*5 Star NCAA BB TOP Play Total* Both of these teams rank in the top 15 in the country (347 teams) in terms of quickest pace. Louisiana Tech uses a full court diamond press to force turnovers and push the tempo. Texas State almost never lets the shot clock get below 20 seconds. Both of these teams are going to get up a ton of shots in this one. Unless the shooting numbers are terribly low, I don't see this one staying under. I had this projected at 158 points. The over is 12-5 in Louisiana Tech's last 17 road games. The over is 7-3 in their last 10. Take the over big!

*3 Star NCAA BB Tempo Total* Don't look for either team to even attempt to slow the game down in this one. These are two teams that run and gun at every opportunity. Nebraska Omaha is one of the worst teams in the country, and they have given up 90 points or more several times already this year. IUPUI and Omaha are both very good at shooting it from distance, and I think the three's will really pile up in this game. I had this one projected at 162 points. Look for the pace and three-point shooting to push this over the posted total.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Detroit Titans probably have the most talented team in the Horizon League. Ray McCallum Jr. facilitates their offense very well. McCallum is among the best in the nation at getting into the lane and either scoring or setting up his teammates. Youngstown State is the other really fast paced team in the Horizon League so the tempo should stay quick in this game. I had this one projected at 153 points. Look for a tight game all the way, which could mean quite a few free throws at the end. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT Total* The Fresno State Bulldogs are very good at controlling the tempo of the game. Fresno State has slowed the game down for the past three years, and they are doing the same this season. San Diego State likes to play a bit faster, but the real strength of the Aztecs team is their tremendous defense. Despite their speed, San Diego State has played some very low scoring games this year because of their defense. The under is 7-1 in Fresno State's last 8 home games against a team with a winning road record. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Tempo Total* No one will be slowing the pace down in this game. Both of these teams love to run and gun, and I expect to see that for 40 minutes here. CS Northridge is coming off a 105-86 loss to CS Fullerton last time out. Long Beach's offense has been getting better each game of late. I had this one projected at 160 points. Oddsmakers are hesitant to put such a big total on any game, which is why we get some value on this one. The over is 5-2 in Long Beach's last 7 games overall. Take the over here.

*3 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* The Air Force Falcons have a new coach this year, and their system is changing quite a bit. Over the past few years they have stalled as much as possible on offense, but they are definitely picking up the tempo this season. The Falcons are shooting the three-point shot extremely well. Nevada cannot defend the three, and Nevada's offense likes to push the tempo quite a bit. Deonte Burton is a great point guard and he should get in the paint easily against Air Force's poor defense. The over is 5-0 in Air Force's last 5 home games. The over is 5-0 in Air Force's last 5 against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. The over is 4-0 in Air Force's last 4 following a loss. Take the over.

*3 Star West Virginia/Texas Total* Most of the time in my writeups I talk about the pace of the game, but the pace here will likely be quicker than what would normally be needed for an 'under'. The reason this wager looks strong is both offenses are horrible. Both defenses are very good. The dichotomy between the offenses and defenses in this game is huge, and that should lead to some horrible shooting numbers. I had this one projected at 121 points. The under is 6-0 in Texas' last 6 following a loss. The under is 14-3 in Texas' last 17 home games against a team with a losing road record. The under is 4-1 in Texas' last 5 home games. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB MVC Total* Northern Iowa has been one of my favorite 'under' teams for the past few years. The Panthers play very good defense, and they are extremely good when it comes to taking the air out of the ball and holding a lead at the end of a game. Evansville has slowed their tempo down quite a bit this season. The Aces are playing much better defense than they did last year. I had this game projected at 126 points. Look for a good defensive effort from both teams here. I like the under in this one.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Western Michigan Broncos and the Akron Zips are both above average defensive teams. Akron has one of the best shot blockers in the land in Zeke Marshall. He is a 7'1 center with extremely long arms, and he alters as many shots as anyone in basketball. A total set at this level usually means the teams push the tempo or play poor defense, and I don't think either of those fit in this instance. I had this game projected at 136 points. Look for the defenses to keep this under. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* The Kent State Golden Flashes and Toledo Rockets are both aggressive on the offensive end. These are two teams that get to the line very often. Both defenses have committed a lot of fouls this year, and I expect plenty of trips to the charity stripe in this one. I had this game projected at 143 points. The over is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings between these two at Kent State. The over is 6-0 in Kent State's last 6 against a team with a road winning percentage of less than 40%. Take the over.

*5 Star NCAA BB Top Play Total* Here's a game between two teams who play the same style of basketball. They both use a full court press to push the tempo of the game, and they don't like setting up an offense. It is all about transition looks for these teams. When they get together, it is usually a very high scoring game. In fact, the over is 5-0 in their last 5 meetings with each other. Two years ago they played to a final score of 111-100. I projected this game at 154 points. The over is 7-0 in Duquesne's last 7 against teams with a losing record. The over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings at Fordham. Take the over big!

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The UAB Blazers have completely reinvented themselves under new coach Jared Haase. The Blazers went from slowing the tempo down and using up the shot clock last season to pushing the tempo and running at every opportunity this year. UCF has shown lately that they are fully capable of putting up a big number on offense. I had this game projected at 149 points. Look for both teams to get plenty of shots up, and the pace here should push this one over the posted total. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* The Creighton Blue Jays are one of the most efficient offenses in the country. It helps a lot to have Doug McDermott (one of the best scorers in the nation) and Gregory Echinique down low. Creighton hasn't been slowed down by many teams this year, and Drake's defense is very subpar. Drake just allowed 77 points to a Missouri State team that has struggled to get out of 50's most games this year. Creighton should put up a big number here. The over is 9-3 in Creighton's last 12 home games. The over is 4-1 in Drake's last 5 games. Take the over.

*3 Star Colts/Ravens Total Domination* The Baltimore Ravens defense gets a big boost from Ray Lewis being back in the lineup for this one. Baltimore's defense hasn't been nearly as good this season, but I think they'll pick up their game in the postseason. They still have guys like Lewis, Suggs, and Reed to lead the team. The Colts are too one-dimensional, and the Ravens should be able to get after Andrew Luck with their pass rush. The Ravens offense has been disappointing for much of the year. They have a lot of talent, but they haven't put it all together. The under is 5-0 in the Colts last 5 playoff road games. The under is 4-0 in the Ravens last 4 playoff home games. The under is 4-0 in the Ravens last 4 after allowing 90 yards of rushing or less in the previous game. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two. I like the under here.

*3 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* Here's a matchup between two teams who try to push the pace at every opportunity. Neither one of these teams will slow things down a bit. There should be open looks in transition for both teams throughout this game. I had this line projected at 154 points. The over is 6-1 in Eastern Washington's last 7 road games. The over is 10-1 in Montana State's last 11 home games against a team with a losing record. The over is 5-1 in Eastern Washington's last 6 following an ATS loss. The over is 4-1 in the last 5 matchups between these two. Take the over.

*3 Star Vikings/Packers Total Domination* Minnesota and Green Bay meet in the first round of the playoffs tonight at Lambeau. There is a public perception out there that points are extremely tough to come by at Lambeau in the playoffs because of the cold weather, but the numbers don't show that to be true. The over is actually 4-0 in the Packers last 4 home playoff games. Minnesota's pass defense has been a problem this year, and Aaron Rodgers is playing tremendous football right now. Nobody has been able to stop Adrian Peterson of late, including the Green Bay Packers. This total is set a little lower than it should be. The over is 18-7-1 in the last 26 meetings between these two teams. The over is 17-6 in the Packers last 23 home games. Take the over.

*5 Star NCAA BB Top Play Total* A total set this low on Louisiana Tech is almost an automatic over play for me. Louisiana Tech pushes the tempo and uses a full court press about as much as anyone in basketball. When there are so many possessions in a game, it is hard to keep it extremely low scoring. The great thing about this matchup is UT Arlington actually prefers to get out and run as well. My numbers had this one set at 139 points. Look for easy run out layups for both teams. The over is 7-1 in LA Tech's last 8 WAC games. The over is 6-1 in their last 7 following a win. Take the over big!

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Value* Both of these teams love to press and push the tempo. Neither one of these teams plays very much defense. There will be a lot of athleticism and speed on full display here. The over is 7-1 in Lafayette's last 8 against a team with a losing record. The over is 7-1 in FIU's last 8 against a team with a losing record. The over is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings between these teams. I like this one to top 150. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Under Radar Total* Austin Peay is in the top five in the nation in three-point shooting and Tennessee Martin's defense is horrible. Both teams push the pace and there should be a lot shots here. The over is 4-0 in Austin Peay's last 4 road games. The over is 4-0 in Austin Peay's last 4 games against a team with a winning percentage of less than 40%. The over is also 11-3-1 in the last 15 games between these two teams. I this one projected at 150 points. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Play of Day* The Mississippi Rebels are a better team than they were last year. The biggest reason they are improved is they are playing to their strengths. The Rebels have an extremely athletic team and now they are getting out in transition and running. Murphy Holloway is one of the most versatile players in the country. Fordham isn't a good team, and the Rebels should be able to turn them over with their full court pressure. Fordham gives up a lot of points to good teams. Don't be surprised if Mississippi puts up a big number here. The over is 4-1-1 in the Rebels last 6 games. Take the over.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The Houston Rockets push the pace way more than any other team in the NBA. Milwaukee isn't playing quite as quick as they were at the end of last year, but they are still one of the top ten teams in the league in terms of pace. With Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis in the backcourt, the Bucks should get plenty of fastbreak opportunities against a very poor Rockets defense. At the same time, Houston's tempo should allow them to put up a big number on a questionable Bucks defense. The over is 6-0 in the Bucks last 6 following a loss. The over is 4-0 in the Rockets last 4 when their opponent scores 100 or more in the previous game. The over is 4-0 in the Bucks last 4 against teams with a winning record. Take the over.

*3 Star Cotton Bowl Total Domination* Johnny Manziel and the Texas A&M Aggies have been one of the hottest teams in the nation down the stretch, but it won't be easy for them in this game. Oklahoma's offense has really heated up as the season moved along. Landry Jones is looking much more comfortable again and the Aggies pass defense hasn't been good this year (remember they gave up 57 points to Louisiana Tech). Whoever wins this game is going to have to score a lot of points. Texas A&M went for 527 total yards of offense last year against Oklahoma, and they are much better offensively this season. The Sooners defense is only mediocre. Look for a shootout. The over is 11-2 in Oklahoma's last 13 on turf. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB West Coast Total* The Idaho Vandals have been consistently one of the slowest paced teams in their conference for several years now. They don't play particularly strong defense, but they do really slow the game down by using up the shot clock and taking care of the ball on offense. San Jose State is a middle of the road pace team, and they do play solid defense. I had this game projected at 132 points. The under is 7-0 in San Jose State's last 7 games overall. The under is 6-0 in their last 6 against the WAC. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night Total* The Chicago State Cougars are a very bad basketball team. They will be completely outmanned in this game. UNLV loves to push the tempo, and they are as good as anyone in the country when pushing in transition. Chicago State is a poor team that doesn't slow the game down at all, which usually means good opponents can really put up the points against them. UNLV is averaging 82 points per game at home this year, and I think they'll top that in this game. I projected this one at 143. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* The Texas San Antonio Roadrunners like to run (as you might expect from a team named the Roadrunners). They aren't very good on the defensive end, and they put opponents on the line too often. New Mexico State isn't as good offensively as they have been the last couple years, but this Aggies team does know how to get to the charity stripe. Look for a lot of free throws in this game, and the pace should be quick enough for both teams to get up plenty of shots. The over is 5-0 in UTSA's last 5 road games. The over is 4-0 in UTSA's last 4 following a loss. The over is 4-0 in UTSA's last 4 road games against a team with a winning record. The over is 14-3 in UTSA's last 17 games overall. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Weber State Wildcats lost a once in a lifetime talent in Damian Lillard after last year. Lillard is now starring in the NBA for the Portland Blazers. What has the team decided to do in order to keep winning games? Weber State has slowed the pace down and focused on the defensive end of the floor. The Wildcats have been holding very good teams to somewhere around 60 points consistently. Northern Colorado isn't efficient on offense, and Weber State will make them work hard for their shots. Take the under here.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals Takedown* The Montana State Bobcats have a way of turning games into a high scoring affairs. They love to push the tempo, and they also don't play hardly any defense. Portland State plays a little slower this year than they have in the past, but I think they'll run with Montana State in this matchup. The over is 12-2 in Montana State's last 14 home games. The over is 10-4 in the last 14 meetings between these two teams. The over is 10-1 in their last 11 home games against a team with a losing road record. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Defensive Battle* The Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders are one of the best mid-major teams in the nation this year. They are that good largely because of their very strong defense. Opponents simply don't get good looks at the basket against the Blue Raiders. Arkansas State likes to slow the game down and use up the shot clock. The Red Wolves are good on the defensive end as well, especially at home. Look for the slow tempo and strong defense to keep this one under the posted total. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Value* Southeast Missouri State has really turned into a much better defensive team this year. The Redhawks used to be a run and gun team, but now they are a pretty good team thanks to their terrific half court defense. Austin Peay likes to push the tempo, but they are aren't efficient on the offensive end. Southeast Missouri State should slow things down some on their home floor, and I expect poor shooting percentages from both teams. The last six games between these teams have all finished below this total. Take the under.

*5 Star NCAA BB TOP Play of the Week* The Morehead State Eagles are a brand new team this year. Sean Woods is now the coach, and the team is no longer slowing the game down. Woods has instilled his style into the team's philosophy. He likes to press and push the tempo all game long. The oddsmakers have been slow to react to this change of pace from Morehead State. SIU Edwardsville isn't a good team, but they really like to run. Both of these teams rank in the top 75 (out of 347 in the country) in terms of pace. I had this number a full 10 points higher than this posted total! The over is 4-1 in Morehead State's last 5. The over is 8-2 in Edwardsville's last 10 against the OVC. Take the over big!

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night Total* The Miami Hurricanes are a pretty solid team this year. It all starts on the defensive end of the floor. Miami has been making their opponents work for shots this year. LaSalle is a much improved team this year as well, and that is thanks to their improvement on the defensive end. We have two teams here who are much improved on the defensive end, and they both play at a slower pace than they played at last season. I had this one projected at 128 points. The under is 6-0 in Miami's last 6 games. Take the under.

*3 Star Sugar Bowl Super Total* The Louisville Cardinals are in the Sugar Bowl as a representative of the Big East. No one in the Big East was very good, and that includes the Cardinals. Louisville is a little fortunate that they drew the Florida Gators in this game. Florida is a very good team, but they have struggled with lesser opponents this year. They should have lost to Louisiana-Lafayette, and the Gators weak offense gives lesser opponents a chance to hang around. Florida's defense is giving up just 12.9 points per game, and they played plenty of teams with a much better offense than Louisville. Louisville's defense is the strength of their team. This one should be a defensive battle. The under is 6-1 in Florida's last 7 games non-conference games. The under is 9-4 in Florida's last 13 games overall.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* The Indiana State Sycamores have been playing surprisingly well over the last few weeks. The team has changed their style of play quite a bit over the course of the season. Their new slower pace with better half court defense has really helped them be successful. Indiana State won't try to speed it up here, and Northern Iowa has been one of the slowest paced teams in the MVC for many years. I projected this one at 120. The under is 6-0 in Indiana State's last 6 Wednesday games. The under is 5-0 in Northern Iowa's last 5 against the MVC. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Value* The Bradley Braves are one of the fastest paced teams in the Missouri Valley Conference. Southern Illinois' defense isn't even close to as good as they were the past few years. The Salukis have given up quite a few points on several occasions this season. This posted total is so low that you would think both of these teams play slow and play great defense. I don't believe that is the case at all. I had this one pegged at 129 points. Look for this one to go over the posted total.

*3 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* Vanderbilt has been an up and down team this year. The Commodores were beaten 50-33 on a neutral floor by Marist. On the other end of the spectrum, Vanderbilt also beat Xavier on the road this season. Vanderbilt doesn't have the offensive firepower they have had in recent years, but they can still play defense. Vanderbilt is slowing games down of late and winning with their half court defense. William & Mary definitely isn't the type of team to push the tempo. I projected this one at 119 points. The under is 7-1 in Vandy's last 8. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 home games. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Under Radar Total* Missouri State has been a competitive team in the MVC over the past few years. They aren't competitive this year. Missouri State lost all their offensive stars, and this team simply can't put up points this year. Missouri State has scored 54 points or less in 5 of their last 6 games. Evansville's defense is better this year than it has been in past years. The pace here should be slowed down by Missouri State, as that really is their only shot to stay in the game. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The UMass Minutemen push the tempo in a big way. UMass likes to press and try to force the issue. The Minutemen force a lot of turnovers, and Miami (Ohio) isn't very good at taking care of the basketball. That should equal a lot of easy layups for UMass in this one. Miami is changing the way they play under first-year coach John Cooper. The Redhawks want t run and push the pace, and this is a perfect opportunity for them to do that. Miami has been scoring and giving up a lot of points of late, and I think they will again here. Take the over.

*3 Star Capital One Bowl Totals Cash* The Nebraska Cornhuskers are one of the most overrated teams in the nation in my opinion. They have ten wins, but those wins came against the extremely weak Big 10. Nebraska was crushed by Ohio State, Wisconsin, and UCLA in their three losses. The Cornhuskers have up more than 50 points in all three of those games. Nebraska's defense is no longer a strength, but now it's a major weakness. Georgia's pass defense is solid, but their front seven has struggled against the run. Look for both running attacks to have a lot of success here. Todd Gurley should have a huge game against the Huskers, and Taylor Martinez should lead the Huskers offense to quite a few points too. The over is 3-0-1 in Nebraska's last 4 against a team with a winning record. The over is 8-3 in Georgia's last 11 non-conference games. Take the over.

*3 Star Outback Bowl Total Domination* The South Carolina Gamecocks have some serious injury problems. Without Marcus Lattimore, this offense isn't nearly as dangerous. A couple of Lattimore's backups have been dinged up lately as well. Connor Shaw has matured this year, but he'll be up against a tremendous Michigan secondary. The Wolverines rank second in the nation in pass defense. Look for Michigan to stack the box and dare South Carolina to beat them with the pass. Michigan's offense has been less dynamic this year than it was a year ago. Denard Robinson still isn't completely healthy, and that hurts this team's big play ability. South Carolina's defense is one of the best in the nation, and they can rush the passer extremely well. The under is 4-0 in South Carolina's last 4 bowl games. The under is 12-5 in Michigan's last 17 against teams with a winning record. Take the under.

*3 Star Chick-Fil-A Bowl Total Domination* The Clemson Tigers gave up 70 points in a BCS bowl last year. Clemson's defense may be a little better this year, but this unit still isn't good at all. LSU's offense has gotten quite a bit better late in the year as Mettenberger has become more confident in his ability as a passer. LSU should control the line of scrimmage here as well. Clemson does have a high-powered offense, and even though LSU's defense is good, it's hard to imagine Clemson not putting up a decent amount of points. The over is 6-1 in LSU's last 7 games on turf. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* A posted total this high is almost never seen, but it makes a lot of sense for these two teams. In fact, my numbers have this game at 170 points. UNC Greensboro isn't a very good team, but they play as fast as anyone in the nation. Greensboro also does a ton of fouling. They put opponents at the line as much as any team in the country. NC State's offense is extremely good. They have the top two-point shooting percentage in the country. NC State should put up a very big number here. The over is 6-0 in NC State's last 6 home games against a team with a losing record. The over is 4-0 in NC State's last 4 home games against teams with a winning percentage under 40%. The over is 7-1 in NC State's last 8 home games. Expect a very high scoring game. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Rivalry Total* The St. Joe's Hawks and Drexel Dragons are very familiar with each other. These two teams from the same city play every single year. One thing that has been a common theme with these teams is that they play a very defensive-minded game against each other. Every single game since 2004 has gone under this posted total except one game that went into overtime (it was under at the end of regulation). Both these teams are playing at a very slow pace this year. The under is 5-0 in Drexel's last 5 Monday games. The under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings. Take the under.

*5 Star NCAA BB Top Total* The Princeton Tigers slow the game down in a big way, and Akron isn't the type of team that can dictate the tempo. The only way Princeton stays in this game is by slowing it down and using up the shot clock every time down the floor. I had this game projected at 124 points. It's hard to imagine these teams getting to this number without some really high shooting percentages. When a total is off by this many points from my projected total, it qualifies as a 5 star top play. Take the under big here!

*3 Star NFL Play of the Week* The New Orleans Saints have shown that they are going to play all the way to the end this year. The Saints offense is clicking much better as the season moves along. Drew Brees and his receivers are starting to look like they have the last couple years. Carolina's defense has been good of late, but they haven't been able to even slow down the Saints the past couple years, and I don't think they'll slow them down here either. Carolina's offense should be able to move the ball against a Saints defense that is dead last in the NFL in total defense. Cam Newton is playing with a ton of confidence right now. The over is 13-3 in the Saints last 16 against the NFC. The over is 4-0 in the Panthers last 4 against the NFC South. Take the over.

*5 Star NCAA BB Top Play Total* The UC Irvine Anteaters have been a team that really likes to push the tempo for several years now. UC Davis is pushing the pace a lot this year, because the Aggies have a couple great scorers. UC Davis has two guys averaging 16 and 17 points per game respectively. The Aggies have put up more than 80 points several times already this season. Both teams are playing quicker than they did a year ago, but the posted total is set slightly lower than it was last year. I had this one projected at 142 points. The over is 20-7-2 in UC Irvine's last 29 home games. Take the over big in this one!

*3 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* The Northern Colorado Bears and Southern Utah Thunderbirds are similar teams. Southern Utah has a new coach this year, and that has meant big changes in the way the team plays. Southern Utah is looking to get out and run much more often this year. Northern Colorado has been a team that likes to get out in transition for several years, and I don't expect that to change. My numbers had this one set at 141 points. I see a lot of made three-point jumpers in this one pushing it over the total. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Under Radar Total* This is a game that most won't be keeping an eye on, but I think this total is set too low. Both of these teams are no better than mediocre on the defensive end, and both teams like to push the tempo on the offensive end. A total of 125 points is usually reserved for games between teams that either play very good defense or slow the game down. I don't think that is the case in this game. I had this one projected at 130 points. This one stays under the radar, but I think it goes over the total.

*3 Star Sun Belt Total* The Arkansas State Red Wolves are one of the few teams in the Sun Belt that really doesn't like to push the tempo. The Red Wolves play solid defense and try to work it around for a good look on the offensive end. South Alabama is better defensively than most teams in the conference. The Jaguars do push the tempo more, but they still aren't a terrific transition team. My numbers had this game at 136 points. Look for the tempo to be slow enough to keep this one under the total. Take the under.

*3 Star MVC Total* Drake and Bradley both love to push the pace. There won't be anyone trying to slow things down in this matchup, which makes me like the over at such a reasonable level. These are two teams that can put up points in a hurry. Neither team is particularly strong on the defensive end. Drake is pushing the pace much more than they were a year ago, and they have been having a lot of very high scoring games. My numbers had this game projected at 143 points. Look for this one to go over the posted total.

*3 Star Xavier/Tennessee Total* The Xavier Musketeers played at a quick tempo last year. Last season they had Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons, which gave them one of the best backcourts in the country. Without either of those guys int he backcourt this year, Xavier has changed the way they play bigtime this year. Xavier is slowing the game down and utilizing their strong defense to win low scoring games. Tennessee scored in the 30's two different times early this year, and they won't push the tempo here. The under is 20-7 in Tennessee's last 27 Saturday games. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Louisiana Monroe Warhawks have one of the worst offenses in the country. They don't move very quickly, and they are extremely inefficient. It doesn't help at all that they only shoot 56% from the free throw line. Florida Atlantic is missing some key players right now, and that should hurt their offense more than the defense. I had this game projected at 120 points. Look for both teams to shoot a low percentage from the floor since that is common for both of them. I like the under here.

*3 Star Pinstripe Bowl Total Domination* The West Virginia Mountaineers certainly have one of the best offenses in the nation. Geno Smith is perfect for Holsgorsen's offense, and Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin are terrific wideouts. Syracuse hasn't been very good against the pass this year, so what should make us think they'll do well against such a terrific passing attack? On the other side, West Virginia may have the worst secondary in college football. They allow 323 passing yards per game. Syracuse's Ryan Nassib is an underrated quarterback, and I think he'll pick the Mountaineers apart. The over is 6-2 in West Virginia's last 8 bowl games. The over is 8-1 in Syracuse's last 9 non-conference games. The over is 5-0-1 in Syracuse's last 6 games overall. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Early Bird Total* Texas State plays at an extremely quick tempo. In fact, no one in the nation plays faster than Texas State. Even in games where their opponent slows down the tempo, the final total generally gets into the 140's. San Jose State isn't the type of team that will slow the game down. The Spartans will put up plenty of points against a Texas State defense that simply isn't very good. Both of these teams will get up a lot of shots, so unless they shoot a very low % from the floor, then this one should go over. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA FB Total Domination* The Rice Owls have improved quite a bit this year, but they still have a very weak defense. Air Force is a very difficult team to prepare for because of their option attack running game. The Falcons run the football well even when the other team knows the run is coming. Rice has struggled badly against the run this year. In their loss to UCLA, the Bruins riddled them on the ground. Air Force may be very good at running the ball, but they aren't good at all at stopping the run. The Falcons allow almost 200 yards per game on the ground. The over is an impressive 67-33 in the Rice Owls last 100 games. The oddsmakers just can't catch up to Rice. Expect both teams to have a big game offensively. Take the over.

*3 Star Missouri/UCLA Total Domination* The UCLA Bruins are a brand new basketball team this year. With guys like Shabazz Muhammad and Jordan Adams on the roster, the Bruins are pushing the tempo more than they have in years. UCLA has a lot of guys who are capable of scoring 15 or 20 points per game. Missouri isn't the type of team to slow down the pace. Flip Pressey is one of the best point guards in the nation, and he can really start a fast break. Both of these teams have put up some big numbers already this year, and when they meet I expect offensive fireworks. The over is 6-0 in Missouri's last 6 Friday games. The over is 7-1 in Missouri's last 8 against the PAC 12. The over is 17-4 in their last 21 following an ATS win. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* Southern Miss and Morehead State meet in a very interesting matchup tonight. Coach Tyndall at Southern Miss was the Morehead State coach last year, so he'll face his old team in this one. Morehead State is running and gunning under new coach Sean Woods. Both of these teams force a lot of turnovers and both teams do a ton of fouling. In fact, Morehead State commits more fouls than any other team in the country. Southern Miss shoots 73% at the line, so I expect a lot of free points at the charity stripe. The over is 10-3-1 in Southern Miss' last 14 games. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* The Brown Bears have a new coach this season. In the past couple years, Brown pushed the tempo, but this season they are slowing down the pace. The Bears aren't very good offensively, and the only way they can stay in the game is by keeping it low-scoring. Providence isn't the fast-paced team they were a couple years ago. The Friars are slowing down the pace quite a bit this season. Providence has a couple key injuries and their offensive output has been diminished as of late. I had this one projected at 125. The under is 7-1 in Brown's last 8 against teams with a winning percentage above 60%. The under is 4-0 in Providence's last 4 following a loss. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* The Arkansas State Red Wolves have a system they stick to pretty well under Coach John Brady. Brady never wants his team to push the tempo much at all. They like to set up their defense and get into a half court style of game. The Red Wolves are particularly adept at doing this on their home floor, where this game will be played. Lafayette does push the pace, but their offense isn't very efficient. Lafayette has struggled to score on the road. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 road games against teams with a winning record. The under is 6-1 in Arkansas State's last 7 against teams with a losing record. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals Takedown* The Florida Atlantic Owls will be playing this game short-handed. Florida Atlantic has two guys suspended for this one. One of them is the second leading scorer on the team at 15 points per game. Combined, the two guys account for 19 points per game for the team. Even before these two were out, the Owls offense was struggling. This is a team that averages only 65 points per game. Troy is slowing the pace down a lot this year under a new coach, and the Trojans average just 62.5 points per game. I had this one projected at 126. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* These teams are very familiar with each other, and both of them like to push the pace. Last year these teams met twice and the posted totals for those games were 145.5 and 158.5. This total is several points lower despite the fact that these two teams are actually playing slightly faster this year. My projections had this one pegged at 144 points. Look for both teams to get up a lot of shots in this game. The over is 6-1 in Fort Wayne's last 7 games. The over is 11-5 in IUPUI's last 16 home games. Take the over.

*5 Star Top Bowl Play of the Season* The Duke Blue Devils aren't used to being in a bowl game, but this year's squad earned it. Sean Renfree is terrific for the Duke offense. He is a senior quarterback who makes good decisions with the football, and he is great in the short passing game. Duke's offense is good this season, but their defense is still very weak. Cincinnati inserted a new starting quarterback a few weeks ago, and he has helped the Bearcats offense become more consistent. Cincinnati is a run first team, and Duke's defense cannot stop the run. The over is 6-1-1 in Duke's last 8 games overall. The over is 7-0-1 in Duke's last 8 against a team with a winning record. Take the over big.

*3 Star NBA Christmas Day CASH* The Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets meet in the first of five NBA games on Christmas Day. Brooklyn plays at the slowest tempo of any team in the NBA. While Boston has sped up their tempo a bit, they are still slower than most teams in the NBA. Both of these teams have had several overtime games recently that have gone over the posted total solely because of overtime. In general, these are two teams that play good defense and take their time on the offensive end. The under is 4-0 in the Nets last 4. The under is 7-1-1 in the Nets last 9 following a win. The under is 5-1 in the Nets last 6 against the Atlantic Division. The under is 7-2 in the last 9 meetings between these two teams. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* The Arizona Wildcats and the Miami Hurricanes will do battle late tonight in the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii. A neutral floor like this generally leads to slightly lower scoring, and both of these teams play very good defense. Miami shut down a prolific Hawaii offense last night. The Hurricanes are slowing the pace down a lot, and they are winning by controlling the ball and playing great defense. Arizona has played in several low scoring games this year (including their win over Florida). Look for open shots to be tough to find in this one. The under is 7-0 in Arizona's last 7 neutral site games. The under is 6-0 in Arizona's lats 6 non-conference games. The under is 6-0 in Arizona's last 6 against teams with a winning percentage above 60%. The under is 4-0 in Miami's last 4 games. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers both play at a very slow pace. In fact, the Nets at the slowest pace of any NBA team and the 76ers play at the third slowest pace in the league. Brook Lopez is a defensive force for the Nets. With him in the lineup, it's tough for opposing teams to get much penetration against the Nets interior defense. Neither one of these teams is shooting the ball particularly well this year. The under is 20-7-1 in the Nets last 28 Sunday games. The under is 4-1 in the Nets last 5 overall. Take the under.

*3 Star NFL Total Domination* It looks like RG3 is a go for Sunday afternoon. Kirk Cousins has done great, but obviously RG3 is the man for this team when he is ready to go. There isn't a better play maker in the league at the quarterback position, and he is only a rookie. Philadelphia's defense has injury issues, and they don't rush the passer well. Washington put up 31 points a few weeks ago against the Eagles. Washington's defense isn't very good, and Nick Foles is starting to get in a rhythm with the Eagles offense. I think the Eagles can put up some points here as well. The over is 5-0 in the Eagles last 5 home games. The over is 6-1 in the Redskins last 7 following a victory of 14 points or more. Take the over.

*5 Star NCAA BB TOP Total* The Canisius Golden Griffins are one of the most improved teams in the nation. Jim Baron is doing a great job in his first year with the team, and it helps to have his son on the team now as well. Jimmy Baron is the team's best scorer, and he can really shoot it from beyond the arc. UNLV plays at a very quick pace, and they only know how to play one way. Canisius has picked up the pace this year as well. I'm not sure Canisius can keep up with UNLV, but they'll give it a good try and keep pushing the tempo themselves. The over is 12-1 in Canisius' last 13 road games against teams with a winning record. Take the over big!

*3 Star NCAA BB Hidden Gem Total* The TCU Horned Frogs and Rice Owls are very similar teams this year. Both of them play at a slow pace and shoot a terrible percentage from the floor. In addition, both of these teams are very good in half court defensive situations. Both of these teams have had multiple games that have struggled to get above 100 points, so such a low total is no surprise when these two meet. I had this one projected at 113 points. Look for poor shooting numbers from both teams. Take the under in this contest.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals Takedown* The Bradley Braves and Virginia Tech Hokies both love to push the tempo. These teams should push each other here, and I think an all out track meet is pretty likely. Virginia Tech has been scoring over 80 points nearly every game, while Bradley has put up big numbers on several occasions. This was a game that I had circled before the lines came out as an 'over' play and the number was right. I have this projected at 146 points. Look for a fast pace and lots of points. Take the over.

*3 Star Missouri/Illinois Total* The Missouri Tigers and Illinois Fighting Illini are bitter rivals. These two teams are both having terrific seasons thus far. Illinois is unbeaten while Missouri has only lost once. This game will be played on a neutral floor, which tends to lower the scoring a bit. Missouri is playing at quite a bit slower pace than they did last year. The Tigers are much better defensively than most people realize. This won't be the up and down game it was a couple years ago. Look for this to stay under the total.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Value* The Virginia Cavaliers control the tempo as well as anyone in college basketball. Tony Bennett's team takes good care of the basketball, and they absolutely use up the shot clock every opportunity they get. Old Dominion isn't a very good team this year, but I think they'll bring their "A Effort" against a team from nearby. The Monarchs defense has been better the last couple games. The under is 15-2 in Virginia's last 17 non-conference games. This game is being played on a neutral floor, which helps the under as well. Take the under.

*5 Star NCAA BB Top Play Total* The Idaho State Bengals are one of the worst teams in college basketball. They may actually have the absolute worst offense in the country. How bad is Idaho State's offense? In 8 games against Division I schools this year, Idaho State hasn't scored more than 53 points in a single game. They have been held to 49 points or less in 6 of those 8 games. Idaho State stalls and uses up the entire shot clock. Eastern Washington isn't efficient on offense, and I don't think they'll shoot a high enough percentage for this to go over. I this one projected at 126. Take the under big!

*3 Star NCAA BB Under Radar Total* Columbia is one of those teams that dictates the style of play very well. Columbia doesn't want to run, and I don't think they'll let Elon get out in transition, especially on their home floor. Columbia has already played some very low scoring games this year, and I think this will be another. My numbers had this game projected at 121 points. Look for the tempo to be slow and both teams to play pretty good defense here. The under is the value play in this one. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Mississippi Rebels have looked great this year, but it has been against horrible competition. Ole Miss is a little better than they were last year, but I'm not buying the fact that they are much better all at once. Indiana State plays good defense, especially on their home court. The Sycamores aren't likely to let Mississippi turn this into a track meet. I think this game will be much tighter than the line suggests, and I think the defenses will both play well. I had this one at 135. Take the under here.

*3 Star NCAA BB Early Bird Total* The NC State Wolfpack have an abundance of talent. Over the past few games, they are starting to look like they have much better chemistry on the offensive end. This is a team that is absolutely capable of putting up 80 points or more almost every game. They'll push the pace here and put up quite a few points against a mediocre St. Bonnie team. St. Bonaventure has some solid guards who should put up several points as well. I projected this one at 148. Take the over in this one.

*3 Star NCAA BB Instate Battle Total* The George Mason Patriots and Richmond Spiders will play a spirited game today in Richmond (on what is technically a neutral floor). These two teams haven't played in more than ten years, but I fully expect both teams to battle hard in this one. Richmond likes to slow the pace down, and both of these teams are good on the defensive end. I think open shots will be tough to come by for both teams here. I think this one stays in the upper 120's. Take the under in this matchup.

*3 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* The Montana Grizzlies are the class of the Big Sky Conference. What's the main reason that Montana has been at the top of this conference for the past couple years? Montana actually plays some pretty solid defense and takes care of the ball. The Grizzlies have lower scoring games than just about anyone else in the conference because of their style of play. They tend to be the team that dictates the tempo of the game. Sacramento State is playing slightly slower this year, and I think this line is several points too high. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Vanderbilt Commodores and Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders are in-state rivals. In fact, these two schools are quick bus ride down the interstate apart. Both of these teams are slowing the tempo down this year, and both of them play above average defense. These rivalry games tend to be won with defense (as we saw with the Xavier/Cincinnati game earlier this week). Look for both teams to clamp down and force a lot of tough shots here. I just don't see enough uptempo action for this one to get over 125. The under is 7-1 in Vandy's last 8 neutral site games. The under is 11-2 in MTSU's last 13 against the SEC. The under is 4-0 in Vandy's last 4 Friday games. Take the under here.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* Here we have two teams who play very little defense. In last year's meeting, the final score was 87-69. Both teams will get up plenty of shots, and because so many of them will likely be uncontested, the score should be higher than oddsmakers are expecting. Both of these teams like to speed up the tempo of the game, so I don't see any reason why this one would be played at a slow pace. I had this one projected at 142 points. The over is 5-2 in Northern Colorado's last 7 games overall. Take the over here.