Sports Picks & Predictions

*3 Star Pitt/Cincinnati Total Domination* The Pittsburgh Panthers and Cincinnati Bearcats are a lot alike. Both of these teams like to slow the game down and win with their defense. They are also both extremely physical and great on the glass. When these two teams get together it isn't a game for the faint of heart. If you go into the paint in this one, you can expect to get shoved around. The first game between these two this year went over this total, but there were 60 free throws attempted. Look for a reasonable amount of free throws and an under here. The under is 7-1 in Cincy's last 8 Saturday games. The under is 17-5 in their last 22 home games. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Siena Saints used to be an uptempo team under Fran McCaffrey, but they are one of the slowest teams in the MAAC now. The Saints don't have much offensive firepower, and they don't shoot the ball very well at all. Loyola Maryland has slowed down significantly this year, and the Greyhounds are playing excellent on the defensive end. Loyola Maryland is only allowing 61 points per game on their home floor this season. Siena is scoring just 59.7 points per game on the road this year. Siena star guard Evan Hymes is sick with a sinus infection, and if he isn't 100% the offense will suffer. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA TGIF Total Domination* The New Orleans Hornets have improved offensively of late, but they still move at a very slow tempo. In fact, the Hornets have the second slowest pace in the league so far this year. Atlanta is in the bottom half of the league in pace, and the Hawks are without some of their best scorers due to injuries. The number when these two met on January 1st was posted at 185. I don't see any justification for moving it up by almost 10 points. The under is 5-0 in the Hornets last 5 against a team with a winning record. The under is 4-0 in the Hawks last 4 when playing a team with a losing record. The under is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between these teams. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* The Princeton Tigers are always great at controlling the tempo, and this year's team is no different. Princeton also has the number one ranked defense in the Ivy League. The Tigers hold opponents to just 30% from beyond the three-point line. Brown relies very heavily on the three-ball and if they don't shoot it well here, they might struggle to hit 50 points. Brown has slowed the tempo down a lot this year compared to last season. The under is 5-1 in Brown's last 6 Friday games. The under is 5-1 in Princeton's last 6 home games against a team with a losing record. Take the under.

*3 Star NC State/Duke Total Domination* Duke will be looking for revenge, while NC State is looking to prove itself tonight. The Wolfpack might be without Lorenzo Brown, but they still have plenty of scoring on the inside. Duke only has Mason Plumlee on the inside, so I expect NC State to keep pounding it inside and try to get him in foul trouble. Both of these teams like to run and gun, and I don't see anything slowing this game down. Both offenses are efficient, and their should be plenty of trips to the free throw line tonight. Take the over.

*5 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Top Total* The Louisiana Monroe Warhawks used to be one of the slowest paced teams in the Sun Belt, but they have suddenly changed the way they play. The Warhawks have decided to start pushing the tempo over their last few games. Oddsmakers are still posting totals on Monroe's games as if they are stalling, and that isn't what is happening anymore. Tonight, they are playing Little Rock, a team that prefers to run and have a high scoring game. I think this one tops 130 points. The over is 6-0 in Monroe's last 6 home games. The over is 9-2 in their last 11 following a loss. The over is 10-3 in their last 13 games overall. Take the over big!

*5 Star NCAA BB Top Play Total Domination* The Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders play better defense than any other team in the Sun Belt. Arkansas State is also pretty good defensively. Both of these teams prefer playing in the half court rather than the full court. Earlier this year they met and the final was 66-60 in overtime. In regulation, these teams combined for only 104 points. I had this game projected at 120 points. The under is 5-0-1 in Arkansas State's last 6 road games following three or more consecutive home games. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 following an ATS loss. The under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings between these teams. Take the under big!

*5 Star NCAA BB TOP Play Total* Admittedly, it's not much fun taking an under at such a low level. However, considering the way both of these teams play, this number should be quite a bit lower than it is now. Earlier this year these two played to a 59-44 final. Last year, they played to a 60-48 final. Virginia controls the tempo better than anyone in the ACC, and Clemson always aims to slow the game down as well. The under is 6-1 in Clemson's last 7 road games against teams with a winning record. The under is 25-11 in Virginia's last 36 home games. The under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings. Take the under big!

*3 Star Indiana/Illinois Total* The Indiana Hoosiers are back to number one. They haven't been there since losing to Butler a couple months ago. Illinois started out the season red hot, but they have fallen apart in Big 10 play. Both of these teams like to run the floor, and Indiana has one of the most efficient offenses in the country. Illinois doesn't have anyone who can slow down Cody Zeller on the inside. Both teams shoot it well from long range, and I see a bunch of shots going up in this one. I had this projected at 153. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Instate Rivals Total* Mississippi is running more than any other team in the SEC this year, and the Rebels can really pile up the points. Mississippi State likes to run and they'll have to score points to stay in the game. I like the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* Most teams in the Missouri Valley Conference like to grind it out and win with their defense. There are really only two teams that push the tempo conistently, and they are both playing in this game. The first time these two teams played earlier this year the final was 82-77. The shooting numbers weren't particularly amazing, but the pace was just very quick. Brown and Carmichael are a great offensive tandem for Illinois State, and Drake can really shoot it from long range. The over is 7-1 in Drake's last 8 home games. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 following a win. The over is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings between these two. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* Tulsa is pushing the pace a lot more this year under Danny Manning. Manning has the team looking to run at every opportunity. The Golden Hurricane should find a lot of easy opportunities against a UAB team that plays the worst defense of any team in Conference USA. No one plays faster in the conference than UAB. The Blazers have a new coach and a new attitude toward the game this year. In fact, UAB is in the top ten in the nation in terms of pace. The over is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings. Take the over.

*3 Star NBA Totals TKO* The under is 5-0 in the Hawks last 5 when playing on no rest. The under is 9-4-1 in the Grizzlies last 14 road games. Atlanta has a lot of missing key players in this one. I like the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB 100% Angle Total* The James Madison Dukes used to be a team that liked to push the tempo and outscore the opponent, but they aren't any longer. Now, the Dukes look to win by flexing their muscles on the defensive end. William & Mary is also a slow paced teams that plays good defense. The under is 6-0 in James Madison's last 6 home games against a team with a road winning record of 40% or lower. The under is 4-0 in JMU's last 4 following a loss. The under is 6-0 in William & Mary's last 6 following an ATS win. The under is 4-0 in William & Mary's last 4 road games against a team with a winning home record. A 20-0 angle backs this one. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The Los Angeles Clippers and Orlando Magic game tonight will be played without many stars at all. Blake Griffin and Chris Paul will both miss this one for the Clippers. Glen Davis, J.J. Redick, and Arron Afflalo are all out for Orlando. There just isn't much offensive firepower left for this one to go over the total. Orlando scored 61 points earlier this week without their stars, and the Clippers offense has been ugly of late. I had this one projected at 181 points. Take the under here.

*3 Star MAC Total Play on Over 142* The Miami Ohio Redhawks have changed their game this year, and the books haven't fully caught up. Toledo should want to run with them, and both teams should get a lot of easy baskets off turnovers. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB 100% Angle Total* The Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines meet in the biggest game on the college basketball card Tuesday night. Ohio State beat Michigan the first time around this year, and Michigan will be really fired up for this one. The rivalry between these two often leads to low scoring defensive battles. Earlier this year the teams played to a 56-53 final. While the shooting numbers were a little low, the pace is what really kept the game low scoring. Both of these teams have been slowing the tempo down in conference play. Look for the defenses to control this game. The under is 7-0 in Ohio State's last 7 following a win. The under is 6-0 in their last 6 against the Big 10. The under is 6-0 in their last 6 against a team with a winning percentage above 60%. The under is 6-0 in Ohio State's last 6 overall. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* DePaul is the single fastest team in the nation in terms of pace. Oliver Purnell's team uses the full court press to force turnovers and push the tempo. Villanova has some talented guards, but they are turnover prone, and DePaul should be successful in getting quite a few easy layups off the press today. At the same time, Villanova gets to the free throw line more than any other team in the country. DePaul's aggressive defense often gets them into foul trouble. Look for a high scoring affair here. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Texas/West Virginia Total Domination* The Texas Longhorns have one of the very best defenses in the country, and they also have one of the very worst offenses in the country. Without Jonathan Holmes (out with an injury) the offense is a little bit worse right now than it was earlier in the year. West Virginia and Texas played to a 57-53 final in overtime earlier this year. The shooting numbers were poor, so this will likely be a little higher, but this number seems too high to me. I had this one at 122. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* These are the two best defenses in the NBA right now. The first meeting this year between these teams finished in an 80-76 win for Indiana. Both teams will be working hard for shots in this one, and the tempo should be pretty slow. The under is 9-1 in the Pacers last 10 following an ATS win. The under is 5-0 in the Bulls last 5 against a team with a winning record. The under is 6-1 in the Bulls last 7 Monday games. The under is 4-0 in the Pacers last 4 against teams with a winning record. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these teams. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* The Virginia Cavaliers may be the best team in the nation when it comes to controlling the tempo of the game. Virginia slows the game down to a crawl on offense. They also have one of the best defenses in the nation. This has a way of causing some extremely low scoring games. Virginia is averaging 59 points per game in their last 5 games. They are giving up 52 points per game in their last 5. Georgia Tech prefers to play at a slow pace when they can, and the Yellow Jackets only put up 38 points against Virginia last year. Look for a very slow game between two great defenses. This one could easily stay under 110. The under is 16-5 in Virginia's last 21 road games. Take the under.

*5 Star NCAA BB 5 Star Top Play Total* The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs are one of my favorite 'over' teams because of their ability to force the opponent into a track meet. The Bulldogs use a full court diamond press to speed the game up and score off turnovers. The first meeting this year between these teams finished at just 107 points. The shooting numbers were atrocious. LA Tech won and they only shot 28.4% from the floor. UT Arlington shot 33.3% from the floor. The teams combined to make 7 out of 39 shots from three-point land. Expect much better shooting today, and this one should sail over the total. Take the over big!

*3 Star NCAA BB 100% Angle Play* The Morehead State Eagles are one of my favorite 'over' plays this year. Morehead State is pressing and pushing the tempo in a big way under new coach Sean Woods. Last year they were a team that stalled. The books still haven't adjusted the lines enough on Morehead State games. Both of these teams foul a ton, so there should be plenty of trips to the charity stripe in this one. The over is 8-0 in the last 8 meetings between these teams. The over is 5-0 in Jacksonville State's last 5 home games. It is 4-0 in their last 4 against the OVC. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 games overall. Take the over.

*3 Star TGIF NBA 100% Angle* The Milwaukee Bucks are playing much quicker since Scott Skiles left and Jim Boylan took over. Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis are really getting out in transition and getting shots up quickly. The Bucks offense is clicking in a big way right now. The Knicks have the most efficient offense in the NBA, and they should be able to score plenty here. New York's defense has been shaky at best of late. Tons of big trends for this one. The over is 6-0 in the Bucks last 6 games. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 against the Eastern Conference. It is 4-0 in their last 4 against teams with a win percentage above 60%. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 against the Atlantic Division. It is also 4-0 in their last 4 after allowing 100 points or more in the previous game. The over is 6-0 in the Knicks last 6 Friday games. In all, a 29-0 angle backs this play. Take the over.

*3 Star NBA Totals TKO* The Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets both rank in the bottom five in the NBA in terms of pace. Chicago has turned up the intensity on defense a lot over the past month. Tom Thibodeau's team is the best defense in the NBA when they are committed on that end, and right now they are definitely committed on defense. Brooklyn actually plays slower than any other team, and with Lopez at the back of their defense they are pretty good defensively. The first meeting between these two finished at 165. This should stay under the total. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers meet in a game I suspect both teams have had circled. The Pacers want to prove they are a real contender, and the Heat are looking for revenge after getting beaten down by the Pacers in their last meeting. The Pacers win with their defense, and when Miami is committed they win with defense as well. Look for a committed defensive effort from Miami in this one. The under is 9-0 in the Pacers last 9 following an ATS win. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 against the Southeast Division. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 against teams with a winning percentage above 60%. The under is 8-1 in their last 9 home games. It is also 8-1 in their last 9 following a straight up win. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* The Siena Saints and Manhattan Jaspers both like to slow the game down, and both of them are terrible offensively. Manhattan is playing without leader George Beamon right now, and without him their offense is really lost. Siena doesn't have very much talent this year, so they have to win games by holding the opponent to a very low scoring game. Siena is always better defensively at home, and they should turn this into a very ugly game. I had this one projected at 115 points. The under is 5-0 in Manhattan's last 5 games. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* The Hawaii Warriors are a very fast paced team, and they don't let the game stay low scoring very often. UC Riverside has changed the way they play a bit this year. As the year moves along, they are becoming better offensively as they speed up a bit. UC Riverside put up some very low point totals early in the year, which is making oddsmakers keep their totals low. I think this is an opportunity on the over. Only two of Hawaii's 20 games so far this year have stayed under this number (18-2 angle). The over is 38-15 in Hawaii's last 53. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT Total* Taking an 'over' on a game with a posted total of 167.5 isn't something I like to do, but when I see value I have to take it. These two played earlier this year and the final was 105-86. They are the two fastest paced teams in the Big West. Fullerton shoots the ball extremely well from the floor and the line, and both of these teams foul a lot. Fullerton doesn't rebound well on defense, and Northridge should get a lot of second chance opportunities. The over is 41-19 in Fullerton's last 60 games following a loss. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The first time these two met this year the final was 96-78. Fort Wayne took advantage of Omaha's horrendous defense to pile up those 96 points. Omaha plays at a faster tempo than anyone else in the Summit League, and they don't play much defense at all. Opponents are shooting 55% on two-point shots against Omaha. Fort Wayne isn't much better defensively, and Omaha has some very good long range shooters. I had this one projected at 151 points. Take the over here.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals Takedown* The Texas State Bobcats are one of the best in the nation at pushing the tempo. New Mexico State has previously been a fast paced team, but they have slowed things down this year. Still, look for New Mexico to get out in transition when they have opportunities in this one. Texas State's offense is best when they are running and shooting in the first 10 seconds of the shot clock. The first meeting between these two finished at 145, and I expect something very similar here. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Big Sky Total* North Dakota isn't a particularly good team, but they are decent on their home floor. The Fighting Sioux have been able to keep almost every home game close, and they should do decent here. Weber State has the Big Sky's best offense. The Wildcats have some long range bombers, and if North Dakota is going to stay close here they are going to have to score some points. I had this one projected at 141 points. The over is 6-0 in Weber State's last 6 road games. The over is 6-2 in North Dakota's last 8. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Under Radar Total* The Marist Red Foxes like to push the tempo when they can, but I don't think St. Peter's is going to let them do that this game. St. Peter's doesn't have the athletes or scoring firepower to try to win a high scoring game. Marist is without one of their best players (Bowie) due to a concussion in this one. The first meeting between these two, which was played just 12 days ago, finished at 105 points. My projections have this game at 121 this time around. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Southern Conference Total* The Elon Phoenix and UNC Greensboro Spartans have a history of playing some very high scoring games against each other. Their last four meetings against each other have finished at 145, 189, 152, and 172 points. Greensboro fouls more than almost any other team in the country. Elon shoots free throws well, and they should be at the line a lot today. Greensboro's tempo should be enough to help them score plenty of points here. The over is 6-1 in Elon's last 7 games overall. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Top Total* The Hofstra Pride had their season changed in a big way back in December when four of their best players were arrested for allegedly burglarizing campus dorm rooms. Hofstra hasn't been the same ever since, and their offense has been brutal. Hofstra has scored 57 points or less in 7 of their last 10 games. James Madison has slowed the tempo down dramatically this year. The Dukes are without their veteran Andrey Semenov, who was one of the team's best scorers. James Madison is only allowing 56.1 points per game at home this year. The under is 9-0 in Hofstra's last 9 games. The under is 6-0 in James Madison's last 6 home games. The under is 7-0 in James Madison's last 7 following a win. The under is 7-0 in Hofstra's last 7 against the CAA. The under is 5-0 in Hofstra's last 5 road games. In all, a perfect 34-0 angle backs this play. Take the under here.

*3 Star NCAA BB Oddsmaker Error Total* The oddsmakers have overadjusted this total downward. DePaul and St. John's played to a 71-63 final earlier this year, but both teams shot the ball horribly. DePaul plays faster than any other team in the country. Their full court pressure is really effective at speeding up the game. St. John's has the guards to tear up the full court press, and I believe the Red Storm should put up a big number here. Last year's two meetings finished at 168 and 151. Take the over in this one.

*3 Star NBA Totals TKO* The Charlotte Bobcats arguably have the worst defense in the NBA. Opponents constantly get easy looks at the basket. Charlotte likes to run and gun, and they are scoring more this year. San Antonio has sped up over the last couple years. In addition, Tim Duncan will miss this game. Without Duncan, the Spurs lose their best defensive player, and they speed up in transition. I like this one to go over the posted total.

*3 Star Duke/Wake Forest Total* The Duke Blue Devils may be without Ryan Kelly, but they still have plenty of guys who can score. They showed that by putting up 84 points against a good Maryland defense last game. Wake Forest is one of the fastest paced teams in the ACC, and they don't play good defense at all. These teams met once already this year and the final total was 142. The shooting numbers weren't particularly impressive, and I think they'll be better this time around. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB MVC Total* Drake and Southern Illinois have the two worst defenses in the Missouri Valley Conference. When these two teams get together, we should see a ton of easy looks for the offenses. I like the over here.

*3 Star NCAA BB Battle of the Tigers* In this battle of the Tigers, the pace should be extremely quick. Missouri is never a team to slow the tempo down at all, and LSU is a brand new team this year. Johnny Jones has the LSU Tigers running with the best of them this year. LSU has the athletes to make this a track meet, and Missouri should oblige. Bowers is back for Missouri, and that is very big for this one. The over is 12-2 in LSU's last 14 against the SEC. The over is 22-6 in LSU's last 28 Wednesday games. Take the over.

*3 Star NBA 100% Angle Total* the Detroit Pistons are coming off an embarrassing home performance against the Milwaukee Bucks. I expect them to work harder on the defensive end in this one, and the Pacers have the single best defense in the NBA. The first meeting this year between these two finished in an 88-77 Pacers win. Indiana is holding opponents to 41% from the floor, and the Pistons are struggling on offense right now. The under is 4-0-1 in the Pistons last 5 when playing on zero days of rest. The under is 8-0 in the Pacers last 8 following an ATS win. The under is 5-0 in the Pacers last 5 against a team with a winning percentage under 40%. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB A10 Total* The Temple Owls are a solid offense, and the Owls are no longer slowing the pace down like they have done in recent years. The oddsmakers haven't completely caught up to Temple's new style of play. I like the over here.

*3 Star NCAA BB MAC Totals Takedown* The Western Michigan Broncos have improved offensively quite a bit over the course of the year. Miami (Ohio) has completely changed the way they play this year. The Redhawks now run and push the tempo in a big way. The oddsmakers haven't caught up to this change completely. Western Michigan's improved offense should find plenty of open looks against Miami's poor defense. I had this game projected at 135. The over is 11-4-2 in the Broncos last 17 games overall. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Under Radar Total* Central Michigan is playing much faster this year under new coach Keno Davis. Davis had one of the nation's fastest paced teams at Providence, and I expect the Chippewas to continue to pick up the pace moving forward. Buffalo isn't nearly as good as they were last year, but the Bulls have a star in forward Javon McCrea. McCrea is a beast on the inside, and Central Michigan doesn't have anyone to slow him down. The over is 5-0 in Central Michigan's last 5 Wednesday games. The over is 41-13 in Buffalo's last 54 following a loss. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Georgia Bulldogs are terrific at controlling the tempo of the game. In addition to that, Georgia is terrible on the offensive end. Auburn isn't the type of team to force the tempo, rather they usually are happy to play at the preferred pace of their opponent. The under is 20-9 in Auburn's last 29 against the SEC. The under is 20-7-1 in Georgia's last 28 home games. I had this one projected 117. Take the under here.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* SMU is an improved team under Larry Brown this year. The Mustangs offense is much better than it was a year ago. They are more efficient and they play quicker as well. Marshall loves to push the tempo, and the Thundering Herd are finally getting healthy after having a lot of injury troubles earlier this year. Marshall put up 72 points at Memphis last game, and I think they definitely get into the 70's here. SMU should do enough to keep it close. The over is 4-0 in SMU's last 4 road games. The over is 7-1 in Marshall's last 8 following a loss. The over is 12-2 in Marshall's last 14 against the C USA. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Tempo Total* It's all about the tempo when these two teams get together. UMass is one of the best in the country at pushing the tempo, and LaSalle isn't about to slow the game down. The Explorers are really rolling of late thanks to their terrific guard play. LaSalle's backcourt is one of the most underrated in the country. The over is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings at LaSalle between these two teams. I had this one projected at 149 points. Take the over here.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* Northern Iowa has been one of my favorite 'under' teams for quite some time. The Panthers slow the game down and don't foul much at all on the defensive end. Evansville is playing noticeably slower than they did last year. In the first meeting between these teams this year the final was 62-59. The shooting numbers were ever so slightly low, but they were pretty close to average. The pace here should be slow, so unless both teams get really hot from the floor I expect this to stay under. The under is 14-6 in Northern Iowa's last 20 in the MVC. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The Golden State Warriors will be playing on the back end of a back-to-back scheduling spot here. This is their third game in the past four days. Steph Curry hurt his ankle last night, and chances are he probably won't play in this one. Andrew Bogut played last night, but he'll sit in this one. Golden State will be without some offensive firepower, but the Warriors will still play their much improved defense. Golden State ranks in the top ten in the NBA in defense. Both teams are on 'over' runs of late, but I think this one is set too high. Take the under.

*3 Star Wisconsin/Ohio State Total* The Wisconsin Badgers only know one way to play, and that is to slow the game down and control the tempo better than anyone else in the country. Wisconsin is playing at a snail's pace in the Big Ten so far this year. Bo Ryan's team is very physical and good on the defensive end, and they don't turn it over on offense. Ohio State has the talent to run the floor, but they haven't been doing it much at all in Big Ten play. The Buckeyes have been getting slowed down and pulled into half court battles. When these two teams meet, it's always a very hard fought game with both teams being extremely physical. Look for the defenses to make life miserable for both offenses. The under is 4-0 in the Buckeyes last 4. The under is 5-0 in the Buckeyes last 5 following a win. The under is 5-0 in the Buckeyes last 5 against a team with a winning record. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 against the Big Ten. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 home games. The under is 4-0 in Wisconsin's last 4 Tuesday games. The under is 4-0 in Wisconsin's last 4 following an ATS loss. In all, a 30-0 angle backs this play. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA Totals TKO* The Orlando Magic have been playing a ton of overs lately, and I think the oddsmakers are overcompensating on Orlando's posted totals at this point. Brooklyn still plays at the slowest tempo of any team in the NBA, and Orlando is slower than the average pace of the league. It will be hard for these teams to get to this number unless the shooting percentages are very high. I'll look for average shooting numbers and this one to come in under the total by 5 points or so. The under is 16-4-2 in the last 22 meetings between these two teams. Take the under.

*3 Star Big 10 Total* The Michigan Wolverines don't play at a fast tempo, but they are extremely efficient on offense. The Wolverines have so many weapons on offense that it is very tough to slow them down. Trey Burke should be a candidate for Player of the Year. Burke is tremendous at getting his own shot or breaking down the defense and dishing it off to a wide open shooter. Michigan didn't have those other shooters last year, but now they have plenty of guys who can knock it down. Illinois is one of the fastest paced teams in the Big 10, but their defense isn't very good. Michigan should put up a lot of points in this one. The over is 6-1 in Michigan's last 7 road games. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* The FIU Golden Panthers have adopted a new style this year under Coach Richard Pitino. Pitino has the team pressing and looking to force turnovers and get easy buckets in transition. The team started the year a little slowly, but they have won 7 out of their last 8 games as they have gotten used to this style of play. South Alabama's new coach, Jeff Price, has been a guy who loves to run and gun his whole career. The first time these two teams met this year the total finished at 147 points. I think both teams are pushing the pace even more now, and I won't be surprised if this one gets to 150. The over is 37-17-1 in FIU's last 55 against the Sun Belt. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Niagara Purple Eagles are terrible defensively, but they love to push the tempo. Niagara presses and gets some easy steals, but also gives up a lot of easy lauyups and open looks from three. Canisius is a tremendous offensive team, and they have lots of great shooters who can knock it down consistently from beyond the arc. Canisius prefers to play at a quick pace too so I don't see anyone slowing this one down. The over is 5-0 in Niagara's last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage above 60%. The over is 5-1 in Canisius' last 6 Sunday games. Take the over.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The Indiana Pacers have the best defense in the NBA. They are allowing only 89 points per game this year. Utah is coming off a draining 102-84 loss at Los Angeles last night. I don't think Utah will be wanting to speed this one up. Look for a defensive battle here. The Pacers have only had one of their last ten games go above this posted total, and that was against the Houston Rockets (who play faster than any other team in the league). The under is 13-3 in the Pacers last 16 games. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 road games. Take the under here.

*3 Star NCAA BB Under Radar Total* Austin Peay used to be one of the best teams in the OVC, but they aren't even close to that anymore. Austin Peay pushes the tempo and they hit a lot of shots from long range, but they don't guard well at all. Tennessee Tech has sped up as the season has progressed, and I think they'll be glad to run and score with Austin Peay in this one. The over is 6-0 in Austin Peay's last 6 road games. The over is 4-1 in TEch's last 5 home games against a team with a losing record. The over is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings between these two at TN Tech. Take the over.

*3 Star UNC/NC State Total* The North Carolina Tar Heels are never going to slow a game down. Roy Williams' teams are great at running the fastbreak and they aren't about to let anyone slow them down. Fortunately in this one, the Wolfpack of NC State won't want to slow it down anyways. NC State's offense is one of the most efficient in the nation this year. Expect a really exciting game that goes up and down with lots of scoring. This one should be close all the way to the end, which should help with late fouls. The over is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings at NC State. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* The Bowling Green Falcons are as good as anyone in the MAC this year at controlling the tempo of the game. Bowling Green uses up the shot clock and likes to keep the game in the 50's. Toledo has slowed things down a bit this year as well, and the Rockets offense has been a big disappointment this year. The under is 6-1-1 in the Rockets last 8 games. The under is 10-2 in BG's last 12 following an ATS win. The under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings between these teams. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB PAC 12 Total* Arizona is coming off a disappointing home loss to UCLA, and the Wildcats should be really fired up for this one. USC is actually a pretty talented team, but they haven't been able to put it all together in the past year. With their new interim coach at the helm, USC is pushing the tempo much more than they were before. Until the oddsmakers adjust the numbers a little more than this, I like USC overs. I had this one at 141 points. Take the over in this one.

*3 Star NCAA BB Tempo Total* This one is all about the tempo. UAB is in the top five in the nation in terms of pace this year. Houston is in the top 25, and they always like to run and gun (they have for many years). This game should be full of transition points for both offenses. When these two teams meet, I expect some major fireworks on the scoreboard. I had this one projected at 165 points. Look for this one to sail over the posted total. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB 100% Angle Total* The Xavier Musketeers are a completely different team than they were last season. Xavier doesn't have Holloway or Lyons on the perimeter, so they are slowing the game down and winning with their great defense. St. Joe's is a similar team in that they win with their defense as well. Both teams will find easy shots difficult to come by in this one. I had this one projected at 122 points. The under is 6-0 in Xavier's last 6 road games. The under is 6-0 in St. Joe's last 6 against a team with a winning record. The under is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings between these two. Take the under.

*3 Star Play on Under*

*3 Star TGIF NBA Total Domination* The Brooklyn Nets play at the slowest tempo in the NBA. Memphis is in the bottom five in the NBA in terms of pace. Memphis is also the single best defense in the NBA in terms of efficiency and points allowed per game. Brooklyn's defense is very good with an anchor like Brook Lopez at the back. Both of these teams have played in a bunch of very low scoring games this year, and when they meet I expect defense to rule the day. The under is 21-7-2 in Brooklyn's last 30 road games. The under is 12-4 in Memphis' last 16 home games. The under is 40-15 in the Grizzlies last 55 games when playing on one day of rest. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA Bookie BEATDOWN* The Chicago Bulls are playing without Derrick Rose and they have been all year, but now they are playing without Luol Deng as well. Deng is the team's leading scorer at 17.4 points per game. In his absence, the team is relying heavily on its tremendous defense. There isn't a better defense in the NBA over the last few years. Golden State's massive improvement this year comes largely because the team is so much better on the defensive end. Easy shots will be tough to come by in this one. The under is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings between these teams. The under is 4-0 in the Bulls last 4 against the Pacific Division. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* The North Dakota Fighting Sioux have been improving offensively over the course of the season. North Dakota has several guys who can score on the floor at all times, and they like to push the tempo. Sacramento State isn't very good defensively, and they are very capable of getting into a shootout. The total here is set so low that you'd think these were two teams that play great defense, and that definitely isn't the case. The over is 5-1 in North Dakota's last 6. The over is 4-1 in their last 5 road games. Take the over.

*5 Star NCAA BB Top Play Total* The FIU Golden Panthers and LA Lafayette Ragin Cajuns do a lot of the same things. Both teams like to press and force the pace. Both teams like to get to the rim and get to the free throw line often. In the first game between these two, the shooting percentages were below average and they still scored 145 points. I look for the quick pace to be there again and the shooting numbers to perk up a little bit here. The over is a perfect 6-0 in the last 6 games between these two at LA Lafayette. Take the over!