*3 Star NBA on TNT Totals MONEY* The Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks meet tonight. Chicago beat New York 104-80 in the first game between these two. The posted total in that game was 184 points, so it finished a push. The posted total here has jumped by 7.5 points. I realize the Bulls are playing faster than they have in the past, but this jump is just too much. New York plays at the second slowest tempo of any team in the NBA. Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose are both listed as questionable for this one. Anthony is struggling with a knee injury, and he sounded less than optimistic about his chances of playing tonight. If he doesn't play, the Knicks have some even more severe issues on offense. J.R. Smith won't play here either, and the Knicks certainly aren't filled with scoring options. This seems like a spot where New York could struggle to get past 85 points or so. Rose is less than 100 percent even if he does play, and that should slow the game down a bit. Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA Late Night BAILOUT* The Portland Trail Blazers have impressed me with their defensive intensity so far this year. Portland primarily won by outscoring their opponent last year, but this season Portland has been very good on the defensive end. Milwaukee is also ranked in the top ten in the NBA in defensive efficiency. The Bucks lost Jabari Parker to a season ending knee injury. This is their first game playing without him, and I think that will change the offense and hurt them until they get accustomed to playing without him. Losing a key player like that can take a few games to adjust to. I made this total 199 points. Take the under here. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Stanford Cardinal have been playing against a lot of teams that like to slow the game down this year. That has made Stanford's pace numbers look a lot slower than they really should be. In general, Stanford is a team that prefers to run if given the opportunity. Loyola Marymount is pushing the pace under their new coach this year, and the Lions defense isn't good at all. This is a good chance for guys like Randle and Nastic to put up some big numbers. I had this number at 141 points. Recency bias from the oddsmakers has given us a nice value here. Take the over. 

*5 Star NCAA BB TOP Total BLOWOUT* The Cincinnati Bearcats have been an under team for a couple years now. Last year, Cincinnati was a team that didn't necessarily stall, but they did have a very bad offense and a great defense. Now, Mick Cronin's team has decided to slow things down a lot so far this year. They are using up the shot clock a lot more this year. San Diego State is the same type of team. The Aztecs aren't good at all offensively, but they are tremendous on the defensive end. San Diego State also uses up the entire shot clock most of the time.

Aqeel Quinn went down with an injury recently, and that made the Aztecs offense much worse. Other than Winston Shepard the Aztecs don't have any good scoring options. If you like offense, I don't think you're going to like this game. Two of the best defensive coaches in college basketball here. The under is a whopping 44-11 in Cincinnati's last 55 games overall. The under is 7-0 in their last 7 Wednesday games. The under is 7-1 in San Diego State's last 8 Wednesday games. A 61-13 trend backing this play. Take the under big! 

*3 Star NBA Totals TKO* The Orlando Magic are playing at a much slower pace since Vucevic returned to the lineup. He's a big guy who can score down low as well as protect the basket on defense. It's become apparent that Coach Vaughn has decided the Magic have a better chance of winning by slowing things down now, and so far that has proven to be true. While the Celtics do love to run, both of these teams have been much improved on the defensive end. They both rank in the top ten in the NBA in defensive efficiency in the past two weeks. Neither of these teams is efficient at all on the offensive end. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Total Value* The Illinois Fighting Illini have made it known so far this year that they aren't afraid of running up the score when they are given the opportunity. Illinois should get that chance tonight against Hampton. Hampton isn't a good team, but they like to run and push the tempo. That plays right into what Illinois wants to do. Against the worst teams they have played so far this year Illinois has put up massive point totals. They scored 114 against Coppin State and 107 against Austin Peay. They scored 89 against Brown and 88 against Indiana State. I think the Illini put up a big number again here and the pace should help Hampton put up plenty to get us to the over. I had this number set at 145 points. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Marquette Golden Eagles are slowing the tempo down under their new coach. Arizona State is slowing things back down this year as well. In the past few years, the Sun Devils played fast because they had a star in Jahii Carson running the show. Without him at the helm, Coach Sendak has decided to turn the tempo back down again. Both of these defenses will work hard in this one, and I think this should be a close back and forth game where the offenses struggle to get going. Look for this game to stay in the 120's. Take the under here. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Play of Day* The Wichita State Shockers play some very good defense. Gregg Marshall's team makes the opposition work extremely hard to get shots, and then the Shockers also do a tremendous job of grabbing the defensive rebound. Alabama has tried to speed up the tempo of the game this year, but the Shockers are generally very good at playing to their pace. Wichita State plays relatively slowly and I think them being the home team here helps them control the tempo. Alabama's offense is unlikely to be efficient against the best defense they have faced all year long. Alabama has typically been a good defensive team as well under Coach Anthony Grant. I made this total 137 points. Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* The Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors meet in a battle of two of the best teams in the NBA tonight. I expect both teams to be ready for this one. Memphis has some very good perimeter defenders in Tony Allen and Mike Conley. Look for those guys to make it their mission to make Golden State's stars take tougher shots than normal. Golden State is usually thought of as a very high scoring team that wins with offense. They can definitely score, but their defense has been the reason they are on an amazing win streak. The Warriors are first in the NBA in defensive efficiency. The Grizzlies are seventh. Memphis will try to slow this game down. A total set this high is generally reserved for two teams looking to push it or two bad defenses. Those things aren't true here.

The last nine meetings between these two teams have finished below this posted total. I look for this to be the 10th. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The North Carolina Tar Heels are very good at imposing their will as far as the pace of the game. UNC Greensboro is going to get demolished on the glass in this one. The Tar Heels have been one of the best rebounding teams in the nation, and offensive putbacks will be huge for them in this game. The Spartans get a rare chance at home to play a big name school from their own state, and they should be hyped up for this one too. I think that leads to them playing pretty quick and likely getting ahead of themselves and turning it over for some easy buckets for the Tar Heels. North Carolina hangs a big number on the Spartans in this one. Take the over. 

*3 Star NFL Total DOMINATION* The San Diego Chargers defense is solid. They showed what they are made of in their loss to the Patriots last week. San Diego's defense wasn't the reason they lost that game. Rather, it was Phillip Rivers and the offense that couldn't get going. The San Diego offense has been really inconsistent of late, and Denver's defense is much improved from last year. I expect the Broncos pass rush to do a good job getting after Rivers in this one. Denver is dinged up offensively right now, and the Chargers have done a relatively good job against this Broncos offense in the past couple years. I expect a competitive game where touchdowns are tough to come by. This line is a few points too high. Take the under. 

*5 Star TOP Play of the Month* The Pittsburgh Steelers offense has been amazing this year. Before the season there were a lot of questions about this unit, but they have answered them emphatically thus far. Pittsburgh is averaging 427 yards per game so far this year, which easily outpaces the 391.1 per game that is the team record set back in 1979. The Steelers have scored 30 points or more in seven games this year. They are averaging 6.2 yards per play which is second best in the NFL. The Atlanta Falcons offense is always tough to stop in the dome. Matt Ryan has elite receivers in Jones and White. Jones is listed as questionable this weekend, but even if he doesn't go, the Falcons have a very good third option in Harry Douglas.

Pittsburgh's defense has only 24 sacks this year. They are putting a lot of pressure on the secondary, and their secondary just isn't very good. Matt Ryan should be able to pick apart this group. At the same time, the Falcons defense isn't good at all against the run or the pass. Pittsburgh should move the ball at will. I think there will be a lot of offense in this one. Take the over big! 

*4 Star NFL 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Green Bay Packers come into this one on a really nice run. I think the Packers are a very good team, but I also believe this is a difficult spot for them. Buffalo's defense is far better than most realize. The Bills defense showed how good they are last week with their performance against Peyton Manning and the Broncos. Buffalo has a great defensive front that can create pressure without sending the blitz all that often. The secondary is also very good. Green Bay's defense has struggled this year, but Buffalo's offense has become one-dimensional and that should make things easier on them. It is expected to be a bit breezy for this one with a bit of drizzle through the game. Weather can be a major factor in games played at Buffalo. I like the defenses to control this one.

The under is 4-0 in the Bills last 4 home games. The under is 5-0 in the Bills last 5 overall. The under is 6-0 in the Bills last 6 following a loss. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning record. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 after gaining 350 yards or more. A 24-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Memphis Grizzlies beat the Charlotte Hornets in double overtime on Friday night. I can't imagine they will be too fired up to run up the score as much as they could on the 76ers on Saturday night. Philadelphia is quietly playing a little better of late. What has changed? The 76ers are starting to play much better defense. Philadelphia actually ranks in the top half of the NBA in defense. Memphis ranks in the top five in the NBA in defensive efficiency. The 76ers still play relatively fast, but they have slowed down the tempo a bit compared to last year. Memphis is once again one of the slowest paced teams in the league. Some of the 76ers recent games have been very low scoring. This total is a few points too high.

The under is 7-0 in the Grizzlies last 7 games when playing on zero days of rest. The under is 8-0 in their last 8 road games vs. a team with a losing home record. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning percentage of 40% or lower. A 20-0 angle. Take the under. 

*5 Star Army/Navy TOP Play CRUSHER* The Army and Navy game is always a lot of fun to watch. No matter the records of these two teams, you get everything in the tank from everyone on the field here. The emotions surrounding this game are amazing. The key to this play for me is the fact that both of these teams defend the triple option every single day in practice. That makes it a lot easier to be well-prepared to stop it this weekend. The primary reason the triple option is so tough to defend for most teams is the fact that they aren't used to seeing it. These teams don't need any special preparation for this week's game. They have gotten it all year long. While neither of these defenses have looked good overall this year, the past history between these two tells me the defenses should put up a spirited effort in this one. In the past eight years, the highest scoring game between these two finished at 48 points.

The under is a perfect 8-0 in the last 8 games between these two teams. The under is 9-0 in Army's last 9 games during the month of December. The under is 6-0 in Army's last 6 after scoring 40 points or more last game. A 23-0 angle. Take the under big! 

*Note- The line here has moved down a few points since I picked this game early in the week. My number for this game was 51 points.  I would still make this a 5 Star TOP Play all the way down to 56 points. Thank you*

*4 Star NBA TGIF Play of Day* The Oklahoma City Thunder have been really good on defense all year. Minnesota likes to run, but they are extremely inefficient on offense. I think their offensive woes will be highlighted in this one as Oklahoma City locks things up on the defensive end. Oklahoma City has continued to play at a slower pace even with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook back in the lineup. The three referees in this game definitely lean to the under which is a big help as well. Another interesting note about this game- The posted total here has dropped despite the majority of the public money being on the over. That's a strong signal. The under is 5-0 in OKC's last 5 Friday games. The under is 6-1 in their last 7 following an ATS win. Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* The Indiana Pacers are still one of the top ten teams in the league in defensive efficiency. The Clippers are #12 as well, so their defense is better than most realize. Indiana's offense is third worst in the NBA right now, and they don't have much chemistry at all on the offensive end right now. What about the pace of this game? The Clippers average tempo is right at the league average. The Pacers are close to the bottom in terms of tempo. The referees in this one are also helpful. Both Ken Mauer and Haywoode Workman are guys who have consistently been good under referees in the long term. Less fouls in this one could be the difference. The under is 5-1 in the Pacers last 6 home games. This line is a bit inflated. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Ohio State Buckeyes are playing zone on almost every possession this year. Zone defenses slow the game down in a big way. Ohio State shot the lights out early on which caused several of their games to be very high scoring. While I do think Ohio State has a good shooting team, I don't see the Buckeyes continuing to shoot 52% from the floor for the whole season. High Point is a relatively good team despite the fact that most people know nothing about them. High Point prefers to slow the game down, and they'll make this a halfcourt game as much as they can. High Point doesn't have good outside shooters, and I think they'll struggle to score against the Buckeyes zone. I made this total 128 points. I would play this one down to as low as 131 points. Take the under here. 

*4 Star NBA Play of Day* The Cleveland Cavaliers have decided to slow things down in recent weeks. They have also started playing some defense. They now rank right in the middle of the pack defensively. Earlier this year they were among the worst in the league on the defensive end. Toronto's offense is good, but they aren't nearly as good as they were before DeRozan went down with an injury. Toronto's pace has slowed down a lot without DeRozan pushing the tempo too. A total set this high is generally saved for teams that push the tempo and play very little defense. That isn't true about either of these teams right now. I had this total set at 201.5. The under is an impressive 8-3 in the Cavs last 11 games. The under is 35-16-1 in the last 52 meetings between these two teams. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Iowa State Cyclones love to push the tempo at every opportunity. UMKC is a team that likes to run as well. Neither one of these teams work very hard on the defensive end. Iowa State is very capable of putting up a big number in this one. UMKC already allowed 81 to South Dakota State and 83 against Kansas State. Neither of those teams are even close to as good offensively as Iowa State. I think there's a good chance the Cyclones get 90 points or more in this one. In fact, they have already scored 90 points or more on three occasions this year. The over is 45-20-1 in the Cyclones last 66 games overall, so the oddsmakers have had trouble catching up with how fast this team plays. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* This game will be played at Madison Square Garden, which is one of the biggest reasons I'm playing the under. The shooting backdrop at MSG is tougher than any other gym that these teams will play at all year. Illinois was scoring loads of points earlier this year, but as they start playing tougher teams their point totals are going down pretty quickly. Villanova has impressed me a lot on the defensive end this year. They'll make Illinois work hard for every shot. The Fighting Illini are much improved on the defensive end compared to last year as well. I had this total set at 133.5 points. There's just enough value here to advocate a play. I've done very well taking unders at MSG in the past, and I'll take the under again here. 

*3 Star NCAA BB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The SMU Mustangs have always been a relatively slow paced team. They are struggling a little more now on the offensive end because they are without Marcus Kennedy on the inside. Kennedy was the team's best low post scorer. SMU now relies primarily on scoring from the outside. UCSB is a disciplined team under Coach Bob Williams. The Gauchos definitely like to slow the game down and work it inside to Alan Williams in the post. SMU does have some good post defenders, and I expect them to be able to neutralize Williams to some degree. I had this number at 123. 

The under is 4-0 in UCSB's last 4 games. The under is 6-0 in their last 6 Monday games. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 non-conference games. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 following a win. An 18-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star NFL Sunday Night Football CASH* The San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots meet in what should be a terrific game Sunday night. New England is coming off a loss, and the Patriots are really tough to beat following a loss. On the other hand, San Diego has played well in recent years as an underdog and they are coming off a momentum-building win at Baltimore. Tom Brady and the Patriots offense was just a bit off last week. Before last week, the Patriots had scored 34 points or more in four straight games. San Diego has been having some issues in the secondary in recent weeks, and that should be a problem here. The Chargers have some great pass catchers and Antonio Gates is a tough matchup for the Patriots. Look for San Diego to move the ball well through the air in this game. 

The over is 4-0 in the Patriots last 4 during week 14. The over is 5-0 in the Patriots last 5 after gaining less than 90 yards rushing last game. The over is 4-1 in the Patriots last 5 December games. A 13-1 angle. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The North Carolina Tar Heels love to run, and the oddsmakers like to put high totals on their games. Remember though, this North Carolina team is much better defensively than they are on the offensive end. They have a lot of length and athleticism that cause opponents to shoot a poor percentage, but generally the Tar Heels offensive efficiency isn't that great. East Carolina is a team that likes to stall to try to stay in the game. If the Pirates are wise at all, they will be playing some serious stall ball in this game. With one team playing stall ball and the other team playing good defense, a total of 141 points is too high. Take the under in this one. 

*3 Star NFL Early Bird Special* The Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers have made a name for themselves in the past few years as strong defensive teams. That was the case for many years, but it isn't the case this year. Both of these defenses are way down this season. Pittsburgh's defense has gotten too old, and Brett Keisel is now out for the season, so they lose a guy who has been one of the most productive players on their roster. Cincinnati's defense has taken a big step back this year too. I think the primary reason for that is Mike Zimmer leaving and taking the head coaching job at Minnesota. Zimmer is a defensive mastermind, and the Bengals miss him badly. The number here is set too low because of the past history of these teams. Both offenses have big play ability. 

The over is 4-0 in the Bengals last 4 December games. The over is 6-0 in the Steelers last 6 vs. a team with a winning record. The over is 8-1 in the Steelers last 9 after gaining 350 yards or more last game. An 18-1 angle. Take the over. 

*4 Star NFL 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Detroit Lions defense is still being underrated by many. This defense has proven week after week they are one of the very best in the NFL. Tampa Bay's defense has also proven on a consistent basis that they aren't any good. Tampa Bay put up only 13 points in each of their last two games, and that was against two subpar defenses. It gets much tougher here. I have been impressed with the fight in the Tampa Bay defense. This unit has gotten significantly better over the course of the season. I see a comfortable win for the Lions as their defense dominates.

The under is 6-0 in Tampa Bay's last 6 games. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 vs. the NFC. The under is 5-0 in Tampa Bay's last 5 following a loss. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 after running for less than 90 yards last game. The under is 6-0 in the Lions last 6 after throwing for 250 yards or more last game. The under is 4-0 in the Lions last 4 after allowing less than 90 yards rushing last game. A 29-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* The Los Angeles Clippers come into this one on plenty of rest, and I think that means some strong defense from the improving Clippers. Though they started the year slowly, this Clippers team is definitely a really talented bunch. New Orleans limps into this game. The Pelicans miss Eric Gordon in a big way. Without Gordon this offense has scored 91 points or less in four of their last five games. Gordon is a guy who puts up 15 points per game when he is healthy, and that's tough to replace. A total set this high typically needs two high scoring offenses. The Clippers can score in bunches, but the Pelicans offense is weakened significantly of late.

The under is 4-1 in the Pelicans last 5 games since Gordon went down with an injury. The under is also 11-5 in the Clippers last 16 vs. a team with a losing road record. That's important because it means the Clippers often flex their muscle on the defensive end in a game like this. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Totals MONEY* The Savannah State Tigers don't know any way to play other than running and gunning. This Savannah State team isn't good, but they are going to want to run and push the tempo. That plays right into the Indiana Hoosiers hands. Indiana is always more comfortable running in Tom Crean's system. The Hoosiers have scored at least 81 points in each of their last four games. Against a bad team like Savannah State who plays very little defense, Indiana should get well into the 80's easily, and I think 90 points is fairly likely. The tempo here is the key. Take the over. 

*3 Star NBA on TNT MONEY* The Golden State Warriors play very fast. Everyone knows the Warriors play fast. What most people don't know is that the Warriors are number one in the NBA in defensive efficiency right now, and second place isn't even close. Steve Kerr has this team playing some amazing defense. New Orleans has a decent offense, but their offense suffered a big blow when Eric Gordon went down with an injury. Their offensive efficiency has been much worse with him out of the lineup. I don't think the Pelicans get very many easy looks tonight. New Orleans will look to slow the game down too, which should help this one. 

The under is 4-0 in the Pelicans last 4 games vs. a team with a winning record. The under is 4-0 in the Warriors last 4 Thursday games. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 home games vs. a team with a losing road record. The under is 4-0 in the Warriors last 4 home games overall. The under is also 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between these two teams. A 21-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The UCLA Bruins have shown us that they are going to play as fast as possible this year. All but one of their games so far this year has played out to a tempo of 71 possessions per team or more. That's extremely fast compared to the average in college basketball which is about 67 possessions. UCLA played games at a pace of 78 and 82 earlier this year against poor opponents who like to run. They have another poor opponent in Cal State Fullerton who likes to run. The Titans defense is really bad, and I think UCLA will be able to get good looks all game long. UCLA's interior defense has been poor, and Fullerton has some guys who can get to the rim. Look for a fast paced high scoring game. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Washington State Cougars are a totally different team this year. Ernie Kent took over the team in the offseason, and he wants this team to run all the time. Washington State has generally been a defensive oriented team that slows it down, so the oddsmakers are slow to adjust lines with this Cougars team. Idaho has sped up the tempo a lot in the past couple years as well. The Vandals defense is atrocious (they allowed 83 points last game against Northern Kentucky). Washington State isn't a whole lot better on defense. A fast pace and two bad defenses. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Virginia Cavaliers and Maryland Terrapins were used to meeting each other in conference games, but now they'll be meeting each other in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Maryland is without leading scorer Dez Wells in this one, and that's important because they are playing against a Virginia team that locks it up on the defensive end. The Cavs defense is always one of the best in the country. Virginia is playing even slower tempo wise than they did last year, and they have had some extremely low scoring games so far this year. They haven't allowed more than 56 points in a game all year long. Maryland is slowing things down this year compared to last season as well. I had this one at 116 points. Take the under. 

*3 Star NHL Total DOMINATION* The Chicago Blackhawks and the St. Louis Blues are both well rested entering Wednesday night's matchup between two of the top teams in the Central Division. That should lead to a big defensive struggle. The first game between the two teams ended in a 3-2 score, but the Blackhawks didn't have the services of Corey Crawford. The best players on each team were held in check, which isn't all that surprising because these are two of the best teams at even strength.

The Blackhawks have the league's top penalty kill at better than 91 percent, which negates most of St. Louis's scoring ability. The Blues gave up 33 goals in 15 games in the month of November, so they have committed to playing defense and Brian Elliott has played very well. The Blues allowed more than three goals one time in the month. Both Elliott and Corey Crawford have goals against averages below 2.00. This should be a defensive struggle with some lower shot totals. Look for the under to come through nicely. Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA Play of Day* The Dallas Mavericks are coming off a double overtime win. I had them as my play of the week in that game, and they did end up getting there. There's no doubt they put in some extra effort in that game though, and there were a lot of tired Mavericks at the end of that game. Dallas has the most efficient offense in the NBA, but I see them being a little less efficient on tired legs tonight. Milwaukee is 7th in the NBA in total defense, and Jason Kidd's team has been working hard on the defensive end. Neither of these teams play all that fast, so a total of 207 is awfully high. With two teams in the top half of the NBA in total defense and some tired legs, I think this stays under the posted total. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Purdue Boilermakers have a new identity. Matt Painter's teams were previously known for slowing the game down and playing great defense. Now, the Boilermakers are all about running and getting off a bunch of shots. Purdue has had some very high scoring games this year, including some high scoring games against teams who usually play in low scoring contests. The NC State Wolfpack also like to play fast, so I see no reason that this game won't be played at a quick tempo. The over is 4-1 in Purdue's last 5 home games. The over is 5-1 in NC State's last 6 road games. I had this number at 145 points. Take the over. 

*4 Star Nets/Knicks Total DOMINATION* The New York Knicks offense has been awful of late. New York also plays at the single slowest tempo of any team in the NBA. Brooklyn started out playing fast, but the Nets have slowed down a lot of late. Brooklyn can't play terribly fast because of Brook Lopez. Lopez is one of the reasons Brooklyn is always solid on the defensive end. J.R. Smith is likely to miss this one with an illness, and the Knicks have a hard time scoring to start with. These two teams definitely see this as a real rivalry, and that generally leads to lower scoring games with better defense. The line movement here kept this one from being a top rated play, but my number was 186. Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA Totals TKO* The Los Angeles Lakers defense is awful, so taking an under with them is always risky, but the Lakers have showed signs of slowing the game down a bit of late. A total of 206 in a game where one team (Detroit) plays at a very slow pace is definitely worth a look. Detroit hasn't had a game go above 202 in their last nine games. The Pistons are playing improved defense under Stan Van Gundy, but they are a real mess on the offensive end. I had this number at 201 points. Take the under. 

*3 Star Patriots/Packers Total DOMINATION* The New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers get together in what should be a tremendous game late Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field. Tom Brady vs. Aaron Rodgers will be all the storylines, and you can't blame the media for headlining the game with those two. They are two of the very best at their position, and they are guys who usually rise to the occasion in games like this one. The New England offense has really impressed me in recent weeks. New England can do it through the air or on the ground. The offensive line is much improved too. Green Bay's defense is still a major question mark for me. The Packers offense was a little disappointing early this year, but they are firing on all cylinders now. Both of these teams play much at a much faster tempo than the league average, and that will lead to more possessions in this game. I see this as a back and forth type of game where both offenses have a bunch of big plays. 

The over is 5-0 in the Packers last 5 home games. The over is 7-0 in their last 7 on grass. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 following an ATS loss. The over is 5-0 in the Packers last 5 after gaining 350 yards or more last game. The over is 7-1 in the Packers last 8 overall. A 29-1 angle. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Tempo Total* This is a really high posted total, but it's really high for a reason. Iona and Arkansas both rank in the top 11 out of 351 college basketball teams in terms of pace. This game should be an all out track meet. Both teams are shooting above 45% on the year thus far from beyond the arc. Both teams use a full court press to push the tempo. Neither one of these teams are very good defensively in the halfcourt either. I made this total 174, so I see enough value to play this one. Take the over. 

*3 Star NFL Early Bird Special* The weather should be a major factor in this game. The forecast calls for an early high temperature of 15 degrees dropping to nine degrees by the end of the game. Carolina certainly isn't used to that kind of temperature, and I think that hurts their offense more than the defense. The wind is also going to play a major role here. The wind is expected to be about 20 miles per hour throughout this one, which should make both offenses hesitant to throw it. With a lot of running, we'll see the clock consistently moving. The defenses should be able to key in on the run after a while here too. Minnesota's defense is one of the most improved in the league under the guidance of Mike Zimmer. Look for a low scoring affair. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA FB Total DOMINATION* The North Carolina Tar Heels offense has been great all year. The only reason the Tar Heels have been considered a disappointment this year has been their brutal defense. Just about everyone has done whatever they want against this defense. North Carolina State has a play maker at quarterback in Jacoby Brissett. The Wolfpack defense is going to struggle to get off the field here, but the offense should be able to pile up the points. This has been a highly competitive and high scoring series in the past few years. I think both of those trends continue this weekend. I made this total 75 points. Take the over. 

*4 Star CFB Early Bird Special* The Boston College Eagles have surprised a lot of people this year. Steve Addazio deserves a ton of credit for that. Boston College has really bought into Addazio's system, and the Eagles have fought hard all season long. The defense is pretty good against both the run and the pass. Syracuse's offense is downright awful right now. They have virtually no running game, and the passing game is even worse. The Orange do have a solid defense that keeps them in most games. Boston College and Syracuse will both be doing a lot of running in this one, so we'll see the clock keep on ticking away.

The under is 5-0 in Syracuse's last 5. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 road games. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 vs. the ACC. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 following a loss. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 after a loss by 20 points or more. The under is 6-1-1 in their last 8 vs. a team with a winning record. Take the under. 

*5 Star CFB TOP Play 100% CRUSHER* The UTSA Roadrunners and North Texas Mean Green have both been teams I have played the under on successfully all season. I've had this game circled for a while. These are two offensively challenged teams. When they get together, I expect a very low scoring game. In fact, I think there is a good chance the winner of this game won't top 20 points. UTSA has gotten awful quarterback play all year. It's likely that no team has had worse play from the quarterback position over the course of the season. North Texas' defense isn't particularly good, but they'll likely look good when going against this Roadrunners offense. North Texas can only run the ball, if they are forced to throw they are in real trouble. The UTSA defense is actually quite good, and they should do a good job stopping the run.

The under is 7-0 in UTSA's last 7 home games. The under is 7-0 in their last 7 November games. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 following a loss. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 on grass. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 following a loss by 20 points or more. A 27-0 angle. Take the under big! *Note- This line has moved down since I originally played it early in the week. I would play this for 5 stars down to 41 points and for 4 stars down to 39 points. Thank you.**

*4 Star CFB Totals TKO* The Indiana Hoosiers and Purdue Boilermakers have a history of high scoring affairs against each other. Indiana's defense is one of the worst in the nation. Purdue is improved from last year, but the main place they have improved is on the offensive end. The Boilermakers defense gives up big plays very frequently, and I expect Tevin Coleman to have a big day here. Both of these teams like to snap the ball quickly, so we should see both teams get a lot of possessions in this one. The weather shouldn't be bad on Saturday in Indiana, and that helps the over as well. Close game here with both offenses seeing lots of success. Take the over. 

*4 Star CFB Friday FEAST* The Missouri Tigers and Arkansas Razorbacks get together in an underrated showdown on Friday. This is a game I'm really looking forward to, and there is a lot on the line here. Missouri will represent the SEC East in the SEC title game with a win here. Arkansas has pitched two consecutive shutouts against LSU and Ole Miss at home. The Razorbacks defense is arguably the most improved in the nation this year. Maty Mauk and the Missouri offense have been a big disappointment. The Tigers are in this position because of a very good defense and a lot of timely turnovers. Arkansas runs the ball on nearly every down, and Missouri is running it most of the time as well. A lot of running clock in this game. I see a close game all the way and the defenses having the upper hand. Take the under here. 

*3 Star NCAA Friday Early Bird Special* The Marshall Thundering Herd were passed by the Boise State Broncos in the most recent Playoff rankings. Marshall is fighting to become the top ranked team outside the power five conferences. What does that mean Marshall needs to do? They need to pick up some major style points. Marshall absolutely needs to run up the score at any chance they can. Marshall gets a chance to do that this weekend against one of the worst defenses in the nation. Western Kentucky has allowed 42 points or more on six occasions already this year! The Hilltoppers are going to get gashed by this Marshall offense on the ground and Rakeem Cato will have a monster day through the air. The Hilltoppers do have a very good passing attack with Brandon Doughty at the helm. Doughty and the Hilltoppers have scored on nearly everyone, and I think they'll put up their fair share here too. 

The over is 4-0-1 in Western Kentucky's last 5 after gaining 280 yards or more through the air last game. The over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. The over is 8-1 in Marshall's last 9 after throwing for 280 yards or more last game. A 15-1 angle. Take the over. 

*3 Star NBA Totals CASH* The San Antonio Spurs aren't playing as fast on offense as they did last year. What they are doing though is locking opponents down on the defensive end. Indiana has lots of problems scoring right now with injuries depleting them of their best offensive players. The Pacers are going to slow the game down and play their normal gritty defense. The pace should be slower than expected here, and both teams will have to work hard to score. The under is 4-0 in the Spurs last 4 Wednesday games. The under is 6-0 in their last 6 vs. the Eastern Conference. The under is 6-1 in the Spurs last 7 home games. A 16-1 angle here. Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* Anytime you see an NBA total this low, you have to examine the reasons for that number. Oklahoma City is struggling to find anyone who can score consistently with their ridiculous amount of injury problems. The Thunder have Durant, Westbrook, Andre Roberson, Mitch McGary, Perry Jones, and several others all sidelined. Utah toyed with playing uptempo early this year, but they have slowed down a lot in recent outings. Utah's offense isn't efficient, and it's because they aren't as balanced as most teams in the NBA. Oklahoma City has been excellent on the defensive end at home so far this year. The under is 4-0 in the Thunder's last 4 home games. The under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings between these two in Oklahoma City. Take the under. 

*4 Star NBA 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Orlando Magic have some serious problems right now. Orlando wasn't any good offensively to start with, and now they have all sorts of injury issues. The Magic are playing without Aaron Gordon for a long time. They are now also without Tobias Harris, who had been their most consistent scorer of late. Harris missed the morning shoot around today, so he is doubtful for tonight's game. Golden State is playing a back to back game here, so I expect them to be a little bit worn down. The Warriors are clearly the much better team and can win this game comfortably, but they might take their foot off the gas a little earlier tonight. The Warriors also have one of the best defenses in the NBA, and the Magic are unlikely to get many open looks here. I think this one stays in the 190's. 

The under is 4-0-1 in Golden State's last 5 vs. a team with a losing record. The under is 4-0 in the Magic's last 4 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. The under is 4-0 in the Magic's last 4 vs. the NBA Pacific Division. The under is 3-0-1 in the last 4 meetings between these two. The under is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings in Orlando between these teams. A 21-0 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Kansas State Wildcats have been shooting a very high percentage so far this year. While it's possible Kansas State will be a bit improved from an offensive perspective, they aren't going to keep shooting the lights out every game like they have been recently. Jamie Dixon's Pitt Panthers are always one of the better defensive teams in the country. The Panthers also play at a very slow tempo all the time. Pitt is having significant problems scoring this year, but they stay in the game with their ball control and strong defense. I think this line is inflated due to Kansas State's recent hot shooting. I had this number at 125 points. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT Total* The Villanova Wildcats impressed me with their defensive intensity on Monday night against VCU. Villanova made the Rams work extremely hard in the halfcourt sets to get looks at the basket. Michigan was amazingly efficient last year on offense, but without Nik Stauskas I expect them to be much worse this season. The Wolverines always want to slow the game down and they should be able to do that here. Villanova looked to be content playing a halfcourt game last night. Also keep in mind that this game is being played at Barclays Center in New York, so this is a neutral venue which generally lowers the shooting percentages. I had this one set at 129. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Eastern Illinois Panthers are going to try their best to slow this game down. They know they don't have the athleticism to run with Creighton. So far this year, Eastern Illinois has been successful in slowing everyone down that they have played against. Creighton also runs a little less than they did last year. More importantly though, Creighton isn't going to be nearly as good on offense without Doug McDermott, Grant Gibbs, Ethan Wragge, and Johans Manigat. This is an offense that has struggled so far this year, and I think the oddsmakers are being slow to adjust their numbers down. I had this one at 130 points. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The San Diego State Aztecs have played some extremely low scoring games so far this year, but most of their opponents have played at a very slow tempo. That will change tonight when they take on BYU. The Cougars are playing at a pace of 75 possessions per game, which is fifth fastest in the nation. San Diego State plays very good defense, but the pure amount of shots that BYU gets in this one should mean the Cougars score quite a few points. The Aztecs offense should also look a lot better when they are going up against a poor defense like BYU. Look for Winston Shephard to have a big game here. I made this total 140 points. Take the over. 

*4 Star VCU/Villanova Total DOMINATION* The VCU Rams can push the tempo as well as anyone in the nation with their "Havoc" full court pressure. While some teams will fight hard to slow the game down, I don't see Villanova being one that does that. The Wildcats like to play fast with their athleticism at all positions. Ryan Arcidiacano is a guard who plays fast and is prone to turnovers at times, which could play into the hands of VCU. Briante Weber's quickness really makes the Rams tough on both ends of the floor. Whoever wins this game is going to have to score a lot of points. Both of these teams have big guys who can run the floor well, which means there is no reason to expect either team will be wanting to slow things down. The tempo should push this one over. Take the over here. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* Only five teams in the entire country are playing at a faster tempo than the UCLA Bruins right now. There are 351 teams in college basketball. That tells you how quick the Bruins are playing. The Bruins are loaded with good long range shooters, and they are in a matchup here vs. a Long Beach State team that doesn't play much defense at all. Xavier put up 97 points on Long Beach State earlier this year, and Xavier doesn't have the offensive weapons that UCLA has. Long Beach State has a couple nice scorers in Michael Caffey and Tyler Lamb. The 49ers like to play quickly, and I expect them to put up a good amount of points in this game as well. I made this total 159 points. Take the over. 

*5 Star NCAA BB TOP Total of Week* The Florida Atlantic Owls and the Georgia Bulldogs both have a new style of play this year. Michael Curry brings an uptempo system to Florida Atlantic. The Owls haven't been very good on offense so far this year, but they are going to get up a lot of shots in this game. Georgia is playing far faster than they have in recent years. In fact, the Bulldogs are averaging seven possessions more per game compared to last season.

That's an amazing change in just one season. Georgia has scored 73, 80, and 82 points in their three games this year. Against inferior competition they put up 80 and 82 points, and Florida Atlantic definitely doesn't have the same kind of talent that Georgia has. The Bulldogs backcourt is really quick and they'll get to the basket with ease in this game. A total this low is a big play for me with both teams turning up the tempo this year. I made this total 143 points. Take the over big! 

*3 Star NFL Play of the Week* The Tampa Bay Bucs and Chicago Bears meet at Soldier Field on Sunday afternoon. The conditions are going to be ugly for this one. There is a 100 percent chance of rain according to current forecasts, and the wind is expected to be 20 mph blowing off of Lake Michigan. Anyone who has been to Chicago knows that the winds can be very tough to deal with here. Both of these teams have been relying more on their passing attacks lately, but I don't expect those to work well in this weather. The field will be a total mess as well with heavy rain throughout. Neither of these offenses has proven to be all that good to start with, and with an ugly field and a heavy wind it will make it much tougher to score. 

The under is 4-0 in the Bucs last 4 games. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 after allowing 150 rushing yards or more last game. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 games played on grass. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 in November. A 16-0 angle. 

Look for a sloppy low scoring game. Take the under. 

*4 Star CFB Late Night BAILOUT* The Nevada Wolfpack offense has gradually gotten better throughout the course of the year. Cody Fajardo is a real star for Nevada, and he's playing in the final home game of his career here. Fresno State's defense hasn't slowed down anyone all year, and it's hard to see them slowing down Nevada's balanced attack here. While Nevada's defense appeared improved earlier this year, the Wolf Pack defense has been awful in recent weeks. Fresno State still has a lot of talent on the offensive end. The Bulldogs should be able to make some big plays on offense here. Look for a shootout in this rivalry game. Take the over. 

*4 Star NCAA FB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Boise State Broncos offense has been tremendous this year, but their defense is way down from the level they have been at in recent years. Boise State's defense has given up at least 27 points in six straight games. Wyoming isn't particularly good on offense, but the Cowboys offense has been much better on their home field. Boise State has scored 50 points or more on offense in three of their last five games. They might not get there in this one, but if they get into the 40's we have a very good shot of cashing this play.

The over is 5-0 in Boise State's last 5 games. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 conference games. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 following an ATS loss. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 following a straight up win. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 after gaining 200 yards or more on the ground. The over is 4-0 in Wyoming's last 4 following a loss. A 25-0 angle. Take the over. 

*5 Star USC/UCLA Top Play Total* The UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans are bitter rivals. Both of these teams have had this game circled for a very long time. USC has gotten some tremendous quarterback play from Cody Kessler this year. Kessler has thrown 29 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, and he has completed 70.2% of his passes. Brett Hundley has been running the ball more often of late, and his dual threat ability makes this Bruins offense much better. Two very good quarterbacks should put on a show in this one. The UCLA defense has been a big disappointment this year, and I expect USC to put up a nice number against them. On the other hand, USC's secondary has had significant problems this year and Hundley is capable of making big plays with his arm as well. High scoring back and forth game here. Take the over big! 

*Note- The line has moved up here since I picked this on Tuesday evening- I would play this for 5 stars up to 63 points. 4 stars up to 65 points. Thank you*

*5 Star TOP Play Under the Radar Total* The North Texas Mean Green have some major problems on offense. They have essentially zero success throwing the football, so if the running game isn't working they are done. FIU has a really bad offense, but they are much improved on defense. This is an FIU defense that definitely has shown they can stop the run, and I see them forcing North Texas to try to beat them through the air. North Texas is still decent on the defensive end, and this FIU team has gotten really bad quarterback play all year. This is going to be an extremely ugly game. I can't imagine anyone wanting to watch this one, but I do like both defenses to hold up their end and keep this game low scoring. Take the under big! 

*Note- This line has moved since I selected it on Tuesday- I would play it for 5 stars down to 48 and for 4 stars down to 46. Thank you.*

*4 Star NCAA FB Totals TKO* The Arkansas Razorbacks defense is one of the most improved in the nation. Arkansas just shutout a pretty decent LSU team last weekend. Bret Bielema's group only allowed 14 points against the top ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. Ole Miss has been one of the top defenses in the nation all year long. The Rebels offense has let them down in some big games, and that is why they have lost twice. Arkansas loves to run the football, but I think they'll have a hard time running it against a Ole Miss defense that knows the run is coming. I don't trust Bo Wallace to make big plays for the Rebels, and I see this being a very close low scoring affair. Take the under. 

*3 Star ACC Total Takedown* The Pittsburgh Panthers have almost no passing game. The Syracuse Orange have virtually no passing game. Pittsburgh plays at one of the slowest paces of any team in the nation. The Panthers run the play clock all the way down and hand it off nearly every time. That definitely helps an under since it reduces the number of times each offense will get the ball. Syracuse's offense has been bad all year, but the Orange have a good defense. They should be able to at least slow down the Panthers running attack. Syracuse's play calling has been very conservative lately with young quarterbacks under center. This looks like a game where both teams keep it simple and it turns into an ugly low scoring game with a bunch of field goals. Take the under. 

*5 Star TOP Play of the Week* The Colorado State Rams have quietly put together a really nice year. Jim McElwain is doing a great job with this team. He is a terrific offensive mind, and Colorado State has a nice balanced attack. I think this is one of the most underrated offenses in the nation. New Mexico has one of the very worst defenses in the country. The Lobos have given up 499 yards per game this year. New Mexico has allowed 277 yards per game on the ground alone. New Mexico is giving up 34.3 points per game. New Mexico allowed 60 points when they played Boise State this year.

While New Mexico is just brutal on defense, they have been able to run the football on nearly everyone. They are averaging 319 yards per game on the ground. Colorado State's defense is only mediocre. Last year when these two teams got together, the final was 66-42. Both teams had more than 500 yards of total offense in that one. Take the over big here! 

*Note- This line has moved since I first selected it on Tuesday evening. I would play this for 5 stars all the way up to 68.5 and for 4 stars up to 70 points. Thank you*

*4 Star NCAA FB Hidden GEM Total* The Old Dominion Monarchs have a tremendous offense with Taylor Heinecke at quarterback. This Monarchs offense has been able to move the football against every single team they have played against this year. Why haven't they won more games? Old Dominion has an absolutely awful defense. The Monarchs defense is so bad that the head coach has started going for it on most fourth downs on offense because he knows they aren't going to stop the opponent enough times to win. The only way ODU has a chance is to outscore the opposition. Louisiana Tech has a good offense led by Sokol at quarterback and Dixon at running back. They should slice up the ODU defense.

The over is 4-0 in ODU's last 4 games. The over is 4-0-1 in their last 5 following a win. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 November games. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 following an ATS loss. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 after allowing more than 200 yards on the ground. The over is 3-0-1 in LA Tech's last 4 following an ATS win. A 23-0 angle. Take the over. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Washington State Cougars aren't any good this year, but they are definitely going to play a lot faster under new coach Ernie Kent. In their first two games, the Cougars have averaged more than 70 possessions, which is a very quick tempo. Idaho State isn't a good team at all, and the Bengals have been particularly bad on defense in the past few seasons. Idaho State is going to make this Washington State offense look a lot better than they are. Lacy is a good scorer for Washington State, and I expect a big game from him. The tempo here should be much quicker than most expect, which is why I see so much value on the over. I had this one at 137 points. Take the over. 

*3 Star TGIF NBA Play of Day* The Philadelphia 76ers play at the second fastest tempo of any team in the NBA. The Phoenix Suns are the fourth fastest in the league in terms of tempo. When these two get together, you can certainly expect a track meet. I'll be the first to admit that this Sixers offense is dreadfully bad, so counting on them can be a little hard, but the value here is too much to overlook. These teams played twice last season. The final scores in those two games were 115-101 and 124-113. The posted totals were 216 and 213.5. We are getting this one at a much cheaper price. The Suns love to run, and they'll put up a very big number here led by their great guards. If the Sixers offense can be decent at all, this one goes over the total. Value play here. Take the over. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Michigan State Spartans are playing at a slower tempo this year thanks to their inexperience. Tom Izzo no longer has a veteran leader at the point guard spot. Michigan State is still going to compete hard on the defensive end because Izzo's teams always do that, but I expect them to not only play slower, but also be less efficient on offense. It's hard not to be down after you lose Appling, Harris, and Payne. Loyola has been a team that slows the game down for many years, and I don't see them changing that this season. I had this number pegged at 128. Take the under here. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The UCLA Bruins are playing at an extremely quick tempo this year. While UCLA does lack experience, they aren't lacking in athleticism. That allows them to push the tempo and score in transition at a high rate. Nicholls State clearly has no shot in this game. Nicholls State fouled more than any other team in the nation last year, so UCLA should make a living on the free throw line here. This is a game where UCLA could be pushing the 100 point barrier. Nicholls State likely starts slow, but gets more points in garbage time. I had this one at 156 points. Take the over. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Arizona State Sun Devils appear to be slowing the pace down again. With Jahii Carson at the helm the last couple years, Herb Sendek went away from his typical slow tempo. Now that he is gone, Arizona State is back to slowing things down. Loyola Marymount has a new coach and a new slower tempo as well. Arizona State's last game was an ugly 49-39 win. While I certainly don't expect anything like that here, I do think this one is likely to stay in the 120's. Look for a lot of long possessions as the shot clock ticks away. Take the under here. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Arkansas Razorbacks are always one of the fastest paced teams in the nation. They thrive off using defensive pressure to create transition opportunities. Arkansas has athleticism and quickness at all positions this year, and I expect some very high scoring games for the Razorbacks. Wake Forest hasn't been fast in the past, but they have a new coach in Danny Manning. Manning has them playing at a much quicker tempo. The Demon Deacons aren't likely to slow this game down. It probably won't even take good shooting numbers to see this one go over the total. Uptempo all the way here with shots in the first 10 or 15 seconds of the shot clock being the norm. Take the over. 

*3 Star Spurs/Cavs Total DOMINATION* The Cleveland Cavaliers started the year playing at a much slower tempo than I expected, but in recent games they have picked up the pace in a big way. Cleveland's offense is getting much more efficient, and after a rare poor game offensively las time against Denver, I think we see the Cavs bounce back offensively here. Cleveland has some real problems on the defensive end. The team defense here is about as bad as you'll see. San Antonio is absolutely a team that can take advantage of that with their amazing ball movement. The Spurs have been a little off the mark offensively most of this year, but I think their offense will be humming in this one against one of the worst defenses in the league.  Both teams prefer to push the pace and both of these offenses can put up points in bunches. This total is set at a very reasonable level.

The over is 8-1 in the Cavs last 9 vs. a team with a winning record. The over is 8-1 in the last 9 meetings between these two. A 16-2 angle. Take the over. 

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* The Sacramento Kings are going to keep playing at a fast pace this year. The Kings early season success has been largely due to their improved defense. While their defense might be a bit better this year, I'm not convinced they can keep playing at the level they have so far this year on the defensive end. New Orleans is number three in the NBA in offensive efficiency. Anthony Davis is a matchup nightmare for just about everyone, and the Pelicans have tons of guys who can shoot it from long range. Sacramento should get their points in transition here too since the Pelicans are below average on the defensive end. The over is 4-0 in the Kings last 4 following a win. The over is 9-1 in the last 10 meetings between these two. Take the over. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Xavier Musketeers have decided to pick up the tempo this year. Xavier has a good freshman class, and the Musketeers will likely be better than most experts are predicting. They put up 93 points in their season opener. Long Beach State is always willing to run, and the 49ers get their best player back tonight. Tyler Lamb was suspended the first two games, but he'll play tonight. He and Michael Caffey are a nice one-two scoring punch for Long Beach State. This is a game where I think we'll see a quick tempo and quite a few fouls because of the aggressiveness of both defenses. I handicapped this game at a total of 151 points. Take the over in this one. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Early Morning MONEY* The Iona Gaels and Wofford Terriers tip it off at 7 AM Eastern on Tuesday morning as part of ESPN's 24 hour Tip Off Marathon. Iona is a run and gun type of team, but Wofford is very good at controlling the tempo. These two teams met last year at Iona in the second game of the year, and Iona won 76-55. The Terriers are small favorites here, and the strength of this Wofford team is their backcourt. That should help them slow the game down and keep this one lower scoring than expected. In addition, this game starting at 7 AM should definitely make it harder for the shooters. Needless to say, this isn't a normal time to start a game and that usually hurts scorers. I had this one pegged at 139, so plenty of room for value on the under. A rare early morning play here. Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Boston Celtics tempo has changed in a big way this year. Boston is pushing it at every opportunity, and that is very beneficial for a team with Rajon Rondo at the point guard spot. Boston has a lot of guys that can get into the paint, and the one thing Phoenix really lacks is a shot blocker on the inside. The Phoenix Suns will likely end the season as one of the top three fastest teams in the league in terms of pace. Phoenix wants to run at every opportunity with a backcourt of Dragic, Bledsoe, and Thomas. This game should be a real track meet. Both offenses have been efficient of late, and the defenses are subpar.

The over is 6-0 in the Celtics last 6 vs. a team with a road win percentage of 40% or lower. The over is 6-0 in their last 6 following a loss. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 vs. a team with a losing road record. The over is 6-0 in their last 6 when their opponent allows 100 points or more last game. The over is 5-0 in Boston's last 5 after the Celtics gave up 100 points or more last game. The over is 5-0 in the Celtics 5 home games this year. A 33-0 angle. Take the over. 

*4 Star NBA Play of Day* The Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic meet on Monday night. Detroit is a different team than they were last year. They are playing much better defense for new coach Stan Van Gundy. I expect that trend to continue since Van Gundy has proven to be a good defensive coach in the past. Detroit has been very poor on offense though. The Pistons rank in the bottom six in the NBA in offensive efficiency. Orlando is just as inefficient on offense. The Magic are unlikely to be as good on offense now with Aaron Gordon out of the lineup also. Orlando's tempo is right around the league average, while Detroit is playing at the fourth slowest tempo in the league. This should be an ugly one. Take the under. 

*3 Star NFL 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles will meet late Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field. The temperature will slide below 20 degrees as this game moves along. The tendency for the public is to think that cold weather means the game will finish under the posted total, but that hasn't proven true in the past ten years. Since 2004, 65 percent of games played at a temperature of 20 degrees or lower have finished over the posted total. Philadelphia plays with a very quick tempo and they'll get off a bunch of snaps. Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay offense are now in full stride, and the Eagles secondary is still very vulnerable. Mark Sanchez is a nice fit in the Chip Kelly system and McCoy should have a good game here. I love both of these offenses and neither defense impresses me. 

The over is 4-0 in the Eagles last 4 after gaining 350 yards or more last game. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 Sunday games following a Monday nighter. The over is 4-0 in the Packers last 4 following a win. The over is 7-0 in the Packers last 7 following a win by 14 points or more. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 vs. the NFC. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 home games. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 after gaining 350 yards or more last game. A 33-0 angle. Take the over. 

*5 Star TOP Play Late Night BAILOUT* The UTEP Miners have found a formula that is helping them excel. Sean Kugler realized that the team's old strategy of throwing it every down and trying to outscore the opposition was failing miserably, so he changed the way UTEP would play. The Miners now play at the single slowest tempo of any team in the country. They also run the ball a bunch. They attempt to shorten the game and take pressure off their defense. It has worked very well. North Texas has a miserable offense this year. Dan McCarney's team just doesn't have enough good skill position players. The Mean Green can hold their own on defense. Both teams should run the ball a lot here. I made this total 50 points, so I clearly see a lot of value in this one. North Texas should struggle to score very much, and UTEP will have some long methodical drives. Take the under big here! 

*3 Star NBA Total DOMINATION* The Memphis Grizzlies  have played some abnormally high scoring  games in their past  couple contests. Memphis won high scoring affairs against both the Lakers and  the Kings the past few days. Detroit is  a much different  team  than Sacramento or  Los Angeles. The Pistons are one of the least efficient offenses in the NBA. They also rank 23 out of 30 NBA teams in terms of pace. Memphis ranks 25 out of 30 teams in pace. The Grizzlies also have one of the best defenses in the NBA. It would be a big surprise if Detroit has consistent success on offense in this game. Memphis tends to not blow out their opponent.  Look for a low scoring contest here. The recent high scores in Memphis’ last 2 games give us good line value on the under. Take the under. 

*4 Star CFB Totals TKO* The Utah State Aggies are playing with their string quarterback right now. He is doing a decent job holding things together for the team, but he certainly isn't as productive as someone like Keeton or Garretson would be under center. New Mexico has an excellent running game, but the Lobos are awful at throwing the football. The problem for them in this game is Utah State excels at stopping the run. The Aggies know that New Mexico can't throw it, and they will be ready to shut down this Lobos running game. Utah State should be content to kill the clock late after grabbing a nice lead early on here. A lot of moving clock in this one. This total is a few points too high. Take the under. 

*5 Star TOP Play of the Week* The Navy Midshipmen and the Georgia Southern Eagles both run the triple option. It is pretty rare to find a game with two triple option teams squaring off against each other, but that's what we have here. I love playing the under in situations like this because these defenses see the triple option every day in practice. The biggest advantage to running the triple option is generally that the opposition never gets to see it so they struggle to prep for it in just a week or two. In this case the opposing defense sees it all the time and they should be much better at slowing it down than the average team. Having said that, both of those teams have very good quarterbacks who are going to make some big plays. There will be points scored here, but I don't think it gets into the 60's. With both teams running almost every play, the clock will tick away quickly. Expect very long drives that eat up a bunch of time. Take the under big in this one! 

*5 Star TOP Play Big Ten Total* The Indiana Hoosiers passing attack is non existent right now. Indiana had absolutely no depth at quarterback to start the season, and now they are starting their third string quarterback. Zander Diamont has completed less than than 50 percent of his passes, and he has thrown no touchdowns and two picks. Rutgers' defense isn't tremendous, but they have played much better at home. They know Indiana has to run here, so they'll stack up the box. The Rutgers offense has been struggling of late. Gary Nova isn't playing at 100 percent, and that is slowing things down. Indiana used to be a team that would push the tempo in a big way, but they don't do that nearly as much with a freshman third string quarterback under center. Rutgers plays very slowly and we should see a bunch of running clock here. Take the under big! 

*3 Star NBA Play of Day* The Orlando Magic and Milwaukee Bucks both rank near the bottom of the NBA in offensive efficiency. Orlando is 25th out of 30 teams in the league and Milwaukee is 29th. Milwaukee deserves credit for the way they are playing defense though. The Bucks have been the second best defense in the NBA through the first couple weeks of the year. Jason Kidd is doing a good job getting this young team to buy into his system. Orlando's defense is middle of the pack. With two teams who don't play particularly fast and two teams who generally shoot a very low percentage, a total of 193.5 is several points too high. Take the under here. 

*5 Star TOP Play CRUSHER* The Umass Minutemen really found a gem in quarterback Blake Frohnapfel. He tranferred in from Marshall, and he has been tremendous for the Minutemen. Frohnapfel has 23 touchdowns and has revived an offense that was dreadful the past couple years. UMass is averaging 31 points per game this year. The Minutemen still have one of the worst defenses in the nation though, so they often play in shootouts. UMass allows 35 points per game and their defense is rated number 100 or worse (out of 128) in every major defensive category. Ball State's offense is improved in the last few games with Milas at quarterback. The Cardinals defense has been getting hurt by big plays all year. Both of these teams like to play quickly, so I expect a lot of possessions for both teams. 

The over is 6-0-1 in UMass' last 7 following a loss. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 after running for 100 yards or less last game. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 after gaining 450 yards or more of total offense last game. A 15-0 angle. Take the over big! *Note- This is a 5 Star TOP Play for me all the way up to 62 points. This is a 4 star play for me up to 65 points. It would be 3 stars at 65.5 or higher. Thank you.*

*3 Star NHL Fire on Ice Play of Day* The New York Islanders return home for what could be a flat spot on Tuesday night against the Colorado Avalanche. The Islanders just wrapped up a five-game road trip that took them to Denver and then California before a stop in Arizona on Sunday. They head back out on the road on Friday for a back-to-back in the state of Florida. The Avalanche are 0-3-3 on the road since they won at Boston on October 13 and they have not played well at all away from the altitude.

This seems like a bad spot for both teams. The Islanders have one of the league's worst penalty kills, but Colorado has one of the league's worst powerplays. The Avalanche haven't done a whole lot right this season, but they have done a good job killing penalties. The Islanders have done well on the powerplay this season. The Islanders started to buy into defense with three straight unders to end their road trip and Colorado hasn't scored a powerplay goal in their last four games. There's some value on banking on a low scoring game tonight. Take the under. 

*3 Star NFL Total DOMINATION* The Buffalo Bills had a bye week last week. The defense has gotten healthier and they should be ready for a strong effort. Buffalo is eighth in the NFL in total defense, and I consider this Bills defense one of the most underrated units in the NFL. On offense, Buffalo is totally one-dimensional now without Spiller or Jackson in the backfield. Kyle Orton isn't a bad quarterback, but he's certainly not a special one either. The Chiefs have the number one ranked pass defense in the NFL, and Kansas City is going to be ready for the throw here. The Chiefs offense is far from spectacular, and they just do what they have to do to squeak out wins. Kansas City will run the ball a lot here, which keeps the clock moving. Buffalo's defensive front is very strong. These defenses are both excellent. Last year's game finished at 36, and another game in the high 30's is what I see here.

The under is 4-0 in the Chiefs last 4 games. The under is 6-1 in the Chiefs last 7 November games. The under is 4-1 in the Bills last 5 home games. The under is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings between these two. Take the under. 

*4 Star CFB Hidden GEM Total* The New Mexico State Aggies defense ranks dead last in the nation when it comes to stopping the run. New Mexico State is allowing an eye-popping 325 yards per game on the ground! That's just ridiculous, and the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns averaged 6.5 yards per carry last year in the meeting between these two. Lafayette should rumble all over them with their running game in this one as well. New Mexico State's offense put up 35 points last year against Lafayette, and while it might be hard for them to reach that number here, they should score plenty against a Lafayette defense that isn't good. Expect lots of big plays from both teams in this game.

The over is 4-0 in Lafayette's last 4 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game. The over is 7-0 in New Mexico State's last 7 after gaining 280 yards or more through the air last game. The over is 11-1 in their last 12 after allowing 170 yards passing or less last game. The over is 10-1 in the Aggies last 11 vs. a team with a winning record. A 32-2 angle. Take the over. 

*4 Star Alabama/LSU Total DOMINATION* The Alabama Crimson Tide and the LSU Tigers are similar teams in terms of style. Both teams like to play slowly and win with their strong defense. Alabama plays at a slower pace than any other power conference team in the entire nation. LSU's offense really can't throw the football much at all this year, and the Tigers are totally reliant on the running game. Alabama's rushing defense is ranked second in the nation when it comes to stopping the run allowing only 77.6 yards per game. LSU is going to have to run the football to score many points here, and I don't think they'll be able to do it. LSU's defense struggled early in the year, but the Tigers are very talented on the defensive end and they are playing much better of late. This shapes up to be a game where both teams look to run the ball often, which will keep the clock rolling. A low scoring hard hitting game. Take the under. 

*3 Star CFB 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Louisville Cardinals defense played a bad second half last week against Florida State, and that cost them an upset victory. Fortunately for them, they won't have to face an offense the caliber of Florida State this week. Louisville's defense is still one of the best in the country. The Boston College Eagles defense is playing really hard for Steve Addazio, and I think you have to be impressed with the job he is doing with this team. Both of these teams struggle throwing the ball. There should be a bunch of running in this game. The strength of both defenses is stopping the run. I had this one lined at 42 points, so I see several points of value on this play.

The under is 4-0 in the Cardinals last 4 road games. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 November games. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 after throwing for 280 yards or more last game. A 14-0 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star CFB Big 10 Total DOMINATION* The Northwestern Wildcats offense has been pitiful of late. Michigan's offense has been awful all year long. Don't let Michigan's decent offensive performance last week fool you. That was against an Indiana defense that is among the worst in the nation. Northwestern's defense has been solid this year, and that's the only reason the Wildcats have been able to hang around in most of their games. Michigan's defense is ninth in the nation in total defense. That will probably surprise a lot of people to see that, but it just shows how poor their offense has been. The Wolverines defense is fine, but the offense is in lots of trouble. Last year when these two met, there were a grand total of 18 points scored in regulation (all field goals). Expect another ugly game here. Take the under. 

*4 Star CFB Totals Takedown* The Arizona State Sun Devils defense isn't very good. They have looked better in recent weeks, but that was against teams that don't have a good offense. It's one to slow down Utah (one-dimensional), Washington (were without their starting quarterback), and Stanford (poor offensively this year), but it's going to be a whole different thing to try to slow down the Notre Dame offense. Everett Golson has this offense moving well against everyone. I see no reason to believe Arizona State will slow them down. The Notre Dame defense looked good early in the year, but they have been exposed of late. In their past three games they have allowed 43, 31, and 39 points in their last three games. Taylor Kelly is getting healthier and the Sun Devils have plenty of weapons offensively. Last year's game finished 37-34, and I see a similar type of game here. Take the over. 

*3 Star CFB Totals TKO* The Syracuse Orange have been really bad on offense all year, and now they are going to have a third string quarterback starting in this one. I don't think that will help anything here. Duke is going to load up the box and force Syracuse to have to throw it, and they likely won't be able to. While the Syracuse offense is in a lot of trouble here, the Orange have been excellent on the defensive end. The strength of the Syracuse defense is their front seven, and that's very big for the under here since Duke is primarily a running team. Duke isn't as good as their record would indicate, and I don't think they'll run away with this one. I had this total set at 47 points. Take the under in this contest. 

*4 Star NCAA FB Early Bird Special* The Minnesota Golden Gophers overachieve every single year. Why are they able to do that so consistently? Jerry Kill is a really good coach, and the coaching staff around him is great at getting the most out of the talent they have. Iowa's defense seems to reload and be solid against the run every single year. The Minnesota Golden Gophers absolutely cannot throw the football, and Iowa's defensive coaches know that. They are going to load the box and make it really hard to run the ball. Iowa's physicality in the defensive front seven is going to be tough for Minnesota to match. Iowa's offense has looked better of late, but they haven't played all that well on the road in the past couple seasons. Minnesota's defense always plays hard. 

The under is 5-0 in the Hawkeyes last 5 games following a win by 20 points or more. The under is 5-0 in Minnesota's last 5 after giving up 170 yards or less in the passing game. The under is 4-0 in Minnesota's last 4 after a loss. The under is 4-0 in the Gophers last 4 following an ATS loss. The under is 4-0-1 in the last 5 meetings between these two teams. A 22-0 angle. Take the under. 

*3 Star NBA RED HOT Run CASH* The Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings have a long history of playing uptempo high scoring games against each other. Phoenix is making an even bigger effort to run this year. Why wouldn't they? The Suns backcourt has Eric Bledsoe, Goran Dragic, and Isaiah Thomas who are all absolutely speed burners. The Suns big men (Morris twins and Plumlee) aren't particularly good at sitting in the low post, but they can run the floor extremely well. Sacramento is always glad to run the floor, and their coaching staff is loaded with coaches who have a history of pushing the tempo. They put up 131 points in their last win. Rudy Gay is a scoring machine, and Cousins will have an advantage in the interior. Five of the last six meetings between these two have finished at 210 points or higher. Expect lots of transition buckets and a bunch of points here. Take the over. 

*3 Star NBA Totals TKO* The Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks have both improved a great deal on the defensive end from last year. Both of these teams have new coaches and that has led to a much more concerted effort on the defensive end. Jason Kidd is preaching defense in a big way, and the Bucks have several athletic shot blockers down low. Detroit didn't even pretend to try on defense last year, but Stan Van Gundy won't allow that this season. In addition to two improved defenses, we have two offenses that aren't efficient at all. Both of these teams rank in the bottom six teams in the NBA in terms of offensive efficiency so far this year. All three referees here are what I would consider good draws for an under play. I made this line 189.5. Take the under here. 

*3 Star NBA Knicks/Nets Total DOMINATION* The Brooklyn Nets played fast in their first couple games this year, but that was before Brook Lopez came back in the lineup. With Lopez back, the team slows the pace down quite a bit. Lopez also provides the team with a good defender in the middle of the paint. New York is playing at a far slower pace than any team in the NBA through the first few games. The Knicks are still learning their new offense, and it seems like that has caused them to be more cautious and hesitant. Two of three referees in this game are favorable for this under play as well. Look for a game that is played in the halfcourt. This line is several points too high. Take the under. 

*4 Star NBA Totals Takedown* The Sacramento Kings rank fifth in the NBA in terms of pace. Denver ranks third in the NBA in pace. When these two meet, you are going to see a lot of transition opportunities and quick shot attempts. While both teams have solid defensive numbers so far this year, I'm not buying that these are two of the best defenses in the NBA. The Kings have a lot of guys on their roster who can score in bunches, but they haven't committed themselves on defense in their career. These two teams met last week in Denver and the Kings won 110-105. The referee assignments for this game are helpful as well. Scott Foster is consistently one of the best over refs in the league, and he is the lead referee tonight. Josh Tiven is also a nice over referee. There should be plenty of pace here and a good amount of trips to the stripe too. Take the over. 

*5 Star NBA TOP Play of Week* The Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors both made it clear in the preseason that they want to play far faster than they did last season. We're already seeing evidence of that from both teams. Boston is second in the NBA so far this averaging 108 points per game. Toronto has scored at least 100 points in every game this year, and they are averaging 104.8 points per contest. I like both of these coaches, and I think they are both making a wise decision to push the tempo based on their personnel. These are two teams that have depth in the backcourt and not a whole lot of inside scoring on the roster. Since these teams didn't play particularly fast last year, the oddsmakers take some time responding to the new look of the team. That allows us to have some value playing the over with them for the first couple weeks. Also, Boston ranks 25th in FG percentage defense and Toronto ranks 29th. There should be lots of quick easy buckets in this one.

The over is 5-0 in the Celtics last 5 home games. The over is 4-0 in the Celtics last 4 vs. the Atlantic Division. The over is 4-0 in Toronto's last 4 vs. the Eastern Conference. A 13-0 angle. Take the over big! *Please note this line has moved up since I selected it shortly after the open. I would still play this for 5 stars up to 205, 4 stars to 206.5, and 3 stars to 208. Thank you!*

*3 Star NBA 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Houston Rockets are playing at a little bit slower pace this year. They are also playing much better on the defensive end. Their offense isn't quite as potent without Chandler Parsons, but their defense is better. Miami isn't going to be a team that plays terribly fast, and I think the Heat's defense will still rank in the top half of the league despite losing James. Houston's lines have been set too high all year, and I don't think this one is any different. The Rockets defense is stepping up, and a line of 204 is simply too high. I made this line 199.5 points, so I see a few points of value in this one. 

The under is 6-0 in the Rockets last 6 games. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 road games. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 following a win. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 after scoring 100 points or more. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a team with a win percentage of 60% or higher. The under is 4-0 in Miami's last 4 after allowing 100 points or more. A 28-0 angle. Take the under.