*5 Star NCAA BB Top Total* Illinois State and Wichita State played twice during the regular season. Both meetings finished well under this posted total. In the last ten games played in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament nine of them have gone 'under' the posted total. A tough shooting backdrop and a slower tempo seems to reign in the scoring every year in Saint Louis. The under is 8-2 in Wichita State's last games at a neutral site. I projected this one at 128 points. Take the under in a big way here!

*3 Star NCAA BB Early Bird Special* South Florida has been one of my favorite 'under' teams this year. Stan Heath's team knows how to control the tempo, and they are great at keeping the opposition out of the lane. West Virginia has a great player in Kevin Jones, but the Mountaineers don't have too many other offensive scoring options. The last seven South Florida games have all finished under this posted total, and several of those games were against teams who play faster than West Virginia. Look for a slow pace here. Take the under.

*3 Star Big South Title Game Total* VMI and UNC Asheville both love to run the floor all game long. Both of their regular season meetings finished well above this total. The number is understandably lower because of what is at stake here, but I think we are getting a nice value. Neither of these teams are going to slow down in this one, and both teams play very poor defense. I expect to see lots of easy looks near the basket in this one. Look for the high intensity game to have lots of trips to the line, where both teams shoot it well. Take the over.

*3 Star NBA Late Night Total* Los Angeles is not a team that likes to push the tempo at all. Mike Brown has the Lakers controlling the tempo and playing very good halfcourt man defense. The Kings have been an 'under' machine on the road. The under is 14-7 in the Kings 21 road games this year. The under is 24-11 in the Lakers last 35 Friday games. I expected a total somewhere around 191 or 192 here. Look for the Lakers to get the lead and slow down this game. Also, with Kobe Bryant dinged up, he may rest more than normal if LA gets a lead. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB West Coast Total* San Francisco and Loyola Marymount are two very even teams. The first game between these two went to overtime and the second was decided by two points. Overtime and/or plenty of fouling in a close game at the end is a very real possibility here. Rex Walters Dons push the pace with their full court press, and they create a lot of easy buckets with that. Marymount has quickness on the outside, and I think they'll keep the tempo moving quickly as well. I projected this at 148. The over is 17-7 in San Fran's last 24. Take the over.

*5 Star NCAA BB Top Total* Richmond Coliseum is a very tough gym for shooters. The Coliseum has had very low scoring games over the years in the CAA tournament. Georgia State is comfortable playing at a slow pace, and I expect them to control the pace here. The first meeting between these two was only 59-43, despite the fact that Georgia State shot better than 50% from the floor. The pace should be plenty slow here, and I think the shooting will be much worse this time around. I projected this one at 122 points. Take the under big!

*3 Star Missouri Valley Total* I played the under on both regular season meetings between Drake and Creighton and won both times (the second one was very close). Drake knows they must slow the game down to have any chance of winning this one. Creighton doesn't play as quick as some think, but they do shoot well. The shooting backdrop is notoriously tough at this gym, and I have adjusted my number several points lower for that. The under is 5-0 in Drake's last 5 neutral site games. The under is 6-0 in Drake's last 6 Friday games. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The Denver Nuggets will be playing this one short-handed. Danilo Gallinari, Nene, and Rudy Fernandez are all out of the lineup for this one. Those guys account for about 40 points per game. Houston has improved a ton this year on the defensive end, and the under is 16-6 in the Rockets last 22 home games. The first meeting between these teams finished at 189. I don't understand why the total is set so high. Quite honestly, I don't think this game gets to 200, so I really like the value on the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* Notre Dame has been an 'under' machine of late. Mike Brey has his team playing at a snails pace right now. This is literally a team that walks it down the floor and uses up the entire shot clock almost every time. Providence doesn't play nearly as fast as they did last year, and Notre Dame's defense is terrific at home. The under is 19-7 in Notre Dame's last 26. The under is 10-3 in Notre Dame's last 13 home games. I projected this one at 126 points. Look for this one to stay under the posted total.

*3 Star NCAA BB West Coast Total* The West Coast Conference Tournament is underway. This tournament is played at a neutral venue, and the shooting backdrop isn't very favorable to shooters. Pepperdine is one of the worst shooting teams in the nation. The Waves shoot a miserable 39.6% from the floor. They also play at a very slow pace. San Diego is the slightly better team here, but they aren't great at pushing the tempo. This seems like a game where both offenses will struggle to find a rhythm. The under is 8-2 in their last 10 meetings. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* Pacific and UCSB are two teams that prefer to play at a slow pace. Both teams have a coach that likes to control the tempo and keep the game in the 50's or low 60's. The first meeting between these two this year was 56-53. This one should be higher than that, but I see plenty of value here on the under. The under is 6-0 in UCSB's last 6 home games. The under is 8-3 in the last 11 meetings. A combined 14-3 winning angle and a favorable pace outlook make this one look like a nice play. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* The last three times these teams have met the final total has been 146, 155, and 161 points. I realize that this game is being played on a neutral floor, so the posted total will be lower, but I don't think it should be this much lower. Both teams prefer to play at a quick pace. Both of these teams are solid from beyond the arc, and neither defense guards the three-point shot well. Both teams use pressure defense to force turnovers and neither team is good at handling the pressure. Expect plenty of easy buckets. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* Virginia has bought into Tony Bennett's system and it has served them very well this year. The Cavs are one of the slowest paced teams in the nation this year. They also play some terrific half court defense and keep their opponent off the offensive glass. Florida State is one of the best defensive teams in the nation as well, and I think they'll struggle to push the pace in this one. The first meeting between these two finished at 58-55 despite both teams shooting quite well from the floor. I projected this one at 111. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Under the Radar Total* The Ohio Valley Conference takes place at Nashville Municipal Auditorium, which has a reputation for having a very poor shooting backdrop. I generally lower a total by about 4 or 5 points because of this gym. During the regular season these teams met once and the final was 77-62. The posted total in that game was 145. Interestingly, both teams shot better than their season average in that one. This being a poor shooters gym I would have expected the total here to be around 140. I like the value here. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Under Radar Total* Two bad teams will meet in Portland for this one. Santa Clara had plenty of hope going into the season, but it has all fallen apart for them and they have yet to win a game in the WCC. Portland has been awful as well and they have been getting beaten up of late. Defense will be optional in this one, and both teams prefer to play at a quick pace. The first meeting between these two hit 162 points. I projected this one at 148 points. I like the over in this matchup.

*3 Star NCAA Totals TKO* SMU wins games by controlling the tempo and minimizing possessions. Southern Miss is also a team that plays pretty slow. Southern Miss may be without their leading scorer in this one, as he is questionable for personal reasons. I projected this game at 117 points. Look for this to stay in the half court all the way throughout. The defenses should control the game here. The under is 40-18-4 in SMU's last 64 Wednesday games. I like the value on this one. Take the under here.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan are bitter rivals. It seems when these two meet the game slows down and becomes more about defense. The under is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings between these teams. Eastern Michigan is one of my single favorite teams to play the 'under' with. They play at a snails pace and they are terrible on the offensive end. Western Michigan has slowed down considerably this season as well. The first meeting barely snuck over the posted total, but that was solely due to OT. Take the under here.

*3 Star NCAA BB ACC Total Takedown* These are the two worst teams in the ACC this year. I fully expect this to be a very ugly game. I don't suggest anyone watch this one, but I do think there is some value on the total here. The first game between these two was 51-47, and the shooting percentages really weren't that bad. Both teams play slowly and both offenses are terrible. I don't see any reason to believe this game will be much higher scoring than before. Look for this to be a very ugly low scoring affair. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Tempo Total* Neither of these teams are particularly efficient on the offensive end, but they both prefer playing at a quick tempo. The first meeting was played with both teams at less than 100%. Chris Gaston missed most of the game, and he is easily Fordham's best player. Rhode Island was dealing with multiple injuries then as well. Even with those top players missing, the game got to 130 points. I think the players that are back here can more than make up that difference. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Big East Total* South Florida is still on the NCAA Tournament bubble despite sporting an 11-5 record in the Big East. A win here would put the Bulls in the field. South Florida absolutely has to have this game played at a very slow pace if they want to have a chance. They have been great at slowing things down of late, even against a team like Syracuse. The highest score in their last six games was 114 points. The under is a perfect 6-0 in their last 6. Louisville is great defensively and South Florida may struggle to put 50 points on the board. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Under the Radar Total* Northern Colorado is the single best three-point shooting team in the nation. Portland State's defense is terrible all the way around. Portland State pushes the tempo and piles on the points on offense, and Northern Colorado is poor defensively as well. Both teams get to the charity stripe a ton, and I think that will be a factor here. The over is 6-0-1 in Northern Colorado's last 7 as a road underdog. The over is 22-4 in Portland State's last 26 as a home favorite of 7 to 12.5 points. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* Wisconsin is one of my favorite teams to play the 'under' with. The Badgers play at the single slowest pace of any team in Division I basketball. Wisconsin knows how to take the air out of the ball when they get a lead. Minnesota has slowed the tempo down in a big way of late as well. The Golden Gophers offense has sputtered in a big way of late. Minnesota hasn't scored 70 points in any of their last five games. Wisconsin only allows 52 points per game. The first meeting went over only because of overtime. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The Philadelphia 76ers started off the season red hot, but they have cooled off in a big way of late. Detroit actually heated up nicely right before the All-Star break. Doug Collins' teams win with their strong defense, and I fully expect them to be ready to defend well after a nice rest at the break. Detroit isn't a very good offensive team. The first two meetings between these two stayed well under this posted total. I think this stays under 180 points. Take the under in this one.

*3 Star NCAA BB Under the Radar Total* Gardner-Webb and High Point are both more comfortable playing the game at a slow tempo. Both of these teams are inefficient on the offensive end. Both meetings between these two teams went into overtime this year, which has skewed the line higher than it really should be. The first meeting was at 134 before overtime and the second was at 112 before overtime. Look for the defenses to step it up here since the losing team will see their season end. I projected this at 129. Take the under.

*5 Star Notre Dame/Georgetown Top Total* Who is going to speed up the tempo in this one? I really don't expect either team to want to run. Georgetown plays slightly faster than Notre Dame, but the Hoyas have great defense and they can definitely win a low scoring game. Mike Brey's team is using the same strategy they did a couple years ago when Harangoady was hurt. They are stalling as much as possible on offense and counting on tough defense to win them games. Both defenses should play very well here. The under is 23-3-1 in Notre Dame's last 27 as the underdog. The under is 20-7 in Georgetown's last 27 Monday games. A combined 43-10 winning angle! I think this one stays under 115, so I really like the value here. Take the under big!

*3 Star NCAA BB Tempo Total* Radford is a team that generally plays to the pace of their opponent. VMI plays at the second fastest pace out of 345 Division I college basketball programs. The Keydets run and gun in a big way. They average 80 points per game on their home floor, and Radford gives up 76 per game on the road. VMI will likely get a lead here, and Radford will be unable to slow the game down. I projected this one at 153 or 154 points. The tempo of this one should help push it over the posted total.

*3 Star NCAA BB Big 10 Total* Iowa plays faster than anyone in the Big 10 Conference. The Hawkeyes showed how good they are at speeding up the game when they beat Wisconsin 67-66 earlier this week. Wisconsin games typically are played at a very slow pace, but Iowa made them speed up. Illinois has been awful defensively of late. Opponents are averaging 77 points per game on them in their last five. Iowa has been terrible defensively on the road. Opponents are scoring 80 points per game on the Hawkeyes on the road. Take the over in this one.

*3 Star NCAA BB Tempo Total* Niagara and Marist are both teams that love to push the pace. Both of these teams struggle mightily on the defensive end as well. The first meeting between these two teams finished at 153 points even though Marist shot only 32% from the floor. The over is 7-1 in Marist's last 8 games at home. The over is 4-1-2 in the last 7 meetings between these two at Marist. I see no reason to expect a slow down in the pace here. Look for a transition type of game where run outs are common. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Early Bird Special* South Florida has been one of the biggest surprises in the nation this year. The Bulls are terrific at controlling the tempo and shutting down opposing offenses. They are particularly adept at this on their home floor. Opponents average just 57.1 points per game against them at home. The under is 18-5 in South Florida's last 23 games overall. Cincinnati isn't a team that pushes the pace, and I think this one will be played in the halfcourt all the way. I projected this at 114. Take the under here.

*5 Star NCAA BB Top Play Late Night Bailout Total* These two teams play faster than anyone else in the Big West Conference. The first meeting between these two was lower scoring than expected, which has given us an amazing value on this game. Both teams use the full court press to push the tempo, and easy layups should come often in this one. UC Irvine is giving up 81.5 points per game in their last five contests. They are also scoring 74.4 points per game in their last five. The over is 19-7-2 in UC Irvine's last 28 home games. Take the over big in this one.

*3 Star West Coast Total* Eastern Washington fouls more than any other team in the country, and Portland State gets to the line often. The Vikings should pour in the points here, and neither team plays much defense at all. Take the under.

*3 Star Under the Radar Total* Oral Roberts and Southern Utah play in a league where just about everyone wants to run and gun. Both of these teams like to slow it down and control the tempo. The first meeting between these two finished at 116 points. The under is a perfect 9-0 in Southern Utah's 9 home games this year. The books haven't fully adjusted to Southern Utah's new much slower pace of play this year. Look for a game played in the half court here. I projected this one at 125 points. Take the under in this matchup.

*5 Star NCAA BB Top Play Total* Those of you who follow my plays closely know that New Mexico State is a team I love to play the 'over' with. The Aggies push the tempo better than anyone in the WAC, and they are great at getting to the free throw line. The first game between these two finished slightly under the total, but there weren't many trips to the line. Expect far more strips to the charity stripe in this one. The over is 11-2 in New Mexico State's last 13 Saturday games. The over is 37-15 in San Jose State's last 52 Saturday games. A combined 48-17 winning angle is worthy of a close look! I projected this one at 151 or 152 points. Take the over big here!

*3 Star NCAA BB Tempo Total* Defense will be optional in this one. Both of these teams love to run and gun, and they allow points by the bunches. The first meeting between these teams this year finished in a 101-83 final. The shooting percentages were about average, it was simply a game played at a very fast pace. The over is 8-2 in South Dakota's last 10 home games. The over is 22-10 in Oakland's last 32 road games. I projected this one at 167 or 168 points. Look for both teams to get up at least 60 shots in this one. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals Terrorizer* Western Illinois is terrific at forcing a team into a half court ugly defensive game. I projected this one at 115 points. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Southern Conference Total* Both of these teams like to push the pace at every opportunity. The first meeting between them finished at 152. I projected this one at 153. Take the over.

*5 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* Eastern Illinois is an offensively-challenged team. They have scored 45 points or less three times in their last ten games. Eastern Kentucky and Eastern Illinois both like to slow the game down and play in the halfcourt. There shouldn't be any pace battle in this one. The last three meetings between these teams have all finished below the posted total, and the highest scoring game of the bunch was only 114 points total. The under is 14-6 in Eastern Illinois' last 20 games overall. I projected this one at 118 points. Take the under big.

*3 Star NCAA BB MAC Total* The first meeting between these teams finished at 92-87. I certainly don't expect that score once again, but I do think 140 points is likely here. Kent State has too many scoring options for BG to slow them down too much. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* I'm no fan of taking an under that is this low, but I think it is a solid value. Eastern Michigan is a very good under team because they slow the game down and they are terrible offensively. Ball State is never in a hurry either, so I don't expect a pace war here. The first game finished in a 51-48 win for Eastern Michigan. The under is 7-3 in Eastern Michigan's last 10 home games. The under is 13-6-1 in Ball State's last 20 games overall. I projected this one at 104 points. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals Takedown* Hawaii gave up a ridiculous 115 points against New Mexico State last game. This is a Hawaii team that can generally put up the points in bunches, and I think they'll want revenge in this one. Zane Johnson missed the team's 74-70 loss at home to Lousiana Tech. Both teams like to run and Tech presses, which should give Hawaii's weak backcourt trouble. Inside Hawaii should get plenty of good looks and second chance points. I projected this at 151 or 152. Take the over here.

*3 Star NCAA BB ACC Total* The first meeting between these two teams finished at 127 points, and that was with some terrible shooting numbers. The teams combined to hit just 8 out of 34 three-point shots in that game. One would think that the teams would shoot it slightly better in this one. Boston College allows 72 points per game on the road this year. This is a case where I don't expect a high scoring game, but I do think the value is clearly on the side of the over. I projected this one at 131 points. Take the over in this game.

*3 Star NCAA BB A10 Totals Takedown* LaSalle is one of my favorite 'over' teams. The Explorers use the full court press to force the other team into a fast paced game. Fordham isn't a good team, but they do like to run when given the chance. Recent history between these two teams shows some very high scoring games. I think LaSalle has a good chance at putting up 80 points against Fordham's terrible defense. The Explorers can really it shoot it from beyond the arc. Look for a fast paced game that finishes over the posted total.

*3 Star NCAA BB TGIF Total Domination* Cornell is the fastest paced team in the Ivy League. Brown is a team that doesn't really know what tempo it wants to play at, so it plays at the pace of its opponent. Cornell has pushed the pace even more of late, and Brown has sped up as the season has moved along as well. The over is a perfect 6-0 in Cornell's last 6 games overall. The over is 10-4 in Brown's last 14 Friday games. Brown appears to have higher scoring games when they come into the game fresh as Ivy League teams do on Friday nights. Look for the pace to help push this one over the posted total.

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night Bailout* The first meeting between these two teams only made it to 136 points. I realize that is slightly higher than this posted total, but I really don't think these two terrible offenses will shoot the ball as well as they did the first time around. Santa Clara hasn't won a WCC game all year, but they'll probably get a win here. Pepperdine is miserable on offense, especially on the road. The under is 10-2 in Pepperdine's last 12 road games. The under is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings between these two teams. Take the under.

*5 Star NCAA BB WAC Total* The first time Hawaii and New Mexico State met the two teams managed to put up a combined 144 shots. This is an almost unheard of number of shots in a 40 minute game! The 91-87 final went well over the posted total. Both teams like to push the tempo and there should be plenty of shots again in this one. New Mexico State gets to the line more frequently than anyone else in the nation. The over is 23-7 in Hawaii's last 30 games. The over is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings at New Mexico State. Take the over big here!

*3 Star NCAA Big Sky Total* Weber State and Northern Colorado are both offensive powerhouses. Northern Colorado shoots 46.2% from three-point range, which is the best mark of any team in the nation. Northern Colorado is very poor defensively, and Weber State has the league's best offense. Look for Damian Lillard to give the Bears all sorts of problems in this one. Northern Colorado has been scoring points in bunches of late, and I expect them to be ready for this one. The first meeting was 93-81. Expect another over here.

*5 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* These two teams play completely different styles of basketball, so there is always a pace war here. The strange thing is, Oakland always wins the pace war! All ten of their last ten meetings have finished above this posted total! A perfect 10-0 angle, and the fewest points in any of those games was 154 points. The over is 44-18-1 in Oakland's last 63 overall. The over is 33-14 in UMKC's last 47 games. I projected this one at 156 points, so I like the value here a ton. Take the over in a big way here!

*5 Star NCAA BB Top Play Tempo Total* Fort Wayne and South Dakota are two teams that love to push the tempo. It's hard to imagine either of these teams even attempting to turn this into a half court game. Both teams thrive when getting out in transition. The first meeting between these two finished in a 92-87 final score. I projected this one at 150 points. The over is 7-2 in South Dakota's last 9 home games. Easy buckets in transition should lead to a high scoring affair here. Take the over big!

*5 Star NCAA BB Horizon Total* Loyola-Chicago is one of the best teams in the nation this year at slowing the tempo down. Loyola plays pretty good defense, and they simply milk the clock almost all the time on offense. Wisconsin-Green Bay is horrible on the road (1-12) and they average only 59 points per game on the road. In the first meeting this year, the final was 57-47. Walt Gibler is Loyola's second-leading scorer and he will miss this game with an injury. I think this will be a defensive game where a team that gets to 55 could easily win. Take the under big!

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks have a major history of playing low scoring games against each other. The under is 9-1 in their last 10 meetings. In fact, only one of their last ten meetings has gone over 177 points. The Hawks are without Joe Johnson, who is their best offensive player. Atlanta should be slowing down the tempo even more than normal in this game. Orlando is comfortable in a half court game, and they will be missing Jason Richardson as well. I think this could be a very low scoring game as both defenses step it up. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* Eastern Illinois and Morehead State play a very similar style of basketball. Both teams like to use up the shot clock on offense and rely on ball control and solid defense to win games. Because their styles are so similar, when these teams meet the score can be very low. Earlier this year the final was 56-55 between these two. I think a similar score is very possible here. Look for both offenses to struggle throughout this game. I projected this one at 114 points. Take the under here.

*3 Star NCAA BB Under the Radar Total Play* Elon is a team that has really sped up its tempo in a big way over the last couple years. Davidson is also playing very quick this year, largely because they have a ton of scoring options on the floor at all times. I don't see either defense being able to shut the opposition down in this one. The over is 17-7 in Davidson's last 24 games. The over is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings between these two teams. I projected this one at 155 or 156 points. Take the over in this one.

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night Total Bailout* Boise State is a team that can't really decide if they want to run or slow it down, but I expect UNLV to decide the tempo of this game. The Rebels are at their best when they are running, and they should pick up the pace in front of their home crowd in this one. I projected this one at 146 points. The Rebels average 85 points per game at home and I think they should get right around that mark in this one. Boise State should get some easy buckets off their pressure defense. Take the over.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The 76ers are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. Houston has transitioned into a solid 'under' team this year as they have focused much more heavily on the team aspect of their defense. The under is 9-3 in the Rockets last 12 games. It's hard to imagine this one turning into a shootout. Philadelphia is out of sync in a big way offensively right now, but I expect them to stay in this one with their tough man defense. I expected this one to open around 182. Take the under in this one.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* LaSalle is one of my favorite teams to bet the 'over' with. The Explorers use a full court press to force the tempo. Temple should be able to exploit the press and score quite a few points in transition because of their great guard play. The first meeting between these two finished at 146, and the shooting wasn't terrific. Look for the pace and transition buckets to push this one over the posted total. I projected this one at 148 points. Take the over here.

*3 Star MAC Totals Takedown* The first meeting between these two finished at 47-40. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a fan of taking unders that are this low, but this one does seem to have quite a bit of value. I actually projected this one at 103 or 104 points. Both of these teams are terrible on the offensive. This should be an extremely ugly game, but that usually equals a win for under bettors. Look for a slow paced game where the offenses look lost here. Take the under in this matchup.

*3 Star NCAA BB CAA Total* These two played to a 63-56 final a weeks ago at JMU. Drexel is quickly becoming a team that you should keep an eye on if they are able to get into the Big Dance. Bruiser Flint's Drexel Dragons know how to play defense and control the tempo, and that makes them a very tough team to beat. Look for them to control the tempo and make James Madison's inefficient offense look terrible in this one. The under is 19-8-1 in Drexel's last 28 games in the CAA. The under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings. TAke the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* This is an intrastate rivalry game that always takes on a life of its own. Both of these teams prefer to play a slow style of play, and the first meeting between these two finished at 47-45. Tony Bennett's Cavaliers are just as good as anyone in basketball at slowing the game down with their great defense and terrific ball control. The under is a stunning 18-3 in their 21 lined games this year. The under is a perfect 11-0 in their 11 road games this year. I projected this one at 108 or 109. Take the under.

*3 Star NBA Bookie BEATDOWN* Both teams are playing the back end of a back-to-back scheduling spot here. New Orleans slows the pace of the game down in a big way, and I think Indiana will be content with that in this one since they may have slightly weary legs. Indiana allows just 90.6 points per game at home this year, and the Hornets are awful offensively. The under is 26-9 in New Orleans last 35 games against the Eastern Conference. The under is 19-7-1 in the last 27 meetings between these two. Take the under here.

*3 Star NBA Total Value* The entire league is definitely seeing less very high scoring games than last year. At this point, I'll always take a look at the under at this high of a number. The Timberwolves are much better than last year, and the primary reason for that is the fact that they have started to play some defense. Minnesota gives up only 95.3 points per game this year. Denver is a high scoring team, but the Nuggets have been a solid 'under' play at home. Denver's average score at home has been 101-98. This one probably stays around 200. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* DePaul is great at forcing the tempo, and St. John's has been picking up the pace of late. The Johnnies should get plenty of second chance opportunities here since DePaul is a terrible defensive rebounding team. The first meeting between these two teams finished with a total of 168 points. St. John's showed they can win at DePaul's pace, and I think they'll be ready to play fast again in this one. The over is 7-2 in St. John's last 9 games. Look for a very quick pace here. Take the over.

*3 Star Nets/Knicks Total DOMINATION* Jeremy Lin has been the single biggest story in the NBA of late, and he has deserved all of that attention. He has made this Knicks team much better and it is a great story. One thing that not many people are focusing on right now is how much better the Knicks have been defensively. New York has only allowed one team to score 100 points or more in their last 16 games. The under is 8-1 in their last 9 following a game that went 'over' the posted total. Look for this one to stay under the posted total.

*3 Star NBA Early Bird Special* It appears Derrick Rose will make his return to the Bulls lineup in this one. Chicago has been ok without him, but they are a very good team with Rose at the point. The Bulls play more defense when Rose is in the game, and it leads to a lower scoring game. Atlanta and Chicago have a history of playing tough low scoring games against each other. Five of the last seven meetings between these two have finished below this posted total. Look for both defenses to play well here. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* The first time these two teams met this year Indiana won a shootout 103-89. The shooting percentages were extremely high, and I certainly don't think they can duplicate that performance. At the same time, the total here is just 154, so they could score 37 points less and still finish over the posted total. Both teams play a very quick tempo, and I don't expect either team to slow it down at all here. The over is a perfect 6-0 in the last 6 meetings between these two at Iowa. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* Penn State is a poor offensive team that relies almost solely on Tim Frazier to create everything for their offense. Frazier is a very talented player, but I think Bo Ryan will do everything possible to make someone else beat Wisconsin here. The Badgers play at a slower pace than everyone else in college basketball. The Badgers give up only 47.5 points per game at home. Wisconsin knows how to take the air out of the ball with the lead. The under is 20-5-2 in their last 27 games as a home favorite of 13 points or greater. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night Bailout Total* UC Irvine likes to run and gun with the best of them. Eastern Washington should be glad to get up and down as well. The over is 15-7 in Eastern Washington's 22 games this year, and UC Irvine plays faster than anyone Eastern Washington has faced yet this season. The over is 18-7-2 in Irvine's last 27 home games. Plenty of transition buckets should be there for both teams in this matchup. I projected this one at 151 points. Expect a track meet and a game that goes over the posted total.

*3 Star NCAA BB West Coast Total* Montana State has picked up the pace as the season has gone along. The Bobcats have been an 'over' machine this season. The over is 15-5 in their last 20 games. Cal State Fullerton shoots the ball much better at home than they do on the road, and they should find plenty of open looks against a poor Montana State defense. The over is 8-2 in Fullerton's last 10 home games. I projected this one at 157 or 158 points. Look for both teams to knock down quite a few from long distance. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* Both Presbyterian and Jacksonville State thrive when playing at a very slow pace. Presbyterian actually beat Cincinnati 56-54 earlier this year, so they can play defense. Jacksonville State is capable of shutting teams down, especially on their home floor. This is a game where I think we will only see 45 shots or so out of both teams, and it is unlikely that either team will shoot all that well given their season averages. I projected this one at 118 points. Take the under in this one.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals Terrorizer* Pacific is a team that is much better on the defensive end at home. The Tigers only allow 60.8 points per game at home. Idaho State scores just 61.4 points per game away from home. Pacific should be able to control the pace in this one since Idaho State generally plays to the pace of their opponent. The Tigers will use up the shot clock and make the Bengals work on defense. I projected this one at 124 points. Look for both offenses to struggle to get in a rhythm. Take the under here.

*3 Star NCAA BB Under the Radar Total* NC Greensboro has been one of my favorite teams to play the 'over' with all year. The Spartans are great at forcing the opposition to play at their pace. UNC Greensboro should dictate the tempo in this one by pressing and forcing Georgia Southern's weak backcourt to turn it over quite a bit. Georgia Southern's recent under trends at home have given us a solid value here, but I think Greensboro will force the issue and make Georgia Southern push the pace more than they typically do. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Defensive Battle Total* Stephen F. Austin is one of the best teams in the nation at forcing the opponent to play their type of game. This one should be an ugly low scoring game where both teams shoot it poorly. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Value* Fort Wayne is used to playing teams who play no defense in the Summit League. Eastern Kentucky plays pretty good defense and they control the tempo very well. I projected this one at 129 points. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB SEC Totals Takedown* The Florida Gators are a very efficient offensive team. Arkansas is having some success with Mike Anderson's 40 Minutes of Hell system this year. The Razorbacks speed up the tempo by pressuring full court, but they definitely give up some easy baskets as well. Florida has the guards to exploit the press and take advantage of the open looks. Arkansas won't slow the game down at all, and I think Florida has a good chance of getting 80 points in this one. I projected this at 152. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB A10 Total* LaSalle and UMass are both teams that like to use full court pressure to speed up the tempo of the game. In fact, UMass averages more possessions per game than any other team in all of basketball. LaSalle doesn't have it in their DNA to try to slow the game down, so I think this one turns into a track meet. The over is 13-6 in LaSalle's last 19 following a straight up loss. The over is 7-1 in UMass' last 8 following a straight up loss. I projected this one at 154. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Big 10 Total* Bruce Weber is on the hot seat at Illinois, but it isn't because the Fighting Illini don't play defense. Illinois is struggling to score the ball consistently, and Nebraska is a solid defensive team. The first meeting between these two teams finished at just 59-54. In that game, both teams shot at least 50% from the floor and the game still easily finished under the posted total. I don't see any reason to believe this game plays out much differently. Take the under as the value play here.

*3 Star Oddsmaker Total Error* The first time these two met the score was just 54-52, but that was far out of the ordinary for both of these teams. Boise State runs at home and TCU doesn't play any defense. The oddsmakers have moved this one down too far. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Tempo Total* Both of these teams like to push the tempo inside their own conference, but they aren't always able to because of their opponent. In this one both teams will be able to get out and run. Take the over.

*5 Star NCAA BB Top Total of the Day* New Mexico State plays at one of the fastest tempo's in all of basketball. In addition, the Aggies get to the free throw line more than anyone else in the nation. Drake is a team that plays aggressive defense, and the Bulldogs will likely commit a lot of fouls in this one. Drake likes to speed up the tempo when they can in the MVC, and in this one they should get their chance to play a fast paced game. The over is 11-1 in New Mexico State's last 12 Saturday games. I think this one has a good chance of getting to 150. Take the over big here!

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Knockout* Marist is a team that plays very little defense, but they love to run and gun. Maine plays in a league where they rarely get the chance to get out and run, but this should be the perfect opportunity for them. Maine likes to get out in transition, and they do whenever possible, but teams like Boston University and Stony Brook in the Northeast Conference simply don't allow that. Expect both teams to take advantage of the quick tempo and get to the basket early and often in this one. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA Track Meet Total* No team in the country is better at forcing their opponent into a track meet than VMI. William & Mary doesn't usually score a lot, but they generally play much better defenses than they will in this one. Look for both teams to pile up the points here. Take the over.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The Milwaukee Bucks have stopped playing defense. Milwaukee is giving up nearly 104 points per game in their last five contests. Orlando had a pathetic offense earlier this year, but now Nelson and Richardson are getting it going again. The Magic have scored 100 points or more six times in the last nine games. Orlando has plenty of outside shooters that should get open looks in this one. The over is 12-2 in Milwaukee's last 14. The over is 4-1-1 in the Magic's last 6. Take the over here.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* Arizona has really turned it on defensive of late. Sean Miller's teams have typically been known for their half court defense, and this Wildcats team is growing into a dangerous defensive team. Washington State's second-leading scorer Faisel Aden is out for the year with an injury, and the team really misses his offense. Both teams have been slowing the pace down of late, and I expect this to be a much slower game than their first meeting was. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings at Washington State. Take the under.

*3 Star NC State/Duke Total SMASHER* NC State likes to push the tempo and I don't expect to see Duke slow this game down. Coach K's team can really fill it up from long distance and that has been a weak spot in the NC State defense. Five of the last seven games between these two teams have gone over this posted total. The over is 10-2 in the last 12 meetings between these two teams. I projected this one at 154 points. Look for a quick pace and plenty of made three-point shots to help push this one over the posted total.

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night Total* USC has been dreadful offensively all year. UCLA has improved quite a bit on the defensive side as the year has gone on. The first game between these two finished at 113 despite UCLA shooting better than 50% from the floor. The pace here should be extremely slow, and I don't think either team is likely to shoot as well as they did in the first contest this year. I projected this one at 112. The under is 10-3 in USC's last 13 road games. Expect the defenses to dominate. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Summit League Total* The first time these teams met this year the game edged over the posted total and finished at 122. It's amazing the game was that low scoring since UMKC shot 61% from the floor and nailed 13/21 from long distance. Western Illinois is the second slowest paced team in the nation, and I expect them to slow this game down to a crawl. The under is 11-5 in their 16 lined games this year. I projected this one at 112 points. Expect this one to be an ugly low scoring game all the way. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Hidden Gem Total* Murray State has been one of the bigger stories in college basketball this year. They finally dropped a game last week, but they still look very worthy of an at large bid. SE Missouri State actually led Murray State for quite a while on the road this year, and SE MO State is a team that can put up the points by the bunches at home. The pace here should be quick and I expect both teams to knock down a lot of three's. Plenty of trips to the charity stripe should help this one as well. Take the over.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* Sacramento has been an 'under' machine on the road. The under is 16-5 in the Kings last 21 road games. The Knicks have been playing much better with Jeremy Lin at the helm of late, and it has actually meant some lower scoring defensive games at times. The under is 20-8 in the Knicks 28 games this year. Neither of these teams have an offense that is particularly great right now, and I think this one is lined too high. The combined 36-13 angle says take the under. I like the under here.

*3 Star NBA Total Value* Detroit is a terrible team this year, and Boston should be able to shut them down with their strong defense. The Celtics give up just 82.7 points per game at home, and I don't think the Pistons will get to 80 in this one. Kevin Garnett, Mickael Pietrus, and Brandon Bass are expected to miss this one. The Celtics will lean on their defense to help them get by without several scorers. The under is 21-8-1 in the Celtics last 30 home games. The under is 4-0 in the Celtics last 4 Wednesday games. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Big East Total* South Florida has been an 'under' machine over the last few years at home. The under is 17-4 in their last 21 Wednesday games. The under is also 7-2 in their last 9 games overall. They held Villanova to 57 points on the road earlier this year. Jay Wright's Wildcats aren't very efficient offensively, and I think that will catch up to them in this one. South Florida is great at controlling the pace at home, and I think that is exactly what will happen in this one. Take the under in this one.

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* These two teams met earlier this year and the final score only ended at 139, but I think this one will end higher. NC Greensboro has one of the fastest paced teams in the nation. The Spartans press and try to force turnovers, but they also give up a ton of easy layups in the process. Charleston has plenty of guys who are capable of taking advantage of this weak defense. The over is 6-1 in Greensboro's last 7 home games. I projected this one at 153 points. Look for this one to be a close and high scoring game. Take the over.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Knockout* Notre Dame has surprised a ton of people this year. Mike Brey's team has picked up the strategy that it did a couple years ago when Luke Harangoady was out. The team is slowing the pace down in a big way, and it has worked very well. Rutgers is a team that will generally play to the pace of the opponents liking. The under is 9-2 in Notre Dame's last 11 home games. The under is 5-2 in Rutgers last 7 games. The under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings between these teams. Take the under here.

*3 Star Big 10 Totals Takedown* Indiana is one of the most improved teams in the nation this year. Tom Crean's team is running like crazy this year, and that is largely thanks to Cody Zeller. Zeller is one of the best at running the floor from the frontcourt in the entire nation. Jordan Hulls and Christian Watford are great shooters from deep. Northwestern's defense isn't very good, but the Wildcats can pile up the points. My numbers had this one at 154 or 155 points. Look for both teams to shoot well in this one. Take the over.

*3 Star NBA Late Night Total* The Lakers and Hawks are both teams that play a much slower tempo than most teams in the NBA. Mike Brown is constantly preaching to this Lakers team that he wants them to value each possession and play under control. The Lakers are giving up just 85.2 points per game at home this year. The under is 25-10 in the Hawks last 35 road games. The under is 33-16-2 in the Lakers last 51 games against the Eastern Conference. Look for a half court game that is very low scoring on the West Coast in this one. Take the under.

*5 Star NCAA BB Top Total* UNLV coach Dave Rice has this team running in a big way this year. The Runnin Rebels get out in transition as well as anyone. It's great to see them filling the lanes beautifully. TCU used to be a slow it down type of team, but they have changed their mindset this year, and they are running and gunning now. UNLV waxed TCU 101-78 in the first meeting this year. The pace was extremely quick in that one. There were 134 shots from the floor in that game. My numbers had this game at 155, and I rarely see a total off my numbers by seven points. The over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings. Take the over big here!

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* I lost on the 'under' with Miami last night, largely thanks to LeBron James being on fire all game long. James shot 16/21 from the floor and 3/3 from the free throw line. James is an amazing player, but I doubt he'll shoot that well again in this one. Miami is in the final game of a back-to-back-to-back scheduling spot. Indiana gives up just 91.2 points per game at home. The under is 5-0 in the Pacers last 5 games after allowing 100 points or more in the previous game. Look for this one to turn into more of a defensive battle. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Domination* It sounds as if Steele and Reliford will be back for Alabama in this one, but Mitchell and Green will still be out. Mitchell and Green are the Crimson Tide's top two scorers and best players. Anthony Grant's team will have to rely on its defense if they wish to stay in this one, so I expect them to slow it down and try control the pace here. Florida is missing a couple key players in Rosario and Will Yeguete as well. Alabama allows just 56.9 points per game at home. Look for the Crimson Tide's defense to be big in this one. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB Bookie BEATDOWN* The Virginia Cavaliers have clearly fully bought into Tony Bennett's system now. Virginia plays at an extremely slow pace and takes great care of the basketball. Defensively, they lockdown the opposition and make them take tough shots almost every time down the floor. Clemson plays a similar style of basketball, and the Tigers are particularly strong defensively at home. Earlier this year these two met and the final total was 126, but there were 14 made three's in that game. The shooting percentages were high, and I don't expect that to happen again. The under is a stunning 10-0 in Virginia's 10 road games this year. Take the under in this one!

*3 Star NCAA BB Hidden Gem Total* William & Mary is a very bad team that likes to slow the game down. Drexel is a very good team that slows the game down even more. Drexel sometimes picks up big wins, but it is usually because their defense completely shuts down the opposition. These two played to a 64-48 final earlier this year. The under is 5-2 in William & Mary's last 7 road games. Drexel gives up just 54 points per game at home and the Tribe average only 56 per game on the road. This is the type of game that shouldn't be close, and I think Drexel will run clock as the game moves along. Take the under.

*3 Star NCAA BB ESPNU Total Domination* The MEAC has been getting some national television time over the last few weeks on ESPNU. It seems the teams are generally amped up and pushing the tempo on this rare chance to play in the national tv spotlight. Coppin State is one of the best offensive teams in the league. They are averaging 84.2 points per game in their last five. MD Eastern Shore is a terrible team, but they love to push the tempo and they do get a lot of second chances because of their offensive rebounding. Look for a high scoring game. Take the over.

*3 Star NBA Total Domination* The Milwaukee Bucks have beaten the Miami Heat twice already this year. Erik Spoelstra has been preaching defense to his Miami team of late, and they have responded quite well. Expect Miami to be very pumped up for this one, and that should show on the defensive end. The first two games were lined at 194.5 and 197 and now this one gets set at 201. The oddsmakers have moved this line too far up, which gives us a solid value on the under. The under is 4-1-1 in the Heat's last 6 games. Look for Miami to hold the Bucks to 90 points or less here. Take the under.