyola Marymount prefers to play quickly, and their defense isn't good at all. I think Boise State will have a very efficient offensive night here. It won't be a surprise if they put up a big number.

Loyola Marymount's offense has been much better in the last few games. They have been attacking the basket more and kicking it it out to open jump shooters. Boise State's offense is great, but their defense isn't good. Look for Loyola Marymount to score quite a few as well. Take the over. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Play of Day* The Texas Tech Red Raiders have typically been a team that slows down the tempo under Tubby Smith's leadership. So far this year, they have played quicker and had some high scoring games, but I think that's more a product of who they have played against than anything else.

Tennessee-Martin is a bad team, but they are good at forcing opponents to slow down the pace. The Skyhawks are going to do their absolute best to turn this into a low scoring game. With Texas Tech's previous history of slowing the game down, I think they are an opponent that Martin will be able to slow down. I had this number at 135 points. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Marshall Thundering Herd are playing at the second quickest tempo in the nation. Last game, they played to a 107-84 final against James Madison. It's important to note that James Madison is a team that likes to slow the game down. The fact that the game got to 191 points is indicative of Marshall's poor defense and their tempo. 

Eastern Illinois has been playing to the pace of their opponent this year. The Panthers are good at getting to the line, and they should get plenty of free throw attempts here. Their defense isn't very good, and I think Marshall can beat them down the floor. Take the over. 

*3 Star NBA 100% Angle CRUSHER* The San Antonio Spurs defense is first in the NBA by a wide margin when it comes to defensive efficiency. The Spurs are winning with defense this year. Philadelphia ranks last in the NBA in offensive efficiency. Can Philadelphia get to 80 points here? I'm not sure if they can. 

San Antonio isn't likely to be anxious to run the score up a bunch here as they are on a road trip and play a good Toronto team on Wednesday.

Philadelphia's Isaiah Canaan and Jahlil Okafor are both questionable for this game, and those are two of their best offensive players. Canaan has a sprained ankle and if he plays he'll be less than 100 percent.

The under is 7-0 in the Spurs last 7 Monday games. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 following an ATS loss. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 vs. a team with a win percentage of 40% or less. The under is 5-0-1 in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a losing home record. A 22-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star Villanova/Oklahoma Total DOMINATION* The Villanova Wildcats are first in the nation in defensive efficiency. They are also slowing the tempo of the game down this year compared to what they have done in the past. Oklahoma ranks fifth in the nation in defensive efficiency.

Two of the top five defenses against each other in a game where there is a very odd shooting backdrop. Bloch Arena will be the host to this game, and it's a 4,000 seat building. This isn't going to be anything like the normal venues these two teams play at, and that likely will mean lower shooting percentages.

Oklahoma will look to push the tempo, but Villanova's physical defense should control Oklahoma's offense. I think this one finishes around 140. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The UCLA Bruins defeated Kentucky in a big upset in their last game. That should give this team a bunch of momentum. They go up against a poor Long Beach State defense here, and UCLA's offense should continue to fire on all cylinders. Long Beach State has been giving up the points in bunches this year.

UCLA prefers to push the tempo and Long Beach State has guards who really want to run this season. Look for an up and down game and a high scoring contest. Take the over. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The North Carolina Tar Heels got Marcus Paige back last game, and it showed right away how much he helps their team on offense. North Carolina always wants to run, and not many teams will run with them, but it's hard to see Davidson slowing the game down. The Wildcats rank 9th in the nation in pace and they have two great scorers in Gibbs and Sullivan. 

North Carolina has a huge edge on the glass here, and I expect a bunch of second chance points for the Tar Heels. I had this game lined at 177 points. Take the over. 

*3 Star Play Under* The Southern Miss Golden Eagles are a really bad basketball team. The only way they have been able to keep games close this year is to stall. They'll be stalling again in this one, and North Dakota State is typically happy to play slowly as well. Southern Miss is shooting less than 35% from the floor. North Dakota State's defense is good. Southern Miss has actually been pretty good on defense as well. An ugly game. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Over* The Washington State Cougars like to push the tempo thanks to coach Ernie Kent's philosophy. Washington State will get a chance to do that against a Portland State team that loves to run. Additionally, Portland State has been one of the worst defense in the country in the past three years. Washington State should put up a big number here. Take the over. 

*4 Star Play Over* Wisconsin Green Bay plays at the second fastest tempo in the country. Toledo is always happy to play fast as well, and the Rockets offense is tremendous. A lot of pace all the way through this one and plenty of trips to the line for both teams. I had this one at 170 points. Take the over here. 

*3 Star Play Over* The Montana State Bobcats defense is one of the worst in the country. That makes this a great matchup for a team like Nebraska Omaha. Omaha plays at the third fastest tempo in the country. Omaha should get into the 90's in this game, and Montana State generally shoots the ball very well at home. Take the over. 

*3 Star Play Under* Rivalry game here and the defenses have hand the upper hand in the past few meetings between these two teams. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Rivalry Game Total* The Rhode Island Rams and the Providence Friars don't like each other much. How could they? They are obviously very close to each other, and they have now been playing each other every year. Providence has a good team this year led by Kris Dunn. Rhode Island is a tremendous defensive team, and they should make someone else beat them. The Friars defense is very good, and Rhode Island's offense is their weakness. The Rams can't score unless they get to the line a lot, and Providence doesn't foul much. A hard fought close game. Take the under. 

*4 Star Play Under* The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets tried to up the tempo early in the season, but lately they have gone right back to their old style of slowing things down. Tulane is definitely a team that prefers to play at a slow tempo, so I see this game being played in the halfcourt throughout. The Tulane defense is pretty good, and Georgia Tech doesn't have many shooters on their team. Georgia Tech's interior defense is very good, and Tulane isn't accustomed to playing against defenses like this one. I made this total 131 points. Take the under. 

*4 Star Play Over* The Elon Phoenix play a very fast paced game, and only one of their games this year has finished lower than this posted total. FIU has been a team that plays to the tempo of their opponent in the past. I think they'll do that to some degree again here. FIU is shooting better than 43% from behind the three point line this year. Elon isn't good on the defensive end at all. Both teams are pretty good at grabbing offensive rebounds, so second chance points should come pretty frequently. Take the over. 

*5 Star TOP Play Total of the Week* The Siena Saints and Manhattan Jaspers met twice last year under the old rules in college basketball (longer shot clock and less fouls), and in those two games the total finished at 166 points and 154 points. Here we get a posted of 148? Manhattan has a very long history of fouling a bunch on defense and getting to the foul line a lot on the offensive end. Siena is that way as well. This game should see a lot of free throws.

Both Siena and Manhattan like to push the tempo, and I think we see a lot of possessions in this game. Barring some very poor shooting numbers, I see this one getting over the total easily. Take the over! *NCAA BB TOP Play Total of the Week* 

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The Oregon State Beavers are terrific at controlling the tempo of a game. Oregon State wins with defense and once they grab the lead they can really take the air out of the ball. Loyola Marymount is missing their best scorer, and this is a team that struggles to score against quality teams to start with. Oregon State controls this game and then slows it down in the second half. I projected this one at 134 points. Take the under here. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Big 10/ACC Challenge CASH* The Iowa Hawkeyes prefer to play a fast tempo. The problem for them is they rarely get to play fast in the Big Ten because most teams in the conference like to slow things down. They'll get their shot to play fast here. Florida State has turned up the tempo in a big way this year with their young and athletic lineup. Rathan-Mayes is turning into one of the best in the nation quickly. Florida State and Iowa are both much better on offense than defense. Both teams are good at getting to the line often. I think this one gets to right around 160. Take the over. 

*4 Star NBA 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Chicago Bulls offense ranks 27th out of 30 teams in the NBA in offensive efficiency. The Bulls haven't played as fast this year as many people expected them to under Hoiberg. Chicago is also the #5 ranked team in the NBA in defensive efficiency. The Bulls are still very committed on the defensive end. Denver ranks 26th in the NBA in offensive efficiency. The Nuggets offense has been particularly bad in the past couple weeks.

The three referees here are very helpful to the under. All three of them have a history of cashing unders more than overs. There is sharp money on this under, and I believe there are plenty of reasons for that.

The under is 4-0 in the Nuggets last 4. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 following a loss. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 following an ATS loss. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 after scoring 75 points or less last game. The under 6-0 in the Bulls last 6 vs. the Western Conference. The under is 5-0-1 in the Bulls last 6 following a win. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 following an ATS win. A 32-0 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Louisville/Michigan State MONEY* The Michigan State Spartans defense has been elite this year. Michigan State isn't allowing opponents any second chance points. Louisville's offense isn't very efficient, so they rely heavily on their ability to get second chance points. I don't think they'll get many in this one, and I see the Cardinals struggling to score. Louisville's defense ranks first in the nation in two point field goal defense, and the Cardinals should make life difficult for Denzel Valentine here. The tempo should be slow with both teams focusing on the defensive end. I had this number at 131. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Under* The Boston College Eagles and Penn State Nittany Lions have both had a really tough time in the early going this year. Penn State's offense is dreadful without D.J. Newbill. He was the guy everything ran through last year, and without him they look lost. Boston College lost their star in Olivier Hanlan as well. Both teams like to slow the tempo down and I expect this one to stay in the 120's. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Totals Takedown* The Syracuse Orange have one of the best defenses in the nation every year. This matchup zone is going to give Wisconsin a lot of trouble. Without Kaminsky and Dekker this Badgers offense has struggled a lot so far this year, and now they are going up against the best defense they have played this season. Wisconsin is going to slow the tempo down. They rank 345th out of 351 teams in the nation in terms of tempo. Syracuse prefers to play slow as well. Look for a game played almost solely in the halfcourt. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Cornell Big Red don't play much defense at all, but they do push the pace at every opportunity. Siena has always been a team that prefers to play quickly with Jimmy Patsos as their coach. Siena has a big advantage on the inside here, and I think they'll get a lot of easy baskets around the hoop. Siena's aggressive defense leads to a bunch of fouls, and Cornell should get a lot of free throw attempts in this one. In a game that should be pretty close, free throw attempts put this one over the total. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Value* The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets started the season out trying to play faster, but they have slowed down the tempo as usual in their last few games. Brian Gregory's team seems unlikely to be able to get Wofford to play fast. Wofford has been one of the slowest paced teams in the country every single year under their current coach. Wofford isn't going to let this tempo get out of control. Both teams have struggled shooting the ball in recent weeks. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Tempo Total* The Iona Gaels are the same type of team every single year. Iona runs and guns. They have a lot of scorers and good shooters on this team. The thing they don't do is give any effort on defense. Fairfield's Sydney Johnson has decided to have the Stags play a fast paced game this year. The Stags are looking to push the pace. They'll get every chance in the world to do that in this game. I see a really fast paced game here where the total gets above 170. Take the over here. 

*3 Star NCAA BB MAC Total* The Marshall Thundering Herd have their distinct style of play. Coach D'Antoni has this team flying up and down the floor and putting up shots as quick as possible. They were the 7th quickest team in the nation last year and they are at #7 so far this year too. Ohio is embracing a much faster paced game this year thanks to a lot of athleticism on their team. The Bobcats are 9th in the nation in free throw attempts, and they should get to the line a lot here. This total is really high for good reason. Take the over. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Totals Takedown* The Delaware Blue Hens are a totally different team than they have been in recent years. Delaware is slowing the tempo down and looking to win with defense. The change is largely because they don't have many good scoring options. The Bradley Braves offense is just miserable. They haven't scored more than 60 points in a single game this year. Bradley is shooting 23.3% on three pointers. Delaware isn't much better at 27.8%. Brian Wardle is Bradley's new coach and the Braves are playing hard on defense for him. I made this number 125. Take the under. 

*5 Star NCAA BB TOP Play Total* The Villanova Wildcats defense has been the best in the country so far this year, and it isn't even close. Villanova is only allowing teams to shoot 26% from long range and 36.2% from two point range. Those are just silly good numbers. St. Joe's is a strong defense as well. They are holding opponents to 27.7% from long range and 41.4% from three point range. 

Villanova was a fast paced team a few years ago, but they aren't anymore. The Wildcats have shifted down the pace and are winning with their great ball movement and their great defense. ST. Joe's isn't nearly as talented as Villanova, but they'll fight hard in a rivalry game like this one.

I actually made this total 136 points. I think Villanova's defense gets us this win. Take the under big! 

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Minnesota Golden Gophers aren't as good as last year. They lost their top two scorers from last year's team, and I see the Golden Gophers struggling in the halfcourt offense this season. Clemson is the type of team that absolutely makes you play their game. The Tigers are going to slow this game down. Their tempo ranks in the slowest five teams in the country (out of 351 teams). Clemson's defense is excellent, but their offense is subpar. My numbers had this game at 130. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Green Bay Phoenix are playing at the second fastest tempo of any team in the country. Coach Darner has stated he wants this team to be the ultra-fast all year long. They should get their chance to run against an SIU Edwardsville team that isn't good at all defensively. Green Bay's defense has slipped a lot from last year as well. The tempo here should be plenty fast enough and I see both teams getting a lot of trips to the line as well with their aggressive natures on offense. Take the over. 

*5 Star NBA TOP Play of the MONTH* The Boston Celtics are without Marcus Smart right now. That's a key injury for them. Their offense has been less efficient without him in the lineup. The Celtics played on Sunday and could only score 91 points against Orlando. They'll face an even better defense on Monday in Miami.

Miami ranks third in the NBA in defensive efficiency. The Heat are giving up only 91.7 points per game. Miami is first in the NBA in field goal percentage defense at 40.3%. Boston ranks fifth in the NBA in defensive efficiency as well. On offense, the Heat rank 14th in the league in offensive efficiency and Boston ranks 19th. Clearly, the two defenses have the advantage here.

Here is a really interesting statistic. The Boston Celtics are playing at 104.7 possessions per game at home this year (fastest in the NBA). They are playing at 99.1 possesions per game on the road this year (this ranks in the bottom ten in terms of tempo). Miami loves to slow the game down and they should be able to do that in this one. With both a slower tempo and two good defenses, this is a relatively high number. 

The under is 8-0 in the Heat's last 8 games. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 Monday games. The under is 4-0 in Miami's last 4 vs. the NBA Atlantic. The under is 6-0 in their last 6 games following a win by 10 points or more. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two teams. A 26-0 angle. Take the under big! 

*Note- This number has moved down some since I played this one last night, but I still like this as a 5 star rated play down to 190. Thank you*