This is a play on the DETROIT PISTONS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. After winning the first two games of this series, the Pistons now have their backs against the wall as they have dropped the last three games including Game Five in overtime after blowing a 15-point lead and a late seven-point lead. The difference again were the whistles as Detroit was heavily outscored against at the free throw line and over the last two games, the Pistons have been outscored 61-27 as Cleveland has had a 72-32 edge in free throw attempts over these last two games. We thought the advantage in Game Four would either reverse or come back to the mean in Game Five but it clearly did not but we should not see such a big disparity here in Game Six. Detroit is 11-2 in its last 13 games after three consecutive spread losses while going 9-1 in its last 10 games after a home loss while Cleveland is 0-11 ATS in its last 11 games following a road divisional win. Here, we play on teams revenging a straight up loss as a home favorite, off two consecutive losses against division rivals. This situation is 28-6 (82.4 percent) since 2017. 10* (523) Detroit Pistons

This is a play on the DETROIT PISTONS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. The home team has held serve in this series, winning and covering all four games and while we want to go against the grain here, the numbers cannot back that up. Cleveland was outshot 50.6% to 43.6% from the floor in Game Four but it outscored the Pistons 30-9 from the free throw line and that can be attributed to playing at home. The Cavaliers also grabbed one more offensive rebound than Cleveland, the first time in four games they won the offensive rebound battle. Detroit has won five straight playoff games at home after dropping the playoff opener against Orlando and on the season it is 13-2 at home when playing against teams with a winning percentage between .600 and .700. Cleveland meanwhile is 0-10 ATS this season on the road after allowing 105 points or fewer. Here, we play against road teams off two or more consecutive home wins, in a game involving two teams with winning percentages between .600 and .750. This situation is 41-15 (73.2 percent) since 2022. 10* (518) Detroit Pistons

This is a play on the DETROIT PISTONS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Detroit took the first two games of this series and had covered four in a row before the Cavaliers pulled away late on Saturday to get back into the series. Cleveland was down late and the game was tied inside three minutes with the Cavaliers taking a 106-104 lead with 2:28 remaining and they were able to hang on. Cleveland shot 58 percent from the floor and still needed a late push to get the win and they are not going to replicate that shooting tonight so they will need to get it done from help in other ways. One that will not happen will be on the glass as the Pistons have outrebounded Cleveland on the offensive end in all three games and by a combined 45-25. The Cavaliers came through for us Saturday and will go the other way with a line that has actually gone down and we will back the fact Detroit is 21-4 this season when playing teams with winning percentages between .600 and .750. 10* (509) Detroit Pistons

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA 76ERS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. There have been 161 teams to trail 3-0 in a series and none have come back to win while 98 of those teams have been swept. 47 of those have forced a Game Five and this is where we feel Philadelphia will end up and this being a gentleman’s sweep. The Knicks won Game Four by 14 points and with 85 percent of the money on them today, the majority thinks it ends today but the last thing the Sixers want is a sweep to their rivals. They were doubled up by the Knicks in free throw attempts 32-16 while getting outscored by 10 points at the line and this should be more in favor of the home team as they need to cut down on the fouls which have been 24, 23 and 25 the first three games. It really is that simple. Additionally, New York cannot keep this shooting pace going as they are hitting 55 percent of their shots. Here, we play on teams revenging a straight up loss as a home favorite, off two consecutive losses against division rivals. This situation is 28-6 (82.4 percent) since 2017. 10* (506) Philadelphia 76ers

This is a play on the CLEVELAND CAVALIERS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Cleveland is one of three teams that lost the first two games of their series with the Sixers now down 3-0 and the Lakers likely following suit so they are the one team that should avoid that 3-0 hole. The Cavaliers outshot the Pistons in Game One but committed 20 turnovers that led to 31 Detroit points and in Game Two, James Harden was the difference as he had a pathetic performance. Cleveland is back home where it won all four games against Toronto in the first round and is now 31-14 on the season which includes a 17-6 record when favored by fewer than double digits. Here, we play against road underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points after having covered four of their last five games against the spread, in a game involving two teams with winning percentages between .600 and .750. This situation is 51-21 ATS (70.8 percent) since 2017 with an averaging scoring differential of +10.4 ppg. 10* (502) Cleveland Cavaliers

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA 76ERS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Philadelphia put up a great effort in Game Two but fell short and head home down 2-0 in this series and this is the game to take. The Sixers clearly ran out of gas in the fourth quarter as they were without Joel Embiid who was a late scratch and while he is listed as questionable tonight, the line is telling us he is playing. They are 21-23 without Embiid this season while going 24-14 when he is in the lineup so they need him to avoid a 3-0 deficit. Turnovers were the difference in Game Two as New York committed 13 turnovers but forced 18 and ended up with a 23-9 advantage in points off turnovers. Knicks second-leading scorer OG Anunoby is going to be a gametime decision as he hurt a hamstring and he most likely will not go and even if he does, he is not close to 100 percent. Philadelphia is 10-1 ATS this season following a loss of six points or less. 10* (572) Philadelphia 76ers

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES LAKERS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. The Lakers hung around Game One for a while and had a chance to cover but Oklahoma City hit a garbage three-pointer with both benches in to get the cover. This is a similar situation for the Thunder when they played Phoenix as it won and covered Game One and while it won Game Two on their way to a sweep, they did not cover. The Lakers have shot 42 percent or less their last three games going back to the Houston series and while the Thunder defense is elite, we should see a better performance and we go contrarian with Oklahoma City having won and covered all five meetings this season. Here, we play against favorites of 10 or more points outscoring their opponents by nine or more ppg going up against an opponent after scoring 90 points or less. This situation is 117-64 ATS (64.6 percent) since 1997. 10* (569) Los Angeles Lakers

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA 76ERS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Philadelphia is coming off a 39-point loss in Game One on Monday and is catching an identical number which is going to keep bettors off the Sixers in what is a great bounce back spot. They were unfortunate where they had to play Game One just two days after defeating the Celtics in seven games while the Knicks had four days off so they are both on the same schedule. It was a season series split with the Knicks now having won three straight games and Philadelphia did win both games in New York during the regular season and the Sixers took the final three games on the road in Boston so winning away from home is not an issue. New York is 0-6 on the money line in its last six games after scoring 120 points or more in three straight games. 10* (561) Philadelphia 76ers

This is a play on the HOUSTON ROCKETS FOR OUR NBA Signature Enforcer. This series has been a disaster for the Rockets as they are down three 3-0 with the diva being a problem. This is the buy low time going against the Lakers who still have their injury issues. The Rockets were without their leading scorer, Kevin Durant who is of course questionable for Game 4 but the contrarian is there Without Durant, the Rockets started the second-youngest lineup in a playoff game since starters were tracked in 1970-71, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Here, we play on home teams with a winning percentage revenging four or more losses vs opponent in last 2 years playing a team with a winning record. This situation is 138-68 (67 percent) since 1997. 10 *( 558) Houston Rockets

This is a play on the NEW YORK KNICKS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Atlanta has taken a 2-1 lead in this series but it is fortunate to be in this spot as the two wins have been by one point apiece and this is a good bounce back spot for New York to even up the series and regain home court advantage. In reality the Knicks could be up 3-0 as they opened the series with a 113-102 win when it led by as many as 19 and then was on the way to taking a 2-0 lead on Monday but lost a 13-point lead in the third quarter. Here, we play against home teams off a close home win by three points or less, second half of the season. This situation is 39-11 (78 percent) since 2017. 10* (545) New York Knicks

This is a play on the PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. This is a huge game for both sides as Play In Tournament seedings are on the line and we give the edge to the home team. It is simple for Los Angeles as a win here and the Clippers will lock up the No. 8 seed no matter what happens on Sunday. They had a chance to lock it up Wednesday but after a short lived two-point lead over Oklahoma City at home, they were completely overmatched. They come in 19-21 on the road and have not been a good recovery team, going 2-5 ATS in their seven road games following a home loss. Portland does not clinch anything with a win but they stay alive and would also own the tiebreaker, which would make Sunday’s game against the Kings a monumental one but it starts here first. If Portland wins both games, it clinched the No. 8 seed and will open the Play In Tournament against Phoenix with two chances to earn a playoff berth. They are 6-2 ATS as home favorites of six points or fewer. 10* (528) Portland Trailblazers

This is a play on the NEW YORK KNICKS for our NBA Star Attraction. The Knicks are still alive for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference but the chances are very slim as they have to win out and hope the Celtics lose their final three games so it is highly unlikely. New York is also fighting with Cleveland for the No. 3 spot which could be important for home court in the latter rounds should there be upsets. The Knicks have won three straight while going back have won five straight games at home and they are 11-1 ATS this season at home after covering two or more straight games. Boston has won and covered four straight games and can clinch the No. 2 seed with a win but the line is telling and it comes with the likelihood that Jaylen Brown will be sitting this one out with an Achilles injury with Derrick White also questionable. Here, we play against road teams off two or more consecutive home wins, in a game involving two teams with winning percentages between .600 and .750. This situation is 39-14 (73.6 percent) since 2022. 10* (572) New York Knicks

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. This is a huge game for the Clippers as a win here and a loss by the Blazers at San Antonio means their trip to Portland on Friday is likely meaning less as they would hold a two-game lead over the Blazers for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference which comes with needing to win in the opening in the Play In Tournament to clinch a playoff spot. The likelihood of Portland losing tonight has been downgraded significantly as the Spurs are going to be without Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle so they could be tied going to Portland in two nights. This is a big game for the Thunder as well as they can clinch the top seed in the conference but all it takes is a win and we are concerned about the cover. Oklahoma City is coming off a blowout win at the shorthanded Lakers last night and they are 0-8 ATS in their last eight games on the road following three straight wins by 15 or more points. Here, we play on home teams after two straight wins by 10 points or more going up against an opponent after scoring 63 points or more in the first half in two straight games. This situation is 29-8 (78.4 percent) since 2022. 10* (566) Los Angeles Clippers

This is a play on the TORONTO RAPTORS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Toronto controls its own destiny in staying out of the Play In Tournament as it has a half-game lead over Philadelphia, Charlotte and Orlando with four games remaining, the first two at home against Miami with another home game against Brooklyn to close the season. The Raptors are coming off a loss at Boston on Sunday as they have struggled on the road of late and now have the chance to hold serve on their home floor. Miami has won two of three games after a 1-7 run that essentially has locked it into the Play In Tournament as it will need to win both of these games in Toronto and get some help. The Heat are 10 games over .500 at home but six games under .500 on the road and yet come in as a near pickem after actually opening as the favorite. Here, we play against road teams revenging a same season loss going up against an opponent off a loss by 10 points or more to a division rival. This situation is 55-23 (70.5 percent) since 2022. 10* (538) Toronto Raptors

This is a play on the PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS for our NBA Signature Enforcer Denver has won eight straight games and the Nuggets are tied with the Lakers for third place in the Western Conference with both sitting one game ahead of Houston for fifth place so each game is huge in trying to secure home court advantage. That being said, the Nuggets are overpriced in this spot based on their winning streak and basically public perception and they have gone 3-5 ATS in these recent eight games. Portland is playing solid as well as it has won three straight games and eight of its last 10 to move two games over .500. The Blazers are securely in the Play In Tournament and are looking to grab a home game as they are still in line for the No. 7 or the No. 8 spots. Here, we play on teams after three straight wins by 10 points or more going up against an opponent after a combined score of 255 points or more. This situation is 42-15 (73.7 percent) since 1997. 10* (531) Portland Trailblazers

This is a play on the CONNECTICUT HUSKIES for our NCAA Championship Winner. Michigan has dominated in the NCAA Tournament but we will grab the points here. The Huskies began Saturday's game on a 27-minute run without committing any turnovers, finishing the game with just four giveaways. Illinois entered the game forcing turnovers on just 11.8 percent of defensive possessions which dead last in college basketball. Michigan is not far behind as it has a 15.1 percent turnover rate which is No. 277 and the Wolverines are forcing just eight tpg in the NCAA Tournament. It has not mattered since they have blown everyone away but this matchup could pose problems and it comes down to tempo, as the Connecticut system is perfectly suited to give Michigan problems as the Huskies have operated at one of the slowest tempos in all of college basketball this season. Michigan's two lowest-tempo games this season have resulted in two of its three losses on the season, and they also faced unexpected challenges from Minnesota and Iowa in low-possession games toward the end of the regular season. The injury to Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg is a big concern as even though he returned against Arizona after getting hurt, it could pose an issue having to sit for 48 hours and he will not be 100 percent. 10* (701) Connecticut Huskies

This is a play on the TULSA GOLDEN HURRICANE for our CBB NIT Dominator. We were totally wrong with Illinois St. on Thursday as it could not counter the Auburn athleticism but Tulsa does have that to match the Tigers. The Golden Hurricane have three victories of five points or less in the NIT and that will keep the betting off of them but they have the ability to hang in this one. Auburn was 20-3 this season when posting Defensive Efficiency of less than 120, per KenPom but when it was above that mark, Auburn was 1-13. Tulsa comes in No. 40 in Offensive Efficiency with a rating of above that magic number of 120.5. Auburn gave up 10 three-pointers in the game against Illinois State on Thursday night. Through four NIT games, Auburn’s opponents are shooting 41.7 percent from deep which is well above the national average. Tulsa ranks No. 12 nationally in three-point percentage. The Golden Hurricane have hit double-digit three-pointers in 11 out of its last 14 games. Tulsa is 17-1 this season following a game where it covers the number. 10* (655) Tulsa Golden Hurricane

This is a play on the MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Minnesota has lost two straight games, both on the road at Philadelphia and Detroit and the Timberwolves are back home where they are 25-14 and a win here will all but lock up the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference as they have a four-game lead over Phoenix to avoid the Play In Tournament. Anthony Edwards is on the injury report again and that likely will be the case the rest of the season but he has gone two of the last three games after missing two weeks and the last game against the Sixers was a disaster as he was 3-15 from the floor so he will be itching to make up for that one. Charlotte continues to roll along as it has won three straight games and has moved to a game and a half behind Toronto for the No. 6 spot but it does have the Sixers in front as well. Minnesota is 12-2 straight up and ATS after a game of scoring 105 points or fewer. 10* (512) Minnesota Timberwolves

This is a play on the ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI for our Final four Dominator. Many will point to Connecticut and Dan Hurley for being NCAA Tournament dominators which they certainly have been but they are obviously fortunate to be here. There will also be the argument of the Huskies winning the regular season meeting over Illinois as they took that game by 13 points but that was in late November and this Illinois team is different since then. Keaton Wagler played only 14 minutes and scored just three points and he has now been the focal part of the offense. The Illini have lost only two games in regulation since that defeat from the Huskies as they have four overtime losses and have matchup edges this time around. Illinois does not turn the ball over as it is No. 10 in Turnover Rate and can dominate a game on the offensive glass where they are No. 3 especially against a Connecticut defense that can be a bit susceptible to second-chance opportunities. The line is telling of a No. 3 favored over a No. 2 and the No. 2 that has been dominant in these spots. 10* (649) Illinois Fighting Illini

This is a play on the BROOKLYN NETS for our NBA Star Attraction. We were on Brooklyn last Sunday as they took out Sacramento by 17 points and then gave it right back to Charlotte two nights later in a 31-point loss. The injury situation is more favorable as Noah Clowney has been upgraded to probable which helps the frontcourt depth which is needed against this team. The Nets are now catching a huge number again and they are 15-9 ATS in their 24 games this season after scoring fewer than 100 points. We are going contrarian here in fading the Hawks which are coming off a decisive win over Orlando which came after a revenge win over Boston. This is the sandwich spot as Atlanta has a rough road ahead with the Knicks, Cavaliers and Heat on deck. Here, we play against favorites of 10 or more points after beating the spread by 54 or more points total in their last ten games going up against an opponent after going under the total by 48 or more points total in their last ten games. this situation is 35-7 ATS (83.3 percent) since 2017. 10* (550) Brooklyn Nets 

This is a play on the ILLINOIS ST. REDBIRDS for our CBB NIT Dominator. Auburn was disappointed for not making the NCAA Tournament as it was not deserving of one and the Tigers have not exactly rolled through their first three games. The top seed had the advantage of playing all three of those games at home and failed to cover any of those as they were overvalued based on the name and the homecourt advantage. That is a very key aspect here as Neville Arena is a solid home court advantage but it did not show its teeth as the Tigers averaged just 2,866 fans per game in the 9,121 facility so when fans do not go to home games, they will not be travelling to Indiana. Illinois St. came into the season as one of the favorites to win the Missouri Valley Conference but never got traction going after a 4-0 start and bowed out in the first game of the conference tournament. The Redbirds won on the road at Wake Forest and Dayton to get here they will have a huge fan support edge at Hinkle and do not sleep on this team that would love to trump the football team that made it to the FCS Championship game. 10* (643) Illinois St. Redbirds

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES LAKERS for our NBA Star Attraction. The Lakers are obviously playing their best basketball of the season as they have won four straight games, 13 of 14 and 16 of their last 18 games and remain in third place in the Western Conference. They are back on the road where they are 24-14 which is the fifth best road record in the NBA and they are 3-1 both straight up and ATS on the road when coming off a three-game or longer homestand. Going back to last season, the Lakers are 30-13 following a double-digit win. Oklahoma City is also playing at an elite level as it has won 20 of its last 23 games and it has needed this run to stay in front of San Antonio as it has a two-game lead over the Spurs so every game is big as well. The Thunder are overpriced as usual as they are 4-12 ATS over their last 16 games. Here, we play against favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points off a home no-cover where the team won straight up as a favorite going up against an opponent off a home win. This situation is 41-15 ATS (73.2 percent) since 2022. 10* (537) Los Angeles Lakers

This is a play on the NEW YORK KNICKS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. We are at the stage of the season where we are seeing massive lines and while we typically stay away, this is one exception to jump on. The Knicks are on a three-game losing streak to open this roadtrip that ends tonight and they need a get right game before heading home. The stretch has been a tough one with the losses against the upstart Hornets, Thunder and Rockets, the latter being a 17-point loss last night. We saw something very similar in January when they were on a four-game skid and took it out on Brooklyn by 54 points and they have been great in spots like this, going 16-2 in their last 18 games after a loss by 15 or more points. The Grizzlies are down to the bones of their roster as they are playing a nine-man rotation with most of those never having been in these minute spots. Memphis 1-4 ATS in its last five games when getting double-digits in points. 10* (527) New York Knicks

This is a play on the OKLAHOMA SOONERS for our CBB Crown Dominator. Despite the transfer portal not opening until after the NCAA Championship game, many players have already made their plans known and Colorado took a hit. The Buffaloes will be missing three of their top four scorers after those players have already made their intentions known of entering the Transfer Portal. Guard Isaiah Johnson, forward Sebastian Rancik and forward Bangot Dak Johnson will be on the move and those are significant as those three players accounted for over half of Colorado's points per game during the season with 40.7 ppg of 80.0 ppg. Oklahoma comes in the more put together team as they have not lost anyone of significance to the portal and should be motivated after a strong finish to the season while narrowly missing out on the NCAA Tournament with plenty of time in-between to get over any disappointment. Here, we play against underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points averaging 76 or more ppg and after playing a game where both teams scored 80 points or more going up against teams allowing between 74 and 76 ppg. This situation is 49-19 ATS (72.1 percent) since 2017. 10* (891) Oklahoma Sooners

This is a play on the DETROIT PISTONS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. The Raptors have won two straight games including a 52-point win over Orlando on Sunday which included an absurd 31-0 run and Toronto is trying to remain out of the Play In Tournament. The Raptors are currently the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference, which would assure them a berth into the first round of the playoffs but they are just a game and a half out of the No. 7 spot and this is the ultimate letdown situation coming off that historical win over the Magic. Detroit lost on Monday in overtime at Oklahoma City and the Pistons will be a popular fade because of that but it should be just the opposite. They did not lose any ground in the Eastern Conference with Boston losing as well as they remain four games ahead of the Celtics. Detroit lost at Toronto just over two weeks ago and the Pistons are 18-4 this season revenging a loss and Detroit is 10-2 this season in the second game of a back-to-back including 6-1 at home. 10* (508) Detroit Pistons

This is a play on the ATLANTA HAWKS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Atlanta had won 14 of 15 games before going to Boston last week and after opening up with a 24-9 lead, the Hawks eventually let it all go and lost 109-102 and there was a 27-point swing involved in there. The Hawks have overtaken the Magic in the Southeast Division as they have a 2.5-game lead after Orlando lost by 52-points and they are currently in the No. 6 spot in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta is back home for some revenge where it is just 22-16 but has won 11 straight games and overall on the season, the Hawks are 13-2 following a double-digit home win. Boston has won three straight games that included a home win over Oklahoma City prior to the Hawks victory and the Celtics are coming off a 15-point win at Charlotte yesterday. It is a short sample size but Boston is 0-2 ATS on the road following a road win as an underdog. 10* (560) Atlanta Hawks

This is a play on the BROOKLYN NETS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. We are involved in one of the uglier matchups on the Sunday card and we are backing Brooklyn which is in the much better spot. The Nets have lost 10 straight games but nine of those were against teams heading to the postseason with the lone exception being a loss at Sacramento so it sets up a revenge spot. They are back home following a four-game west coast roadtrip to start a six-game homestand so there should be some extra juice for a team that is much healthier on top of it. The Kings have lost three straight games but covered the last two against Orlando and Atlanta and while they take a step down here, they come in as the favorite. This is just the second time after having lost at Washington last month. Here, we play against teams off a road cover where the team lost straight up as an underdog going up against an opponent off three or more consecutive road losses. This situation is 27-9 (75 percent) since 2017. 10* (546) Brooklyn Nets

This is a play on the CONNECTICUT HUSKIES for our Elite 8 Game of the Year. After its game with Michigan back on February 21, Connecticut will be the far toughest challenge for the Duke offense, as the Huskies are No. 9 in Defensive Efficiency Rating and it has played that role over the last two victories against UCLA and Michigan St. Connecticut nearly blew a 19-point lead against the Spartans but held on for the four-point win as the experience was a big factor as well and we expect that to be a big advantage here as well. The injuries for Duke are getting the press but it is Huskies point guard Silas Demary that has been arguably more important as he was hurt in the St. John’s game and missed the opener against Furman but he returned for the last two games and while he did not light up the stat sheet, his defensive presence is huge. Duke point guard Caleb Foster was a surprise addition against St. John’s and he had a huge second half to cement its comeback. He is not 100 percent and playing on Sunday off a Friday night game will be tough. Talent wise, the Blue Devils have the edge but the Huskies match up well and as mentioned, the experience edge cannot be overstated and given the slow tempo of both teams, points will be at a premium. 10* (633) Connecticut Huskies 

This is a play on the PURDUE BOILERMAKERS for our CBB Tourney Dominator. Arizona looks unbeatable at this point as it rolled over Arkansas by 21 points despite only five made three-pointers as the Wildcats shot 64 percent from two and while Purdue is no defensive juggernaut, it presents the biggest test Arizona has seen thus far in the tournament. The Boilermakers are not going to stop Arizona but they can force the Wildcats into their game as tempo will play a role and Purdue will want to slow it down as it is No. 325 in Adjusted Tempo. On the other side, the Wildcats have shown an elite defense but now they face the No. 1 team in the country in Offensive Efficiency. Purdue should have been able to pull away from Texas but the Longhorns were 11-25 from long range while the Boilermakers were just 4-20. They are No. 11 in Three-Point Percentage and a key here is Braden Smith who is hitting just 23 percent over his last seven games. Still, he has given his team high-quality looks and Purdue should give Arizona all it can handle with winning outright not out of the question. 10* (631) Purdue Boilermakers

This is a play on the CHARLOTTE HORNETS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. The Hornets came through on Thursday and this team is still being slept on. As mentioned, Charlotte opened the season 16-28 but then something clicked and the Hornets have gone 23-6 over their last 29 games. The win over the Knicks coupled with the Atlanta loss to Boston put Charlotte 1.5 games behind the Hawks in the Southeast Division while sitting two games behind Toronto to get out of the Play In Tournament but also have two other teams in front of them. Charlotte is 9-0 ATS this season at home off a home win winning by 19.0 ppg. Philadelphia welcomed back Joel Embiid and Paul George on Wednesday and it resulted in a 20-point win over Chicago as the Sixers put up 157 points, 63 points coming from the aforementioned duo. The issue is they allowed 137 points. Here, we play on teams after three straight wins by 10 points or more going up against an opponent after a combined score of 255 points or more. This situation is 42-14 (75 percent) since 1997. 10* (530) Charlotte Hornets

This is a play on the ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI for our CBB Tourney Enforcer. We have another game featuring a rematch as Illinois won the lone regular season meeting at Iowa by six point but the Illini were never threatened as they never trailed as they opened the game 8-0 and built an 18-point lead. Ben McCoullum will make adjustments and he does have the coaching edge over Brad Underwood but Illinois has too much going for it in this matchup. Illinois dominated what many thought was a sure Final Four team in Houston as its defense did the job. The offense did struggle but that was against the No. 4 rated defense and now they take a step down. The Hawkeyes are not good defensively as they are No. 32 in Defensive Efficiency. Iowa is No. 282 in 2P%, allowing 54.2 percent with a lot of that due to not generating blocks as the Hawkeyes are No. 330 in Block% and while their one huge strength is forcing turnovers where they are No. 16, Illinois turns the ball over as little as any team in the nation with a Turnover Rate of 13.1 percent, No. 10 in the country. 10* (630) Illinois Fighting Illini

This is a play on the IOWA ST. CYCLONES for our CBB Tourney Enforcer. Iowa St. suffered a tough loss in their tournament opener against Tennessee St. as Joshua Jefferson went down three minutes into the game and will be out likely for the rest of the tournament although he is a game time decision, but the Cyclones have rallied around it. They had no issues with the Tigers and then bottled up Kentucky as their defense, which is No. 5 in the country in Efficiency, pressured the ball and kept the Wildcats out of the paint. They forced 20 turnovers, they are No. 4 in Turnover Rate and that is an issue for Tennessee which has committed 26 turnovers in two games and is No. 225 in Turnover Rate. The Volunteers have advanced thanks to their shooting as they have shot 50 percent including 43 percent from long range which were both well above season averages. That will not continue against this defense. 10* (628) Iowa St. Cyclones

This is a play on the PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Hate to lay a number this big with Portland but this is the spot to do so. The Blazers are back to .500 following wins over Brooklyn and Milwaukee and they did cover big numbers in those two games and right now the incentive is to keep going. They are locked into the Play In Tournament sitting in the No. 9 seed but are just a half-game out of the No. 8 spot and within reach of No. 7, three and a half games behind Phoenix. This is just as much of a fade of Dallas which has been playing well as the Mavericks have lost five straight games but the last three were all competitive, losing against the Clippers and Warriors in overtime and most recently being a seven-point loss at Denver. This can instill confidence but at this stage of the season, it is letdown time. Here, we play on home teams after leading their last two games by 10 or more points at the half going up against an opponent after a combined score of 235 points or more in two straight games. This situation is 37-11 ATS (77.1 percent) since 2022. 10* (524) Portland Trailblazers

This is a play on the ST. JOHN’S RED STORM for our Sweet 16 Game of the Year. St. John’s has won eight straight games since that blowout loss against Connecticut yet nearly blew a 14-point lead against Kansas and had to win at the buzzer. We were against the Red Storm in that game but are now on them in what is a good matchup as they should give Duke fits with their athleticism. They create a ton of turnovers and the Blue Devils have a knack of turning the ball over as they are No. 129 in Turnover Rate which is easily the worst of any remaining team in the tournament. Underdogs in the second round of the NCAA Tournament that have won six or more consecutive games are 41-16-2 ATS going back to 2005 and since 2015 they are 23-5-2 ATS. Duke has won 13 straight games but have been involved in some close ones over its last five and even the TCU game was not a runaway until the second half. 10* (621) St. John’s Red Storm

This is a play on the NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS for our CBB Tourney Dominator. Iowa is coming off a win over Florida to mess up a lot of brackets but the Hawkeyes may have been fortunate to be there with their draw as they faced a Clemson team off a poor ending to the season. The Hawkeyes had lost seven of 10 games heading into the tournament with the only win away from home coming against Maryland and they are already the popular play here with the line having come down. Since 2002-03, NCAA Tournament teams playing in the Sweet 16 or later coming off a win as a double-digit underdog are 0-6 straight up and 1-5 ATS. Nebraska is coming off one of the best games of the NCAA Tournament as it snuck past Vanderbilt by two points and was inches away from going down on a last three-point heave. Nebraska is 14-2 this season coming off two or more consecutive wins with the losses against Michigan and UCLA on the road. 10* (616) Nebraska Cornhuskers

This is a play on the PURDUE BOILERMAKERS for our CBB Tourney Annihilator. It is time for the Texas run to come to an end. The Longhorns barely got past NC State in the First Four after the Wolfpack came in losing seven of their previous nine games. Texas got a good draw the rest of the way as it faced BYU and Gonzaga which were both down key players and now it catches Purdue at a bad time. The Longhorns do not match up well here as they are No. 81 in Defensive Efficiency which is easily the lowest rated team remaining in the NCAA Tournament. They now have to face a Purdue team that is ranked No. 1 in Offensive Efficiency and should have their way especially with Braden Smith coming off one of his worst games of the season. The Boilermakers are favored by the same amount as they were against Miami whose defense is much better than Texas. Purdue is 9-0 ATS as a favorite since the 2024 NCAA Tournament. 10* (618) Purdue Boilermakers

This is a play on the CHARLOTTE HORNETS for our NBA Eastern Conference Game of the Month. Charlotte opened the season 16-28 and it looked like another lost season but then something clicked and the Hornets have gone 22-6 over their last 28 games. They are 2.5 games behind the even hotter Hawks in the Southeast Division while sitting two games behind Toronto to get out of the Play In Tournament but also have two other teams in front of them. They are not getting much respect here with the line so there is value in a double-revenge game after losing the first two meetings by 28 and 15 points. Charlotte is 8-0 ATS this season at home off a home win winning by 20.0 ppg. The Knicks have won seven straight games with six of those games against teams not going to the postseason and the other coming against shorthanded Golden St. so it has been a favorable schedule. Here, we play on home teams after a cover as a double digit favorite going up against an opponent off a home win. This situation is 53-15 (77.9 percent) since 2022 with the average scoring differential +7.5 ppg. 10* (506) Charlotte Hornets

This is a play on the AUBURN TIGERS for our CBB Signature Enforcer. We played against Auburn in the first NIT against South Alabama and the Tigers came out lethargic but eventually pulled out the win. They have been favored by double digits in the first two games and now the number has come down considerably based on those first two games and taking a step up in competition. The question coming in was how motivated would Auburn be after missing the NCAA Tournament and having a very disappointing season and it has not looked good but after two games and knowing how close they are to salvaging something, the effort should be way better. Nevada easily won its first two games with both of those coming at home and the Wolf Pack have not been a good road team as they have only four road wins with the last one coming on January 17 against lowly Air Force. Nevada is 3-13 in its last 16 road or neutral games after playing a game as a home favorite. 10* (610) Auburn Tigers

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Star Attraction. Oklahoma City and Boston meet for the second time in two weeks and this time around, both teams are fully healthy after Oklahoma City won that first meeting by a bucket. The Thunder have won 12 straight games and have been able to maintain their lead in the Western Conference as it is now at three games over San Antonio. Tonight concludes a five-game roadtrip and they have been awesome on the road, going 28-8 and are favored for that reason. Boston had won four straight games prior to a loss on Saturday and the Celtics remain in second place in the Eastern Conference, five games behind Detroit. They remain home where they are 24-11 and they are 8-4 ATS at home revenging a loss. Here, we play on home teams off an upset loss by 10 points or more as a favorite going up against an opponent off two or more consecutive road wins. This situation is 28-7 (80 percent) since 2022. 10* (566) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the ST. JOSEPH’S HAWKS for our CBB Signature Enforcer. Both St. Joseph’s and New Mexico have been cover machines this season and especially of late as the Hawks are 9-1 ATS their last 10 and the Lobos have covered five straight games so any contrarian value is washed. What we do have is an overpriced home favorite facing a very hot and confident team. The Hawks have won nine of those 10 games with the only loss coming against VCU in the Atlantic Ten Conference Tournament when the Rams were on a 14-1 run and the travel aspect is also playing into this number. St. Joseph’s was shipped out west and had to go to Colorado St. and California and remained out there so there is no travel disadvantage other than just not being home for a week. The Hawks can use the momentum from coming back from a 19-point deficit with 14 minutes left to beat the Golden Bears. 10* (603) St. Joseph’s Hawks

This is a play on the CONNECTICUT HUSKIES for our Round 2 Game of the Year. UCLA survived a scare from Central Florida as it won by four points and now comes a bad matchup. The Bruins allowed 53 rebounds including 19 on the offensive end and while that only allowed 20 second chance points, the Bruins cannot get away with that here. They are No. 302 in Rebound Rate and faces a Huskies team that is No. 23 in Offensive Rebounding. We do not love that Connecticut came in overseeded and that could cost them later but they have the big edge down low and notably Tarris Reed who is coming off a 31-27 game against Furman. We faded the Huskies going against their then 14-0 ATS run but now we back them where they have thrived on short rest by going 8-1 ATS when playing with two days of rest. Starting center Tyler Bilodeau is a question mark again. 10* (814) Connecticut Huskies

This is a play on the WASHINGTON WIZARDS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. This is the sixth straight game that the Knicks have been favored by 12.5 or more points and at this stage of the season when playing below average teams, it gets redundant. They are 2-3 over the previous five games and are now favored by the biggest number over this stretch. New York is coming off a win at Brooklyn which made it 5-0 over this stretch and we can still sell high based on the number. Washington is not good by any stretch as it has lost 15 straight games after a loss to Oklahoma City on Saturday. The Wizards are cashing at a 60 percent rate this season coming off a 20-point or greater loss and Washington is 9-0 ATS in its last nine games coming off two consecutive home losses of 10 points or more. 10* (525) Washington Wizards

This is a play on the KANSAS JAYHAWKS for our CBB Signature Enforcer. Here, we have the No. 5 seed favored over the No. 4 with St. John’s being arguably the worst seeded team in the NCAA Tournament. The Red Storm won the Big East Conference regular season and the tournament in what was a very down year in the conference and we are banking on that here in what is an overlay. They had no issue with Northern Iowa as they never trailed in the 26-point win with the defense getting it done as expected. Now they face a Kansas team that has been hard to unravel as it controlled Cal Baptist in the first round, building its own 26-point lead before letting the Lancers made it a little interesting late as everyone was able to witness how good Dominique Daniels is but now the Jayhawks have the best player on the floor. 10* (822) Kansas Jayhawks

This is a play on the MIAMI HURRICANES for our CBB Afternoon Dominator. Miami is coming off a fairly easy win over Missouri in what was a tough spot considering it being in St. Louis and the Hurricanes are again flying under the radar. They bounced back from the huge loss against Virginia in the ACC Tournament which we can consider to be an anomaly as their previous four losses going back to mid-January were by a combined nine points. Purdue is looking like the Purdue that came into the season as the No. 1 team in the country and after a 17-1 start, the Boilermakers closed 6-7 before ramping it back up in the Big Ten Tournament. They won four games in four days including the win over Michigan in the championship game and now is the time to sell high. 10* (817) Miami Hurricanes

This is a play on the HIGH POINT PANTHERS for our CBB Late Powerhouse. High Point pulled off the upset over Wisconsin and the Panthers are going to be a big fade based on that and now facing another major conference team but this is so similar. Arkansas comes in with the No. 4 rated offense in Adjusted Efficiency but the Panthers just beat the No. 12 team in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency while going against the Badgers defense that came in No. 55 in Efficiency. What is Arkansas? The Razorbacks are No. 50 so High Point can keep their offense going and they do not turn the ball over as the Panthers are No. 4 in Turnover Rate. Arkansas came out strong against Hawaii, building a huge early lead and never looking back. The difference here is that the Warriors offense had no chance as they came in No. 212 and their No. 314 Turnover rate did not help their cause. 10* (785) High Point Panthers

This is a play on the MICHIGAN ST. SPARTANS for our CBB Signature Enforcer. Louisville is coming off the win over South Florida but if that game was played another 10 times, the Bulls win eight of those as they would not start 1-17 from long range so the Cardinals got the reprieve and if that game was another five minutes, the Cardinals would have lost. Now we see a total flip line and Louisville comes in now 9-10 in Quad 1 games but six of those were against teams not in the NCAA Tournament. This is where the coaching edge comes into play as the Spartans came into the NCAA Tournament off a bad loss, coasted game one and now are a buy low team as a favorite. Michigan St. has one more Quad 1 win than the Cardinals nine and eight of those are against NCAA Tournament teams. The huge rebounding edge on both sides alone takes care of this. 10* (774) Michigan St. Spartans

This is a play on the MICHIGAN WOLVERINES for our CBB Afternoon Dominator. We had St. Louis on Thursday and the Billikens had no issue with Georgia which was another low tiered and overrated SEC team and now they step up in class. The Billikens opened the season 24-1 but leaked oil down the stretch by going 4-4 over their final eight games prior to the game against the Bulldogs. St. Louis has a bad matchup here as their pace is going to negatively hurt them as they had the edge against a bad Georgia defense but now face the No. 2 ranked defense in efficiency. Michigan is coming off a sleepy win over Howard as it came out slow with just a four-point lead at halftime but pulled away as it dominated down low with a 52-18 advantage in the paint while shooting 67 percent from the floor overall. St. Louis has had the edge down low all season but now it reverses. 10* (776) Michigan Wolverines

This is a play on the FURMAN PALADINS for our CBB Friday Late Powerhouse. Furman got into the NCAA Tournament from the jumbled and wide open Southern Conference as the Paladins won three games in three days including taking out regular season champion East Tennessee St. in the championship with a no sweat 15-point win. They come in at a No. 15 seed and actually caught a break with this matchup not because they have should not be a No. 15 seed but because Connecticut was overseeded. They have a strong offense that is No. 46 in the country in Effective Field Goal Percentage. This is more of a fade of the Huskies more than anything as they were blown out by St. John’s in the Big East Championship and also suffered bad late season losses against Creighton and Marquette. They are the ultimate sell high team as they are on a 14-0 ATS NCAA Tournament run, the longest streak ever. 10* (751) Furman Paladins

This is a play on the CENTRAL FLORIDA KNIGHTS for our CBB Friday Enforcer. UCLA made a nice run in the Big Ten Tournament as it defeated Michigan St. before losing to Purdue in the semifinals and the win against the Spartans was costly as Tyler Bilodeau sustained a knee injury. He missed the Purdue game and is listed as questionable and even if he goes, he will not be close to 100 percent and he is a major contributor, leading the team in scoring and second in rebounds. While there has been time for prep, this is a difficult travel spot for the Bruins and their struggles away from home are well documented. Central Florida has the much easier travel schedule and have been off since losing Thursday. This is one of the most experienced teams in the field and have seven wins over top 50 KenPom teams. Power Six teams as a double-digit seed are 82-50-4 ATS (62 percent). 10* (749) Central Florida Knights

This is a play on the IOWA HAWKEYES for our CBB Friday Annihilator. Iowa got as high as No. 15 at KenPom in early February and then things started falling apart as the Hawkeyes lost six of their final eight regular season games and posting horrible losses at Maryland and Penn St. They ended with a No. 25 rating so they did not drop far and they have one of the best postseason coaches in Ben McCollum. Iowa is shooting 77 percent from the free throw line and that is the magic number as teams shooting 77 percent or higher from the free throw line are 97-56-2 ATS (63.4 percent) since 2008. Clemson opened the season 20-4 including 10-1 in the ACC and like Iowa, fell apart late as they lost five of their last seven games. They beat Wake Forest and almost let North Carolina come back from an 18-point deficit. They play solid defense but do not possess a come-from-behind offense. 10* (747) Iowa Hawkeyes

This is a play on the UTAH ST. AGGIES for our CBB Round 1 Game of the Year. There were a few teams that were under seeded and Utah St. is near the top of the list. The Aggies won the Mountain West Conference regular season and tournament championships, finished No. 26 in the NET Ranking and No. 29 in the KenPom Rating yet come in as a No. 9 seed. They slipped up toward the end of the regular season with three losses in four games but clinched with a win over New Mexico and then got its big time revenge against the Rebels enroute to the tournament title. Aggies guard Mason Falslev is one of the best players in the country no one has heard of. Villanova finished third in the Big East Conference and that was by default as it was a very down year and while it defeated Wisconsin out of conference, that was the only good win, finishing with two Quad 1 wins, two fewer than Utah St. 10* (771) Utah St. Aggies

This is a play on the AKRON ZIPS for our CBB Friday Ultimate Underdog. Akron won the Mid-American Conference Tournament and while many will say it is because Miami Ohio lost in the opening round but the Zips were actually favored and finished the regular season with the highest NET Ranking and KenPom Rating. The offense is one of the best in the country, No. 8 in Effective Field Goal Percentage while sitting No. 14 in Three-Point Shooting. This offense makes them a live dog on the moneyline and one of their key losses was by only eight points at Purdue. Texas Tech is still talented but shorthanded with little room for error. The Red Raiders lost J.T. Toppin and he was averaging 21.8 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 1.7 bpg before suffering a season-ending ACL injury. With him, Texas Tech was No. 24 in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, per BartTorvik, but dropped to No. 119 after his injury so his loss affects both ends. 10* (741) Akron Zips

This is a play on the SANTA CLARA BRONCOS for our CBB Friday Afternoon Dominator. This is going to be a very popular play and Santa Clara has already brought in a ton of action as 94 percent of the money and 85 percent of the handle is on the Broncos. That can be fade material but not here based on the fact the line has not moved and that is based on the markets knowing they will be getting Kentucky money and lots of it on Friday based on name alone. It has been up and down for the Wildcats as they are 21-13 but to their credit, the losses are mostly quality defeats as 11 of those came in Quad 1 and that is exactly where this one is. Santa Clara came into the season as possible contenders in the West Coast Conference and the Broncos were right there as they finished one game back and gave Gonzaga a battle in the WCC Championship. The offense is great and they create turnovers on defense. 10* (761) Santa Clara Broncos

This is a play on the ST. LOUIS BILLIKENS for our CBB Thursday Late Powerhouse. St. Louis was closer to the NCAA Tournament bubble after losing early in the Atlantic 10 Tournament but the Billikens were never really in jeopardy by solidifying a No. 9 seed. They could cause some problems and the early A-10 exit could benefit going forward. They are balanced with seven players averaging at least nine ppg while sitting No. 3 in Effective Field Goal Percentage and on the defensive end, St. Louis is No. 2 in Effective Field Goal Percentage and both ends are a combined tough inside and outside the perimeter. Georgia has been tough to figure out this season but one thing is real and that is the Bulldogs struggle on defense and of their 22-10 record, 10 of those wins were Quad 3 and Quad 4 and this game falls into Quad 1 where Georgia has gone 2-5 in its last seven games. 10* (715) St. Louis Billikens

This is a play on the ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI for our CBB Thursday Annihilator. Illinois is our sleeper Final Four team coming out of the South Region as this team has a chip on its shoulder after blowing a big lead against Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament. The Illini will most likely have to get by Houston and Florida to get there and while they have the roster and the ability to do so, we are not worrying about that now. Illinois lost seven games this season with all of those in Quad 1 games, five by four points or less in three in overtime and with this being outside that, they have rolled to a 17-0 record and this is a complete mismatch. Because they take threes at more than 50 percent of their shots, there are plenty of misses and the Illini are No. 3 in Offensive Rebounding Percentage and they are going to destroy Penn on the boards. The Quakers get rolled. 10* (724) Illinois Fighting Illini

This is a play on the MIAMI HEAT for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Miami had won seven straight games but then lost a home game against Southeast Division leader Orlando and followed that up with a loss at Charlotte on Tuesday. The Heat are back home where they are 23-12 with this being the third game of a seven-game stretch against current playoff teams so holding serve at home is going to be vital. They are a half-game behind Orlando and sitting in the first spot of the Play In Tournament which they need to get out of. We have faded the Lakers in their last two games and they won both in Houston and we are fading them again in the second of a back-to-back. They now have seven straight wins and covers while going 10-1 straight up and ATS over their last 11 games and the current winning streak in their second seven-game run of the season. Here, we play against road teams allowing 46 percent shooting or higher on the season, after a game where they made 60 percent of their shots or better. This situation is 29-8 (78.4 percent) since 2022. 10* (562) Miami Heat

This is a play on the ST. MARY’S GAELS for our CBB Thursday Enforcer. This game is a contrast of styles as Texas A&M is going to want to turn this into a track meet while the Gaels will want to play a possession game by spreading the ball and taking threes with their strong efficiency where they are hitting 38.6 percent) which is No. 13 in the country. Their defense is also one of the best as they are No. 19 in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Texas A&M was 17-4 at the end of January but closed the season 4-7 which included a 20-point loss in its opening game of the SEC Tournament. St. Mary’s is shooting 81.1 percent from the free throw line which is the best in the country and teams shooting 77 percent or higher from the free throw line are 97-56-2 ATS (63.4 percent) since 2008. When the line is four points or fewer, those teams are 39-19 ATS (67.2 percent). 10* (730) St. Mary’s Gaels

This is a play on the VCU RAMS for our CBB Thursday Contrarian Crusher. VCU got into the NCAA Tournament thanks to winning the Atlantic Ten Tournament and if it had lost, the Rams may have been left out which would have been a travesty considering they finished 16-1 in their last 17 games. They are catching a very short number in a 6-11 matchup against a public name which is telling. North Carolina was hoping to have Caleb Wilson back from his thumb injury but he broke his hand nearing return and that will hurt this team on both ends. They did play good without Wilson but eight of their 12 ACC wins were against teams not in the tournament and overall, they went 18-0 in Quad 2 - Quad 4 games and that is where this game does not fall. Two intangibles not in their favor, they do not force turnovers and they are not good at the free throw line. 10* (721) VCU Rams

This is a play on the SIENA SAINTS for our CBB Thursday Ultimate Underdog. Duke is the favorite to win the NCAA Tournament slightly over Michigan and Arizona and it is overpriced in the opener for obvious reasons. Duke is not looking for anything more than to get out of here injury free as the Blue Devils are already banged up with guard Caleb Foster out and Patrick Ngongba, Jr. likely out again. Siena is finally back in the tournament and the goal is to keep it respectable and the Saints do not have to change their style as they are one of the slowest teams in the country, sitting No. 359 in pace. Duke will try and run more but they are slow as well, ranked No. 277 in pace. Siena is shooting 77 percent from the free throw line and that is the magic number as teams shooting 77 percent or higher from the free throw line are 97-56-2 ATS (63.4 percent) since 2008. 10* (717) Siena Saints 

This is a play on the MURRAY ST. RACERS for our CBB NIT Wednesday Ultimate Underdog. It was a great start for Murray St. as it opened 16-3 that included a 12-game losing streak but the Racers struggled down the stretch with a 4-9 record the rest of the way but they have new life. They were a sleeper play in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament but got derailed in the first game against a red hot Illinois Chicago team and many thought the season might be done but they got the NIT call. This team loves to run as they are No. 14 in Adjusted Tempo and possess the No. 73 ranked Offensive Efficiency mark and catching a number this big is in their favor. Nevada had a similar path to the NIT as it opened 11-3 but closed 11-9 and it needs to be worth noting three of those final 11 wins were against Air Force. The Wolf Pack only have two losses at home but are being asked to win by a margin they have not done so of late. 10* (699) Murray St. Racers

This is a play on the HOUSTON ROCKETS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Houston has a quick turnaround for some revenge after losing to the Lakers here on Monday by eight points. The Rockets have been very average of late as they are 4-5 over their last nine games while going just 2-7 ATS and we are seeing a big line flip as the Rockets actually closed as underdogs on Monday and are slight favorites for now. The Lakers win made it six straight wins and covers while going 9-1 straight up and ATS over their last 10 games. They are in third place in the Western Conference and that victory put them a game and a half ahead of the Rockets so this is now a huge game for Houston. Once again, this is sell high time and at a good price as Los Angeles is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games following three or more consecutive covers. Here, we play on home teams averaging between 108 and 114 ppg and after scoring 95 points or less going up against teams allowing between 114 and 118 ppg. This situation is 28-12 (70 percent) since 2022. 10* (550) Houston Rockets

This is a play on the SMU MUSTANGS for our CBB Wednesday Play In Winner. To no surprise, Miami Ohio is getting a huge majority of the money with the handle at 86 percent and 89 percent respectively and we have seen the line come down because of it. The RedHawks could become the biggest bet First Four team of all time and if it sticks on this path, they are the huge fade. Since 2005, NCAA Tournament teams that have received 82 percent or higher of the handle are 0-8 ATS and the story behind Miami Ohio makes it even more appealing to fade. The RedHawks obviously played no one from the nonconference as their best win was against No. 140 Wright St. and now they face their first major conference opponent. SMU was on the bubble toward the end of the season as it lost four straight to end the regular season before getting bumped by Louisville by four points. We buy low on a favorite. 10* (687) SMU Mustangs

This is a play on the UTAH VALLEY WOLVERINES for our CBB NIT Wednesday Enforcer. Utah Valley ran into a buzzsaw that was Cal Baptist that closed the season on a huge run as it lost the WAC Championship by a bucket. There will be plenty of motivation for the Wolverines as they were in a similar spot last season when they won the regular season but lost in the championship and had to hit the road in the first round on the NIT and lost at San Francisco. Now they get to play a home game where they have not lost this season as they are 15-0 and the devastating last second loss would carry over on the road but the home floor will cure that. George Washington snuck by Fordham in the Atlantic Ten Tournament but lost to St. Louis and the Revolutionaries come into the NIT with losses in 11 of their last 18 games and have defeated only one team ranked as high as Utah Valley, which was the second game of the season. 10* (694) Utah Valley Wolverines

This is a play on the SOUTH ALABAMA JAGUARS for our CBB NIT Tuesday Ultimate Underdog. Does Auburn even want to be here? We have seen numerous teams turn down invitations to the NIT for selfish reasons yet Auburn, which came into the season as a contender in the SEC, decided to play after missing out on the NCAA Tournament. Or in this case, it was head coach Steven Pearl who decided they were playing and it was a smart move for a first year coach to do so. However, we are not sure the players want to and the normal frenzy in the Jungle will not be on display. When asked about quickly getting the team motivated to play after the disappointment of missing the NCAA tournament, Pearl said he’s not going to change his normal approach but he should rethink that. South Alabama has a chance to knock off big brother and the Jaguars have been getting ready for a while. 10* (675) South Alabama Jaguars

This is a play on the ORLANDO MAGIC for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Oklahoma City is coming off a 13-point win over Minnesota on Sunday to make it eight straight wins and put an end to a 0-7 ATS skid and the Thunder are again playing like the defending NBA Champions. They are back on the road following a four-game homestand to open a five-game roadtrip and laying a huge number that is inflated due to their current winning streak. Oklahoma City has lost nine of its last 14 road games after allowing 105 or fewer points in two straight games. Orlando is coming off a 12-point loss in Atlanta last night which halted a seven-game winning streak and the Southeast Division is a heated race with the Magic, Hawks and Heat all separated by just a game and a half. The Magic are back home where they are 21-11 and they come in 13-2 on the season following a road loss and this includes a 5-0 record at home both straight up and against the number. 10* (518) Orlando Magic 

This is a play on the UNC WILMINGTON SEAHAWKS for our CBB NIT Tuesday Enforcer. The key to the first round of the NIT is to find those spots where one team has a possible significant emotional edge over the other and UNC Wilmington fits that bill. The Seahawks notched a regular season Coastal Athletic Association title, their first since 2022, but lost in their first game of the conference tournament last Sunday. It was a tough loss but they have had time to shake it off and head coach Takayo Siddle, who just signed an extension, stated that they have been preparing for the NIT since that defeat so they will be motivated and prepared. Yale meanwhile is coming off a brutal departure from the Ivy League Championship and the Bulldogs lost to Penn, a team they swept in the regular season, in overtime on Sunday so their mental state could be anywhere at this point. Great buy low spot. 10* (667) UNC Wilmington Seahawks

This is a play on the WYOMING COWBOYS for our CBB NIT Tuesday Dominator. Motivation is arguably the biggest component in the lesser postseason tournaments and Wyoming is full of motivation. Head coach Sundance Wicks emphasized how excited his team is in continuing the season and they get a good draw with a decent travel spot. Wyoming features a balanced attack with four players averaging in double figures, all of them guards or wings but do not sleep on them down low. The Cowboys are one of the better rebounding teams in the country, ranking No. 56 nationally in offensive rebounding percentage and No. 51 in defensive rebounding percentage, while leading the Mountain West with 9.7 offensive rebounds per game. Wichita St. is coming off a disheartening loss in the AAC Championship on Sunday and this is a quick turnaround to recover from that. 10* (669) Wyoming Cowboys

This is a play on the HOUSTON ROCKETS for our NBA Star Attraction. The Lakers came through on Saturday as they defeated Denver in overtime following a huge last second shot to tie it in regulation to make it five straight wins and covers while going 8-1 straight up and ATS over their last nine games. They are now sitting in third place in the Western Conference but are just three games clear of the Play In Tournament and they can fall to the No. 4 spot tonight with a loss as it is Houston right on their heels. This is sell high time and at a good price as Los Angeles is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games following three or more consecutive covers. Houston escaped New Orleans on Friday with a two-point win and the Rockets are just 4-4 over their last eight games but can get back into the No. 3 slot as mentioned. Houston was a slightly above average ATS team last season but it has done a bit of a flip this season as it is just 29-37 ATS after going 42-38-2 ATS last season. All Star Alperen Sengun is questionable but should return after missing Friday. Here, we play against road teams off a close home win by three points or less going up against an opponent off a home win. This situation is 45-11 (80.4 percent) since 2022. 10* (514) Houston Rockets

This is a play on the NEW ORLEANS PELICANS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. The Pelicans are coming off a hard-fought loss at Houston by two points on Friday so they have had plenty of time to get over that and they are back home where they have won and covered four straight games. New Orleans has not been favored much this season but it has been laying points much more so lately as it closed as an underdog in 45 of its first 49 games but has been favored in nine of its last 19 games, going 10-3 ATS overall as a chalk including 5-0 ATS when favored by 5.5 or more points. Dallas got blown out at home against Cleveland by 33 points on Friday and then went to Cleveland on Sunday and defeated the Cavaliers by 10 points so now we have the letdown spot playing on a back-to-back. Dallas is 3-10 ATS as an underdog in its last 13 games when getting 6.5 or more points and it has gone 1-5 ATS this season coming off an upset win as an underdog. Here, we play against road teams in the second half of the season shooting between 45.5 and 47.5 percent and after allowing 50 percent shooting in two straight games going up against teams allowing between 45.5 and 47.5 percent, This situation is 50-17 (74.6 percent) since 2022. 10* (508) New Orleans Pelicans

This is a play on the PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Portland has pretty much locked up a spot in the Play In Tournament in the Western Conference as it is 8.5 games clear of Memphis which wants no part of the postseason. That being said, the Blazers still have plenty to play for as they are only two games behind the Clippers for the No. 8 spot which guarantees two games for a chance to win one of those and a spot in the playoffs. Portland is 23-11 in its last 34 games after failing to cover four or five of their last six games against the spread. The depleted Sixers are coming off a win over Brooklyn on Saturday for their third win in their last eight games with the other two wins coming against teams playing for the draft in Utah and Memphis and they go from big home favorite to big home underdog for a reason. Philadelphia is 6-26 in its last 32 games after allowing 105 points or less. Here, we play against teams off a win against a division rival and playing their 3rd game in four days. This situation is 165-95 (63.5 percent) since 2022. 10* (569) Portland Trailblazers

This is a play on the WICHITA ST. SHOCKERS for our CBB American Conference Championship. Wichita St. and South Florida deservedly meet in the American Athletic Conference championship as both come in on substantial winning streaks. The Shockers have won seven straight games since an eight-point home loss against the Bulls and they are now 14-5 in the conference with two losses coming early in the first two games in January by a combined six points, one of those in double overtime. The Metrics do not like this team despite a 3-3 record in Quad 1 games that included a win at South Florida. The Bulls have won 10 straight games and are 16-3 overall in the conference and could steal an NCAA Tournament spot if they lose with their No. 49 NET Ranking. They had no issues with Charlotte on Saturday but they will get everything from the Shockers on Sunday. 10* (647) Wichita St. Shockers

This is a play on the OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER for our NBA Early Attraction. Oklahoma City has won seven straight games and to its credit, a lot of those were close victories with four coming by one possession or in overtime and because of this and other marginal wins, the Thunder are 0-7 ATS in those seven games. That presents contrarian value and the added motivation is not only keeping distance from San Antonio for the No. 1 spot in the Western Conference but this is a double-revenge game on top of it. Minnesota snapped a three-game losing streak with a 10-point win at Golden St. to improve to 41-26 which puts the Timberwolves one game out of third place and a half-game out of fourth place so there is plenty to play for but this is a tough spot. Anthony Edwards is questionable and they come in just 3-8 ATS on the road coming off a road win. Bet on Oklahoma City is 13-1 in its last 14 games after failing to cover six or seven of its last eight games against the spread while going 18-2 in its last 20 home games when playing with two days of rest. 10* (562) Oklahoma City Thunder

This is a play on the UTAH VALLEY WOLVERINES for our CBB Saturday WAC Late Powerhouse. Utah Valley is playing with a purpose as it was nearly disqualified from the WAC Tournament before it started but was able to settle a dispute for it leaving for the Big West Conference next season, paying a $1M settlement fee. The Wolverines nearly let it slip away last night as they were up by 16 points with just over nine minutes remaining but allowed a 19-4 run while UT Arlington ended up tying the game before Utah Valley but escaped with a two-point win. The Wolverines are now a win away for their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Cap Baptist opened 0-3 in the WAC and has since won 13 of its last 15 games and obviously has the toughest of matchups. They lost two of three meetings with Utah Valley with the one win in overtime at home. 10* (636) Utah Valley Wolverines

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES LAKERS for our NBA Western Conference GOM. The Lakers are playing excellent right now as after coming out of the All Star Break 1-3, they have won seven of eight games while covering seven games as well and this includes wins over New York and Minnesota as part of their last three games. The lone loss came at Denver nine nights ago by seven points where they were outscored 28-10 at the free throw line so there is revenge and a point to prove. Los Angeles is 21-5 ATS in its last 26 home games against teams allowing 116 or more ppg. Denver has won two straight games including a win at San Antonio on Thursday but the Spurs were without Victor Wembanyama so it caught a break there. The Nuggets have been better on the road than at home but the line is taking that into consideration and this is a sell high spot. Here, we play against road teams off an upset win as an underdog going up against an opponent off two consecutive home wins by 10 points or more. This situation is 37-3 (92.5 percent) since 2017. 10* (558) Los Angeles Lakers

This is a play on the CONNECTICUT HUSKIES for our Big East Championship Winner. Connecticut has some unfinished business and it is not solely based on the head-to-head series from this season. The Huskies won the Big East Conference regular season and postseason tournament in 2024 and regressed in 2025 while hoping for a shot at St. John’s after getting swept but were ousted by Creighton and now after losing the regular season for a second straight season, this one is big for them. Connecticut rolled through Xavier and Georgetown and actually come in favored and we are backing that number. St. John’s has also gotten to the championship game with no sweat wins and it is now 18-1 in its last 19 games with the lone loss coming against the Huskies by 32 points so there will be motivation for sure but this is where they fall short. 10* (625) Connecticut Huskies

This is a play on the ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS as part of our CBB Saturday Afternoon Three-Pack. Mississippi is pulling off the unthinkable as it has three straight upsets to advance to the SEC Tournament semifinals and is easily the lowest NET Ranked team to make it this far from the five major conferences. The Rebels came into the tournament with zero momentum with 12 losses in 13 games but have taken out three NCAA Tournament teams and this is where they run out of gas. They also came in 2-14 in Quad 1 games. Arkansas got a bye through the quarterfinals and escaped with a win over Oklahoma and while that may not look impressive, the Sooners came in playing with momentum and confidence as they were on a six-game winning streak while playing with desperation. The Razorbacks step back to Quad 2 where they are 7-0, five double-digit wins. 10* (616) Arkansas Razorbacks

This is a play on the DAYTON FLYERS as part of our CBB Saturday Afternoon Three-Pack. Give St. Louis a ton of credit for coming back from a 21-point deficit to defeat George Washington by seven points to advance to the Atlantic Ten Conference semifinals. The Billikens have been off since a 21-1 start including 12-0 in the conference as they are just 4-3 over their last seven games and one of those losses was at Dayton by 15 points so while they will be out to avenge that, they are catching the Flyers at a bad time to do so. Dayton took out St. Bonaventure which was playing its third game in three days and simply ran out of gas. The Flyers are 8-2 over their last 10 games since their four-game skid at the end of January with both of the losses coming against VCU. Great value here in a game that can go either way which significantly favors the underdog. 10* (605) Dayton Flyers

This is a play on the MICHIGAN WOLVERINES as part of our CBB Saturday Afternoon Three-Pack. Michigan is coming off a scare against Ohio St. as it built a double-digit lead yet the Buckeyes had their chances late but are safely in the NCAA Tournament. The Wolverines are laying a big number and this is the spot to lay it as they have gone 1-5 ATS over their last eight games and that actually presents value to the favorite. There will be some added motivation to run this one up as Wisconsin handed the Wolverines their only conference loss which was at home where they were favored by 18.5 points. Wisconsin had its own rally on Friday as the Badgers came back from a 15-point deficit to defeat Illinois in overtime. That took a lot out of them and they were very fortunate to have a 25-9 scoring edge from the free throw line which was the difference. 10* (610) Michigan Wolverines

This is a play on the UTAH TECH TRAILBLAZERS for our CBB Friday Late Powerhouse. Utah Tech is the one team no one expected to be here after finishing 2-14 last season and picked to finish last but here it is and catching a healthy number. The Trailblazers ended up in third place in the WAC yet did have a shot at first place but suffered a loss at Southern Utah in their second to last game of the season that knocked them out of contention and then they lost to Utah Valley in the final game of the season in double overtime. Six of their seven conference losses are against the three other remaining teams in the tournament with four being true road games. Cal Baptist was the favorite coming in and have played like it by going 13-2 after a 0-3 start with the two losses against Utah Tech and Utah Valley and are caught in a reverse line move with 90% of the money on Utah Tech yet the line going up. 10* (847) Utah Tech Trailblazers

This is a play on the TORONTO RAPTORS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Toronto is coming off a loss at New Orleans on Wednesday to make it two straight losses and the Raptors have dropped six of their last eight games. They are going the wrong way as they are now in the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference which puts them in the Play In Tournament so they need a turnaround. We were hoping for Scottie Barnes news but it looks now he will be close to a gametime decision with an illness. Phoenix has won four straight games after beating Indiana by 15 points last night and the Suns are in a near similar spot as Toronto as it is No. 7 in the Western Conference and just a game out of avoiding the Play In Tournament. They have been one of the best road cover teams in the league, going 20-11 ATS but this includes an 11-1 ATS record as favorite and they are a pedestrian 9-10 ATS when getting points. Here, we play on home teams off an upset loss by 10 points or more as a favorite going up against an opponent off 2 or more consecutive road wins. This situation is 27-7 (79.4 percent) since 2022. 10* (536) Toronto Raptors

This is a play on the MIAMI HURRICANES for our ACC Game of the Year. Virginia was able to pull away from NC State last in the game Thursday to advance to the semifinals and the Cavaliers will be tested. This has been a tough team to figure out as the Cavaliers had won nine straight games before getting rolled by Duke but they were far from dominant during that streak with three of those wins by three points, one by four points and four big wins were against teams whose seasons are already done. Miami avenged a regular season finale loss against Louisville with a five-point win on Thursday and this team is live again. The Hurricanes have gone 14-5 in all ACC games this season and after a 4-0 start, they lost to Clemson by 10 points but after that, the remaining four losses were by nine points combined which included a three-point loss against Virginia and that was in Charlottesville. 10* (837) Miami Hurricanes

This is a play on the ARIZONA WILDCATS for our CBB Friday Late Annihilator. Iowa St. has had a great draw through two games as it got to face Arizona St. right after destroying them to close the regular season and then got a Texas Tech team that was down J.T. Toppin and was hanging until two more players had to leave. The Cyclones rolled through the bottom of the Big 12 Conference as they won just three games against future NCAA Tournament teams, defeating UCF, Kansas and Houston and the one commonality being that those were all at home. They lost the first meeting at Arizona by 16 points and they are 3-6 in their last nine Quad 1 games. Arizona is coming off a no sweat win over Central Florida as it remains No. 1 across the board on defense. Arizona is 14-2 in Quad 1 games, the only two losses coming at Kansas and against a healthy Texas Tech team in overtime. 10* (842) Arizona Wildcats

This is a play on the SETON HALL PIRATES as part of our CBB Friday Late Afternoon Package. Seton Hall took out Creighton in its Big East Conference tournament opener and now has a rematch to try and avenge its regular season finale loss against St. John’s. The Pirates were one of the early season surprises as the came into the season with low expectations but went 10-1 in the nonconference and jumped out to a 4-1 start in the conference but finished slow with a 6-9 record over their final 15 games. They suffered some close losses down the stretch and four of those came against St. John’s and Connecticut as they lost those four games by an average of 5.3 ppg and there is no reason they cannot keep this close. The Red Storm have won 17 of their last 18 games so there will not be many stepping in front of that but they had their close calls along the way and could get caught sleeping. 10* (833) Seton Hall Pirates

This is a play on the DUQUESNE DUKES as part of our CBB Friday Late Afternoon Package. We are going to ride the Dukes again Friday following a win over Rhode Island. Duquesne was 8-5 in the Atlantic Ten Conference in mid-February through 13 games but then lost four straight games, three of those on the road before closing the season with a much needed win heading into the conference tournament. The Dukes finished a respectable 5-7 on the road and they have an edge in the tournament that is being played in Pittsburgh as they will have the crowd edge and it will be the same as it was on Thursday for a solid happy hour  venue. VCU is playing its way into the NCAA Tournament and the Miami Ohio loss did not hurt while the Auburn loss helped the Rams out. They won the first meeting by 13 points but the Dukes were coming off a double overtime win prior to that. 10* (801) Duquesne Dukes

This is a play on the MASSACHUSETTS MINUTEMEN  as part of our CBB Friday Late Afternoon Package. Massachusetts ended the undefeated season of Miami Ohio with a four-point win over the RedHawks and while many will expect a letdown, that will not be the case. The Minutemen have the coaching edge again with Frank Martin and despite finishing the regular season 7-11, this team is live to win the whole MAC Tournament. They were by far the most unfortunate team in the conference as of those 11 losses, four of those were in overtime while three others were by one possession. Granted, they did have close wins as well but in a coin flip type of game as we have here, we will take the points. Toledo snuck past Bowling Green by one point in the game that followed and while the Rockets finished 11-7 in the regular season, seven of those wins were against the bottom four teams. 10* (829) Massachusetts Minutemen

This is a play on the WISCONSIN BADGERS for our CBB Friday Star Attraction. Wisconsin held off a late Washington rally to advance to the Big Ten Conference tournament quarterfinals and the Badgers have now won four straight games. They opened the season going 0-5 in Quad 1 games but have gone 7-2 since then with one of those losses coming in overtime on the road at Indiana by one point. Wisconsin won the first meeting in overtime at Illinois as it was getting 9.5 points in that game so the spread the second time around is in line so they are not being shaded coming in as the hotter team. We say hotter because Illinois has lost four of its last eight games and while three of those were in overtime, it shows there have been close games. The four wins over this stretch were against non-NCAA Tournament teams with Indiana being the best victory. 10* (807) Wisconsin Badgers

This is a play on the KENTUCKY WILDCATS for our CBB Friday Afternoon Dominator. We have one of a few scenarios taking place of a team playing its third game in three days facing a team off a double bye and playing its first game. Kentucky withstood a Missouri rally to take out the Tigers by six points as it had a 16-point lead a day after beating LSU by five points after possessing a 12-point lead. Obviously the test goes up here but so does the betting number despite trending the right way. Florida is playing as good as any team in the country as it has won 11 straight games but we can sell high here. Florida won both meetings this season, the most recent coming in the season finale at Kentucky by seven points so that is playing into the line as the Gators were favored 5.5 points and it is now double that with a switch to a neutral floor and that is too big of a move. 10* (821) Kentucky Wildcats

This is a play on the UAB BLAZERS for our CBB Friday Afternoon Annihilator. The most intriguing team in the AAC and maybe the country takes the floor early Friday. UAB had an abnormal regular season as it had the biggest reverse home/road splits in the country. The road team went 16-2 in Blazers games within the American Athletic Conference as they went 9-0 on the road and just 2-7 at home. The lone wins came against Rice and East Carolina where they failed to cover and they went 0-9 ATS in Birmingham in the AAC and while this game is in the same city, it is a different arena. Charlotte was not expected to do much this season but it came storming out of the gate with a 7-2 record with one of those losses coming against 13-5 Tulsa but it was a reversal over the second half as the 49ers went 2-7 and while it just blew out Tulane, that is keeping the number down. 10* (818) UAB Blazers

This is a play on the UTAH TECH TRAILBLAZERS for our CBB Late Powerhouse. The college basketball adage goes that it is hard to beat a team three times in the same season now how about beating a team four times in the same season which Utah Tech will be out to do. The Trailblazers ended up finishing in third place in the WAC yet did have a shot at first place but suffered a loss at Southern Utah in their second to last game of the season that knocked them out of contention and then they lost to Utah Valley in the final game of the season in double overtime. They certainly want another shot at the Wolverines but it will take a fourth consecutive win over Abilene Christian and it should not be close. The Wildcats finished the regular season on a four-game losing streak and on a 3-12 run and its win last night over Tarleton St. was their third this season, half of their total WAC wins. 10* (780) Utah Tech Trailblazers

This is a play on the NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS for our CBB Star Attraction. Clemson is coming off an opening round win over Wake Forest so it has some momentum going but we give the edge to North Carolina and its overall body of work. The Tigers played the second easiest schedule in the ACC behind Miami enroute to its current 13-6 record and of those 12 wins, only two were against future NCAA Tournament teams, the Hurricanes and Louisville with SMU being a possible third and all of those were at home. The only two decent wins away from home were against Georgia and Cincinnati on neutral floors in November and December respectively and both by just three points. The Tar Heels played the No. 1 ranked schedule in the ACC and had a four-game winning streak snapped with a loss to Duke. North Carolina is 6-7 in Quad 1 games with the last six losses all being true road games. 10* (728) North Carolina Tar Heels

This is a play on the MILWAUKEE BUCKS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Miami has won six straight games following a blowout win over Washington where Bam Adebayo had a historic performance and this is the ultimate sell high spot and even more so since the Heat have covered all six of these games. They have moved into a tie with Orlando for first place in the Southeast Division and are now No. 6 in the Eastern Conference, a half-game out of the Play In Tournament. This is a tough sandwich spot off the noteworthy victory and with a game against Orlando on deck. Milwaukee is trending the other way as it is coming off a 1-4 homestand with the only win coming against Utah and the Bucks are pretty much dead when it comes to the postseason. We will go contrarian however as they are in a buy low spot having gone 1-6 ATS over their last seven games. 10* (519) Milwaukee Bucks

This is a play on the KENT ST. GOLDEN FLASHES for our CBB Tourney Annihilator. Kent St. finished third in the Mid-American Conference at 14-4 and the Golden Flashes basically did what they were supposed to do. They lost once to Miami Ohio, twice to Akron which is arguably the best team in the conference and on the road at Central Michigan by a bucket. They did win a lot of close games which hurt their ATS numbers but that matters none now as they were overvalued with an 11-18 ATS record. Kent St. won the lone meeting with Ohio by 15 points. The Bobcats were the big disappointment as they were picked to contend but after a 4-1 start, they faltered to a 5-8 close to finish in a tie for fourth place and had that disheartening loss in overtime to Miami Ohio in the season finale. It could linger and we take the team with the higher NETS Ranking by over 80 spots. 10* (712) Kent St. Golden Flashes

This is a play on the NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS for our CBB Ultimate Underdog. Some teams with no chance of making the NCAA Tournament come to their conference tournaments ready for their season to just be done with while others look enthused to keep going and Northwestern is the latter. The Wildcats are coming off a no sweat upset over Indiana after easily defeating Penn St. and while playing their third game in three nights, they are playing free and with newfound confidence. Northwestern hung with Purdue in the first meeting and while that was at home, this is actually a good matchup between two of the slowest tempo teams in the conference which benefits the underdogs especially one of this size. Purdue is still considered one of the top teams in the country with its No. 10 NET Ranking but something just does not seem right and we will fade until they flip that switch. 10* (741) Northwestern Wildcats

This is a play on the GRAND CANYON LOPES for our MVC Game of the Year. Nevada had the luxury of playing Air Force in the first round of the Mountain West Conference tournament and got to witness the Falcons score 10 first half points. The Wolf Pack defense is nothing special so it was really nothing they did and they also had the fortunate draw of playing Air Force for a second straight game after beating the Falcons in the regular season finale by 15 points on their home floor. Now they face MWC newcomer Grand Canyon who they beat at home in overtime in the lone meeting. Nevada is 2-6 in its last eight games away from home, both wins against Air Force. The Lopes finished 13-7 in the conference with the last five losses coming by one or two possessions including that overtime loss to Nevada. No worries about the Nevada crowd at 2:30 local time. 10* (764) Grand Canyon Lopes

This is a play on the DUQUESNE DUKES for our CBB Tourney Enforcer. Duquesne was 8-5 in the Atlantic Ten Conference in mid-February through 13 games but then lost four straight games, three of those on the road before closing the season with a much needed win heading into the conference tournament. The Dukes finished a respectable 5-7 on the road and they have an edge in the tournament that is being played in Pittsburgh as they will have the crowd edge and at a good time frame for their opening round game. Rhode Island had the one big win this season when it upset St. Louis at home back in February but closed the season 1-4 over its last five games. The Rams played one of the easiest conference schedules but finished just 7-11 and of the 11 losses, none were by one possession and only five were by two possessions. 10* (718) Duquesne Dukes

This is a play on the AUBURN TIGERS for our CBB Contrarian Crusher. With Indiana and Cincinnati both losing on Wednesday, and Stanford and Virginia Tech prior to that on Tuesday, the path to the NCAA Tournament became a lot better for Auburn. The Tigers picked up the much needed blowout win over Mississippi St. on Wednesday and the confidence level cannot be overstated and they are still very much in the mix and while they could use the win here, we only need the cover. They lost by eight points at Tennessee in the lone meeting this season which started their 2-8 skid to end the regular season and now they are getting the same amount on a neutral floor that they got at Knoxville. The Volunteers got to 10-4 in the SEC with an upset at Vanderbilt in late February but they have dropped three of four and could be vulnerable. 10* (747) Auburn Tigers

This is a play on the TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS as part of our CBB Thursday Early 3-0 Sweep Package. Iowa St. is coming off a 49-point win over Arizona St. which was the Sun Devils biggest loss since a 50-point loss in 1956 and the Cyclones have won two straight games, both against Arizona St. by a combined 70 points. The Wednesday victory was the largest in Big 12 Tournament history and this outcome makes it fade time. They basically only went eight-deep so there was not a ton of rest and now they get Texas Tech which is off rest as the Red Raiders snagged the No. 4 seed thanks to their regular season win over Iowa St. and while there is revenge in play, the line favors Texas Tech and it is likely going to go up even more once the public gets involved. The Red Raiders will be considered an easy fade based on the loss of J.T. Toppin and they come in with two straight losses but we go contrarian. 10* (754) Texas Tech Red Raiders

This is a play on the NC STATE WOLFPACK as part of our CBB Thursday Early 3-0 Sweep Package. This is the time to buy NC State. The Wolfpack came out of hibernation with a pull away win over Pittsburgh as it came in with four straight defeats and losses in six of its last seven games, two by 29 points and a third by 39 points, while posting bad losses against Notre Dame and Stanford. They are safely into the NCAA Tournament now so the pressure is gone and they finally got their confidence back after a 9-2 start in the ACC. Against the Panthers, they were 20-25 from the free throw line as they are one of the best in the country from the line which is big in a close game which this game looks to be based on the number. Virginia will be the popular play here because of the short price and the fact it blew out the Wolfpack in both meetings this season and this is the sell high time. 10* (721) NC State Wolfpack

This is a play on the FORDHAM RAMS as part of our CBB Thursday Early 3-0 Sweep Package. Fordham got off to a bad start in the Atlantic Ten Conference as it opened 1-6 but the Rams turned the corner and went a respectable 7-4 the rest of the way. Two of those losses were to VCU, one by only three points, while the other two losses were by three points each. They won the tiebreaker with George Washington as they both finished 8-10 but Fordham did win the lone meeting by 14 points on the road. They are undervalued in the metrics and with the line with some of that based on name and they do play at one of the slowest paces which favors lower scoring games, thus favoring the underdog. It was a disappointing season for the Revolutionaries as they were projected much higher and seven of their eight wins were against the bottom five teams. 10* (714) Fordham Rams

This is a play on the SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS for our CBB Wednesday Ultimate Underdog. South Carolina closed the regular season on a high note as it defeated Mississippi for just its second win away from home. The Gamecocks played a brutal schedule that was ranked No. 2 which is a part of the struggles this season as its 14 losses were all against teams that will most likely be heading to the NCAA Tournament, Auburn and Missouri being the questions with both just on the inside. The four victories were against teams not going, including a win over Oklahoma where South Carolina was getting a point and a half and now is getting a huge number. The Sooners are one of the last eight teams out so this is obviously a must win but the line is portraying that. They closed strong with a 6-2 run to get into position but now it is time to sell high at this number. 10* (673) South Carolina Gamecocks