Sports Picks & Predictions

*4 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The Marquette Golden Eagles and Creighton Blue Jays have a rare late night game on New Year's Eve tonight. Marquette is always a strong defensive team and they prefer to play slowly. Creighton is a very good offensive team, but their tempo numbers have been slowing down in a big way over the last few games. I expect this one to be played at a slower tempo than most expect. Look for a lot of halfcourt sets from both teams where the shot clock gets low. I had this projected at 136. Take the under here.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals Takedown* The Louisville Cardinals always like to get out in transition and get easy buckets off of their defensive pressure. UCF is really pushing the tempo this year, and the Knights are going to want to make this a fast-paced game as well. I don't see anything slowing this one down. Even if the shooting percentages aren't particularly good, I see this one going over the posted total because of the amount of shots that get put up. I had this one lined at 150. Take the over.

*5 Star NCAA BB TOP Play Total* The DePaul Blue Demons tried to slow things down a bit earlier this year, but Oliver Purnell's crew is back to running and gunning of late. The Blue Demons are just much more comfortable running and forcing the tempo. Georgetown is playing faster than they have in the past, and the Hoyas offense has been surprisingly efficient this season. The last three meetings between these teams have finished at 161, 158, and 156 points. The over is 3-0 in the last 3 meetings. The over is 8-1 in Georgetown's last 9 Tuesday games. I had this lined at 146. Take the over big!

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* The Indiana Pacers have the best defense in the NBA. Indiana's defense is even more dominant when they are playing at home. Cleveland's offense isn't efficient at all. I expect the Cavs to have a really tough time getting buckets in Indiana on Tuesday afternoon. Look for the Pacers to key in on Kyrie Irving and make someone else beat them. The Pacers tempo is slow too, and the Cavs won't be able to dictate tempo in this one. The under is 12-4 in the Pacers lats 16 home games. I had this game lined at 190 points. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The George Washington Colonials have a brilliant record this year, but they haven't played many good teams. I suspect their offense will struggle with Kansas State's very physical strong halfcourt defense. The Wildcats are great at slowing the game down, and I think they'll be successful in doing just that at home in this one. Kansas State's offense is bad, and they really struggle to put teams away. I had this one lined at 124 points. Take the under.

*4 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* The St. Mary's Gaels don't play fast, but they do shoot the ball extremely well. Pacific has picked up the tempo in a big way this year. Both of these teams get to the free throw line very often, so trips to the charity stripe should help the over a lot in this game. Both teams knock down a very high percentage on three-point shots as well, so the points should add up quickly in this one. I had this total set at 147 points, so I see plenty of value. Take the over here.

*4 Star NCAA BB Totals Takedown* The San Diego Toreros will be on the road tonight to take on a Loyola Marymount team who is good at dictating the tempo of the game. The Lions are particularly good at running the floor and getting quick baskets on their home court. This is a game that San Diego is going to need to put up quite a few points in if they are going to stay in the contest. I had this one lined at 147. Take the over here.

*4 Star NCAA BB 100% Angle Total* The St. Louis Billikens and Vanderbilt Commodores are similar teams. They both prefer playing at a relatively slow pace, and they are both very good on the defensive end. Neither of these teams do much fouling, so don't expect many freebies in this game. Both of these teams have been playing fast paced teams of late, but the game should slow down nicely when they get together here. I had this lined at 128. The under is 4-0 in St. Louis last 4 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 road games against a team with a win percentage of 60% or better. The under is 3-0-1 in Vandy's last 4 following a win. The under is 3-0-1 in their last 4 against a team with a winning record. The under is 4-0-1 in their last 5 home games. An 18-0 angle. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Oklahoma State Cowboys are pushing the tempo in a big way this year. Why shouldn't they? They have Marcus Smart leading the way, and the supporting cast is superb. The Cowboys have four guys who can put up 20 points in any given game. Robert Morris' defense is among the worst of any team in the nation. Don't be surprised if Oklahoma flirts with 100 points here. I had this one lined at 155 points. Take the over.

*5 Star NCAA BB TOP Total* The Fordham Rams have a way of making games very high scoring. They use full court pressure on defense and look to get baskets in transition. Fordham also has a very bad halfcourt defense. Siena has a new system this year, and they are using full court pressure under Coach Jimmy Patsos. Lots of full court pressure in this game should mean plenty of tempo and lots of trips to the free throw line. I had this one lined at 156. Take the over big!

*5 Star TOP Play VA/Tenn Total* Last year these two teams met and the final score was 46-38. While I don't expect that low of a score again, I do think these teams could struggle to top 100. These are two teams that love stalling and using their strong defense to win games. When they get together, points are very tough to come by. I had this game lined at 112, so I really like the value on this total. Look for a very ugly with a lot of great defense and poor shooting numbers. Take the under big!

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* Quinnipiac and Oregon State are both all about running the floor and trying to get transition buckets. They are two teams who do a good job getting to the line often and knocking down free throws as well. I don't expect to see many halfcourt sets in this game. Up and down the whole way with lots of trips to the charity stripe helping push this one over as well. Take the over here.

*4 Star NCAA BB 100% Angle Total* The Washington Huskies are really good at making a game high scoring. Washington pushes the pace relentlessly. They also don't play very good defense, and they shoot free throws at 77%. Hartford isn't a good team, and they'll give up a bunch of points. They foul a lot, and Washington should get a lot of free throw attempts. I had this game lined at 152. The over is 7-0 in Washington's last 7 home games. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a team with a losing record. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a team with a win percentage less than 40%. A 15-0 angle. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and Charlotte 49ers both like to push the tempo, so tempo shouldn't be a problem here. Charlotte's defense has been embarrassingly bad of late, but the 49ers can put up the points at home. The over is 6-1-1 in Georgia Tech's last 8 road games. The over is 4-0 in Charlotte's last 4 vs. the ACC. I had this one lined at 149. Take the over.

*4 Star NCAA BB Totals Takedown* The Notre Dame Fighting Irish shoot the three-ball very well, but the strength of the Canisius defense is defending the three-point shot. Canisius has slowed their tempo down this year, and Notre Dame isn't a fast paced team at all. Jerian Grant will miss the rest of the season for Notre Dame, and that hurts their offense quite a bit. Look for the Fighting Irish to look a bit off without him. Take the under.

*4 Star Play Over 155* My numbers had this game at 161. Morgan State loves to run and gun, and that makes them a great opponent for Oregon. The Ducks will put up a huge number in this game. Don't be surprised if Oregon has 95 by themselves in this one. Morgan State should get their points late as well. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals Takedown* The Minnesota Golden Gophers appeared to be trying to speed the game up earlier this year, but they are slowing down in a big way over the past couple weeks. Texas A&M Corpus Christi has been one of the slowest paced teams in the nation for the past few years, and they are once again this season. Corpus Christi will slow this game down to a snail's pace, and Minnesota will likely jump out to a big lead and take their foot off the gas in the second half. I had this one lined at 130. Take the under.

*3 Star Louisville/Kentucky Total Domination* The Louisville Cardinals and Kentucky Wildcats both like to push the tempo of the game. These teams both get tons of offensive rebounds and putbacks, which will be a big help to the over. While both defenses are good, neither are dominating this season. I definitely expect a close game here, which could lead to lots of free throw shooting late in the game to push it over the total. I had this game lined at 152 points, so I see plenty of value in the over. Take the over.

*4 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* The Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics aren't very efficient at all on the offensive end. Both of these teams are slightly slower than the average team in terms of pace, and with their inefficiency on offense that makes for a good combination for the under. The Celtics defense is much improved under Coach Stevens early this year, and they have been especially good at home. This is an early game on the weekend, and those are spots where I like to play the under.

The under is 4-0 in the Celtics last 4 games against a team with a losing record. The under is 13-3 in the Cavs last 16 against the NBA Atlantic. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two. A 21-3 angle. Take the under.

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* These are two teams that like to slow down the game. I don't expect there to be enough possessions in this one for the teams to put up as many points as the oddsmakers are suggesting. Lafayette isn't a very good team, and when they have played against big name programs they have generally slowed the game down in a big way. I had this one lined at 140 points. Take the under. *Note- the line is shifting quickly here. I would play for 4 stars down to 144 and 3 stars down to 142* Thank you.

*4 Star NCAA BB Totals Takedown* The UNLV Rebels love to get out in transition. The Rebels best offense is running in transition and getting easy buckets before the other team is set. Mississippi State's defense likes to use full court pressure, but I suspect UNLV will be solid against that pressure. Look for UNLV to get a lot of easy opportunities near the hoop here. The Bulldogs are a fast paced team as well, and that plays into UNLV's hands. I had this total at 142. Play this one for 4 stars up to 138 or for 3 stars up to 140. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The UIC Flames have a way of making games very high scoring because of their quick pace and horrible defense. Colorado State is similar in that regard. The Rams do crash the boards though, and I expect them to do major damage on the glass in this one. Both teams shoot a very high percentage at the free throw line, which should be a big boost here. I had this total set at 151. The over is 7-1 in UIC's last 8 following a loss. The over is 6-1 in the Rams last 7 following a loss. A 13-2 angle. Take the over.

*4 Star NBA Play of Day* The New York Knicks have played at the second slowest tempo of any team in the NBA so far this year. They have been decent defensively, but they should get much better defensively now that Tyson Chandler is back in the lineup. He is the shot blocker in the paint this team has been missing. Orlando isn't pushing the tempo the way they were earlier this year. The Magic have been really struggling of late. These teams shot very high percentages in their last meeting that went over the total. Expect a return to normal here. I had this one lined at 188 points. The under is 7-3 in the Knicks last 10 road games. Take the under.

*4 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Iowa State Cyclones can really push the tempo of a game. Iowa State ranks 7th in the nation in tempo. The Cyclones have a lot of scoring options both inside and outside. Akron prefers a fast paced game as well, so I expect this one to be up and down the whole way. Even Iowa State's games against teams that slow the game down have been pretty high scoring. I had this line set at 156. The over is 34-16-1 in Iowa State's last 51 games. Take the over.

*4 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The Boise State Broncos and Hawaii Warriors both rank in the top 50 in the nation in terms of pace. No one is going to be using up the clock at all in this game. Both of these teams give up a lot of easy buckets inside the paint. In addition, these are two teams who get to the free throw line often, and they both shoot a very high percentage from the line. Since this is likely to be a very close game, free throws down the stretch could really add to this point total. I made this total 164 points, so I see a lot of value here. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The UNLV Runnin' Rebels do love to run. UNLV gets out in transition to try to get easy baskets. They should be able to get a lot of those against a Santa Clara defense that is a mess. While UNLV's offense has struggled to get going at times this year, I suspect they'll put up a big number in this one. Santa Clara has been slowed down by the last few teams they've played, but they are comfortable running the floor as well. The Broncos have several guys who can score in bunches. I made this total 141 points. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Oregon State Beavers and Akron Zips both prefer playing at a quick pace. Akron is dominating on the offensive glass, and Oregon State's defensive rebounding is very suspect. Look for the Zips to get a bunch of easy putbacks in this one. Oregon State and Akron both struggle to defend the paint, so easy baskets for both teams in transition should be expected. The over is 4-0 in Oregon State's last 4 following an ATS win. I had this total projected at 156 points. Take the over.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers are both much better defensively than they are on the offensive end. Indiana has the number one defense in the NBA, while the Celtics rank in the top ten in the league in all the major defensive categories. Both teams prefer to play at a slow tempo, so their shouldn't be too many possessions in this game.

Seven straight meetings between these two teams have gone under this posted total. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two. The under is 4-0 in the Celtics last 4 against a team with a winning record. The under is 7-1 in the Pacers last 8 home games against a team with a road winning percentage of 40% or lower. A 22-1 angle. Take the under.

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The BYU Cougars rank first in the nation in terms of tempo. BYU scored 112 points earlier this year against a good Stanford team. Oregon loves to run, so they definitely aren't going to slow this game down. While this total is posted at a very high level, I think it should be several points higher. The over is 9-1 in Oregon's last 10 games, and they are playing the fastest paced team in the country. The scoreboard will light up in this one. Take the over.

*4 Star NCAA BB Under Radar Total* The Troy State Trojans were a team that liked to push the tempo in the past, but they have a new coach and a new system this year. Phil Cunningham has Troy playing much better defense and slowing the game down to try to win low scoring affairs. Utah State plays good defense and plays slowly as well. They are without star Jarred Shaw, so I expect low scoring games from them for a while as they adjust. The under is 6-0 in Utah State's last 6 Saturday games. The under is 6-1 in their last 7 games (the one over was because of OT). Take the under.

*5 Star NCAA BB TOP Total* The Citadel has changed the way they play in the past couple years. Previously, this was a team that stalled and hoped to win low scoring games. That didn't work well for the team so now they are running and gunning. They still aren't winning, but their games have been much higher scoring of late. Nebraska has also picked up the pace considerably with new coach Tim Miles. The Cornhuskers can score this year, and the oddsmakers are still behind the curve with this team. I made this total 147 points. Take the over big!

*5 Star NBA TOP Play Total DOMINATOR* The Cleveland Cavs had a tough overtime game last night against Milwaukee. Cleveland will likely be a little tired heading into this one on no rest. Chicago is slowing the tempo down in a big way since Derrick Rose went down with an injury. Chicago's offense has been downright awful, but they still play very solid defense. The last couple games have been a little higher scoring, but they played Houston and OKC. Those are two of the best offenses in the NBA. I think this total is set far too high. The under is 4-0 in the Bulls last 4 home games. The under is 4-0 in the Bulls last 4 vs. a team with a losing record. The under is 5-1 in the Bulls last 6 against the Eastern Conference. A 13-1 angle. Take the under big!

*4 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Cal State Fullerton Titans experimented with slowing the game down earlier this year, but it looks like that experiment is over. The Titans are just much more comfortable running. Fullerton is going to force the issue in this game, and Sacramento's awful defense won't be able to stop them from scoring. I made this total 136 points. Take the over.

*5 Star TOP Play Hidden GEM* This is a game that most people won't pay any attention to. You certainly don't need to watch this game, but I do really like the under in this contest. Coppin State plays at an average tempo and Jacksonville State stalls about as well as any team in the country. Neither offense is efficient and still we have a very high posted total in this game. This game is being played on a neutral court which helps the under because shooters aren't accustomed to the backdrops. I made this total 140 points. Take the under big!

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals Takedown* Here we have two teams that play absolutely no defense. North Dakota ranks in the top ten in the nation in terms of pace. They are at home here and I think they'll be able to dictate the tempo against a SD State team that is way down from last year. I made this total 160 points, so I do see some value on this one. Take the over.

*4 Star Play on under*

*3 Star NBA Totals TKO* The Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavs are two of the worst offensive teams in the NBA. Milwaukee is dead last in points scored per game at 90 per contest. Cleveland's offense is in the bottom five in the NBA in efficiency. Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters are both game-time decisions. Irving is ill and won't be 100 percent no matter what here. The Bucks slow the game down and Cleveland won't be at full strength. I made this total 188 points. Look for an ugly low scoring game. Take the under.

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The UCLA Bruins and Duke Blue Devils both push the tempo a lot this year. Steve Alford has brought a much faster pace to UCLA, and the Bruins offense has been exceptional so far this year. Duke's offense ranks second in the nation in efficiency, so they can pile up the points with the best of them too. Both of these defenses have struggled against top teams this year. I think both teams make it into the 80's here. I had this one at 170. Take the over.

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* The New York Knicks get Tyson Chandler back in the lineup tonight, and that means better defense instantly. The Knicks already play at a very slow pace, so they have been a pretty good under team. They should be in even lower scoring games moving forward. Milwaukee plays very slow, and the Bucks will be without O.J. Mayo for this game. The Bucks don't have many scoring options to start with, and without Mayo they'll be very thin on offense. Look for a sloppy game here. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* Admittedly, I'm not a big fan of taking an 'under' set at 122 points, but this one should be even lower. These are two teams that play at a snail's pace. Neither team will push the tempo at all here. Both of them struggle on offense as well. This game is played a neutral site, which helps the under too. I had this line at 117 points.

The under is 5-0 in Northern Illinois' last 5 road games. The under is 6-0 in their last 6 against the Missouri Valley. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 against a team with a winning home record. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 against a team with a home win percentage of 60% or higher. The under is 4-0 in Loyola's last 4 games following a win. A 23-0 angle. Take the under.

*5 Star TOP Play of Month* The Drexel Dragons and St. Joe's Hawks meet in a heated rivalry game tonight. I've had my eye on this game for quite a while. Both of these teams are teams I like to play the under with, and when they get together the games have been very low scoring. Eight of their last nine games against each other have stayed below 140 points. The one game that did go over went into overtime or it would have stayed under. I projected this line at 132 points. I would play the under here as low as 136. Huge value here.

The under is 3-0-1 in the Dragons last 4 against the Atlantic 10. The under is 4-0 in St. Joe's last 4 against the CAA. The under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings between these two. Take the under in a big way!

*3 Star NCAA BB Tempo Total* Both UT Arlington and Oklahoma have been racing the basketball up the court all year long, and there is no reason to assume that will change tonight. Arlington's defense is nearly non-existent and Oklahoma should get whatever shot they want. Arlington shoots it well from long range, and the Sooners have given up a lot of points this season. I had this game projected at 176 points. This total is high, but it should be even higher. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals Takedown* The Toledo Rockets and Arkansas State Red Wolves both love to play in transition, and they'll get plenty of transition opportunities against each other tonight. The pace should help in a big way. Toledo's defense is horrible, but the Rockets have put up more than 85 points several times already this year. I had this total projected at 161 points. Take the over here.

*4 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* The Washington Huskies have a way of turning games into a track meet. Lorenzo Romar's team likes to jack up shots very quickly, and their defense isn't good at all this year. Tulane doesn't always run the floor, but they do always play horrible defense. The Huskies should be able to pile up the points in this contest. If Tulane wants to keep up, they'll need to move quickly and score a lot of points. I had this line projected at 157 points. Take the over.

*5 Star NCAA BB TOP Play Total* The Creighton Blue Jays have one of the most efficient offenses in the nation. Creighton was number one in offensive efficiency most of last year, and they are #6 so far this year. The Blue Jays are going to love going against Arkansas Pine Bluff's ridiculously bad defense. Pine Bluff allows opponents to shoot 60.2% on two-point shots. Creighton likes to run and Pine Bluff won't slow the game down. I think Creighton scores more than 90 points here. I made this total 151, so I really like the value. Take the over big!

*4 Star NCAA BB Under Radar Total* The North Florida Ospreys have played a really tough schedule so far this year. They have already played Florida, MTSU, Ohio State, Alabama, and Indiana. Michigan State may be the best team they've played yet. Michigan State will dominate the interior in this game in a big way. The Spartans push the tempo and North Florida likes to run as well. Michigan State should put up at least 90 points on their own. Look for this one to sail over. Take the over.

*4 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* The Chicago Bulls have been a complete mess since Derrick Rose went down with an injury. The team still competes hard on the defensive end, but they can't get anything going offensively. Orlando's offense has gotten less efficient in recent weeks as they haven't been hitting as many long range jumpers. The Bulls will slow the pace down in a big way in this game.

The under is 4-0 in the Magic's last 4 road games. The under is 4-0 in Orlando's last 4 following a loss. The under is 4-0 in Chicago's last 4 following a double digit loss. The under is 6-1 in the Bulls last 7 following a double digit loss at home. The under is 5-1 in the Bulls last 6 Monday games. A 23-2 angle. Take the under.

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The UIC Flames and Southeast Missouri State Redhawks meet in this one. UIC is a terrible team who has serious defensive problems. The Flames have given up 93 and 103 points in two of their last six games. SE Missouri State has scored over 100 points in three games already this season. SE Missouri State should win big here, but the Redhawks give up quite a few points too, and I think this one gets safely over the total.

The over is 4-0 in UIC's last 4 vs. the OVC. The over is 7-1 in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning record. The over is 6-1 in UIC's last 7. The over is 7-1 in the Redhawks last 8 home games. The over is 7-1 in their last 8 Saturday games. A 31-4 angle here. Take the over.

*4 Star NCAA BB Totals Takedown* This is a matchup between two teams who are horrible on the defensive end. Edwardsville has been giving up easy layups to everyone on their roster for the past few years. They like to play fast as well. Fort Wayne is a high scoring team on their home floor, and the Mastadons have several very good outside shooters. It's hard to imagine either team being slowed down very often in this one. I had this one lined at 151 points. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Value* The Clemson Tigers and Furman Paladins play a very similar style of offense. Both of them are content to use up the entire shot clock and attempt to score late in the clock. Clemson is one of the best defenses in the nation so far this year. It won't surprise me if Furman struggles to get to 45 or 50 points here. Clemson's really slow pace makes it unlikely that they would put up a big number in this one. I had this one lined at 119 points. Take the under here.

*4 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* Nebraska Omaha ranks in the top ten teams in the country in terms of pace. Both of these teams are terrible on the defensive end. Expect lots of easy buckets and free throw attempts in this game. Nevada has an elite scorer in Deonte Burton and he should have a huge game here. Omaha shoots 77% from the line and they should get plenty of trips against a Nevada team that fouls a ton. I had this one lined at 166 points. Take the over.

*4 Star Play on Under 142*

*3 Star NBA 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Charlotte Bobcats have been more competitive this year. How have they done it? Charlotte is playing very good defense. The Bobcats are second in the NBA in points per game allowed at just 92.4 per contest. Indiana has the number one defense in the NBA. The last three games between these teams have finished below 180 points. There should be plenty of defense here.

The under is 4-0 in the Bobcats last 4 Friday games. The under is 7-0-1 in their last 8 following a loss. The under is 6-0 in Charlotte's last 6 games vs. the NBA Central. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 following an ATS loss. The under is 8-0-1 in their last 9 against a team with a winning record. The under is 6-0-1 in the Pacers last 7 against a team wtih a winnning record. The under is 4-0 in the Pacers last 4 Friday games. The under is 7-0 in their last 7 against the NBA Southeast. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 games between these two at Indiana. The under is 7-0-1 in the last 8 between these two overall. In all, a MASSIVE 58-0 angle backs this play. Take the under.

*5 Star NBA TOP Total* The Oklahoma City Thunder still like to run when given the opportunity, but they are no longer an automatic over. Their defense is now one of the best in the league, and that makes them a real contender. Memphis plays at a slower pace than any other team in the NBA. The Grizzlies are great at dictating the tempo, and if they know what's good for them they'll slow this game down in a big way. I projected this line at 188 points. None of the Grizzlies last six home contests have finished higher than 190 points. Expect the defenses to rule in this one. Take the under big!

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Wisconsin Milwaukee Panthers and the Wisconsin Badgers meet every year. In the last seven years, the highest scoring game between these teams finished at 127 points. Wisconsin is as good as anyone in college basketball at slowing the pace of the game down, and Wisconsin Milwaukee won't be able to speed this game up. The Badgers are likely to dominate early and then coast late in this game. In 4 of the last 6 meetings between these teams, the total hasn't gotten above 116 points. I made this total 129 points. Take the under here.

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Notre Dame Fighting Irish pushed the pace a bit early in the year, but as the year moves along they are moving back toward their stall ball offense. They burn clock the majority of the time in the halfcourt, and that can lead to a bunch of unders. North Dakota State is another team that likes to move slowly. While both of these teams shoot the ball pretty well, I can't pass up a chance to take the under at a number this high with two teams who like to use up the shot clock. I projected this line at 145 so I see plenty of value. Take the under in this one.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Oakland Golden Grizzlies have been one of the fastest paced teams in the nation in the past few years. They were forced to slow things down earlier this year because their bench was very short, but now that they are healthy again the Grizzlies will be running. Tom Crean's Indiana team is really pushing the pace in a big way this year. Indiana doesn't have as much height down low this season, but they have a ton of guards and forwards who can score in transition. Oakland's defense is nearly non-existent, and they will give up a ton of points here. I had this one lined at 158 points. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Evansville Purple Aces and Xavier Musketeers play a similar style of basketball. Both of these teams play at a normal pace and play solid halfcourt defense. In a game that I expect to stay competitive, it's hard to imagine either team putting up a really big number here. The Musketeers defense is great at home, but they haven't had much fluidity in their offensive sets this year. There is a lot of standing and watching when Xavier is on the offensive end. I had this number at 142. *Note- This line has moved down since I selected the under. I would play the under down to 144, but not lower. Thank you*

*4 Star NBA 100% Angle Play* The Golden State Warriors play pretty quick, but their defense is one of the best in the NBA. Charlotte is all about slowing the game down, and the Bobcats are quietly playing some very good defense this year. Charlotte is third in the NBA in defensive efficiency. The Bobcats have only had one game in their last 10 go over 193 points. Without Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, the Bobcats offense is even weaker, so they will likely need to keep this one low scoring to have any chance.

The under is 7-0 in the Bobcats last 7 home games. The under is 6-0 in their last 6 against the Pacific Division. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 against a team with a winning record. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 following a win. A 23-0 angle. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA High Noon MONEYMAKER* The Boston Celtics and New York Knicks tip things off at noon eastern on Sunday afternoon. I always like to look at the under in games like this. New York City has a lot of nightlife and there are plenty of NBA players who are out late on Saturday nights in New York City. That can often lead to poor shooting percentages and sloppy play on early games on Sunday. The Knicks aren't a good team despite playing better of late. Both of these teams play slowly, and the offenses aren't very efficient. Boston is working hard defensively for Brad Stevens. The under is 12-2 in the Celtics last 14 road games. The under is 8-1 in the last 9 meetings between these two. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings at New York. A 24-3 angle. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA Play of Day* The Golden State Warriors aren't as good of a team without Andre Iguodala healthy. Golden State's defense has been very good so far this year, but their offense has been less efficient than normal. Memphis tested out a new experiment of running earlier this year. It didn't work. Memphis decided to slow things down even more than ever. These teams met and the game finished 88-81 in overtime. At the end of regulation, that game was tied 75-75. The under is 16-5 in Memphis' last 21 vs. the NBA Southwest. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 after allowing 100 points in their last game. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Arizona Wildcats are an elite team this year. Arizona is really putting in tremendous effort on the defensive end of the court. Their length and quickness make them extremely difficult to get a good look against. UNLV likes to get out and run, but the Rebels offense is very inefficient. UNLV has had trouble scoring on bad defenses, and now they'll play one of the best defenses in the country. Arizona's tempo isn't as fast, and they should slow the game down once they have a nice lead. I had this game projected at 143 points. The under is 4-0 in Arizona's last 4 home games. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 overall. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 following a win. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Wisconsin Battle* This intrastate rivalry game will be played at a very slow tempo with solid defense on both sides. My numbers had 125 points for this one. Take the under.

*5 Star NBA TOP Total* I took the under in the Wizards vs. Bucks game last week when they met in Milwaukee and the score was 87-87 at the end of regulation. I ended up losing the under by one point in overtime. It was a rough loss, but I'm going back to the under here. Washington isn't the same fast paced team they were in the past. They are much better defensively now, and without Bradley Beal, they aren't that good offensively. The Bucks offense is among the worst in the league in terms of efficiency and Milwaukee plays a very slow pace. I had this one lined at 186. Take the under big! *Note- I would play this for 5 Stars down to 191, 4 Stars down to 189. Thank you.*

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Miami Hurricanes have been playing pretty slow since Jim Larranagga took over at the school a couple years ago. This year, they are playing much slower than ever before. Why is that? Quite simply the Hurricanes aren't very good this year. Without Shane Larkin and the rest of the stars from last year, Miami can't score. They have to slow the game down and rely on defense to win. Nebraska is a slow team as well, so they won't force the issue. I expect a fairly close game here as both defenses play well. My numbers had this one at 121 points. The under is 4-0 in Miami's last 4 games. Take the under.

*4 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Ball State Cardinals have a new coach this year who is all about defensive schemes and trying to win with defense. While Valpo has had some very high scoring games early this year, those were against weak defenses and teams that run. Ball State will work hard to slow the game down here, and they should succeed. Expect this game to largely be played in the halfcourt with both teams taking up most of the shot clock before getting a shot up. I had this one at 143 points. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA 100% Angle Total* The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks got together just a few nights ago. I took the under and won in that game, and I'll take the under again here. The Bucks hit an uncharacteristically high 49% of their shots in that game, and the under still cashed in comfortably. The Celtics defense is now top ten in the NBA. The Bucks and Celtics both rank in the bottom five of the NBA in terms of offensive efficiency. Look for a slow paced game with both defenses having the upper hand.

The under is 5-0-1 in the Bucks last 6 following a win. The under is 5-0 in the Celtics last 5 playing on 2 days of rest. The under is 4-0 in Boston's last 4 Tuesday games. The under is 6-0 in their last 6 against the Eastern Conference. A 20-0 angle. Take the under.

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* A huge key to winning college basketball totals bets is keeping up with changes in strategy. UC Riverside has a new coach this year, and the Highlanders are running a lot more this year after playing stall ball the last few seasons. There should be value on their overs for a little while. Loyola Marymount has an elite point guard in Anthony Ireland, and they are always willing to run with anyone. My numbers had this one at 152 points. Look for a lot of shots here, and if the shooting percentages are even decent this should top the posted total. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Wright State Raiders have sped up a significant amount compared to last season. This year's team is forcing the issue and getting to the line a lot. The defense has also slacked off quite a bit from last year. Morehead State uses full court pressure and is a very aggressive team. Both of these teams foul far more than the average team. Lots of trips to the charity stripe in this game. I had this number at 145. Look for the pace and the fouls to send this game over the total. Take the over.

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* North Dakota and Pacific are two teams who are making a concerted effort to pick up the tempo this year. North Dakota ranks in the top 20 in terms of pace. Pacific shoots the ball well, and they are playing much faster than they did last year. North Dakota and Pacific both foul a bunch, which means trips to the charity stripe should be very frequent in this one. The Tigers shoot 81% from the line, so expect them to cash in on those opportunities. Both teams defenses give up a lot of open looks. I had this total pegged at 160. Take the over here.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The College of Charleston Cougars have slowed the pace down in a big way this year. Cal State Fullerton has typically been a run and gun team, but they have a new coach who wants the tempo slowed down a lot. Fullerton played to a 48-46 final yesterday against Miami. The tempo should be slow in this one, and both teams have had a ton of problems shooting the basketball so far this year. I had this line projected at 133 points. Look for an ugly game here with lots of missed shots. Take the under.

*4 Star NBA 100% Angle Play of Day* The Boston Celtics aren't a very talented team, but Brad Stevens has this team working hard defensively. The Milwaukee Bucks have much better defensive numbers on their home court. Milwaukee slows the pace down in a big way this year, and the Celtics are usually fine with a slow pace. Neither team has a high powered offense at all. I had this one lined at 182 points. The under is 5-0 in the Bucks last 5 playing on zero days of rest. The under is 6-0 in the Bucks last 6 Saturday games. The under is 5-0 in the Celtics last 5 against the Eastern Conference. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two in Milwaukee. A 20-0 angle here. Take the under.

*4 Star NCAA BB Play of Day* The San Diego State Aztecs are always one of the best defenses in the country. Steve Fisher's teams don't give up easy shots. Creighton has been scoring a ton of points this year, but this Aztecs defense is definitely the best one Creighton has been up against this year. Creighton doesn't push the tempo all that much, and San Diego State has really slowed down this year now that they don't have much offensive firepower. I had this number projected at 139 points, so I see plenty of value. Take the under here.

*4 Star NBA Play of Day* The Washington Wizards aren't the run and gun team that they were a couple years ago. Randy Wittman has this team working hard on the defensive end. Indiana has the best defense in the entire NBA. The Pacers also like to slow the tempo of the game. With two solid defenses and a slow pace expected, I projected this total at 182 points. The under is 8-0 in the Pacers last 8 games after 1 day of rest. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 versus the NBA Southeast. The under is 8-1 in the Pacers last 9 home games. The under is 6-1 in their last 7 meetings between these teams in Indiana. A 25-2 angle here. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA 100% Angle Total* The Milwaukee Bucks and the Charlotte Bobcats are very similar teams. Neither of them has very much fire power on offense. Both of them love to slow the game down and play in the half court. While the Bobcats certainly aren't a good team, it should be noted that they rank in the top ten in the NBA in field goal percentage defense.

The under is 6-0-1 in the Bobcats last 7 games playing on 1 day of rest. The under is 8-0-1 in their last 9 games overall. The under is 3-0-1 in the Bobcats last 4 games versus a team with a losing road record. The under is 4-0-1 in their last 5 home games. The under is 4-0-1 in their last 5 games following a S.U. loss. The under is 7-0-1 in their last 8 versus the Eastern Conference. The under is 5-0 in the Bobcats last 5 versus the NBA Central division. In all a 44-0 angle. Take the under.

*5 Star NCAA BB TOP Play of Day* The Syracuse Orange play that matchup zone that gives nearly everyone fits. It's next to impossible to get inside the paint against their defense. Baylor makes a living in the paint normally, and I think the Bears will struggle again this defense. Baylor's defense has been much improved this year. The Bears have multiple shot blockers who make it really difficult for opponents. Opponents are shooting a miserable 36.3% on two-point shots against Baylor this year. Baylor is also slowing the tempo down in a big way. The Bears successfully slowed down a fast paced Dayton team yesterday. Syracuse plays slow as well. This total is set far too high. I had this projected at 129 points. Take the under big!

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* The Washington Wizards are a much better defensive team than they have been in the past couple years. Bradley Beal is now out with an injury, which will slow down the offense since he was averaging 20.6 points per game to lead the team in scoring. Milwaukee slows the game down in a big way, and the Bucks have played much better defense at home than they have on the road. Five of their first six home games have stayed under the posted total. Slow pace here and not much offensive firepower on either side.

The under is 4-0 in the Wizards last 4 after giving up 100 points last game. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a losing home record. The under is 4-0 in the Bucks last 4 home games. The under is 11-1 in the Bucks last 12 after allowing 100 points or more in their last game. A 23-1 angle here. Take the under.

*4 Star NBA Play of Day* The Memphis Grizzlies experimented with speeding up the tempo in the first couple weeks of the season. It didn't work. What have they decided to do? Slow the pace down even more than they ever did in the past. It is working out very nicely. This is a team with a strong frontcourt that plays solid defense and controls the tempo. Boston doesn't have many offensive weapons, and the Celtics aren't a running team either. Memphis' last four games have been played at a ridiculously slow pace. The under is 4-1 in their last 5 road games. Ride the under with the Grizzlies in this one. Take the under.

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The BYU Cougars play faster than any other team in the country, which is why this number is so high. Still, Wichita State is a very good defensive team and a number this high seems a little crazy on a game involving the Shockers. BYU and Texas only got to 168 yesterday, and Texas runs much more than Wichita State. The Shockers will slow things down a bit here, and contest BYU's shots from outside. I projected this line at 164. The under is 4-0 in BYU's last 4 neutral site games. Take the under in this one.

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* The Houston Rockets were the fastest paced team in the NBA last year. They have slowed down a bit since Dwight Howard is on their team this season. The Rockets tried to make Memphis play fast paced games last year, but it didn't work. In the four meetings between these two last year, Houston topped 94 points only once. Memphis tried to play fast earlier this year, but it didn't work, and they abandoned the strategy. Now, they are playing slower than anyone else in the league. Look for the Grizzlies to slow this game down in a big way. Take the under in this one.

*4 Star NCAA BB Top Total* The LaSalle Explorers have changed the way they play this season. This team used to be running and gunning, but now they are slowing it down and trying to control the tempo. Northern Iowa has long been a team that likes to slow the game down and play a halfcourt style, so they aren't about to speed this game up. Both teams are better than average on the defensive end, and they don't turn the basketball over very often. A slow tempo and tough looks at the hoop should equal an under in this one. I had this one lined at 136. Take the under.

*4 Star NBA Play of Day* The Portland Trail Blazers have been the biggest surprise in the NBA so far this year. Portland is very good offensively, but they are also much improved on the defensive end. Portland is capable of winning an uptempo game or a slow paced game. Golden State may be without Andre Iguodala and Steph Curry here. Even if these two do play, they won't be 100%. The offense hasn't been even close to the same without Curry. Golden State is one of the best defensive teams in the league. This number is several points too high. The under is 6-0 in the Blazers last 6 against the NBA Pacific. The under is 4-0 in the Warriors last 4. The under is 4-0 in the Warriors last 4 against the Western Conference. Take the under. (Note- Curry will now likely miss this game as will Iguodala so the line has plummeted. Without those two in the lineup, I would play this for 4 Stars down to 198 and 3 stars down to 196. Thank you*

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The Fresno State Bulldogs are playing a little faster than they have in the past. Pacific is playing much faster than they have for a very long time. Pacific has a new coach who is pushing the team to get some transition scoring opportunities. This line is set about the way it should have been last year with two slower paced teams and without the new rules that cause quite a few more fouls and free throw attempts. I had this one projected at 143. Take the over.

*4 Star NCAA BB Totals Takedown* The UT Arlington Mavericks have a way of turning every game into a track meet. They haven't had a game all season finish lower than 156 points. Eastern Michigan's coach said in the offseason he wants his team to speed up and run more often. Here is their chance! UT Arlington's lack of defense should create tons of easy scoring opportunities for Eastern Michigan. UT Arlington will get their points in transition, and they do shoot it pretty well from long range. I had this one lined at 151. Take the over.

*4 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Montana State Bobcats are playing a lot slower than they have the last few years. This is one of those teams that will likely be a good value on the under because of their change in style. The oddsmakers are going to put higher numbers than they should on them because of their past history. Austin Peay runs, but they don't shoot the ball well. This total is set at least 5 or 6 points too high. Take the under here.

*5 Star NCAA BB TOP Play Total* The Vanderbilt Commodores were in total control of their game yesterday leading by 16 points late before allowing Providence to finish the game on a ridiculous 27-4 run. I cashed in on the under in that game, and I'm taking the under again here. Vanderbilt doesn't have enough talent to outscore many teams, so they slow it down. Morgan State runs, but they don't score efficiently and they play solid defense. I projected this line at 141. A whopping 10.5 points lower than this total opened. The under is 7-1 in Vanderbilt's last 8 neutral site games. Take the under big!

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Clemson Tigers are about as good as anyone in the country at slowing the game down and playing at their preferred pace. No one has been able to get them out of their game this year, and I don't think Davidson will be able to either. Davidson isn't nearly as good as they have been in recent years, and they don't have a ton of top notch scorers. Clemson will slow this down to a snail's pace, and this will be a very ugly game. The under is 12-1 in Davidson's last 13 against the ACC. Take the under here.

*5 Star NCAA BB TOP Play Total* The LaSalle Explorers have totally changed the way they play this year. LaSalle previously was a run and gun type of team, but they are controlling the tempo and running halfcourt sets this year. It will take a while for the oddsmakers to get accustomed to this new style of play for LaSalle, and that gives us a chance to find great value. Morgan State likes to run, but they aren't used to playing this kind of solid defense. LaSalle controls the tempo here and wins convincingly. I like the under a lot. Take the under big!

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals Takedown* Monmouth isn't a good team at all, but they love to run and put up shots as quickly as possible. That plays right into the hands of a St. John's team that isn't very good in the halfcourt, but is great when running the floor and scoring in transition. St. John's should get a big lead early here, and Monmouth should get some easy buckets late in the game. I had this one lined at 151. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Under Radar Total* The Kent State Golden Flashes are improving quite a bit on the defensive end. They've been highly competitive against good teams this year, and I expect their defense to slow down USC Upstate in a big way here. Neither of these teams is comfortable running and gunning, so this total definitely seems too high. I had this one projected at 142 points. Look for a lower scoring game here. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* I was burned by VCU last night (lost the over by a single possession). The Rams couldn't shoot the ball well at all, and they appeared to give up in that game. I don't think it happens two games in a row. It won't hurt that Long Beach State has no ball handler and they'll turn it over a ton of times here. VCU will get easy buckets all game long, and Long Beach State is going to play at a quick pace as well. I think this one gets to at least 155 points. Take the over.

*4 Star NBA TGIF Total DOMINATION* The Washington Wizards are a completely different team than they used to be. Washington used to be a high-octane team that didn't play any defense. They have slowed down significantly, and the Wizards have committed themselves on the defensive end under Randy Wittman. Toronto is playing at a slower pace than anyone in the NBA outside of Memphis. The Raptors will control the tempo here, and both defenses are better than average. I had this game projected at 187 points, so I definitely see value on the under. The under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings between these two. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB 100% Angle Total* The Providence Friars have slowed their pace down quite a bit with Ed Cooley as their head coach instead of Keno Davis. Cooley is preaching defense too, and the Friars are starting to buy in. Vanderbilt doesn't have enough talent to compete with top teams by running, so the Commodores will be slowing games down all season long. The under is 6-0 in Vandy's last 6 Friday games. The under is 5-0 in Providence's last 5 following an ATS win. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 neutral site games. Take the under.

*4 Star Florida St/VCU Total Domination* The Florida State Seminoles and VCU Rams meet tonight, and both of these teams love to run. Both teams are great at forcing turnovers, and neither of them are very good at controlling the ball. The full court pressure in this one should lead to lots of easy buckets going both ways. FSU has transformed from a defensive-minded team into a team that tries to outscore the opposition. The way the officials are calling games now, there are going to be a bunch of fouls here so free throws should help this total in a big way. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The UCF Knights and Miami Hurricanes meet in a nice intra-state battle tonight. Miami isn't even close to the team they were last year. The Hurricanes lost all their stars from last year, and the team is walking it up the court now and relying on defense to win it. UCF is in no hurry either. As long as we can stay away from ridiculous amounts of fouls, I really believe this game stays well under the posted total. I had this one projected at 131 points. Look for a tight game with both defenses playing well. Take the under.

*4 Star NBA Total Domination* The Washington Wizards and Cleveland Cavaliers meet on Wednesday, and both of these teams have been inefficient offensively of late. On the other side, Mike Brown has the Cavs playing pretty good defense and Randy Wittman has the Wizards committed on the defensive end. These two teams aren't what they were a couple years ago. Even if the tempo of the game is a bit quick, I expect to see low shooting percentages from these teams in this one. The under is 7-1 in the Wizards last 8 on 0 days rest. The under is 7-1 in the Cavs last 8 against a team with a losing record. The under is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings between these teams. A 21-3 angle. Take the under. *Note- I would play this for 4 stars down to 193, and for 3 stars down to 191*

*5 Star NBA TOP Total* The Indiana Pacers are playing better defense than any other team in the NBA once again this year. Indiana is playing at a slow pace again as well. New York has slowed their pace down even more, and the Knicks offense isn't even close to as efficient as they were last year. The games between these two last year were lined in the mid 180's every time, so we're getting line value here. Look for the Knicks to be competitive here, but it will likely be because they show up better than expected defensively. The under is 11-2 in the Pacers last 13. The under is 5-0 in the Knicks last 5 Wednesday games. Take the under big! *Note- This line has moved since I picked it at the open. 5 Star rated down to 188- 4 star to 187 and 3 star down to 186. Thank you*

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Dayton Flyers and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are two teams who have picked up the tempo quite a bit from last year. Brian Gregory has Georgia Tech speeding up in a big way right now, and the Yellow Jackets have a lot more talent than they had last year. Gregory used to coach at Dayton, and the Flyers will be motivated to beat their old coach in this one. Archie Miller has Dayton getting out in transition as often as possible right now. These two teams shoot 76% and 77% from the free throw line, so I expect a lot of made free throws to help this one out a lot. Take the over in this one.

*3 Star NBA Play of Day* The Phoenix Suns have been the biggest surprise in basketball thus far, especially when it comes to covering the number. How has this young team done it? Phoenix is working extremely hard on the defensive end. They are fifth in the NBA in total defense right now, ahead of several other teams who are seen as defensive stalwarts. Sacramento is playing as slow as anyone in the NBA right now (a big change from their past) and the oddsmakers haven't been able to line their games low enough yet. I think this game stays in the 180's.

The under is 5-0 in the Kings last 5 games. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 home games. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 against the Western Conference. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 following a SU loss. The under is 6-0 in the Suns last 6 road games vs. a team with a losing home record. A 23-0 angle here. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* The Kentucky Wildcats have plenty of firepower on their roster this year. The Wildcats have all kinds of guys who are capable of scoring at will. UT Arlington won't provide any defensive resistance at all. Most importantly, UT Arlington has decided to run and gun and play at a breakneck pace this year. Boise State put up 116 points on Arlington in their season opener. Kentucky should hit 100 here, and the Wildcats aren't going to slow this game down. The tempo of the game makes it likely that we see at least 170 points scored in this one. Take the over in this game.