*3 Star NCAA BB Defensive Battle* The Georgetown Hoyas have one of the best defenses in the nation. They also have an offense that stalls almost every time down the floor, and they aren't very efficient on offense. Georgetown has had final scores of 37-36, 46-40, 64-41, and 49-48 all this season. Providence is playing much better defense than they did a couple years ago. The Hoyas should control the pace on their home floor. The under is 9-2 in the last 11 meetings between these teams. Take the under.

*5 Star NCAA BB Top Play Total* The Miami Hurricanes have been one of my favorite 'under' teams this year. Miami is slowing the pace down far more than they did a year ago, and the books have been slow to react. The Hurricanes also have tremendous half court defense, so I'd be surprised if Boston College shoots the ball well here. Boston College doesn't push the pace, and the Eagles have reasonably good defense. My numbers had this one at 122 points. The under is 8-0 in Miami's last 8 following a win. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 road games against teams with a winning home record. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 road games overall. Take the under big!

*3 Star NBA Play of Day* The New Orleans Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers both play at a very slow pace. In fact, the Hornets play slower than any other team in the NBA. Philadelphia ranks 23rd out of the 30 teams in the NBA in terms of pace. Both of these offenses also rank in the bottom half of the NBA in offensive efficiency. These teams met once earlier this year and the final was 77-62. I'm certainly not expecting a ridiculous number like 139 again, but I also don't understand the posted total jumping five points from what it was in the first matchup between these two. The under is 6-1 in the Hornets last 7 against a team with a losing record. The under is 8-2-1 in the last 11 meetings between these teams. The under is 3-0-1 in the last 4 meetings in Philly. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA Play of Day* The Chicago Bulls are still playing their strong half court defense. The reason the Bulls are only 20-15 is they have been very inefficient on offense. Atlanta has been very good on the defensive end this year as well. In fact, both of these teams rank in the top 8 in the NBA in defensive efficiency. Neither of these teams push the tempo all that much, so with strong defense and a relatively slow pace I like the under. The under is 11-7 in the Hawks road games this year. The under is 14-6 in the Bulls home games this year. The under is 4-0 in Atlanta's last 4 against the Eastern Conference. The under is 6-1 in their last 7 against teams with a winning record. The under is 6-1 in the Bulls last 7 against teams with a winning record. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two in Chicago. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* The Miami Hurricanes are really slowing things down this year, and it has brought them a ton of success. Miami is 11-3 on the year. They haven't allowed more than 69 points in a game since their first game of the season. Miami's defense allows 59.2 points per game for the year. Maryland's defense is tremendous as well, led by shot blocker Alex Len. Maryland is allowing only 57 points per game on the road. Both of these teams play quite a bit slower than they did last year. The under is 7-0 in Miami's last 7 following a win. The under is 3-0-1 in Miami's last 4 home games. Take the under.

*3 Star Texans/Patriots Total Domination* The Houston Texans and New England Patriots just met a few weeks ago and the Patriots won 42-14. I don't expect the same spread in this one, but I do think the Pats offense will put up a big number again. New England is playing excellent on offense right now, and other than J.J. Watt the Texans defense has regressed a bit. Arian Foster and the Texans running attack should be able to get going against a mediocre Pats defense. New England's games rarely stay under this number, and the weather looks pretty decent for Sunday. The over is 6-1 in the Patriots last 7 January games. The over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these teams. Take the over.

*3 Star NBA Early Bird Special* The New York Knicks and New Orleans Hornets square off at noon on Sunday. These early games on Sunday's can't be popular with the NBA players, especially in New York City. There is a lot to do in NYC and having an early game on Sunday makes it less likely these two teams will be giving full effort. These early Sunday afternoon games tend to have slower paced second halves as the teams really just mail it in near the end. The Hornets are the slowest paced team in the NBA to start with. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two teams. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The UC Davis Aggies are a good over team because they have lots of very good scorers, but the Aggies don't play much defense at all. UC Santa Barbara isn't nearly as good defensively this year as they have been in the past few years. I had this one projected at 142 points. The over is 6-0 in UCSB's last 6 games. The over is 4-0 in UCSB's last 4 road games. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 against the Big West. The over is 4-0 in UCSB's last 4 following an ATS loss. The over is 8-0 in UC Davis' last 8 home games. The over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between these teams at UC Davis. In all a 32-0 angle backs this. Take the over.

*5 Star NCAA BB Top Play Total* No team in the country has changed their style more drastically than the UAB Blazers this year. UAB was a team that stalled for the past few years, but new coach Jared Haase has them running and gunning this season. Memphis is an ultra-talented team that likes to run when given the opportunity. Both of these teams turn the ball over quite a bit, and that should lead to a lot of easy layups in this one. The tempo here should be plenty quick enough to put it over the total. The over is 6-0 in Memphis last 6 road games. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 following an ATS loss. The over is 4-0 in Memphis' last 4 Saturday games. Take the over big!

*3 Star Packers/49ers Total Domination* The Packers and Niners met in week one in Green Bay. In that game, we saw 52 points put up on the board. I believe both offenses are in better shape now than they were for that game. Aaron Rodgers has some of his receivers back and healthy. Rodgers is playing as well as ever right now. San Francisco's offense has more firepower with Kaepernick at quarterback. The running game is still terrific, and I'm not sure Green Bay can stop it. The 49ers defense isn't quite as good with a dinged up Justin Smith. Rodgers doesn't need much time to pick apart defenses. The over is 4-0 in the 49ers last 4 games. The over is 4-0 in the Niners last 4 home games. The over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two teams. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs are one of my favorite 'over' teams. Louisiana Tech uses a diamond full court press to push the tempo and force a ton of turnovers. The Bulldogs push the pace at every opportunity. Texas San Antonio is called the Roadrunners, and they aren't the type of team to slow the game down based on their past history. I had this game projected at 149 points. The over is 15-1 in Texas San Antonio's last 16 games overall. The over is 7-0 in UTSA's last 7 following a loss. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 home games. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 against the WAC. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB MAC Total* The Central Michigan Chippewas are starting to catch onto Coach Keno Davis' ideas for their offense. In his time at Providence, Davis' teams always pushed the tempo as much as any team in the nation. Central Michigan started the year playing at a slow pace, but that has been changing quickly of late. Central Michigan has been pouring in the points and giving them up in bunches as well. Toledo is much better offensively on their home floor. I think this has a good chance of hitting 150. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Tempo Total* Morehead State is a team I've been playing the over with a bunch this year. Sean Woods has completely changed the way this team plays. Last year the Eagles were all about slowing the game down and winning a low scoring game. This year Morehead State presses and plays very aggressive defense. Opponents often turn the ball over a ton, but they also get to the line a lot because Morehead State fouls too much. Eastern Kentucky is an efficient offensive team. I projected this one at 140 points. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB West Coast Total* Cal State Northridge has a way of making other offenses look great. UC Irvine hasn't been all that good offensively this year, but I think they'll find their shooting touch in this one. Northridge is all about taking risks on the defensive end. They get a lot of steals, but they also allow a ton of open layups in the open floor. Look for this to be an up and down game all the way to the end. I had this one set at 149 points. The over is 18-8-1 in UC Irvine's last 27 home games. Take the over.

*3 Star St. Mary's/Gonzaga Total* This game may not get all the attention that rivalries do in other parts of the country, but these two teams hate each other. St. Mary's has beaten the Zags in 3 of the last 4, but Gonzaga should have the upper hand here. Both teams are playing quicker than they did a year ago. These two offenses are both extremely efficient with the basketball. I has this one pegged at 152. Look for guys like Pangos and Harris and Dellavedova to have big games on the offensive end. Take the over here.

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The Cal Poly Mustangs slow the game down, but they also don't play any defense. In addition, Cal Poly shoots it extremely well from long range. This means that when Cal Poly plays against fast paced teams that don't play good defense, their scores can be quite a bit higher than the oddsmakers are expecting. The over is 6-0 in Poly's last 6 road games against teams with a losing record. The over is 7-0 in UC Davis' last 7 home games. The over is 4-0 in Davis' last 4 against teams with a losing record. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* The Eastern Washington Eagles and Northern Arizona Lumberjacks have a lot in common. Both teams like to run and gun, and both of them don't play hardly any defense. Eastern Washington shoots as many three-point shots as anyone in the nation, and Northern Arizona allows opponents to shoot better than 40% from beyond the arc. Look for open three's and open layups for both teams in this one. I had this one projected at 149 points. The over is 4-0 in Eastern Washington's last 4 Thursday games. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 against teams with a losing record. The over is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings between these teams. Take the over.

*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.