Sports Picks & Predictions

*4 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* The Murray State Racers push the tempo and score more efficiently than any other team in the Ohio Valley Conference. Murray State is a really good team, and they have multiple scoring options on the floor at all times. Eastern Kentucky is really efficient on the offensive end, but the Colonels are a bad defensive team. I expect Murray State to get a lead here and Eastern Kentucky will be forced to keep playing fast in order to try to catch up. I had this one at 148 points. 

The over is 4-0 in E Kentucky's last 4 conference games. The over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning record. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 games overall. The over is 3-0-1 in the last 4 meetings between these two. The over is 9-1 in Murray State's last 10 Thursday games. A 23-1 angle. Take the over. 

*4 Star NCAA BB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Missouri Tigers were beaten 86-37 by the Kentucky Wildcats earlier this year. Missouri is sure to put forth a better effort tonight on their home floor. Where I believe it will show up is on the defensive end. Kentucky's offense isn't extremely efficient, but the Wildcats are freakishly good on the defensive end. I don't think Missouri can get past 50 against this Wildcats defense. Missouri will slow this tempo down to a crawl and try to shorten the game. 

The under is 4-0 in Kentucky's last 4 SEC games. The under is 4-0 in Kentucky's last 4 following a win. The under is 4-0 in Missouri's last 4. The under is 4-0 in Missouri's last 4 vs. a team with a win percentage of 60% or higher. The under is 5-0 in Missouri's last 5 following a loss. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 vs. the SEC. A 25-0 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star Play Under* These two teams met earlier this year and the game stayed under the total. I played the under in that one, and I'm taking the under again here. Louisiana Monroe is one of the best under teams in the nation. They play very slowly, they shoot it horribly, and they play great defense without fouling. Those are the characteristics of a great under team. Troy is the type of team that generally plays to the style of their opponent. I had this one at 118. Take the under here. 

*3 Star Play Under* The Tennessee Martin Skyhawks have changed their style of play in a big way under first year Head Coach Heath Schroyer. He has turned this team into a much better defensive team, and a team that uses up the shot clock on offense and slows the game down. Eastern Illinois is the best defense in the Ohio Valley Conference, and they like to use up the clock as well. Most of the teams in the OVC like to play fast, so when these two teams play against an opponent that likes to slow the game down, I think we should see a really low scoring game. Take the under. 

*4 Star Play on Under* These two are the slowest paced teams in the Colonial Athletic Association, and neither of them are any good on offense. This should be a really ugly game where the winner might not have any more than 55 points or so. Relatively good defense combined with terrible offense and a slow tempo is a good recipe for an under. Take the under here. 

*3 Star Play Under* The NC State Wolfpack aren't playing as fast as they did last year, and they defense has been improving in the last few weeks. Clemson has a really bad offense and a good defense. The Tigers are one of the best at slowing the game down and forcing their opponent to play at a style that they choose. Last year's game between these two finished at 129, and both teams were better offensively than they are this year. Take the under. 

*4 Star Play Under* Southern Illinois and Northern Iowa have already met this year. The final score in that game was 55-39. This one probably won't be that low scoring, but the tempo of both teams is extremely slow and this total is still several points too high. Southern Illinois is a really bad offensive team, and Northern Iowa is the third slowest paced team in the nation. The Panthers force everyone into a sloppy game and they are great at pulling out those types of games. My numbers had this at 111 points. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* The Rice Owls are playing at a pace of 59 possessions per game inside the conference. That is extremely slow, and it has led to a bunch of low scoring games for the Owls. Houston is a team that is falling apart of late. The Cougars offense has been dreadful, and their inefficiency has been off the charts of late. These two teams are rivals and they typically bring a better defensive game plan to a game like this one. With the slow tempo and better defense, this should stay under. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Wichita State Shockers and Loyola Chicago Ramblers played earlier this year and the total finished at 120. Wichita State made 67% of their two-point shots in that game, and Loyola made 10/18 from 3 point range. The tempo was a very slow 53 possessions in that matchup. I expect another slow paced game here, and with normalized shooting percentages, this should stay under 120 points. Take the under. 

*4 Star Play Under* The Richmond Spiders play at the slowest tempo of any team in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Richmond isn't one to allow the opponent to dictate the pace of the game. Duquesne has also played much slower inside the conference this year than they have in recent years, so I think recency suggests this number is posted too high. I had this one at 132 points. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Over* Elon and NC Wilmington are two of the fastest paced teams in the Colonial Athletic Association. This is a league though that has a bunch of teams that slow the game down and force the game into a halfcourt battle. This has made both of these teams have some low scoring contests. In this one, I see no pace battle as both teams get into transition at every opportunity. Even if they aren't hitting their shots particularly well, this one should be high scoring. Both teams do a lot of fouling which helps as well. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Georgetown Hoyas and Xavier Musketeers met on New Year's Eve and the final score was 70-53. This one likely won't be quite that low, but I do think it will stay below this posted total. Xavier scored a bunch of points during the non-conference portion of their schedule, but against a strong defense like Georgetown their shooting percentages will go down. The Hoyas are looking for revenge from their loss last month, and they play much stronger defense on their home court. Xavier is having a ton of trouble away from home this year. The Musketeers have slowed down their tempo and they are also shooting a much worse percentage away from home. Look for a halfcourt game with both offenses struggling to get open looks. Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA Play of Day* This one is a contrarian play going against Orlando's current 'over' streak. The Magic have decided to pick up the tempo and most teams they have played against were happy to oblige. Tonight, they'll play a Memphis Grizzlies team that will want no part of running and gunning. Memphis is going to work hard to keep this a halfcourt game and use their frontcourt strength to dominate in the paint. Memphis has been tremendous on defense lately, ranking in the top five in the NBA in defensive efficiency in the last two weeks. A big benefit to this one is three referees who lean to the under, especially with a high number like this. The under is a combined 20-10 with a posted total of 205 or higher with these three referees. Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA 100% Angle CRUSHER* The San Antonio Spurs defense got a lot better last week when Kawhi Leonard rejoined the lineup. San Antonio is 22nd in the league out of 30 teams in terms of pace, so they have slowed down dramatically this year compared to the last couple seasons. Milwaukee plays at the league average tempo. The Bucks have been a great under team all year. Why? Because these Bucks are working really hard on the defensive end. Milwaukee is now second in the NBA in defense efficiency behind only the Golden State Warriors. San Antonio ranks sixth in the NBA in defensive efficiency and that will likely improve with a healthy Leonard. Two of the three referees for this game are solid under referees. 

The under is 7-0 in the Bucks last 7 road games. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 games vs. a team with a win percentage of 60% or higher. The under is 6-0 in their last 6 following a win by 10 points or more. The under is 7-0 in their last 7 following an ATS win. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning record. A 30-0 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Eastern Kentucky Colonels are an interesting team because they don't play particularly fast, but because they are so efficient on offense they can really put up a lot of points. Tennessee Tech does like to push the tempo and they don't play good defense. Both teams shoot it well from the free throw line, which could be important in which should be a close game. I had this one at 140 points. Take the over here. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* The Murray State Racers are a very good basketball team. They are on a massive winning streak, and Murray State is the huge favorite to come out of the Ohio Valley Conference this year. They had an impressive statement win at Eastern Illinois on Thursday night. I won't be surprised if the same thing happens here. Instead of playing the side though, I'm going to take the over because I see both teams playing fast and both teams making a lot of long range jumpers. I think this gets to 150. Take the over. 

*3 Star Play Under* Michigan is without their leading scorer, Caris Levert, who is out for the season with an injury. The Wolverines already played at a really slow pace before Levert went out, and now they have to play even slower because they can't outscore anyone. Wisconsin loves to play in the halfcourt only, and with their point guard Traevon Jackson out the Badgers will likely play even slower than normal. The tempo here keeps this one under. Take the under. 

*4 Star Play Over* Here are two teams that both foul like crazy, so there should be a lot of free throw attempts for both teams. Look for a close game here as well, which can really help pile the points up late with the foul fest. I had this one at 146 points. Take the over. 

*3 Star Play Under* These teams just played a week ago and the final was 48-45. While I'm not going to suggest it will be that low this time, I do think it stays under the posted total. Both teams are far better on defense than they are on offense. Columbia does a great job controlling the tempo so this one should stay in the upper 110's. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Under* The IPFW Mastadons are a team I've had my eye on for a while. They have a new coach who appears to be slowing the tempo down for the team. They liked to run last year and they started the season this year doing the same, but their last few games have been played at a really slow tempo. North Dakota State is one of the slowest paced teams in the league, and they will fight to keep this one in the halfcourt. This total is a few points too high. Take the under. 

*5 Star TOP Play Under* The Wofford Terriers are a team I've done well backing the under with. Wofford is terrific at slowing the game down no matter who they are playing against. I like teams who are very consistent and Wofford is one of those teams. East Tennessee State appears to be a team that plays largely at the tempo of their opponent. Wofford is the home team and the better team, so I do expect them to set the tempo of this game. The Terriers consistency on defense and their tempo makes me really like this one. I had this at 128. Take the under big! 

*4 Star Play Under* Oregon State has been great to under bettors this year. The Beavers play tremendous defense and struggle on the offensive end. One of their leading scorers is suspended for this one. They'll slow the game down here. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Under* Texas State is great at slowing the game down and I think they'll play this game on their terms. Expect a sloppy low scoring game here. Take the under. 

*4 Star Play Over* 

*3 Star Play Under* 

*3 Star Play Under* 

*3 Star Play Under* 

*3 Star Play Under* 

*5 Star TOP Play Over* North Carolina matches up against a Florida State team that will run the floor with them, and Roy Williams' team has really been improving on the offensive end in recent weeks. The Tar Heels should crush the Seminoles on the boards and get a bunch of second chance opportunities. The tempo of the game will help both teams get a bunch of shots up. I had this game at 150 points. Take the over big! 

*5 Star TOP Play Over* William & Mary has been a really good over team for me this year because their offense is so efficient and their defense is so bad. Northeastern has a size advantage inside and they should be able to score a lot of easy ones. William & Mary has a strong backcourt and I expect them to knock down a lot of threes. The shooting percentages here should be pretty good based on previous history and the amount of shooters both teams have. I had 144 here. Take the over big! 

*4 Star Play Under* 

*3 Star NBA 100% Angle CRUSHER* The San Antonio Spurs currently rank 22nd out of 30 teams in the NBA in terms of pace, so it's clear that Coach Poppovich has the team slowing the game down compared to the last few seasons. Kawhi Leonard is back, and he's the best defender on the team. The Spurs rank in the top five in the NBA in defensive efficiency in the past two weeks. Los Angeles will be without Kobe Bryant for the rest of the season after he tore his rotator cuff. I've noticed a trend now for more than a month where the Lakers are definitely slowing down their tempo. After ranking in the top five in the league in terms of pace for much of the year, the Lakers have fallen to number eight. Their offensive efficiency is really poor now, and I think the Spurs can put the clamps down on them. Also, the public is betting about 75% on the over in this one, but the line has dropped, and I certainly like that.

The under is 7-0-1 in the Lakers last 8 road games. The under is 6-0-1 in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning record. The under is 5-0-1 in their last 6 vs. the Western Conference. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 following a loss by 10 points or more. The under is 4-0 in the Spurs last 4 following an ATS loss. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 after allowing 100 points or more last game. A 30-0 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The Oregon Ducks always like to play fast, and USC is the fastest paced team in the Pac 12. USC's defense is also the worst of any team in the Pac 12. I look for a lot of open shots for both teams throughout this game. The tempo should be enough to push this one over. The over is 8-2 in USC's last 10 games. The over is 4-1 in Oregon's last 5 games. Take the over here. 

*4 Star Play Under* Cal Poly has been a major 'under' moneymaker for me in the last few seasons. The Mustangs play at the slowest pace in the Big West, and it isn't even close. Cal Poly will dictate the tempo here and force Fullerton into a game they don't want to play. The offenses aren't good in this one, so I don't see enough shots made to force this one over. I had this at 117. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB National TV Total* The Oregon State Beavers have been a huge surprise in the Pac 12 this year. Wayne Tinkle is doing a tremendous job with this team. Tinkle has them playing great defense, and slowing the game down to a crawl. Everyone that Oregon State has played has had to play the game on their terms. I don't think this one will be any different.

The under is 4-0 in Oregon State's last 4 games. The under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings between these two. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Over* The Maryland Terrapins are really efficient on offense with Melo Trimble and Dez Wells teaming up to form a strong tandem of scorers. Indiana is the fastest paced team in the Big Ten, and Tom Crean's team generally finds ways to score a lot of points on their home floor. I see a close game here and a foulfest at the end of the game wouldn't surprise me at all. Take the over. 

*4 Star Play Over* Two horrible defensive teams and two teams that shoot free throws very well. I like the over in this one. 

*3 Star Play Over* Two teams that foul a bunch here and two teams that like to push the tempo. Look for an up and down game with a bunch of trips to the charity stripe. NC Greensboro is without one of their main scorers, but they have shown they can score without him. Samford's defense is among the worst in the nation. Take the over. 

*3 Star Play Under* I love taking unders with Virginia, and I'm taking the under in this one. Georgia Tech has been slowing down their tempo dramatically in ACC play, and Virginia's defense is going to make them slow it down here. The Yellow Jackets can't score other than getting offensive putbacks, and Virginia's defensive rebounding is very good. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Over* Two teams that like to play fast. Neither is any good on the defensive end of the floor. Take the over. 

*4 Star Play Under* Rhode Island is one of the most underrated defensive teams in the nation. They have a coach who is teaching defense before everything else. The Rams will slow the tempo of this game down, and LaSalle isn't the type of team to speed the game up either. I had this one at 121 points myself. Take the under. 

*4 Star Play Under* The DePaul Blue Demons have been playing much better in the past few weeks, and it has been because their defense has improved immensely. Seton Hall is still without their top scorer (Whitehead) and the Pirates are winning with defense right now. This number is inflated based on the past history of both of these teams. Take the under here. 

*3 Star Play Under* If Rider knows what is good for them, they'll slow this game down. With the way they have been playing defense and slowing down of late, I'm pretty confident they'll do exactly that. Iona is a great offensive team, but they have actually been slowed down by a few opponents in the past couple weeks. Rider's defense slows them down here. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Under* Mercer is great at controlling the tempo and Western Carolina has shown signs of slowing down of late. Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA on ESPN CASH* The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets meet tonight at Golden State. These two teams met less than a week ago. I was on the under in that game and I lost as the final score went to 131-106. The posted total in that game was 214 points. We get a number 4.5 points higher today.

It is well worth mentioning that there were 67 free throws taken in this past weekend's game between these two teams. In their two earlier meetings this year, the total number of free throws taken was in the 30's. That was a huge reason why this most recent game was much higher scoring. If we subtract about 20 points from last weekend's game based on a more normalized amount of free throws we are already under this total. Golden State shot 55% from the floor in the last game as well. These two teams rank number one and number two in the league in defensive efficiency. With this elevated total, I'm taking the under. 

*3 Star Play Under* The Oklahoma State Cowboys are terrific defensively, and Texas Tech is the worst offense in the Big 12. The Red Raiders will look to slow this game down, because that is their only chance of sticking around. Oklahoma State's tempo has slowed down a lot compared to last year because they don't have an elite point guard like Marcus Smart pushing the tempo of the game. Look for a low scoring contest. Take the under here. 

*4 Star Play Under* The Denver Pioneers are consistently one of the slowest paced teams in the country. Denver plays the ultimate stall ball game. Oral Roberts has shown that they tend to play at the tempo of their opponent, which means this one should be a halfcourt game all the way. Denver plays better defensively at home, and Oral Roberts isn't used to playing in elevation like they will have to here. Look for a game that stays in the low 120's. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Under* The Northern Iowa Panthers are terrific at controlling the tempo of the game. It seems like no matter who they play against, Northern Iowa is the team that gets the tempo to their liking. That's difficult to do, but when you are really good at it, it shows how disciplined you are as a team. The Panthers should get a lead here and then use up the shot clock on a consistent basis through the entire game. Take the under. 

*5 Star Hidden GEM TOP Play* The Northern Illinois Huskies have been a team that plays sloppy basketball for the last few years. What do I mean by that? They play some relatively good defense and keep the opponent in the 60's or even below, but they can't seem to get their act together on the offensive end. Akron is a very good defensive team, but they lack scoring this year. Both of these teams have played a bunch of games that went well under this posted total. While this total is set relatively low, I don't think it's set low enough. I had this one at 120 points. Take the under big! 

*5 Star NCAA BB TOP Play 100% CRUSHER* The Missouri State Bears are very short-handed right now. This is an offense that wasn't exactly lighting it up before, but now they are without their star. Marcus Marshall left the team last week. Marshall was leading the team averaging 20 points per game so far this year. He was the one the entire offense ran around. It's hard to imagine this Missouri State team putting up more than 50 points in this game. In Wichita State's last 4 games they have allowed: 43, 53, 55, and 41 points. None of those four games have gone over this posted total. Missouri State will play stall ball here knowing that's their only chance. Wichita State prefers to play very slowly. 

The under is 6-0 in Missouri State's last 6 home games. The under is 7-0 in the Bears last 7 Wednesday games. The under is 5-0 in Missouri State's last 5 vs. a team with a 60% or higher win percentage. An 18-0 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star Play Over* The Central Michigan Chippewas shoot it well and score efficiently a large percentage of the time. Buffalo is the fastest paced team in the Mid American Conference, and they have had some very high scoring games this year. The tempo here should be quick all the way, and both teams are good at getting to the free throw line. Look for this one to get into the mid 150's. Take the over. 

*4 Star Play Under* The Marquette Golden Eagles and St. John's Red Storm are both teams that win with defense. Marquette has decided to slow the game down in a big way in conference play. Marquette doesn't have enough firepower to keep up with the rest of the league, but they can play relatively good defense. St. John's is fourth in the nation in blocked shots, and they are inefficient on the offensive end. I had this one lined at 124.5. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Under* The Bowling Green Falcons and Eastern Michigan Eagles both like to play at a very slow tempo, and they are the two best defensive teams in the Mid American Conference. I think we'll see some poor shooting numbers in this matchup. Eastern Michigan's zone copies the matchup zone that Syracuse runs, and Bowling Green doesn't have good outside shooters. The Eagles struggle to score as well. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Total PERFECTION* The Boston College Eagles have a new coach this year, and he has this team playing much better defense than they have in recent years. Boston College has been a team that prefers to slow the game down for quite a few years, but their poor defense has always been a concern. They still prefer a halfcourt type game, but now they play more defense. Syracuse's defense is very good once again this year with their strong matchup zone, but the Orange have been very inefficient on offense. Syracuse likes the slow pace as well, and I think it will take some impressive shooting numbers to push this one over the posted total. Value on the under. 

The under is 3-0-1 in Boston College's last 4 games. The under is 3-0-1 in their last 4 vs. a team with a 60% win percentage or higher. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 following a loss. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning record. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two teams. An 18-0 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Play of Day* The Michigan Wolverines were already struggling on offense, and they just lost leading scorer Caris Levert last game. Levert was the team's best overall player, and was averaging 15 points per game. Levert also led the team in assists and rebounding. The Wolverines are really short-handed now, and I expect them to slow the tempo down even more without Levert on the court. Rutgers isn't a good offensive team, but they do play solid defense. The Scarlet Knights have played some very low scoring games at home this year, and I think this will be another one of them. I had this number at 115 points. Take the under here. 

*4 Star NBA Play of Day* The Portland Trail Blazers are often known for their offense, but it has really been defense that has gotten them to their hot start this year. Portland is fourth in the NBA in total defense. Sacramento has two stars listed as questionable here (DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay). Cousins isn't listed on the team's home page as a probable starter, so I'll consider him doubtful for this game. Even with Cousins playing, I think this total is too high, and without him it is certainly too high. J.T. Orr is the lead official in this game and the under is 20-9 in his 29 games this year. The under is 4-0 in the Kings last 4 vs. the Western Conference. The under is 3-0-1 in the Blazers last 4 home games. The under is 3-0-1 in the Blazers last 4 when their opponent has allowed 100 or more last game. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Under* This game is going to be the ultimate pace war. Louisiana Monroe is one of the best teams in the nation at slowing the game down, while Lafayette loves to run. Typically I stay away from these types of games, but this number was too high for me to pass up. My number for this game was 134. With a 5.5 point difference, I would usually make this a higher rated play than 3 stars, but with the pace war in full effect here I'll keep this at a regular 3 star rated play. Too much value to pass. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Under*  The TCU Horned Frogs were certainly a paper tiger when they started 13-0. TCU played a really weak schedule, and now they have only beaten one team in the Big 12. TCU does play good defense though, and the Horned Frogs are great at slowing down the pace of the game. Texas has one of the best defenses in the nation too. Look for some poor shooting numbers and a game played in the halfcourt here. I had this one at 116 points. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Monmouth Hawks and Fairfield Stags have both slowed their tempo down drastically since last season. Both teams are playing about four possessions per game slower than they did last year. Even with their fast pace last year, the total scores in their games were 123 and 116 points. I expect a lower scoring game here. Both teams have played some very low scoring games of late. Monmouth has improved immensely on defense with Brice Kofane on the interior blocking shots. Kofane transferred over to Monmouth from Providence. Both of these offenses have been really inefficient all year. The under is 5-0 in Monmouth's last 5 games vs. a team with a win percentage of 40% or lower. The under is 12-4 in Monmouth's last 16 overall. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The San Jose State Spartans have a couple of their top players back after a recent suspension. Both Muhammad and Williams are two of their top scores, and these guys can hit some shots from long range. I expect San Jose State to get beaten badly here though, because the Spartans defense is atrocious and they cannot rebound. Colorado State's offense is firing on all cylinders right now, and Colorado State is a great offensive rebounding team. Look for tons of second chance points for them as well as free throw attempts. I had this game at 133 points.

The over is 10-2 in Colorado State's last 12 Mountain West games. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing record at home. A 15-2 angle. Take the over. 

*3 Star Play Under* The Cal Poly Mustangs have been one of my favorite teams to play the under with for several years. This team has certainly made me a lot of money in the past by slowing the game down and playing low scoring contests. Northridge will attempt to speed this game up, but the Matadors offense isn't efficient at all. They generally need a lot of points from the line to be successful, and Cal Poly doesn't foul very often. Both games went well under this total last year. Take the under in this one. 

*3 Star NCAA BB 100% Angle Total* The Arkansas Razorbacks are one of the best in the nation at pushing the pace of the game thanks to their "40 Minutes of Hell" style of play. This year, Arkansas is still very good at forcing turnovers, but they are much more efficient on the offensive end. They have a ton of good long range shooters. Ole Miss likes to play zone, and Arkansas has the shooters to beat that zone. In fact, last year Arkansas scored 110 points on Ole Miss (they had 97 with 10 minutes left)! The Rebels offense is better this year, and both teams are terrific from the line. 

The over is 6-0 in Ole Miss last 6 road games. The over is 6-0 in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning record. A 12-0 angle. Take the over. 

*4 Star Play Over* Montana's offense is one of the most efficient in the Big Sky Conference. They have been scorching the nets of late. Montana State's defense has been known to make a lot of offenses look really good in the past. The tempo won't necessarily be fast here, but it doesn't really need to be when the total is this low. Look for Montana to pull a lot of the weight here and get this one past the posted total. Take the over. 

*3 Star Play Over* It's all about tempo in a game like this. Louisiana Lafayette ranks as the fourth fastest team in the nation out of 351 teams. South Alabama plays very quickly as well. These two teams had two very high scoring games against each other last year. Both teams are playing much quicker this year. Lafayette will press and get a lot of easy scores here, and since their defense isn't good I do expect South Alabama to get their fair share of points too. Take the over. 

*4 Star NBA Play of Day* Guess who the top two defensive teams in the NBA are right now? In terms of defensive efficiency the number one ranked defense is the Golden State Warriors. The number two ranked defense is the Houston Rockets. A game between the top two defenses in the NBA being lined at 214 points just seems ridiculous to me. I realize that both of these offenses are good and both teams like to play fast, but 214 is a lot of points. Both meetings this year have gone well under this posted total (185 and 198), and there's no reason to believe this one will suddenly be far higher scoring. The under is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings between these two teams. The under is 16-5 in Houston's last 21 home games. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Over* The Murray State Racers have a tremendous offensive team. There are so many guys on their team who can put up big numbers on any given night. Cameron Payne is one of the most underrated players in the country. Tennessee State has the worst defense in the Ohio Valley Conference, and they won't be able to contain Murray State. I think Murray State gets into the 80's, and they might even get up to around 90 points here. The tempo should be quick enough to get this one over. Take the over. 

*4 Star Play Under* The Creighton Blue Jays have been a good under team for me this year, and I'm going to stay on the side of the under with them. Creighton is a far different team than they were last year. Their offense is much less efficient without Doug McDermott and other key scorers. They have also slowed the tempo down in a big way. Providence generally plays to the pace of their opponent, and the Friars defense is underrated. The first game between these two finished at 118. Expect a game in the 120's. Take the under. 

*4 Star Play Over* The Toledo Rockets and Western Michigan Broncos played three times last year. All three of their games easily surpassed this posted total. Both of these teams prefer to get out in transition when they can, so the tempo should be quick here. In addition, the strength of both teams is their ability to score and their weakness is their ability to defend. We should see a lot of easy buckets throughout this game. I had 150 here. Take the over. 

*3 Star Play Under* The Wright State Raiders and Valpo Crusaders have played a lot of tight contests against each other in the last few years. Both of their contests last year went well under this total as both defenses had the upper hand. I see more of the same in this game. It should be close all the way to the end, and I believe that both offenses will struggle to find open looks. A slow tempo and strong defense. Take the under. 

*5 Star TOP Play Over* The Eastern Kentucky Colonels make games higher scoring than most people realize. This is a team that plays very bad defense, but they are good on the offensive end and they get to the line a lot. SIU Edwardsville is the most improved team in the Ohio Valley Conference, and they shoot it extremely well from three point range. Matched up against an Eastern Kentucky team that doesn't guard well beyond the arc, Edwardsville should score plenty here. Both teams like to run when they can. I had this number at 134 points. Take the over big! 

*4 Star Play Under* The Air Force Falcons are playing without both Max Yon and Kam Williams. These are the team's two best scorers. Air Force's offense is in a bunch of trouble without these guys. They have no one left who is good at creating their own shot. The Falcons should struggle to get to 50 points against a Utah State defense that is tremendous. Utah State won't push the tempo, and the Aggies aren't very good on offense this year. I had this one at 121 points. Take the under. 

*4 Star Play Under* The tempo should be slow all the way with these two teams. Little Rock has shifted to playing much slower this year. LA Monroe has been the most consistent low scoring team in the conference. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Under* 

*4 Star Play Under* 

*5 Star TOP Play Under* 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*3 Star Play Over*

*4 Star Play Under* 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*3 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Niagara Purple Eagles have been a team that likes to run for many years. While they have slowed down a bit this year, I don't see them playing stall ball here. Iona is one of the fastest paced teams in the country, and the Gaels are terrific at dictating pace. Look for Iona to score in bunches against a Niagara defense that is just awful. Iona is number one in the nation shooting better than 43% from beyond the arc. If Niagara wants to hang around in this game, they'll need to put up quite a few points. In the two meetings last year, the scores were 118-92 and 90-89. I'm not forecasting anything like that, but I do think this number is too low. Take the over. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The Cal State Fullerton Titans were totally dominated by UC Irvine both times they played them last year. I'm not sure they'll dominate here, but Irvine is definitely likely to win this game. UC Irvine just got back their 7'6 center Mamadou N'Diaye. N'Diaye is a defensive force in the paint, and because of him being in the game the Anteaters games should be much lower scoring from here on forward. The under is 19-7 in Irvine's last 26 road games. The under is 36-16 in their last 52 overall. Take the under. 

*4 Star Play Under* The Cal State Northridge Matadors don't have a true identity this year. They are playing to the style of their opposition, which is one of the reasons they have done so poorly. UCSB is one of the best teams in this conference, and they should control the tempo here and win this game. UCSB has one of the best defenses in the conference and they slow the game down and get it to Williams on the inside. I had this one at 134. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB 100% Angle Total* The Arizona State Sun Devils have been slowing down their tempo in the last couple weeks. Utah has been playing at a slow tempo all year. The Utes defense is ranked in the top five in the nation. Arizona State's young scorers will have a hard time getting open looks in this game. Utah doesn't shoot it nearly as well on the road. I had this number set at 122.

The under is 4-0 in Utah's last 4 games following 3 or more consecutive home games. The under is 4-0 in Arizona State's last 4 vs. a team with a 60% or higher win percentage. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 vs. the Pac-12. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 overall. A 16-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Over* The Murray State Racers and Belmont Bruins played to a 99-96 final score last year. While I certainly won't predict a score like that, it is indicative of what these two offenses can do. Murray State is playing tremendous basketball right now, and the Racers are likely to win this game. Belmont can stay in it though with their long range shooters. Both offenses are great and the tempo will be quick. Take the over. 

*4 Star Play Under* Louisiana Monroe has a tremendous defense and an awful offense. That's always a nice combination for an under bettor. The Monroe Warhawks also do their best to stall and make it a very low scoring game. Troy allowed them to do that last year, and I think they'll do the same again today. Both defenses should have the upper hand. I had this one at 122 points. Take the under here. 

*3 Star Play Under* Expect a really sloppy game here. This is the type of game that virtually no one would want to watch. This is a battle of two teams who are just dreadfully bad this year. Tennessee State often struggles to get to 50 points. Austin Peay is a little better, but not much. Even with a relatively quick tempo, we should see some ugly shooting numbers and a low scoring game. I had this one at 122. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Over* Marshall has been consistently running and gunning all year long no matter who they play. FIU is one of those teams that typically takes on the style of the team they are up against. A total set this low is a good value based on the tempo we should see in this game. I had this one set at 134 points. Look for an up and down game. Take the over in this one. 

*3 Star Play Under* The George Washington Colonials play some tremendous defense. That is the primary reason they have been able to win some big games this year. George Washington was competitive against Virginia and pulled off a big upset over Wichita State. Richmond is one of the slowest paced teams in the nation. The Spiders are going to do their best to slow the game down, and I don't see Richmond putting up many points here. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Under* The Western Carolina Catamounts and Eastern Tennessee Bucs have both been showing signs of slowing down their tempo in recent weeks. They had a very high scoring game against each other earlier this year, which made this total be set at a high number. I think the value is with the under in this one as both offenses slow things down. Look for a game that stays in the 140's. Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA Late Night BAILOUT* The Portland Blazers are the third best defense in the NBA in terms of efficiency. Many see them as a run and gun team because they have a couple great scorers in Lillard and Aldridge, but that really isn't the Blazers style this year. Portland and Los Angeles both play at the NBA league average tempo, and this total is set at 208 points, which is a number we usually only see when two teams who really push the tempo play against each other. 

The under is 4-0-1 in the Clippers last 5 Wednesday games. The under is 4-0 in the Clippers last 4 following an ATS loss. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 after allowing 100 points or more. The under is 3-0-1 in the Blazers last 4. A 15-0 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star Play Over* The UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans both like to push the tempo at every opportunity. These two teams played two really high scoring games that went far past this total last season. USC is a little better than last year, and UCLA can still score against poor defenses like USC's. Look for a relatively close game where both teams get to the line often. I had this one set at 147 points. Take the over in this battle for Los Angeles. 

*4 Star Play Under* The Creighton Blue Jays are a totally different team this year. Without Doug McDermott and most of their elite scorers from last year, Creighton is slowing the tempo down in a big way this year. Marquette is short handed and likes to slow the game down as well. The tempo of this game should be very slow. My numbers made this total 126 points. Look for a lot of the shot clock running down in this one. Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA Totals TKO* The Orlando Magic played a very high scoring game in Chicago, but if you look at the long-term trends for this team, Orlando is not a team that is involved in many high scoring contests. Houston has the second ranked defense in the NBA. Orlando's offensive efficiency is near the bottom of the NBA. The referee crew here is a very favorable one. Two of the three here are terrific under refs, and Haywoode Workman has consistently been one of the very best every year. The under is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings between these two. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Over* The Western Michigan Broncos have a good offense and a really bad defense. They also get to the line a lot and can rack up the points very quickly at the line. Ball State is one of the fastest paced teams in the MAC, so they'll push the tempo here. The Cardinals defense is also bad. When I see two bad defenses and a pace that should be quick, I want the over. I had this number at 139 points. Take the over in this one. 

*3 Star Play Under* The Boston College Eagles have wanted to slow the tempo down for the past few years, but this is the first year they have put forth much effort on the defensive end. Harvard is a terrific defensive team, and the Crimson certainly prefer a halfcourt game as well. These two are rivals and I think the defenses will be in prime form tonight as they bring their best effort to try to knock off a hated team. I had this number at 118. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Over* The VMI Keydets play faster than any other team in the country. They are number one ranked in tempo out of 351 teams, and second place isn't very close to them either. UNC Greensboro has always been a team that prefers to run under Coach Wes Miller. The Spartans defense is among the very worst in the country. VMI should put up a really big number here, and the pace of the game will allow the Spartans to put up a relatively big one too. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Bradley Braves are a bad basketball team, but winning on the road in the Missouri Valley Conference is very difficult. Northern Iowa has struggled on offense in some of their road tests this year. Bradley's offense is one of the worst in the country. Northern Iowa plays at a pace of 59 possessions per game, third slowest in the nation (out of 351 teams). Bradley isn't much faster. This game should be played at an extremely slow tempo. While this total is set low, I had the number at 108. Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA Play of Day* The Indiana Pacers are finally getting back to what they do well, and that is play some terrific defense. Indiana started the season with a bunch of injuries, and that seemed to mess with their defensive chemistry. Lately, this team has been much better on the defensive end. Indiana likes to slow the tempo down, and Minnesota's offense is just dreadful. In fact, these two teams are two of the four least efficient offenses in the country. With two inefficient offenses and one very good defense, this total is a bit high. Marc Davis is one of the best under refs in the business, and he's one of the refs in this game. Take the under. 

*4 Star NBA Play of Day* The Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat tip off at 12:35 pm local time for this one. I've always liked playing the early Sunday unders. These players aren't used to starting early in the day, and on a Saturday night in Los Angeles there is certainly a chance some of these players were out late. You'll often see less than 100 percent effort in these types of games. The referee crew here is favorable for the under. Miami plays at the slowest pace of anyone in the NBA. The under is 6-0 in Miami's last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. The under is 5-0 in Miami's last 5 Sunday games. Take the under. 

*4 Star Play Over* The Pacific Tigers have an awful defense. Every decent opponent that has squared off against them has shot a good percentage. St. Mary's always has some good outside shooters, and this year is no different. I look for St. Mary's to have an extremely efficient offensive performance here. Both meetings between these two last year were more than 20 points above this total. Take the over.