At 12:00pm ET, my Early Riser is on Minnesota. The Gophers have been winning their games without covering the spread. Now for this afternoon's game they are underdogs. So, a win will also result in an ATS victory. The Shockers can really score but the Gophers are great defensively. They're the best defensive team which Wichita State has seen. Minnesota's Dawson Garcia, averaging 22.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, will pose a matchup problem for the Shockers. A very experienced team, the Gophers have shown an ability to win close games. They'll hand the Shockers their first loss this afternoon.

At 9:10pm ET, my NBA Game Of the Week is on Denver. Nuggets coach Mike Malone wasn't happy with his team's effort in Monday's bad home loss to New York. Malone said this: "I need Nikola Jokic. I need Jamal Murray. I need guys that have been here, in that starting lineup, to be vocal. Regardless of who's in who's out, who do we want to be as a team? So yeah, leadership would be great, toughness would be great, physicality would be great, playing like you actually care would be great." The Nuggets will be much better tonight and they will take it out on their hosts. The Jazz would already be over-matched but things are even worse due to them coming off a hard-fought in-season tournament game to the Spurs last night. They lost by 11 and 17 points in the 2 instances when they played 2 games in 2 days so far this season. The Nuggets are 3-0 their last 3 versus Utah and those wins came by 26, 16 and 21 points. Utah fans are in for another long night. Lay the points.

At 9:00pm my Slam Dunk Club selection is on Montana. The Grizzlies won 24 games last season. This year, they were the preseason favorites to win the Big Sky Conference. Cs Northridge won 19 games last season (9-11 in Big West) but a high amount of roster turnover had them projected to finish in the bottom half of the Big West, entering this season. The Grizzlies have a very real advantage of playing this game at Dahlberg Arena. They are 0-3 on the road but 4-0 at home. Those road games were at Oregon, Tennessee and Utah State. Playing those difficult opponents will help the Grizzlies tonight. These teams faced each other in early December 7 years ago and the Grizzlies clobbered the Matadors. They'll be the better team again Wednesday night.

At 10:10pm ET, my Pacific Division Game Of The Month is on Phoenix. The Suns really rely on their "Big 3." When all 3 of their stars are playing, or even when 2 of them are, they're one of the best teams in the NBA. But when 2 or more of them are hurt, they struggle. Recently both Beal and Durant have been out. The Suns are 1-6 in the games without Durant and they're 0-5 since Beal went down. Thankfully for Suns fans, they are both expected back tonight! They've had a nice break between games which allowed them to practice and get ready. Beal said this at yesterday's practice: "I definitely feel a lot better. I'm thankful we had the schedule we had so we had some rest days, Kev and I." Off b2b losses, the Lakers are now 7-2 at home. They're only 3-4 on the road. The home teams is already 2-0 in the season series. Lay the points with the Suns at Footprint Center.

At 12:00pm ET, my Early Riser is on Tulsa. We will see a big difference between these clubs at the "The Reef" at the Florida State College Jacksonville South Campus this afternoon. Detroit is 3-3. All 3 losses came by 10 or more. Tulsa is 3-3. All 3 victories came by 9 or more. Tulsa took a big step forward last season and wants to continue that progression this season. Detroit is a team which went 1-31 last season! Their only victory was at home against IU Indy. The good news for Detroit fans is that their team has a new coach and has already surpassed last year's number of victories. The bad news is that they are still a very weak team which is going to take time to grow. They're improved but they aren't ready for a team like Tulsa. Off 3 straight losses, the Golden Hurricane need to get things turned around today. They will get the job done and they will do so by a wide margin. Lay the points and enjoy the blowout.

At 8:30pm ET, my Cake-Walk selection is on Xavier. This game will be played at Suncoast Credit Union Arena, in Fort Meyers Florida. Everything went right for the Gamecocks last season. They're still pretty good but they're going to take a step back from last season. The Gamecocks lost outright to North Florida and they were crushed by Indiana. Not so for Xavier. Unlike South Carolina, the Musketeers had everything go wrong for them last year. They're going to be much better this season and are already off to a 5-0 start. All 5 wins came by 9 or more. The opponents were pretty weak but the list did include a respectable Wake Forest team and the Musketeers beat them by 15. Beating an SEC team which is coming off a big season is important to Coach Miller. He's got a deep and talented team and they will improve to 6-0 with an impressive victory on Monday night.

At 4:00pm ET, my Slam Dunk Club is on Wake Forest. The difference in class between these programs will be on clear display this afternoon. The Demon Deacons won 21 games last season and this year's team is better. In my opinion, they are one of the top 5 teams in the ACC and they will be going to the NCAA Tournament. Detroit is a team which went 1-31 last season! Their only victory was at home against IU Indy. The good news for Detroit fans is that their team has a new coach and has already surpassed last year's number of victories. The bad news is that they are still a very weak team which is going to take time to grow. They're improved but they aren't ready for a team like Wake Forest. Lay the points and enjoy the blowout.

At 7:40pm ET, my NBA GROUND AND POUND BLOWOUT is on the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks are playing much better basketball now than they were earlier in the season. Off a 16-point victory on Wednesday, they are 4-1 their last 5 games. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 41 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in Wednesday's victory. The Pacers are going the other way. Off a 17-point loss on Wednesday, they are now 1-4 their last 5 games. Milwaukee's Brook Lopez said: "We know the team that we are. We've known the team that we are all season long, we just had to prove it by winning games. It's gotten better and better. Obviously, the last few, we're happy with winning, they were close ones but we put in a lot of work, we're doing great." Compare that to Indiana's Rick Carlisle: "We're not playing well. That's obvious. Our connectedness is not where it needs to be. Our collective spirit is not where it needs to be." The Bucks still aren't happy with their record and won't be complacent. Lay the points.

At 8:00pm ET, my CBB Slam Dunk Club is on Kansas State. George Washington has amassed a 4-0 record by playing 4 creampuffs. The Revolutionaries, formerly known as the Colonials, were favored by at least 13.5 points in every game. Now they are fairly big underdogs which shows what a jump in class they are taking. GW was a 15-17 team last season (also against a soft non-conf schedule - they were 4-14 in conf play) and brought back only 2 starters. Built to compete in the Big 12, the Wildcats are solid from top to bottom. They tip off their Paradise Jam Tournament with a big first round win. Lay the points.

At 7:40pm ET, my Slam Dunk selection is on Minnesota. The Timberwolves are a much stronger team than Toronto. They are hopeful of contending for the title and the Raptors are hopeful of contending for a lottery pick. Even if they were healthy, the Raptors would be severely outgunned by Minnesota. They are far from having good health though. They managed a win last game but that was their only victory in weeks. The Wolves have won 2 straight. They rallied from a 16 point deficit last game and will ride the momentum all way to Canada. Minnesota's last 2 wins in the series came by 11 and 48 points. Tonight's margin of victory should fall in between those numbers. Lay the points.

At 7:00pm ET, my CBB Ground and Pound selection is on Clemson. Off a loss to Boise, the Tigers will show their teeth tonight. When these teams met last December, the Tigers were favored by 15.5 points. The won by 35 points! It was 49-23 by halftime and 93-58 by the end of the game. The gap between the teams is perhaps even larger this season. The Tigers are an experienced team with three older returning starters complemented by the addition of three veteran transfer players. Radford didn't bring back a single returning starter. The Highlanders have only played one good team (Pittsburgh) and they lost by 40. This will be another blowout. Lay the points.

At 10:00pm ET, my CBB Ground and Pound selection is on Santa Clara. The Leavey Center will be rocking as Santa Clara returns home ready for ande in need of a big win. The Broncos are 2-1 all-time against the Highlanders, the home team winning all 3 games. Both Santa Clara wins came at Leavey Center. The Highlanders have a respectable team this season but not quite on the level of Santa Clara. The Broncos have had a challenging opening schedule. They just got blown out at Nevada which was their 3rd straight loss. Before that they were beaten by North Dakota State and Arizona State. They beat St. Louis. With games versus Stanford and TCU coming up after this, the Broncos really need to make sure they win tonight's game. Though they have had a difficult time lately, this is a Santa Clara team projected to finish near the top of the West Coast Conference. They didn't lose a single player to the transfer window, something very uncommon these days. They had 20 wins last season and this year's team is more talented. . Facing their first instate foe, the Broncos will remind everyone of that with a big win and cover on Tuesday night.

At 8:10 ET, my Slam Dunk selection is on Denver. The Nuggets have been without Jokic the past couple of games as he's out for personal reasons. He's questionable for tonight. Even if Jokic cannot go again, the Nuggets are going to play their best tonight. The Grizzlies just beat them badly a couple of days ago and coach Mike Malone will make sure his team gives a much better effort. Malone said: "We were able to cut that 24-point lead to 11 when we became more aggressive, when we became more physical, and that allowed us to kind of get back in the game. We need to not wait until the fourth quarter and a 24-point deficit to do that. That's got to be our M.O. from the beginning of the game." The Grizzlies have injury issues of their own. The Nuggets started the season with 2 straight losses and then won on the road in their next game. Off 2 straight losses, they will upset the Grizzlies in their own building tonight. Grab the points.

At 9:30pm ET, my CBB Ground and Pound selection is on Washington State. The Cougars will be too much for the Panthers tonight. The Cougars are an entirely different team from the one which won 25 games last season. New players, new conference and a new coach. The new coach David Riley brought his own staff and players with him. You may remember him as the 2-time Big Sky Coach of the Year for Eastern Washington. Riley's teams dominated lesser opponents and were 4-0 SU and 3-1 versus the spread in 4 games against Northern Colorado the past 2 seasons. His new team will pick up where his old one left off. Lay the points.

AT 9:10pm ET, my NBA Game Of The Week is on the LA Clippers. The Clippers have had some hard road games lately. Getting home to face Utah is just what they need. The Clippers have won their last 3 games here. They had yesterday off. The Jazz are off a difficult game at Sacramento last night. That's going to take a lot out of them tonight. Unequipped to effectively handle a back-to-back situation, they lost by 17 when playing 2 games in 2 days earlier. The Clippers have taken 2 of the past 3 meetings and both wins came by 14 or more. This will be another blowout. Lay the points.

At 7:00pm ET, my November CBB Game Of The Month is on Creighton. Things will get easier for the Roos after this game. For now, they're forced to take a 2nd straight beating at the hands of a superior opponent. Off a 26-point road loss at Iowa State, they face an equally dangerous Creighton team. Tuesday's game against the Calvary Warriors can't here fast enough! The Bluejays have been getting better each time out. They won their first game by 13 points. They doubled that margin with a 26-point victory in their 2nd game. In their 3rd game, the Bluejays won by 35. It's been awhile since these teams faced each. The last time was 2018. Creighton was favored by 18.5 and won by 36. I've got the Bluejays winning by 25+ once again.! Lay the points.

At 3:30pm ET, my Slam Dunk Club selection is on Tennessee Tech. VMI's perfect start to the season will come to an end at Colonial Hall this afternoon. The Golden Eagles are more talented than they were last season and this is a great opportunity to prove that to themselves. They're 2-1 and the only loss was by 5 points at Georgia when they were 24 point underdogs. VMI was a 4-28 team last season and the Keydets didn't bring back a single returning starter. They've still got a long way to go and that will be evident against a solid Tennessee Tech team. Lay the points with the more experienced Golden Eagles.

At 7:30pm ET, my CBB Cake-Walk is on Wichita State. The Panthers are always solid but the Shockers are going to be too much for them today. Improved from last year, the Shockers are playing with purpose and hunger. They handled WKU on the road by 7 and then blew out Montana State by 20 at home. Off a 20-point loss to UC Irvine, the Panthers aren't yet ready for primetime.

At 8:00pm ET, my CBB Cake-Walk is on Seton Hall. Snubbed by the selection committee, the Pirates narrowly missed out on the NCAA Tournament last season. Having gone 13-7 in the highly competitive Big East, they certainly had a case for making it. The Pirates are anxious to make things right and get to the tournament this year. They learned the importance attached to every single game. Off a loss to Fordham, a team St. John's (another Big East team snubbed by the committee last year) already beat 92-60, the Pirates will be fired up to get back in the win column. With only 1 returning starter, Hofstra lost a lot from last year. This is nearly an entirely new team. The Pride will take some time to get going and won't yet be ready to take on an angry Big East foe. Lay the the points.

At 10:00pm ET, my Cake-Walk is on St. Mary's. The Gaels won 26 games last year. They are going to be very good again, one of the best in the WCC. They have won their first 2 games this season but narrowly missed out on the cover in each of them. Tonight, they will reward their backers by winning by enough to also ensure the cover. Akron lost its only game. The Zips lost 4 of their 5 starters (and 8 scholarship players) from last year including the MAC Player Of The Year, a 2nd Rd NBA pick. This early in the season, they will not be ready for a late game at University Credit Union Pavilion, some 2500 miles from home. The Gaels flex their muscles with their biggest win of the season to date. Lay the points.

At 8:10 ET, my NBA Eastern Conference Game Of The Month is on Milwaukee. Both teams are really struggling. The Raptors don't really care. The Bucks absolutely want to get things turned around. Check out the difference in what the 2 coaches are saying. Milwaukee's Doc Rivers: "We gotta get out of this hole that we created. We created it. All of us, me, them, together. I have no doubt that we will. We have to play ourselves out of this hole." Compare that to Toronto's Darko Rajakovic: "It's hard to make any conclusions after 10-11 games. We still have guys dealing with injuries. We are really investing in developing the young players that we have." The Bucks are a much better team and you can tell by the coach's comments that they want this game a lot more. The Bucks have been playing some good teams. They will take this opportunity of facing a bad team and make the most of it. Lay the points.

At 7:00pm ET, my CBB Cakewalk is on Butler. The Bulldogs were upset by Austin Peay last game. That doesn't sit well with coach Thad Matta. He will demand more and his Bulldogs will rid the bad taste in their mouths by beating up on the Broncos today. Matta: "We've got to get better at taking a punch and fighting back." Though the result against the Governors wasn't what they wanted, the Broncos are getting balanced scoring with 4 players in double-figures. Western Michigan hasn't had a winning season since 2017-18. With 1 returning starter, the Broncos are going to be one of the weaker teams in the MAC. They're walking into a bad situation. The Bulldogs will show their teeth in this one. Lay the points.

At 9:40pm ET, my NBA Non-Conf. Game Of the Month is on the LA Lakers. The Raptors fought really hard here last night against the Clippers. They ended up losing 105-103. That difficult defeat will set them up to get blown out by the Lakers tonight. They are missing important players and their absences will be noticed more than ever. LA had yesterday off. The Lakers are off a double-figure win over Philadelphia. Including a 6-point win at Toronto to start this month, they have beaten the Raptors 4x in a row. The Raptors are going to be gassed and the Lakers 5th straight win in the series won't even be close. Lay the points.

At 7:40pm ET, my NBA Game Of the Month is on the Dallas Mavericks. Off 6 straight wins, the Suns are hot. That streak started with a win over the Mavericks. A slightly deeper dive into the Suns hot streak reveals that 5 of those 6 games, including the one against Dallas, were at home. Their only road game in the winning streak was at LA, versus the Clippers. That lone road game was a favorable setup for the Suns, as they had the previous 2 nights off and they were catching the Clippers playing the second game of a back-to-back. The Suns have also been barely beating teams on their win streak. The last 5 wins all came by 6 or less. The Mavericks may have been a little inconsistent but they are off a big win, their 4th in 6 games, and they are one of the best teams in the NBA. Unlike the Clippers, the last team Phoenix faced on the road, the Mavericks are rested. The Mavericks play with revenge. They won by 10 the last time they hosted the Suns and they will put an end to their winning streak tonight. Play on Dallas.

At 7:00pm ET, my CBB Cakewalk is on Kansas. This classic matchup will go the way of the favorite. North Carolina is really good but Kansas is even better! Bill Self has a 299-17 record at Allen Fieldhouse. Off a 30-point win in their opener, Self said this of his Jayhawks: "I thought we looked fast. We looked athletic. We pitched (the ball) ahead, and we ran a transition better than what we had been," Self said. "And I thought defensively, we really pressured them and did some good things." UNC failed to cover its first game. The Tar Heels even briefly trailed Elon with less than 7 minutes to go. The losses of Armando Bacot and Harrison Ingram will be felt for some time. They might fare better if these teams meet in March but the Tar Heels aren't yet ready for what they'll have to contend with tonight. Lay the points.

At 8:10pm ET, my Super Slam Dunk is on Milwaukee. The Bucks will take this opportunity to get right against one of the worst teams in the league. Giannis is questionable but the Bucks have had some time off and he should be fine. Milwaukee continues to miss Middleton. Utah has its own injury problems and lacks the depth to deal with them. With an 0-2 home record, the Bucks are going to be 100% serious about getting that first win at the Fiserv Forum. Milwaukee plays on the road against New York after this and then has to face Boston. This is a game they can't afford to take for granted. Utah's last 3 losses came by 26, 18 and 17 points. Bucks will win big.

At 6:30pm Et, my Cake-Walk selection is on Robert Morris. This is too many points for a bad team like Delaware to be laying. The Blue Hens were favored for their first game and they lost outright by 12! The Colonials played at West Virginia in their first game. So, this will seem like a much easier place to play and a far less intimidating opponent. The last 2 meetings were each very close, both decided by 4 or less. Delaware won 73-69 at Robert Morris last December. The Colonials are more athletic this season and should be an improved team. This will be another very competitive game. Grab the points.

At 9:10pm ET, my NBA Northwest Div. Game Of the Week is on the Denver Nuggets. With an undefeated record, OKC is off to a great start. The Thunder thrashed the Nuggets 102-87 a couple of weeks back. The Nuggets hadn't really gotten their game going yet as that was their first game of the season. They lost their next one to the Clippers. Since then, Denver is playing much better. The Nuggets haven't been blowing teams away but they have been winning. They're 4-1 since that loss to the Clippers and the only loss was by 3 points, on the road, against a good Minnesota team. The Thunder caught the Nuggets flat-footed the first time but since then they've been rather fortunate with their schedule. As a matter of fact, with the exception of Denver, none of OKC's other opponents currently have a winning record. They're all either 3-5 or 3-4. They'll find a much better Denver team waiting for them and will suffer their first loss on Wednesday.

AT 9:00pm ET, my NBA Non-Conference Game Of the Week is on Minnesota. The Timberwolves are going to be too difficult a matchup for Charlotte tonight. One of the top teams in the Western Conference, the Timberwolves will be in a bad mood from having lost to San Antonio. With the possible exception of Gobert, the Timberwolves are mostly healthy. Though this will be their 3rd game in 4 days, they didn't play Sunday and they will have Tuesday and Wednesday off. There will be no looking past the Hornets. Charlotte, which also plays its 3rd game in 4 days, is dealing with some injuries. The Hornets will have a chance for a win Wednesday, when they host Detroit but tonight will result in a 3rd straight double-digit defeat. Lay the points.

At 4:00pm ET, my Game Of The Week is on Stanford. The Cardinal were 10-6 at home last season and they will start this season and the Kyle Smith era with a big win for the home fans at Maples Pavilion. The Cardinal brought back last year's leading scorer Maxime Raynaud. The 7-foot-1 center averaged 15.5 points at 9.6 rebounds per game last season. Denver has been getting better the past few years but is still not capable of competing with a team like Stanford. The Cardinal are 7-0 SU in 7 all-time head-to-head meetings. Also, the Pioneers lost their top three scorers, including Tommy Bruner who averaged 24 points, from last season and are going to take some time to find their way. Coach Smith stated: "We need winning seasons here." Raynaud won't be3 stopped and this will be a great spot to start. Lay the points.

At 7:40pm ET, my NBA selection is on the Dallas Mavericks. The Magic aren't the same team without All-Star forward Paolo Banchero. He averages 29 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists. They lost by 11 their first game without Banchero and they will struggle again tonight. Coach Mosley: "It sucks. there's no other way to put it. It sucks for him considering the way in which he started this year, the way in which he was playing, and carrying us in so many ways." The Mavericks have won 8 of the past 10 meetings. Off their first home loss of the season, they will respond with a big win and cover over the short-handed Magic tonight. Lay the points.

At 10:40pm ET, my Slam Dunk Club play is on the LA Clippers. The Thunder have a 5-0 record, the only remaining undefeated team in the Western Conference. This is not an easy scheduling situation for them though as they will be playing their 2nd road game in 2 nights. The Clippers have gotten into the habit of playing close games. All 5 of their games were decided by 8 point or less. Their 3 losses came by a combined 10 points, an average of just over 3 per game. They were right in all of those and could have won any/each of them. They are rested and playing on their home floor. The Clippers are 9-1 their last 10 as a host of the Thunder and the only loss came by only 1. Grab the points.

At 9:40pm ET, my NBA Northwest Div. Game Of The Year is on Minnesota. This is a playoff rematch. In a back and forth series, the Timberwolves rallied from a 20-point deficit to win Game 7 98-90. The Nuggets may want some payback for that but the Wolves are going to want it every bit as much. They just lost to Dallas, also a playoff rematch, and can't afford to drop 2 straight at home. Even though they lost to the Mavericks, Minnesota has been better than Denver this season, the way that I see it. The Nuggets got crushed by OKC when they faced them to start the season. They then lost a home game against the short-handed Clippers. They have since responded to win consecutive games. But those wins were both against rebuilding teams from the Eastern Conference and the Nuggets needed to go to Overtime in both. The Wolves handled one of those teams, Toronto, with relative ease and have a road win against a good Sacramento team. The Nuggets get another couple of easier games after this but they will struggle against a really good Minnesota team tonight. Lay the points.

At 7:10pm ET, my Revenge Game Of The Month is on Atlanta. The Hawks are already dealing with injuries to some players. Such has been life in Atlanta. They've still got enough to beat the Wizards though. Washington is rebuilding this season but the Wizards just beat the Hawks, at Atlanta. Out for revenge, this is a game that the Hawks need. Trae Young only made 2 of 15 field goals and shot 2 of 10 from 3-point range in Monday's game. The Hawks still only lost by 2. You know that Young will be much better tonight. Jalen Johnson was super on Monday for Atlanta and he can build off his big game. The Hawks can overcome the absence of players like Bogdanovic and Hunter but the Wizards will have more trouble playing without Kuzma. They wouldn't have won Monday's game without him and they won't have him tonight. Atlanta gets its revenge. Lay the points.

At 7:10 ET, my NBA Non-Conf. GOM is on Atlanta. This is too many points for the Thunder to be laying in this spot. OKC played yesterday and Atlanta comes in fresh. The Hawks might not have covered but they've won each of their first 2 games. Over the last 2 seasons, these teams have faced each other 4 times. All 4 of those games were decided by single-digits, each team winning twice. The Hawks have taken 5 of the last 7 meetings. With OKC playing 2 games in 2 days, this will be another tightly contested fight. Grab the points.

At 7:40pm ET, my Slam Dunk Club is on the New York Knicks. Forget what you saw on opening night, the Knicks are going to be really good this year. That opening night embarrassment against the Celtics will light a fire under them for Friday's game. The Pacers had a much easier opening game and were a bit fortunate to come away with the cover. Of course, this is also a playoff rematch which saw Indiana take down the Knicks in 7 games. New York was injured for that Game 7 and Indiana played a great game. That's still fresh in the memories of the Knicks and their fans and they will get some payback on Friday night, at MSG. Lay the points.

At 7:40pm ET, my Eastern Conf. GOW is on Atlanta. The Nets may have fleeced the Knicks by trading Mikal Bridges for five first-round picks (time will tell) but its not going to make them any better right now. Bridges had 38 points in the last meeting between the Nets and Hawks and he had 32 points the last game at Atlanta. That can't be replaced. They are a very young team. They lack talent and are going to have a really bad record this season. Even last year, they were 12-29 on the road and this team isn't as good. The Hawks are going to be better in Quin Snyder's second season and they know it needs to start with a big win over the Nets tonight. Lay the points.

The Celtics won the 2 games here at Boston by an average of 12.5 points. They have beaten Dallas 4x in a row here. All 4 victories came by 7 or more and they came by an average of more than 16. The Celtics responded to each previous playoff loss with a blowout victory in their next game. They are 16-4 the last 20 times that they were off a loss and the wins have come by an average of 12.7 points. This will be another big victory. Play on Boston.

At 8:00 ET, my NBA Playoff GOY is on the Dallas Mavericks. The Celtics made it look easy in Game 1. They led the entire way and won by a wide margin. Things will be a lot more difficult in Game 2. We've already seen Boston lose Game 2 against Miami and Cleveland. In both cases, the Celtics won big in Game 1.

The Mavericks are still 34-17 versus the spread on the road. They are 15-8 ATS off a loss by 10 or more, 32-19 ATS in that situation the past 3 years. They are also 9-4 ATS after scoring 100 or less, 33-17 ATS their last 50 tries in that situation. The Celtics are only 3-6 versus the spread when leading in a playoff series. This game will be close! Play on Dallas.

At 8:35pm ET, my Western Conf. Finals Game Of The Year is on Dallas. The Mavericks don't want to drag this thing out. The Celtics are already waiting for them and the longer this series goes, the harder the Finals are likely to become. Games have been very close in this series. Getting this many points in a game where Dallas has an excellent chance of winning outright is offering us great line value!

The Mavericks have only lost 2 games over the last 3 weeks and both losses came by 5 or less. They are 14-3 versus the spread their last 17 tries, when off an upset loss. Doncic and Irving both took the blame for the Mavericks' loss in Game 4. It was the first time that both of them shot less than 35% in the playoffs and they still lost by only 5. Both superstars are determined to improve tonight. Irving is still 14-1 in close out games. Play on Dallas.

At 8:00pm ET, my Conference Finals Game Of The Year is on the Boston Celtics. The Pacers have really given it their all. They nearly won Game 1, only to get blown out in Game 2. They also nearly won Game 3. It was a rather heroic effort, as the Pacers were playing without Haliburton. They shot amazingly well and had a large lead. Just like Game 1, it was not meant to be. Boston stormed back and handed them a very disappointing loss. The series is now 0-3. In other words, it's over. There's no coming back from a 3-0 deficit. Not in this series.

To a certain degree, the pressure is off the Pacers. They may shoot the ball well again. It's going to be hard to match the intensity of the Celtics for a full 4 quarters though. Boston doesn't want to extend this series. The Celtics are experienced and know that the time to go for the throat and finish this series is right now. Just like the Game 1 loss was difficult to bounce back from for the Pacers, the bitter Game 3 result will be the same. The Celtics are 31-12 (straight up) as away favorties and they've won those games by an average of 9 points. They will win by at least that many today! Play on Boston.

At 8:30pm ET, my Top Of The Ticket selection is on the Dallas Mavericks. The Timberwolves are playing great. You've got to give them credit. Actually, everyone is. They're the talk of the town. Dallas isn't getting nearly as much recognition. Yet, the Mavericks are also playing extremely well. Minnesota beating Denver was impressive but so was Dallas defeating OKC. That will all change with a win tonight, but it is my opinion that the Mavericks are flying under the radar a little bit at the moment.

Anderson may be the player of the moment but the dynamic due of Doncic and Irving is not to be taken lightly. Doncic will benefit from the extended break and come in refreshed. The always ultra-talented Irving is playing unselfish basketball and has bought into playing defense. The Mavericks are 31-16 versus the spread on the road. The Wolves are 3-7 versus the spread after allowing 90 points or less. Play on Dallas.

At 8:00 pm ET, my NBA Showtime play is on the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers have treated me well. They're going to be exhausted from their 7-game war against the Knicks though and the Celtics are going to show them no mercy. With the Game 7 win, Indiana is still 22-25 on the road. Did you know that the Pacers are also a horrible 18-31-1 (36.7%) their last 50 tries against the spread, when they were off an ATS victory?

Indiana will be dealing with fatigue but the Celtics are going to be refreshed and ready to go. Boston is 4-1 versus the spread when playing with 3 or more days rest. The Celtics four home playoff wins have come by 20, 34, 25 and 15 points. This will be another double-figure destruction. Play on Boston.

The Knicks have a 3-2 lead. I've successfully played on both teams in the series and I had the Knicks on Tuesday. The Pacers are a different beast on their home floor and they will make sure they get a chance to play a Game 7.

The Pacers are 3-0 straight up and versus the spread after scoring 100 or less. The Pacers are also 14-5 straight up and versus the spread after a loss of 10 or more points. Homecourt has been the difference in the series. The Pacers won by 32 last game here. They won't let their fans see them eliminated tonight. Lay the points!

This hasn't been a typical series. Minnesota won the first 2 games at Denver. Easy wins, both of them. Then, the Nuggets won the next 2 at Minnesota. The defending champions made it 3 straight with a win in Game 5, at Denver. The Timberwolves can't be too pleased. They were up 2-0 and heading home. Now, they're down 3-2. Tonight, they will regroup and force a Game 7.

The Nuggets are only 8-16 versus the spread their last 24 tries, after winning 3 straight games. They are also 1-3 ATS the past 4 times that they were leading in a series. The Timberwolves are 13-7 versus the spread their last 20 tries, after 3 or more consecutive losses. They are also 10-1 straight up their past 11 tries, after a loss of 10 or more points. Bring on Game 7!

Unlike tonight's Western Conference series in Denver, homecourt has meant everything in the Pacers/Knicks series. The Pacers are off consecutive victories at Indiana. Before those games, the Knicks had won back-to-back games on their home floor. The series is shifting back to New York for this one and that will swing advantage back in favor of the Knicks.

New York is 31-15 at home. Indiana is 22-25 on the road. Did you know that the Pacers are also a horrible 17-30-1 (36.2%) against the spread when they were off an ATS victory? The Knicks are 23-12 (65.7%) ATS off a SU loss. Lay the small number!

These games have going the way of the home team. That trend will continue this afternoon. The line is lower than it was for Game 3. In that game, the Pacers were being asked to lay -7 points. Now, they have the confidence to know that they can win and they are also laying a smaller number.

The Pacers outscore teams by an average of 124.9 to 115.7 when they are home favorites. Haliburton is worse for wear but so is Brunson. Also, the Knicks are still without Anunoby, Randle, Robinson and Bogdanovic. Pacers pull away and win this one big!

I'm going to lay the short number with the Mavericks this afternoon. The Thunder made it look easy in Round 1 and then again in Game 1 of this series. They got a reality check in Game 2 though and now they're in unfamiliar territory. They haven't been tied in a playoff series in years. Dallas is 5-1 versus the spread in that situation the last few years, 2-0 already in these playoffs.

The Thunder are 6-9 versus the spread off an upset loss. The last time that they played here they lost by 35 points. The Mavericks will seize control of the series, at least for now. Let's go Dallas!

After last night's win by the Knicks, most are fully anticipating a Boston vs. New York Eastern Conference Final. That may well come to pass. But there's still a long way to go. Indiana was right there in both its games and could have won either of them. Cleveland was not as the Cavaliers got blown out in Game 1. Thats still only 1 game though and the Cavaliers were off a hard 7-game series versus the Magic against a rested Boston team. Now the teams play with the same amount of rest.

Boston slipped up in the second game of its first round series against Miami. It can happen again. This Cleveland team is better than many still realize. Maybe not good enough to win this series but absolutely good enough to give Boston a real battle tonight.

Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "Facing a team like Boston, I think it's good to be able to play them and see them, and then play them again because you're not used to the speed, the spacing, the shooting -- all those things -- until you get up against them. Especially coming from the series that we just came from (against Orlando) that was more of a half-court slugfest. ... We'll learn from it and we'll be better on Thursday."

Donovan Mitchell said: "They came out here and did what they were supposed to do. Now we have to find a way to steal Game 2." Grab the points!

Anthony Edwards is a very impressive player. He was the best player on the floor in Game 1. Jokic, the best player in the world, is going to have something to say about that in Game 2. The Nuggets are 6-2 versus the spread their last 8 tries, revenging a home loss.

This is unusual territory for the world champions as they are used to getting a lead in each series. The Nuggets haven't lost 2 in a row since March. They are 4-0 straight up the past 4 tries, off a loss. The average margin of victory in those games was 19.5 points. They'll respond with a double-figure blowout!

Give me all those points with the Los Angeles Clippers! Down 3-2 in the series, the Clippers are in a must win situation. When previously trailing in the series, they responded with an outright 116-111 road win in Game 4. Though its perhaps not quite as close as the NY/Philly series, most of these games have also been extremely close. Including that 5-point win by the Clippers in Game 4, we've see 3 of the 5 games in this series decided by 5 points or less.

Bear in mind that LA is 27-16 on the road and that Dallas is 26-17 at home. The Mavericks only outscore teams by an average of 3.6 points here. The Clippers have come back from down 3-2 to the Mavericks before and still believe that they can do it again. Harden will be better than he was in Game 5 and they will keep this one close the whole way. An outright upset is entirely possible. Grab the points!

The Bucks prolonged the inevitable in Game 5 but this series ends tonight. Milwaukee hasn't been quite right all season. The mid-season coaching change didn't exactly fix things. No matter who suits up tonight, the Bucks are far from healthy. The Pacers have been strong all season. They are ready to take the next step.

The Bucks are 5-11 versus the spread the last 16 times that they were off an upset win as an underdogs. The Pacers are 13-5 versus the spread off an upset loss as a favorite. The Pacers are also 26-13 ATS versus teams which 116+ points/game.

Haliburton said: "We've just got to understand that they're a team that's on the brink of their season being done ... we've just got to be better top to bottom." Knowing that they want nothing to do with a Game 7, the Pacers will be better from top to bottom and they will blow the Bucks out of the building!

I backed Miami in Game 1 and Boston in Game 2. In Game 3, I played the total. Tonight, I'm back on the underdog Heat. The Celtics are only 7-10 versus the spread their last 17 tries after allowing 100 points or less.

The Heat are 10-3-1 versus the spread revenging a home loss vs opponent. The Heat are also 4-1 ATS their last 5 when trailing in a playoff series. The Heat have a lot of heart and have won 10 of 16 games outright, off a loss of 10 or more. Nobody else believes in them but the Heat still believe that they can win this series. will fight until the bitter end and have a real shot at the outright upset. Grab the points!

It was a gutsy performance by Embiid and the 76ers to get back in the series with a big win last game. Doing it again will be much harder. Embiid still is far from healthy. The Knicks are 10-6 versus the spread after a loss of 10 points or more, 12 of those were outright victories.

On the season, the Knicks were 22-10 straight up and 21-11 versus the spread, when off a loss. This NY team rarely plays consecutive bad games. You saw what happened in the 2nd game at MSG. It was a wild final 30 seconds of a game decided on the final play. This 2nd game at Philadelphia may also be decided at the buzzer. Grab the points!

The Timberwolves are up 2-0 and that doesn't surprise me. They had a great season and are better than a lot of people still realize. Winning on the road against a desperate and loaded Phoenix team is going to be a lot harder! Minnesota isn't as good defensively on the road. Winning at Phoenix is never easy for them.

The Suns are 6-0 both straight up and versus the spread the past 6 meetings here. All 6 of those victories came by 7 or more points. The Suns are also 5-2 straight up and versus the spread after scoring 100 or fewer points. They will not be held back again. Suns win big!

In game 1, I mentioned that the Celtics played well with 3 or more days rest. Both teams are equal in the rest department for Game 2 though. Miami has thrived when playing with 2 days rest in between games. The Heat outscore teams 114.4-107.8 when playing with 2 days off, winning 9 of 12 games outright.

The Heat are now 7-4 versus the spread their last 11 first round playoff games. They are 3-1 ATS when trailing in a playoff series. The Celtics are 7-9-2 ATS after allowing 100 points or less and 5-8 ATS after playing 3 consecutive home games. Grab the big points with the visitors!

Home teams were 4-0 both straight up and versus the spread yesterday. All 4 wins were by double-figures and this will be another blowout win for the home team. This isn't a fair fight. The Heat are a well-coached, playoff-tested team. The problem is that they're missing their heart and soul in Jimmy Butler (and others) and they're up against a superior opponent.

The Celtics outscore teams by more than 15 points per game here. They are 7-3 ATS and 8-2 straight up their last 10 tries in the first round of the playoffs. They are also 10-6-1 ATS their last 17 tries, when playing with 3 or more days rest. They won the regular season meeting by 18 here and this will be another blowout. Lay the points!

The Suns soundly beat the Timberwolves to close out the regular season. When it really matters, on April 20th, we will see a much different result. The Suns are 9-17 versus the spread after a win by 10 points or more.

The Timberwolves are a perfect 10-0 their last 10 tries, both straight up and against the spread, when playing with revenge from a home loss. Minnesota is also 9-4 ATS And 11-3 SU after an upset loss. Minnesota allows the fewest points in the entire NBA. The Wolves were 30-11 at home and only allowed 103.7 points a game here. Lay the small number!

They may have ended the year on a down note but the Hawks have a very dangerous team. They're still not completely healthy but they've got Trae Young back. The Bulls are only 9-14 versus the spread as home favorites. They lost 12 of those 23 games outright. One of those 12 outright losses came against Atlanta on the first day of this month.

I feel a lot better," Young said. "I'm just trying to make sure I can play at least close to my minutes that I played in the regular season in the play-in game." With Young complemented by players like Murray and Bogdanovic, the Hawks have the weapons. The Bulls are missing a number of players themselves. They will struggle against an Atlanta team with more recent postseason experience.

The Kings have long been in the shadow of the Warriors but they will have a great chance to step out from them on Tuesday night. Golden State knocked them out of the playoffs last season, Curry getting 50 in Game 7. Now it's Sacramento's turn.

The Kings aren't the same team that lost to the Warriors last year. They are older and wiser and they have had a taste of the playoffs. Last year, was their first time there in 16 years. They are also better defensively than last year's team.

Kings guard Davion Mitchell said: "It’s exciting. We get to get a little payback for last year ... We’re playing a home game and it’s going to be loud. It’s going to be physical, but I think we’re ready for it. I think the whole year, we’ve prepared ourselves for it, playing physical on both ends of the floor, and I think we’ll be ready." Last 3 meetings were all decided by 1. Kings will win outright. Grab the points.

This is the biggest game of the season for Orlando. The Magic have their sights set on a top 6 position which would mean avoiding the play-in round. A win over the Bucks gets them there.

"We control our destiny in this situation," said Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley, "so the way in which we have to play, the focus we have to have, and the attention to detail in how we start games and how we finish games is going to be very important."

"We just need one win and we're good," Magic forward Franz Wagner said. "One more game and we have to focus on that one and get a win."

The Bucks are still without Giannis Antetokounmpo and have lost 7 of their last 10 games. A win gets them the #2 seed but they don't seem overly concerned about it.

"You're going to play somebody good in the playoffs no matter what. There is no easy path. We learned that in the past before -- winning it and also losing it.

The Magic are 25-11 versus the spread, when favored. They've had a great season and they will finish it strong. Lay the points!

This is a lot of points to be giving a desperate home underdog. The Kings are playing with 0 days rest but the last time that they did that, they lost by only 1 point at Boston. This is a Sacramento team which badly needs to get on track before its too late. They will fight with everything they've got. The Suns are 8-9 in division games, the Kings are 10-6.

The Kings are 9-4 versus the spread after allowing 130 points or more. The Suns are 9-16-1 versus the spread off a win by 10 points or more. The Suns are also 8-20 ATS versus good offensive teams - scoring 116+ points/game. The Kings are 17-10 ATS as underdogs. Grab the points! **Pacific Div. GOM**

The Houston Rockets can't afford any losses. The Rockets are four games behind the Warriors with only five remaining in the regular season. That obviously doesn't give them much of a chance. They have fought all year though and they are going to continue to battle until the bitter end.

Rockets coach Ime Udoka: "Just finishing on the right step, on the right foot and playing the right way."

Dallas isn't entirely healthy and wants to make sure it it for the playoffs. Doncic missed the Mavericks last game and is questionable. So is Kleber. Those guys would play if this was a playoff game but they may not for this one. Rookie sensation Lively is out. Green remains out.

The Rockets are 7-3 versus the spread after 3 or more consecutive losses. Grab the points! **Southwest GOY**

The 76ers were minus their big guns last month at Memphis. Embiid was out but Maxey was also absent. The Grizzlies might argue that they have been dealing with missing players all season. They've done well, all things considered. But they do remain extremely short-handed and now the 76ers are healthier. Memphis will have no answer for a Philly team hell-bent on revenge and now being led by their stars.

The 76ers are 56-40-1 versus the spread their last 97 tries in the revenge role. They are 28-19 ATS when laying points this season. The Grizzlies are only 4-8 versus the spread when playing 2 games in 2 days. Their tired legs won't be ready for what the 76ers will throw at them. Lay the points!

The Rockets have many factors in their favor tonight. They are playing with Double-Revenge with the Warriors having won both of this season's previous meetings. Golden State has been strong on the road this season but the Rockets are even better at home. The Warriors need wins but the Rockets need them even more!

The Warriors play at Dallas tomorrow night. Its a really big game and a rematch from Tuesday. If there is a game to look ahead to, its a game against Luca Doncic and the Mavericks! The Rockets have been underestimated all year. They are 13-7 versus the spread as home underdogs and they won 11 of those game outright. They are 12-3 ATS against Pacific Division teams and they will have their revenge on Thursday night!

Indiana State has a far superior record and is the better team here. Inside or outside their conference, the Sycamores have handled their business. The Sycamores were 19-4 against Missouri Valley Conference opponents and 12-2 in non-conference play. Utah was only 10-12 within its conference. The Pac-12 has some good teams but so does the Missouri Valley. The level of competition doesn't account for such a large discrepancy in records!

The Utes are 0-3 versus the spread their last 3 tries as a neutral court underdog of 3 points or less or pick. They were only 4-7 ATS as underdogs this season. They won only 5 of their 12 road games. The Sycamores are 20-11 ATS as favorites. They are 30-14 ATS their last 44 tries after scoring 80 or more. Lay the small number!

In case you haven't been paying attention, the Trail Blazers are terrible right now. They have lost 9 straight. The last loss came by 60 points! The Trail Blazers are 1-6 versus the spread against Southeast division opponents.

The Magic thrive as favorites. They are 24-7 versus the spread in the role of the favorite. As a home favorite of more than 12 points, they are 2-0 ATS. This Magic team makes short work of weaklings. They are 24-5-2 ATS against losing teams, 14-3 ATS their last 17. That level consistency comes from quality coaching. They don't let down. They beat Memphis by 30 last game and this will be another cakewalk!

Zach Edey is a different kind of player. He changes the game. You have to worry about him when you're on both offense and on defense. Worry too much about him on offense and he'll mess up your shot, if he hasn't blocked it. Worry too much about him on defense and he'll kick it out to Purdue's capable 3-point shooters. So far, that formula has worked for the Boilermakers. That was before they had to contend with the Tennessee Volunteers! Purdue hasn't faced a defense like this one in this tournament. Tennessee allowed 49 and 58 points its first 2 games!

Excellent on both sides of the ball, the Volunteers are peaking at exactly the right time. They got a taste of Purdue in the Maui Invitational. The Boilermakers pulled away late for a 4-point win. The experience of having faced Edey once will help Tennessee in Sunday's rematch. The Volunteers know what he's all about. They know they could have won that game. They know that they've improved since then. The Boilermakers average more than 80 points a game but the Volunteers are 7-1 their last 8 tries versus the spread against teams which average 77 or more per game. Grab the points!

Who needs Trae Young? The Atlanta Hawks are playing their best basketball of the season. They have won 4 in a row and 2 of those wins came against Boston! The Hawks are 20-17 at home and the Bucks are 17-20 on the road. The Bucks are off a loss and they are missing Lillard. And we still get points with Atlanta!

The Hawks are 10-5 versus the spread their last tries against a team with a winning record. The Bucks are 8-19 ATS when playing against a team with a losing record. The Bucks scored only 100 last game and Atlanta has scored 120 or more in 4 straight. The Bucks are 2-4 versus the spread after scoring 100 or less. Grab the points!

The Huskies have been impressive but this is the game they finally get tested and this is way too many points. The Illini have also impressed. The stats aren't that far enough. Not far enough to warrant such a big number. The Huskies did win a few more games and they do allow fewer points. The Illini played in a tougher conference though and they also score more points.

Its important to recognize that NONE of Illinois' 8 losses has been by more than 9 points. The Illini do not get blown out. They're 7-0 their last 7 games, 10-1 their last 11. The only loss was by 6 against Purdue. With a 6-1 ATS record, as an underdog, grab the points with Illinois!

Houston versus Duke. In the past, you'd expect the Blue Devils to be favored over the Cougars. Those days are over. The Cougars are the better team, as they were last year. Duke still carries the name and the tradition though and that has helped in preventing this line from being even higher. The Cougars are 12-7-1 against the spread in 20 tries with 3 or more days rest. The Cougars only allow 57.7 points a game. Their defense is for real.

The Cougars are 10-2 versus the spread their last 12 tries, a perfect 12-0 straight up, in a neutral court game where the total is 130 to 134.5. The Blue Devils are only 2-5 versus the spread their last 7 tries as an underdog. They found themselves in that role twice this season and went 0-2 ATS with losses against Wake Forest and UNC. This is the end of the road for the Blue Devils!

It's important to put the schedule to work for you. This is the 4th and final game of a 4-game homestand for the Heat. They play their next game at Washington and then they have 2 more difficult games at home, followed by 3 on the road. They are already 1-2 in the first 3 games. They are also 6-1-1 versus the spread in 8 tries, after playing their previous 3 games at home. If you add it all up, the Heat absolutely need to take advantage of this easier opponent. Its the largest pointspread which they've been asked to cover all season and there is a good reason for that.

The Trail Blazers, 1-5 versus the spread against Southeast Division teams, are really bad. They are 19-54 on the season. The Heat have had 2 days off and the Washington game isn't until Sunday. They won by 10 at Portland and this will be an even bigger "cakewalk!"

So, we've got 2 teams with essentially equal records (Norfolk State is 23-11 and IPFW is 23-12) and one of them is playing at home. But the other is favored. Hmmm. What's the deal? The biggest reason for this is that the Horizon League is considered to be (and is) stronger. That doesn't make the Mastodons better on the road than the Spartans are at home. Ipfw is a solid 12-7 on the road but Norfolk State is a perfect 14-0 at home!

If we go back to the beginning of the season, Norfolk State was projected to be near the top of the MEAC. IPFW was expected to be near the bottom of the Horizon. The Mastodons didn't return a single starter from last season. They should be commended for having the season which they've accomplished but it will end with a loss. The Spartans outscore teams by a 84.5 to 62.6 point margin at home. That cannot be ignored. Make it 15-0 after tonight!

If you pay attention to how teams fare in certain situations, you'll understand why this the case of the wrong team being favored. Both teams are off a victory last night. That works in favor of Dallas. The Mavericks are 8-3 versus the spread their last 11 tries, when playing with 0 days rest. The Kings are only 4-8 ATS when doing so.

The Kings played great defense last night. The problem is that they are only 2-9 ATS their last 11 tries, after allowing 105 points or less. The Mavericks are 29-18-1 ATS (30-18 straight up) when revenging a home loss, 12-5 ATS their last 17. The Kings won twice at Dallas but the Mavericks get them back tonight!

Seattle was 9-3 versus the spread in non-conference action. Having beaten Grand Canyon during the season, the Redbirds know that they can beat this Fairfield team. The Stags are 1-5 versus the spread their last 6 tournament games and the Redbirds are 5-1 versus the spread.

The Redbirds are the stronger team but they also have a scheduling advantage. They play 2 games in 2 days but the Stags are playing 3 games in 3 days. That extra Sunday game played by Fairfield, as opposed to Seattle playing on Saturday, will be a factor. Lay the points with the Redbirds!

This is as essentially as big a mismatch as it gets in the NBA. The Denver Nuggets are the defending champions. They need to keep winning and they dominate teams at home. The Memphis Grizzlies are playing for nothing. This is a team which is beleaguered by injuries.

The last time that these teams faced each other, the Nuggets won by 37 points. The Nuggets have won 41 of 50 meetings here and many of them have been blowouts. The last 5 Denver home wins over Memphis have all been by at least 13 points. With the Grizzlies only 4-7 versus the spread their last 11 tries with 2 days rest, this one will see the Nuggets win by at least 20! **WESTERN CONF GOM**

My CakeWalk selections are usually reserved for favorites which I expect to win with ease. They don't have to be though. When I am getting points with an underdog which I expect to win outright, as I am here, I can occasionally use that title. Here, we've got a Montana team which won 24 games. Arkansas State won 19. Both teams score roughly the same number of points but Montana allows a lot less.

Though the points aren't likely to come into play, both teams did see their last game decided by 2 or less. Montana won by 1 and Arkansas State won by 2. If this turns out to be another game decided on the final possession, I'd rather be getting points than laying in them. The Grizzlies are 10-3 straight up (9-4 versus the spread) their last 13 tries when playing with 1 days rest or less. They are 25-11 SU their last 36 tries. Let's go Grizzlies!

The San Diego State Aztecs are an experienced team which made a deep run in this tournament. They have the type of team suited to winning at this time of the year. The Yale Bulldogs were fortunate to win the Ivy League Finals. Then, they pulled off a first round upset over Auburn. That was a big win but they won't duplicate it tonight.

The Aztecs will dial up the defensive intensity and low-scoring games don't really suit Colorado. The Buffaloes are just 1-3 versus the spread their past 4 when the total was 120 to 129.5. San Diego State is a perfect 5-0 ATS its past five tries, as a neutral court favorite of 3.5 to 6 points. The Aztecs caught a break by getting Yale and they will take advantage of it!

The top teams in the Big East are right there among the best and it starts with UConn. The defending champions are taking no prisoners this year. They have scored over 90 points in 2 of their past 3 games. Northwestern won't be able to keep up!

Playing on a neutral court must feel like playing at home for the Huskies. They are 7-1 versus the spread (8-0 SU) their past 8 games on a neutral court. They are 20-6 ATS their last 26. They are now 7-1 ATS their last 8 NCAA Tournament games. Some team will test them but Northwestern won't be the one to do it. Lay the points!

In case you've haven't noticed, the Big 3 in the Big East are all special teams. The Huskies are the defending champs and didn't miss a beat this year. Arizona can compete with the top 3 in the Big East but the other Pac-12 teams cannot. We saw Creighton dismantle Pac-12 Tournament Champion Oregon last night.

Marquette is another special Big East team which has the potential to go a long way. The Buffaloes are 2-4 versus the spread as an underdog. The Golden Eagles are 17-9 versus the spread as a favorite. Lay the points!

A small line is offering excellent value with the Big 12 team. The Mountain West is a solid conference but the Big 12 is stacked. The Horned Frogs have wins over teams like Houston, Texas Tech, Baylor, K-State Cincinnati and Oklahoma. They were within a bucket of beating Kansas, and Iowa State. In fact, there were numerous very close losses. This team is better than its record!

The Horned Frogs are 21-9 versus the spread their last 30 tries, off a loss against a conference rival. The only time that they played with 7 or more days rest in between games resulted in an easy cover, a 77-42 blowout. The Frogs were 14-10 versus the spread as favorites, 3-1 ATS as road favorites. TCU is 7-1 straight up its last 8 against Mountain West teams. The Aggies are 1-5 ATS as underdogs and 0-3 ATS versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games. Lay the small number!

Too many points between two equal teams in a game which will be close. The Wildcats are 4-0 versus the spread their last 4 NCAA tournament games. The Owls are 3-7 versus the spread their last 10 tries as a neutral court favorite of 3.5 to 6 points.

The Wildcats are also 6-2 versus the spread their last 8 tries, off a loss against a conference rival. Northwestern has 8 losses since getting blown out on January 2nd. All 8 losses came by single digits. During that time they have beaten teams like Illinois and Michigan State. They know that they can beat this Florida Atlantic team. Grab the points.

Oakland will be outclassed. Kentucky has disappointed in recent tournaments and will be ready to run up the score. It doesn't matter that the coaches are friends. The Wildcats were 8-5 versus the spread against non-conference opponents and they outscored them by an average of 16 points a game.

The Wildcats are 12-2 versus the spread their last 14 tries as a neutral court favorite of 12.5 to 15 points. Oakland was great with no rest but not so good with lots of it. The Golden Grizzlies are 0-3 versus the spread the last 3 times that they played with 7 or more days rest and 2-6 ATS their last 8 tries in that situation. Lay the points!

We get a good one right out of the gate: SEC taking on the Big Ten. 8 versus 9. Tom Izzo is a legend but Chris Jans is also a winner. I give the edge to the Bulldogs on the floor.

Playing the game at Spectrum Center in Charlotte shouldn't bother the Bulldogs. Did you know that Mississippi State is 9-0 when playing on a neutral court? The only loss came versus Auburn and the Bulldogs were playing their 3rd game in 3 days. The Bulldogs did beat Auburn earlier. They also beat Tennessee twice this year. When facing a Big Ten opponent, they thumped Northwestern. The Spartans split with NW but were outscored by 10 points in the two games combined. Let's go Bulldogs!

Getting to play this game in Jadwin Gymnasium is a big advantage for Princeton. The Tigers were undefeated on their home floor this season. In going 12-0, they outscored visiting teams by an average of 16.8 points. UNLV had some big wins but came up short when it mattered. The Rebels are a long way from home and aren't going to be as motivated as the Tigers.

The Tigers score more points and they allow less. That's not all from the Ivy League schedule either. The Rebels are only 2-5 versus the spread in 7 tries in a road game where the total is 135 to 139.5. The Tigers are 6-3 ATS in nine tries, off a loss against a conference rival. Lay the small number!

Give me the points with Timberwolves! The situation is that the Nuggets are off a buzzer beater loss on Sunday and the Timberwolves are off a comeback win last night. Because of the lack of rest, the Nuggets are laying a hefty number as a road favorite. Too hefty!

If we look at Minnesota's 10 games with 0 days rest we find a 7-3 straight up record. Closer examination reveals that all 3 losses came on the road, the last 2 both by single-digits. The Timberwolves are 4-0 straight up when playing a home game after playing the previous day. Twice they've played a home game after playing an away game and they won those games by an average of 118-107. On the season, the Timberwolves have a better home record than Denver does a road record. Give the me points! *Northwest GOW

Not much separates these teams and I'm happy to grab the points being offered. Wagner was 9-7 versus the spread as an underdog. Howard was just 7-11 versus the spread as a favorite. The Seahawks don't score many points but they don't allow many either. Those type of teams give the Bison trouble.

Howard is 1-4 ATS their last 5 tries versus poor offensive teams - scoring

I wasn't surprised that the Hawks showed up for last night's game. I don't believe that they'll be able to do it two nights in row though. Atlanta is 4-7 versus the spread when playing with 0 days rest. When playing the 2nd of back-to-back road games, the Hawks are 0-2 both straight up and against the spread. They lost those 2 games by an average score of 120-111.

Overall, the Hawks are only 12-19 ATS as underdogs. They are really bad when they are off an upset victory. In that situation, they've gone 10-27 ATS their last 37 tries, 3-7 ATS this season. The Lakers lost at Atlanta in January but they smashed the Hawks by 16 the last meeting here. Another big win coming up tonight!

Despite being the better team, LAC isn't at full strength right now. Russell Westbrook is out and James Harden is questionable for this game. Having said that, this line is too big. In their last four meetings with each other, the Hawks have either won, or kept it within single digits.

Although Atlanta is on a losing streak, the Clippers have also been struggling lately. Also, Atlanta's losses have been close. They're still 3-3 their last 6 games and the Hawks last 2 losses were by only 6 combined points. This is a big game for the Hawks as they don't want to slip any further as the final play-in tournament team right now. The Hawks upset LA here last year. This line is considerably too high and don't be shocked if the Hawks win this one outright.

The Bulldogs have gotten their act together just in time. They dominated Cornell yesterday and they will have their way with Brown this afternoon. This is the best team in the Ivy League and that will be on full display this afternoon.

Brown beat them at home less than a week ago but Yale is 4-1 versus the spread, 5-0 straight up the past 5 tries, when avenging a home loss. The Bulldogs are also 5-1 ATS (6-0 SU) their past 6 tries, as a neutral court favorite of 6.5 to 9 points. Yale is still 9-1 the past 10 meetings, even after last week's loss. The Bears' run comes to an end today. Yale by double-digits!

UC Davis might own the better record here. But, we all know that it’s March. The Beach are fighting to get revenge after losing to the Aggies just a week ago today. These two teams split the season series and that doesn’t surprise me. Long Beach State was able to knock off the top team during the regular season in UC Irvine in their last game and are now getting the respect that they deserve.

Long Beach State is 5-1 versus the spread in its last 6 conference tournament games. Cal Davis is 3-8-1 ATS its last 12 as a neutral court favorite of 3 or less. Marcus Tsohonis is someone to keep an eye on. The pace of LBSU should be enough to cause problems for UC Davis and let the 49ers into the big dance for the first time since 2012.

Nice win for the Wolfpack yesterday. Any time you knock out Duke, its a good day! They are only 5-9 versus the spread their last 14 tries off an ATS victory though and now they will face a dominant defensive team. They are 1-4 straight up the past 5 times versus good defensive teams - allowing

Its never wise to underestimate a Tom Izzo coached team. Sometimes, great coaching isn't enough. The Spartans simply have no answer for Zach Edey. He's dominated them and there's little reason to expect anything different on Friday morning. Edey scored 32 points, while adding 11 rebounds in the game a couple of weeks ago. Last season, Edey averaged 35 points against the Spartans.

If Izzo's Spartans go all out to contain Edey, it'll leave them vulnerable to Purdue's outsider shooters. This will be the first time that the Spartans have played 2 games in 2 days all season. The Boilermakers are 11-7-1 versus the spread with 3 or more day's rest and they are 5-0 straight up and ATS (or 4-0-1) when on a neutral court with wins over Gonzaga, Tennessee, Marquette, Alabama and Arizona. The line is low. Lay the points with Edey and the Boilermakers.

Georgia got a fortunate first round matchup against Missouri. The Tigers hadn't won a game in months. This is a big step up in class though and the Bulldogs will be exposed by a stronger Florida team tonight. The Gators won both regular season meetings.

Prior to yesterday, the Bulldogs were 0-3 straight up and versus the spread in neutral site games. Some teams are used to doing so but this will be the first time this season that they played with 0 days rest. When off a loss, as the Gators are, they outscored teams by an average score of 83.8 to 73.4. They'll beat the Bulldogs by at least that many tonight!

Who in their right mind would back Villanova after the Wildcats only beat Depaul by 1 point? Call me crazy and count me in. Yesterday's result was great. It's keeping people off the Wildcats today and that is leading to extra points on the line. With Marquette's best player Tyler Kolek out, and with Nova needing the win more than the Golden Eagles, this is a lot of points. They could come in handy, as Villanova has had some close ones. Yesterday's 1-point game was preceded by a 2-point loss versus Creighton, a game Villanova was down big and showed heart in rallying. Remember the 1-point game versus UConn?

A win today and the Cats could start feeling a lot better about their NCAA Tournament hopes. Marquette already knows it'll be there. The Golden Eagles are 1-2 versus the spread on a neutral floor. The Wildcats have thrived in their neutral court games including victories over UNC, Texas Tech and Memphis. They are 2-0 both straight up and versus the spread when playing with 0 days rest. Give me the points!

These teams are closer in talent than the point spread is telling us. They were the two best in the conference last season. The Golden Flashes were favored for the game at Kent State and the Rockets are laying nearly as many today as they were for the game at Toledo. The Flashes are 10-4 versus the spread their last 14 tries on a neutral court.

Toledo won the regular season title last year but Kent State won the MAC Conference Tournament to advance to the NCAA Tournament. The Flashes are 5-1 straight up and versus the spread their last 6 games in this tournament. They are coming in confident. The Rockets are only 6-10 versus the spread their last 16 tournament games. Give me the points!

The Gauchos weren't that good against the spread this season. They were good to me when I supported them though. I won my Big West Game Of The Year on them way back in the middle of January. I was high on them then and I still them. I also won with the Gauchos last March 11th, my Big West Tourney Game Of the Year from last year. They were laying a similar number that day that they are today and they won by 10.

The Gauchos have been excellent as short neutral court favorites the past couple of years. In all neutral site games they were 6-3 versus the spread. The Matadors have won just 1 of their last 10 first round tournament games, going 3-7 versus the spread. The Gauchos went to the NCAA Tournament last year. They won't be stopped tonight.

Arkansas' disappointing regular season has provided us with great value in the opening round. Vastly superior to Vanderbilt talent-wise, at least in my opinion, the Razorbacks somehow got upset by the Commodores at home, in late February. They were favored by double-digits! That was a low point and now is a chance to start making things right.

The Razorbacks are 5-1-1 versus the spread their last 7 tries, when revenging a home loss. They are a respectable 8-6 ATS their last 14 tries against losing teams but 13-1 SU in those games. The loss was the Vanderbilt game. The majority of those spreads were a lot higher than this one. Looking for its revenge, Arkansas will move to 14-1 its last 15 tries against losing teams and will cover the small number for us in the process!

If this was truly a neutral site game, the Eagles might be able to keep it close. Coppin State can't be very happy to have to play the Spartans at Norfolk Scope Arena though. The Eagles were 0-17 on the road this season and they were outscored 75.5 to 55.1 in those games.

The Spartans were 13-0 at home and they outscored teams by an average of 84.8 to 62.3. The Spartans played a number of tough non-conference road games (like Tennessee) to get them ready for the postseason. They won at places like Illinois State and VCU and will have no trouble with over-matched Coppin State.

The Jackrabbits get a dream matchup and will punch their ticket to the Big Dance tonight. They beat an arguably better team by 10 last night and should win by even more than that tonight. After all, they're off 5 straight wins by 10 or more.

When they met earlier in the season, the Jackrabbits had yet to really hit their stride but when these teams met 3 weeks ago, the Jackrabbits won by 27 points. They've owned the Pioneers for years, the January loss at Denver was an anolmy. Remember that Denver was the #7 seed and had more losses than wins in regular season. South Dakota State will win this one in a "Cake-Walk!"