*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The DePaul Blue Demons host a very sneaky good Arkansas Little Rock team tonight. Little Rock has wins at Tulsa and at San Diego State this year. Little Rock has a new coach this season, and he has this team playing some suffocating defense. They will slow the tempo of this game down and make DePaul work really hard for every shot. The Blue Demons aren't a team that pushes the tempo much, so I think this game is played in the halfcourt throughout. My numbers had this at 127. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Over* These two teams met earlier this year and the total finished at 153. The shooting numbers weren't very good in that one, but the tempo was quick. As long as both teams continue their past trend of playing quick, I like our chances of cashing with the over in this one. The shooting numbers should be better than last game, because neither defense is good. Take the over here. 

*3 Star Play Over* These two teams played just a week ago and that one sailed well over the posted total. Both of these teams like to play quickly, and they both foul a bunch. A game where both teams get in transition and both teams get to the line a lot is one of my favorite spots to play the over. North Texas' defense is one of the worst in the country. I had this one at 153. Take the over in this one. 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*4 Star NCAA BB Top Total* The UCF Knights are playing at a much slower pace this year thanks to their 7'6 center Tacko Fall being on the team. Fall is a freshman who has made a big impact already on the defensive end. Florida Atlantic has a bad offense to start with, and I don't see them getting many good looks at the hoop here. UCF has committed the least amount of fouls of any team in the nation.

Both teams prefer to slow the game down. I had this number lined at 128 points. Take the under in this one. 

*3 Star Play Over* Davidson has been shooting the lights out in every game except their loss to North Carolina. I had the over in that one and lost, so I'm still a little upset that Davidson picked that game to shoot it so poorly. I don't think it will happen again though. Western Carolina has a terrible defense, and they put opponents at the line a bunch. The Catamounts are going to give up a big number against Davidson here. Both teams love to run so the tempo should be enough to get Western Carolina plenty of points. Take the over. 

*4 Star Play Under* The Michigan State Spartans and Florida Gators are both ranked in the top six in the nation in defensive efficiency. Michigan State has been shutting down the opposition, especially in their last few games. I'm not impressed with Florida's offense right now, but the Gators work hard on defense and play good team defense. Tom Izzo's team doesn't give the opponent second chances, and without those second chance points Florida's offense should be in trouble. Take the under. 

3 star play- Here are two teams who love to slow down the tempo and George Mason has been really bad on the offensive end this year. My numbers had this one at 132 points. Take the under in this one. 

*4 Star Play Under* 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*4 Star Play Under* 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*3 Star Play Over* 

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The San Diego Toreros just beat San Diego State 53-48 last game. San Diego plays at the 340th quickest tempo out of 351 teams in college basketball. Their opponent tonight, the Denver Pioneers, play at the 350th ranked pace in the nation. 

This number is certainly lower than I would like to play an under at in the new shot clock era, but my numbers suggest this will stay under this very low total. In fact, this could end up being one of the lowest scoring games of the year thus far.

Denver has played their last two games to 120 points and San Diego is far worse offensively than Denver's last two opponents. This one is low for a reason. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Over* The Boise State Broncos are playing quicker this year. The Broncos have some very good scorers in Anthony Drmic, Mikey Thompson, and James Webb. Loyola Marymount prefers to play quickly, and their defense isn't good at all. I think Boise State will have a very efficient offensive night here. It won't be a surprise if they put up a big number.

Loyola Marymount's offense has been much better in the last few games. They have been attacking the basket more and kicking it it out to open jump shooters. Boise State's offense is great, but their defense isn't good. Look for Loyola Marymount to score quite a few as well. Take the over. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Play of Day* The Texas Tech Red Raiders have typically been a team that slows down the tempo under Tubby Smith's leadership. So far this year, they have played quicker and had some high scoring games, but I think that's more a product of who they have played against than anything else.

Tennessee-Martin is a bad team, but they are good at forcing opponents to slow down the pace. The Skyhawks are going to do their absolute best to turn this into a low scoring game. With Texas Tech's previous history of slowing the game down, I think they are an opponent that Martin will be able to slow down. I had this number at 135 points. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Marshall Thundering Herd are playing at the second quickest tempo in the nation. Last game, they played to a 107-84 final against James Madison. It's important to note that James Madison is a team that likes to slow the game down. The fact that the game got to 191 points is indicative of Marshall's poor defense and their tempo. 

Eastern Illinois has been playing to the pace of their opponent this year. The Panthers are good at getting to the line, and they should get plenty of free throw attempts here. Their defense isn't very good, and I think Marshall can beat them down the floor. Take the over. 

*3 Star Villanova/Oklahoma Total DOMINATION* The Villanova Wildcats are first in the nation in defensive efficiency. They are also slowing the tempo of the game down this year compared to what they have done in the past. Oklahoma ranks fifth in the nation in defensive efficiency.

Two of the top five defenses against each other in a game where there is a very odd shooting backdrop. Bloch Arena will be the host to this game, and it's a 4,000 seat building. This isn't going to be anything like the normal venues these two teams play at, and that likely will mean lower shooting percentages.

Oklahoma will look to push the tempo, but Villanova's physical defense should control Oklahoma's offense. I think this one finishes around 140. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The UCLA Bruins defeated Kentucky in a big upset in their last game. That should give this team a bunch of momentum. They go up against a poor Long Beach State defense here, and UCLA's offense should continue to fire on all cylinders. Long Beach State has been giving up the points in bunches this year.

UCLA prefers to push the tempo and Long Beach State has guards who really want to run this season. Look for an up and down game and a high scoring contest. Take the over. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The North Carolina Tar Heels got Marcus Paige back last game, and it showed right away how much he helps their team on offense. North Carolina always wants to run, and not many teams will run with them, but it's hard to see Davidson slowing the game down. The Wildcats rank 9th in the nation in pace and they have two great scorers in Gibbs and Sullivan. 

North Carolina has a huge edge on the glass here, and I expect a bunch of second chance points for the Tar Heels. I had this game lined at 177 points. Take the over. 

*3 Star Play Under* The Southern Miss Golden Eagles are a really bad basketball team. The only way they have been able to keep games close this year is to stall. They'll be stalling again in this one, and North Dakota State is typically happy to play slowly as well. Southern Miss is shooting less than 35% from the floor. North Dakota State's defense is good. Southern Miss has actually been pretty good on defense as well. An ugly game. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Over* The Washington State Cougars like to push the tempo thanks to coach Ernie Kent's philosophy. Washington State will get a chance to do that against a Portland State team that loves to run. Additionally, Portland State has been one of the worst defense in the country in the past three years. Washington State should put up a big number here. Take the over. 

*4 Star Play Over* Wisconsin Green Bay plays at the second fastest tempo in the country. Toledo is always happy to play fast as well, and the Rockets offense is tremendous. A lot of pace all the way through this one and plenty of trips to the line for both teams. I had this one at 170 points. Take the over here. 

*3 Star Play Over* The Montana State Bobcats defense is one of the worst in the country. That makes this a great matchup for a team like Nebraska Omaha. Omaha plays at the third fastest tempo in the country. Omaha should get into the 90's in this game, and Montana State generally shoots the ball very well at home. Take the over. 

*3 Star Play Under* Rivalry game here and the defenses have hand the upper hand in the past few meetings between these two teams. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Rivalry Game Total* The Rhode Island Rams and the Providence Friars don't like each other much. How could they? They are obviously very close to each other, and they have now been playing each other every year. Providence has a good team this year led by Kris Dunn. Rhode Island is a tremendous defensive team, and they should make someone else beat them. The Friars defense is very good, and Rhode Island's offense is their weakness. The Rams can't score unless they get to the line a lot, and Providence doesn't foul much. A hard fought close game. Take the under. 

*4 Star Play Under* The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets tried to up the tempo early in the season, but lately they have gone right back to their old style of slowing things down. Tulane is definitely a team that prefers to play at a slow tempo, so I see this game being played in the halfcourt throughout. The Tulane defense is pretty good, and Georgia Tech doesn't have many shooters on their team. Georgia Tech's interior defense is very good, and Tulane isn't accustomed to playing against defenses like this one. I made this total 131 points. Take the under. 

*4 Star Play Over* The Elon Phoenix play a very fast paced game, and only one of their games this year has finished lower than this posted total. FIU has been a team that plays to the tempo of their opponent in the past. I think they'll do that to some degree again here. FIU is shooting better than 43% from behind the three point line this year. Elon isn't good on the defensive end at all. Both teams are pretty good at grabbing offensive rebounds, so second chance points should come pretty frequently. Take the over. 

*5 Star TOP Play Total of the Week* The Siena Saints and Manhattan Jaspers met twice last year under the old rules in college basketball (longer shot clock and less fouls), and in those two games the total finished at 166 points and 154 points. Here we get a posted of 148? Manhattan has a very long history of fouling a bunch on defense and getting to the foul line a lot on the offensive end. Siena is that way as well. This game should see a lot of free throws.

Both Siena and Manhattan like to push the tempo, and I think we see a lot of possessions in this game. Barring some very poor shooting numbers, I see this one getting over the total easily. Take the over! *NCAA BB TOP Play Total of the Week* 

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The Oregon State Beavers are terrific at controlling the tempo of a game. Oregon State wins with defense and once they grab the lead they can really take the air out of the ball. Loyola Marymount is missing their best scorer, and this is a team that struggles to score against quality teams to start with. Oregon State controls this game and then slows it down in the second half. I projected this one at 134 points. Take the under here. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Big 10/ACC Challenge CASH* The Iowa Hawkeyes prefer to play a fast tempo. The problem for them is they rarely get to play fast in the Big Ten because most teams in the conference like to slow things down. They'll get their shot to play fast here. Florida State has turned up the tempo in a big way this year with their young and athletic lineup. Rathan-Mayes is turning into one of the best in the nation quickly. Florida State and Iowa are both much better on offense than defense. Both teams are good at getting to the line often. I think this one gets to right around 160. Take the over. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Louisville/Michigan State MONEY* The Michigan State Spartans defense has been elite this year. Michigan State isn't allowing opponents any second chance points. Louisville's offense isn't very efficient, so they rely heavily on their ability to get second chance points. I don't think they'll get many in this one, and I see the Cardinals struggling to score. Louisville's defense ranks first in the nation in two point field goal defense, and the Cardinals should make life difficult for Denzel Valentine here. The tempo should be slow with both teams focusing on the defensive end. I had this number at 131. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Under* The Boston College Eagles and Penn State Nittany Lions have both had a really tough time in the early going this year. Penn State's offense is dreadful without D.J. Newbill. He was the guy everything ran through last year, and without him they look lost. Boston College lost their star in Olivier Hanlan as well. Both teams like to slow the tempo down and I expect this one to stay in the 120's. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Totals Takedown* The Syracuse Orange have one of the best defenses in the nation every year. This matchup zone is going to give Wisconsin a lot of trouble. Without Kaminsky and Dekker this Badgers offense has struggled a lot so far this year, and now they are going up against the best defense they have played this season. Wisconsin is going to slow the tempo down. They rank 345th out of 351 teams in the nation in terms of tempo. Syracuse prefers to play slow as well. Look for a game played almost solely in the halfcourt. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Cornell Big Red don't play much defense at all, but they do push the pace at every opportunity. Siena has always been a team that prefers to play quickly with Jimmy Patsos as their coach. Siena has a big advantage on the inside here, and I think they'll get a lot of easy baskets around the hoop. Siena's aggressive defense leads to a bunch of fouls, and Cornell should get a lot of free throw attempts in this one. In a game that should be pretty close, free throw attempts put this one over the total. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Value* The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets started the season out trying to play faster, but they have slowed down the tempo as usual in their last few games. Brian Gregory's team seems unlikely to be able to get Wofford to play fast. Wofford has been one of the slowest paced teams in the country every single year under their current coach. Wofford isn't going to let this tempo get out of control. Both teams have struggled shooting the ball in recent weeks. Take the under. 

*5 Star NCAA BB TOP Play Total* The Villanova Wildcats defense has been the best in the country so far this year, and it isn't even close. Villanova is only allowing teams to shoot 26% from long range and 36.2% from two point range. Those are just silly good numbers. St. Joe's is a strong defense as well. They are holding opponents to 27.7% from long range and 41.4% from three point range. 

Villanova was a fast paced team a few years ago, but they aren't anymore. The Wildcats have shifted down the pace and are winning with their great ball movement and their great defense. ST. Joe's isn't nearly as talented as Villanova, but they'll fight hard in a rivalry game like this one.

I actually made this total 136 points. I think Villanova's defense gets us this win. Take the under big! 

*4 Star NCAA BB Tempo Total* The Iona Gaels are the same type of team every single year. Iona runs and guns. They have a lot of scorers and good shooters on this team. The thing they don't do is give any effort on defense. Fairfield's Sydney Johnson has decided to have the Stags play a fast paced game this year. The Stags are looking to push the pace. They'll get every chance in the world to do that in this game. I see a really fast paced game here where the total gets above 170. Take the over here. 

*3 Star NCAA BB MAC Total* The Marshall Thundering Herd have their distinct style of play. Coach D'Antoni has this team flying up and down the floor and putting up shots as quick as possible. They were the 7th quickest team in the nation last year and they are at #7 so far this year too. Ohio is embracing a much faster paced game this year thanks to a lot of athleticism on their team. The Bobcats are 9th in the nation in free throw attempts, and they should get to the line a lot here. This total is really high for good reason. Take the over. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Totals Takedown* The Delaware Blue Hens are a totally different team than they have been in recent years. Delaware is slowing the tempo down and looking to win with defense. The change is largely because they don't have many good scoring options. The Bradley Braves offense is just miserable. They haven't scored more than 60 points in a single game this year. Bradley is shooting 23.3% on three pointers. Delaware isn't much better at 27.8%. Brian Wardle is Bradley's new coach and the Braves are playing hard on defense for him. I made this number 125. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Minnesota Golden Gophers aren't as good as last year. They lost their top two scorers from last year's team, and I see the Golden Gophers struggling in the halfcourt offense this season. Clemson is the type of team that absolutely makes you play their game. The Tigers are going to slow this game down. Their tempo ranks in the slowest five teams in the country (out of 351 teams). Clemson's defense is excellent, but their offense is subpar. My numbers had this game at 130. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Green Bay Phoenix are playing at the second fastest tempo of any team in the country. Coach Darner has stated he wants this team to be the ultra-fast all year long. They should get their chance to run against an SIU Edwardsville team that isn't good at all defensively. Green Bay's defense has slipped a lot from last year as well. The tempo here should be plenty fast enough and I see both teams getting a lot of trips to the line as well with their aggressive natures on offense. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Memphis Tigers and the Ohio State Buckeyes are both big name programs that are down quite a bit this year. Ohio State has lost to UT Arlington and Louisiana Tech in their last two games. Memphis lost to UT Arlington lost game as well. 

One reason I like this total is Ohio State has played at a tempo of 69 possessions in every single game they have played so far this year. Their consistency at slowing the game down has been great. The only thing that has changed has been their opponents shooting percentages. Memphis shoots 21.5% from three point range, and the Tigers are much better on defense than offense. This game is played at a neutral site in Florida, and neutral sites generally mean worse shooting numbers.

I see this line as being a few points too high. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The San Francisco Dons have decided to slow things down in their last few games, and it has brought them more success. UCSB will be glad to play a slower pace tonight, and UCSB has been struggling badly from outside. UCSB is shooting 23% from the three point range on the season. San Francisco previously played a fast tempo and that's why we are getting value on the under in this one. Take the under. *Note- Shorter writeups than normal today due to traveling for the holidays- Happy Thanksgiving!*

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Murray State Racers lost their star from last year (Cameron Payne) and without him the offense isn't even close to as good. Murray State is working hard on defense though. Opponents have been held below 40% three times this year. The Racers are no longer running as they have in the past. Weber State is a slow it down team because of their strength in the post. I had this one at 132. Take the under. *Note- Shorter writeups than normal today due to traveling for the holidays- Happy Thanksgiving!*

*3 Star Under* The North Dakota State Bison and Montana Grizzlies have both been good under teams for me in the past. With the same coaches back this year, I'm going to go with the under here. Both teams prefer to play a slow it down tempo and both teams aren't nearly as efficient on the offensive end this year after losing their best scorers from a year ago. Take the under. *Note- Shorter writeups than normal today due to traveling for the holidays- Happy Thanksgiving!*

*4 Star NCAA BB Total* The Pepperdine Waves play tremendous defense. They have a long athletic team who makes it very difficult to score. Pepperdine often gets bogged down on offense themselves, but they have been winning a lot of games due to their hard work on defense. Drake plays at an extremely slow tempo, and the Bulldogs will be playing against the best defense they have played this year. Take the under. *Note- Shorter writeups than normal today due to traveling for the holidays- Happy Thanksgiving!*

*4 Star NCAA BB Total Value* The Denver Pioneers have been one of the ten slowest teams in terms of tempo every single year for a long time. They aren't going to speed up for anyone. Idaho State has played faster teams so far this year so they have high scoring games, but that should change in this one. I had this total at 129 points so I see plenty of value for a play. Take the under. *Note- Shorter writeups than normal today due to traveling for the holidays- Happy Thanksgiving!*

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Weber State Wildcats have a good team this year, and it starts with a very strong frontcourt. Weber State has slowed their tempo down in the past couple years. When Damian Lillard was at Weber State, they were a team who played quickly, but now that their strength is in the post instead of at the guard they are playing a halfcourt style. 

Drake has had two games go into overtime already, which has skewed their numbers to make them look like a high scoring team. Drake actually ranks in the bottom 25 teams in the nation (there are 351 overall) in terms of pace. The Bulldogs will be looking to slow this game down, and Weber State is likely to be happy with that as well.

The under is 19-7 in Drake's last 26 games at a neutral site. Shooting percentages are generally a little lower at neutral sites. Take the under in this one. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Total Value* Ohio State has seemingly decided to slow the tempo of the game down this year. With an athletic roster, I'm not really sure why they are doing it, but that's been the game plan so far. Ohio State lost at home to UT Arlington last game, and now they come back to play Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs like to speed the game up, but so do Mt. St. Mary's and UT Arlington. Ohio State didn't let either of those teams play fast as they prefer to. Look for the Buckeyes defense to improve following that ugly loss to UT Arlington. Take the under here. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The Cal Golden Bears have a very athletic team this year and they will look to get up and down much more than they have in past years. With Brown and Rabb added to an already talented roster, Cal has the second most talent in the Pac 12 behind Arizona. The Golden Bears are likely to have a bunch of success on offense here. Cal was flat in their last game, a win over East Carolina. Coach Martin's team should be ready for this one. Sam Houston State has been torched on defense by both SMU and Southern Illinois. It should happen again here. This total is a few points too low. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The San Diego State Aztecs are a grind it out team. Steve Fisher gets his team to work hard on the defensive end like no other coach in the country can. No matter who comes to play for Fisher, they will work hard on defense, or they won't see the floor. San Diego State still slows the game down, and they still have trouble scoring. The Aztecs lost at home to Little Rock last game. The Aztecs should show up ready to play here, and I think that will mean some great defense. East Carolina has been a good under team in recent years so I like this matchup to be very low scoring. The under is 36-16 in San Diego State's last 52 home games. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Late NIGHT BAILOUT* The Stanford Cardinal lost their best two players from last year's team. Stanford is likely to have trouble scoring this season. This is their first road game of the season, and with a young team that should prove difficult. St. Mary's also lost a bunch of talent, and the Gaels are going to be way down this year. Randy Bennett is a good coach and he is going to slow this game down and play a halfcourt style that the Gaels prefer. I made this number 140 points, and I think there is quite a bit of value here. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Under* SMU and Yale are both defensive teams who like to slow the game down. This total is a few points too high. I made this one 135 points. Take the under. 

*4 Star Play Under* The Rhode Island Rams are without their star player, EC Matthews. Matthews is out for the year with an injury. He was their best offensive threat. Without him, the Rams will still be a solid team, and it will be because of the tremendous defense they play. Cleveland State hasn't been able to score against Akron or Malone College, so how are they going to score here? I think Cleveland State will struggle to pass 50 points here. An ugly game between two teams that are good on the defensive end. Take the under. 

*5 Star TOP Play Total CRUSHER* The Oregon State Beavers and UC Santa Barbara Gauchos have both played teams who are very fast in tempo so far this year. They won't be playing an opponent who wants to run in this one. Oregon State is all about defense and UC Santa Barbara has been one of the slowest paced teams in the nation on a consistent basis.

There is a lot of value on this play because of their high scoring games against teams like California (fast paced) and Iona (very fast paced). I had this number at 131 points, which makes this my biggest play of the college basketball season thus far. Take the under big! 

*3 Star NCAA BB National TV Total* The Virginia Cavaliers put up 82 points last night against Bradley, but it wasn't because they have picked up the tempo. Virginia just shot an amazing percentage from the floor. Bradley's defense offered little resistance, but Long Beach State is decent on defense. Virginia's defense is far better than anything Long Beach State generally sees. This line has been pushed up by 6.5 points from the open. That line move makes this under a good value in my eyes. 

Virginia is still the halfcourt team that plays great defense, and I think some of their early season numbers have skewed this number too high. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* The Alabama Crimson Tide are coming off a humbling loss at the hands of the Dayton Flyers. Alabama is playing with a much quicker tempo this year, and Louisiana Lafayette has been one of the fastest paced teams in the nation with Bob Marlin as their head coach. 

Alabama is looking to use full court pressure to speed up the game, and I think Lafayette will be glad to play that type of game here. Lafayette has a very good frontcourt, and I think they'll get a lot of second chance points on offensive rebounds against a relatively small Alabama frontcourt.

I had this one lined at 158 points. Take the over. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Miami (Ohio) Redhawks have always liked to play at a quick tempo under coach John Cooper. Most of the teams inside the Mid American Conference slow the game down. Miami will get their chance to play a quick paced game when they take on Lipscomb on Friday night. Lipscomb has been a team that looks to play fast for several years in a row now.

With the new tighter rules we are seeing about four fouls more per game than we have seen in the past. Both of these teams have been teams that do a good job getting to the line in the past two years. They have also both been teams that commit a bunch of fouls. Look for a lot of trips to the charity stripe throughout this game.

My numbers made this game 154 points. Take the over. 

*3 Star Play Under* The SMU Mustangs play at a methodical pace under Coach Larry Brown. He's suspended now, but SMU isn't going to change the way they play. Stanford lost their two best players from last year, and this Stanford team needed overtime to beat Wisconsin Green Bay at home earlier this year. I don't think Stanford can control the pace of this game, and I think they'll struggle to score against an SMU squad that makes you would hard for every bucket. Look for SMU to grab a lead in this game and work the clock in the second half. I had this number at 141. Take the under. 

*4 Star Play Under* The Rice Owls lost their best long range shooter from last year, and that's about all Rice could do well last season. The Oregon State Beavers have a very good coach in Wayne Tinkle and he is all about slowing the game down and winning with defense. Oregon State doesn't have many good scoring options, but everyone on this team can play defense. Rice likes to slow the game down as well. This is one of those lines that has gotten out of hand because of the success of early season overs. As the line has been bet up, there's just too much value here to pass up. Take the under. 

*3 Star Play Over* Wisconsin Green Bay has a new coach who has totally changed the look of the team. Their goal is to be one of the fastest paced teams in the country this year. Georgia Tech has worked all offseason on trying to be a faster paced team. Brian Gregory's team put up 116 points in their season opener. Wisconsin Green Bay just gave up 103 points last game to East Tennessee State. I think the Yellow Jackets put up a really big number here and the pace of the game means Green Bay should score plenty as well. I made this line 164. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Creighton Blue Jays have a lot of offensive weapons, and they've made it known in the offseason that they want to get out and run. Here's their chance! Indiana loves to run, and the Hoosiers could put up a really big number here. Indiana ranks as the number one team in the nation in offensive efficiency so far this year. Creighton doesn't have many defensive stoppers on their roster. The Blue Jays will get open looks here, because Indiana's defense has been a problem for the past three years. Look for both teams to knock down a lot of threes and this game to go over the posted total. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Late Night BAILOUT* The UNLV Runnin' Rebels are going to be running a lot more this year. Dave Rice said in the preseason that his team has extensively practiced during the offseason to be much faster paced than a year ago. They have the athleticism to beat most teams down the floor. Southern Utah is always glad to play a fast paced game under Coach Nick Robinson. Southern Utah's defense has been among the worst in the nation in each of the last three years. They foul a bunch as well, which will be helpful to the over in this game. A quick tempo with a lot of trips to the charity stripe. Take the over. 

*5 Star TOP Play Best Bet Total* The Northwestern Wildcats and Fairfield Stags play a similar style of basketball. Both look to slow down the game and work down the shot clock. Northwestern is without Jershon Cobb this year and he was their best playmaker a year ago. They are also without Vic Law who was slated to be their best player this season. Law was injured before the season. Fairfield played a 70-57 game against Yale earlier this year. Northwestern played a 79-57 game against UMass Lowell.

Because overs have done so well so far this year, I think we'll be able to catch games with inflated lines like this one in some spots. All totals are being bet up several points. While the new rules do make higher scoring games more frequent, teams like Fairfield and Northwestern are unlikely to fundamentally change the way they play the game. This total has gone up 9 points since the opener. That's way too much in my opinion. Take the under big! 

*4 Star College Hoops TV Total* The Providence Friars are led by one of the best players in the country in Kris Dunn. Dunn is going to have a spectacular season this year. Coach Cooley has said he's looking for Dunn and the rest of his team to push the tempo more often this year because of their skillset. Illinois is glad to run. The Fighting Illini have had 93-81 and 80-74 finals in their first two games this year. Malcolm Hill is a very good scorer for Illinois, and the Fighting Illini should attack the rim a lot in this one. I see a close game between two teams who want to run. Take the over. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs have a new coach, but they are expected to play the same uptempo style they have in the past. Louisiana Tech uses a full court diamond press to get a lot of turnovers and easy buckets in transition. UT Arlington ranked 8th out of 351 teams in terms of pace last year, and I think this game turns into a real track meet. The sharp money is already on the over, and I made this game 158 points. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Missouri Tigers know they can't turn this into a fast paced game. Missouri doesn't have the offensive firepower that Xavier has. Missouri is likely to be ranked near the bottom this year in terms of pace. The Tigers had a lot of very low scoring games last year. Xavier is likely to get a big lead and coast in this one. The Musketeers defense should be improved this year vs. last season. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Eastern Kentucky Colonels are playing a totally different style of basketball this year. They have been a slow tempo team for a long time, but now they have a coach who has said his goal is to have this team near the top of the country in terms of pace. They showed that in their season opener. UNC Wilmington pushes the tempo under a coach who learned under Rick Pitino. There will be a lot of pressing and a lot of fouls in this one. The tempo along with the new shorter shot clock and rules to help higher scoring make this a strong play for me. My number here was 157. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Ohio Bobcats are pushing the tempo and they have a lot of offensive weapons. Tennessee State surprised a lot of people by running and scoring like crazy in their season opener. The Tigers put up 86 points on the road. They'll likely lose this game by a good margin, but Ohio should have little to no trouble scoring against this Tennessee State defense that has been really bad the last few seasons. With the shorter shot clock and more blocking fouls being called, I'm taking the over in this game. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Nevada Wolf Pack are playing a much faster paced game under new coach Eric Musselman this year. Nevada has been known for their halfcourt sets that waste a lot of time in the past few years under David Carter, but this is a big change. In practices, Nevada has been playing as fast as possible. Montana State's Brian Fish prefers to play fast too, so I don't see anything slowing this one down. All of the new rule changes are leading to higher scoring games early on, and this total of 147.5 isn't a very high number with the shorter shot clock. Look for a lot of transition baskets here. Take the over. 

*5 Star NCAA BB TOP Play Total* From everything I've read about the Utah Utes in the offseason, this team is changing the way they play this year. Utah is going to push the tempo. Utah was one of the slowest paced teams in the nation last year. It usually takes the oddsmakers a little bit to adjust to something like this. Utah has the perfect opponent to try out their new tempo on tonight in Southern Utah. Southern Utah has been an extremely fast paced team the last few years. Additionally, Southern Utah is awful on defense and fouls a bunch. The Utes should get a lot of easy buckets at the basket, and they should be on the free throw line a lot as well. 

Utah beat down Cal State Monterey Bay 124-70 in exhibition play last week. I'm not saying they'll pour in the points at that pace tonight, but that shows a totally different type of play. This line is far too low. I think this one gets into the 150's. Take the over big! 

*2 Star NCAA BB Championship CASH* The Wisconsin Badgers and Duke Blue Devils meet in the NCAA Championship Game on Monday night. I expect this to be a tremendous game, and with an opening line of pick'em, so do the oddsmakers. I don't want any part of taking a side in this one, but I see a small amount of value in the under. Wisconsin shoots the ball extremely well, but they do still slow the game down. Duke hasn't been pushing the tempo nearly as much in recent games as they did early in the season. In title games, we often see the tempo slow down as both teams know that every possession matters. Note that this is a smaller play than normal for me because both offenses are very good, but with a total this high and an expected slow tempo, I'm siding with the under. Take the under here. 

*4 Star NIT Semifinals Total Domination* The Temple Owls have struggled on the offensive end all year. Temple is a team that struggles to knock down jump shots, and that's dangerous as they go to play the NIT Semifinals here at Madison Square Garden. Madison Square Garden is arguably the toughest shooting backdrop in the United States. College players very frequently struggle to get a rhythm here. Miami is a team that slows the game down and I expect them to slow the tempo here. The total is inflated due to so many totals going over in the NIT thus far. This one shows plenty of value for me for a couple reasons: the Madison Square Garden factor, and this game means more now because both teams will want to push harder to reach the NIT finals. Take the under. 

*4 Star Elite 8 Total DOMINATION* The Arizona Wildcats lost by a point in this same situation last year against Wisconsin. Arizona gets a huge advantage by playing in front of a ton of their faithful in Los Angeles here. Wisconsin is ranked number one in offensive efficiency, but Arizona is the best defensive team they have played this year. The Badgers still love to run the shot clock down and win with ball control. Arizona is unlikely to turn this game into a track meet. With two teams that play so hard on the defensive end as well as a game that means so much to both teams, I think this total is a few points too high. It's important to note that Wisconsin fouls less than any other team in the country, and that could be a big key for the under here.

The under is 6-1 in Arizona's last 7 neutral site games. The under is 5-1 in Arizona's last 6 games. The under is 37-14-1 in Arizona's last 52 Saturday games. Take the under. 

*3 Star Duke/Utah Totals CASH* The Duke Blue Devils and Utah Utes square off in what should be a pretty competitive game. I thought it was interesting to see the oddsmakers set the opening line at Duke -4.5. That tells me the oddsmakers are very high on Utah in this one. The Utes didn't finish playing their best at the end of the regular season, but they have bounced back and are playing very well in the tournament thus far. If Utah is going to be successful, they must slow the game down and win with ball control and defense. Utah knows not to get into a track meet with a Duke team that has athleticism all over the place. Several teams have been able to slow down the Blue Devils in recent games. 

The difference between this Duke team and last year's team is the fact that this team plays very hard on the defensive end. The Blue Devils aren't going to make things easy on Delon Wright and the Utes offense. Duke does a nice job defending beyond the arc, and that's an area where Utah has done most of their damage this year. 

The under is 4-0 in Duke's last 4 games. The under is 16-5 in their last 21 neutral site games. The under is 7-3 in Utah's last 10. The under is 18-6 in Utah's last 24 neutral site games. Take the under. 

*3 Star Notre Dame/Wichita St Total DOMINATION* The Notre Dame Fighting Irish offense has been tremendous all year. My problem with a team like Notre Dame this time of the year is that they are too reliant on jump shots. Notre Dame is now playing on neutral floors with shooting backdrops that they haven't seen before. That can be tough to handle for teams that rely so much on long range jumpers. Speaking to the value from this angle is the fact that the under is 13-2-1 in Notre Dame's last 16 NCAA Tournament games. Wichita State's defense is a strength too, and Gregg Marshall's team is going to contest most of those jumpers. 

Wichita State has played against two teams who love to run so far in this year's NCAA Tournament, and that has led to two high scoring games. The Shockers typically prefer to slow the game down when they can, and Notre Dame's tempo is actually slower than the average pace in the nation. With a spot in the Elite Eight on the line, it's obvious that this game means a ton to both teams. The more important the game, the slower the tempo tends to be on average. Take the under in this one. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* The Louisiana Monroe Warhawks and Vermont Catamounts meet in CBI Postseason Tournament game on Wednesday night. The shorter shot clock has brought a bunch of overs so far this postseason. The NIT, CBI, and CIT Tournaments are all using 30 second shot clocks and a bigger restricted circle (more blocking fouls instead of charges). At first, the shorter shot clock might have hurt offenses a bit as they rushed things, but efficiencies are improving across the board now.

This is also a time of the year where teams have typically not cared as much on the defensive end in these smaller postseason tournaments. Louisiana Monroe was a great under team throughout the season, but they have been playing fast and scoring far more efficiently in this tournament. Vermont has scored 85 and 78 points in their two CBI games. With a shorter shot clock, a number this low isn't something I can pass up. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Mercer Bears and the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks have been two great under teams the last couple years. Mercer is a team that slows the game down and tries to get to the line for points. Louisiana Monroe doesn't foul much at all, so Mercer should get less free throws than in a normal game. Monroe ranked dead last, 351st, in the nation in getting to the line this year. Mercer doesn't foul much either. While the shot clock here will be 30 seconds, I still expect both of these teams to use most of that time. This total has been adjusted a little bit too high based on that shorter clock. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Maryland Terrapins play in the Big Ten where most teams like to slow the game down. They have shown the ability to get up and down when they are given the chance. West Virginia is going to do everything they can to force the tempo of this game. The Mountaineers press more than anyone else in the country, and Maryland has been a bit turnover prone late in the year. Importantly, West Virginia commits more fouls than any other team in the nation. Maryland is great at drawing fouls, and the Terrapins are also terrific at the line. As a team, Maryland shoots 76% from the line. They should rack up the points at the charity stripe on Sunday.

It should also be noted that the rims were very loose in Columbus on Friday for the Round of 64, and that helped several shots into the hoop. It should do the same on Sunday. One other key for me here-the public has been taking the under in this game, but the line continues to move up anyways. That's a nice signal. Take the over.

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Arkansas Razorbacks and North Carolina Tar Heels play the same style of basketball. They both get out in transition and try to score before the opposing defense is set. I don't see anyone wanting to slow the game down here. North Carolina is tremendous in transition, and Marcus Paige should have a big game here. Arkansas has more inside strength than they have had in the past, but North Carolina should still get a lot of offensive rebounds and second chance points here. With a very quick pace and a game that should be close throughout, this total is more than attainable. I had this one at 161. Take the over. 

*5 Star TOP Play 100% Angle CRUSHER* The Georgia State Panthers have been the darlings of the NCAA Tournament thus far. R.J. Hunter's very long three finished off an amazing comeback by the Panthers. One thing to note from Georgia State's recent games is that star point guard Ryan Harrow is injured. Harrow used to play for Kentucky, and he is a key player for this Panthers team. Without him, Georgia State has decided to slow the tempo down of late. They won the Sun Belt final by a ridiculous score of 38-36 in a game that had just 47 possessions by both teams (65 is average). The Baylor game had only 58 possessions. I think Georgia State slows this game down as well, and that gives us value on the under. Xavier has been a good under team for me this year, and the Musketeers have absolutely shown that they like to slow the game down in important games. This game is the most important one of the season thus far for both teams. 

The under is 4-0 in Xavier's last 4 games. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a team with a win percentage of 60% or higher. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 on a neutral floor. The under is 6-0 in their last 6 following an ATS win. The under is 2-0 in Georgia State's last 2 games. A 21-0 angle. Take the under big! 

*3 Star CIT Totals TKO* This one is a play on a CIT under the radar game. Sam Houston State hosts Louisiana Lafayette in this second round game on Saturday afternoon. Sam Houston State has decided to pick up the pace quite a bit down the stretch. Louisiana Lafayette ranks in the top 12 in the nation in terms of pace. The 30 second shot clock experiment and the larger arc in the paint (more blocking fouls) will be important in this game. This game should stay close throughout, and that means fouling at the end of the game is a very real possibility. I think this game tops 150 points. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB 100% Angle Total* The Oklahoma Sooners still push the tempo a bit, but they don't play nearly as fast as they did last year. Oklahoma is now focusing a lot of their energy on the defensive end of the floor, and I think they are a better team because of that. Albany knows they can't run and keep up with Oklahoma. The Great Danes have done a tremendous job slowing the tempo down against Duke and Florida in their first games in the NCAA Tournament the last two years. They should slow this one down as well. The under is 6-0 in Oklahoma's last 6 games played at a neutral site. The under is 4-0 in Albany's last 4 following an ATS loss. The under is 2-0 in Oklahoma's last 2 games. A 12-0 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Early Bird Special* The Northern Iowa Panthers and Wyoming Cowboys both rank in the bottom ten teams in the nation (351 teams) in terms of tempo. If you don't like to watch teams stall and use the entire shot clock up on nearly every possession, this isn't going to be the game for you. Northern Iowa normally shoots it well, but this is a neutral floor where the players haven't been before and that typically brings down shooting percentages a bit. Wyoming is very reliant on Larry Nance Jr. in the post, and Northern Iowa has a good frontcourt capable of slowing him down here. While I don't like taking unders that are this low normally, this one is low for a reason. Very low scoring game here. Take the under. 

*4 Star Ohio State/VCU Total DOMINATION* The VCU Rams always want to play fast. VCU isn't very good in the halfcourt sets on offense, but they are tremendous at creating transition scoring opportunities. Ohio State played very fast in their non-conference games this year. The Buckeyes were often slowed down by teams in the Big Ten, but they'll get their wish to play a faster paced game here. VCU's full court defense is great, but the Rams definitely give up some easy baskets in the halfcourt because they aren't nearly as good defensively without Briante Weber. Ohio State isn't nearly the defensive team they used to be when Aaron Craft was here. This one looks like a close game all the way and one that should be relatively high scoring. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals Takedown* The Butler Bulldogs have gradually slowed the tempo down over the course of the season. Butler isn't an extremely talented team, but they play some fundamentally sound basketball. The Bulldogs aren't a particularly tall team, and that is going to hurt against Texas' length on defense. Texas is a team that plays slowly as well, and Texas' offense has been a disappointment all year. The Longhorns are number one in the nation in two point field goal defense though. Texas isn't going to give up easy looks around the hoop. This should be a competitive game between two teams that work hard on the defensive end. I had this number at 120 points. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* The Portland Pilots and Sacramento State Hornets met once already this year and the final was 80-75. They finished at 155 even with a 35 second shot clock. The shot clock will be set at 30 each time today, so I expect several more possessions. Portland and Sacramento State are similar in that they are both way better on the offensive end than they are on the defensive end. The Big Sky Conference (Sacramento State's league) is notorious for bad defenses, and in non-conference games I like to play overs with teams in that game. This should reach the mid 150's. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The shorter shot clock in the NIT has made this total higher than it would have been, but I think this is an overreaction by the oddsmakers. Both of these teams like to play slow, and I don't see them turning this game into an uptempo affair. St. Mary's is great at controlling the tempo, and this game is played on their home floor. I think this one stays in the upper 130's. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Under Radar Total* It's an in-state battle here in the state of Arizona. Northern Arizona plays in a much bigger and better league, but Grand Canyon will be hungry to try knock off their bigger foe. In a game like this, I think we see a little more defense than we do in the average postseason game. This game means something to both teams, and that should keep the tempo down a bit and keep the defenses interested. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB First 4 Total DOMINATION* The BYU Cougars push the tempo as well as anyone in the country. While most of the nation knows only Tyler Haws from BYU, it is Kyle Collinsworth who is the key to this BYU offense. Collinsworth is a tremendous point guard with the ability to pass, score, and rebound. Collinsworth set the NCAA record mark with six triple doubles this year. He'll be a big key in this game because I don't think there is a guy on the Ole Miss roster who can slow Collinsworth down. The Rebels like to play quickly as well, and Ole Miss and BYU both can really get hot from long range. Also important in this game is that both team get to the line a lot and shoot free throws very well. BYU shoots 77% at the line and Ole Miss 78% at the line. Both of these defenses put opponents on the line a lot, and that should mean a lot of points on the charity stripe here. 

The over is 5-0 in the Rebels last 5 non-conference games. The over is 5-0 in BYU's last 5 neutral site games. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* These two teams both love to push the tempo and play as fast as possible. Throughout the season both of these teams have had to play against a lot of teams that play stall ball against them, but when these two meet I expect a very high scoring game. Both teams are better on the offensive end than the defensive end. They both shoot free throws extremely well too. Louisiana Lafayette will have a big advantage on the inside and that should lead to a lot of points from their frontcourt. I had this game lined at 165 points. Take the over. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Totals TKO* The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and Central Michigan Chippewas meet tonight. Louisiana Tech is a tricky team because they push the tempo and press, but they are also good on defense in the halfcourt. The Bulldogs aren't good offensively unless they are getting easy buckets off the press. Central Michigan has been one of the best in the nation this year at taking care of the basketball. The Chippewas will look to slow the game down here, and because they take care of the basketball, I think it will be a little more difficult for the Bulldogs to score. This total is inflated by a few points. Take the under. 

*3 Star NCAA BB Hidden GEM Total* Stephen F Austin has changed their style of play in a big way from last year to this year. The Lumberjacks now push the tempo and run at every opportunity. Last year, they were a team that liked to walk it up the court and play slowly. Sam Houston State typically plays to the pace of their opponent. The most important part of this game is both teams ability to get to the charity stripe. Both of these teams rank in the top five in the nation in trips to the charity stripe, and both teams foul a lot on defense. Because of that reason I think this one gets over the total. Take the over. 

*3 Star Play Under* The Montana Grizzlies are the only team in the Big Sky that really focuses on defense. Montana will slow the tempo down in this game, because that is their best chance of winning. In addition, a game of this magnitude typically sees a slower tempo because both teams have no chance to get into the NCAA Tournament without a win. Both of these teams are capable of hitting a lot of long range jumpers, but the value here is enough to warrant a play. Take the under. 

*4 Star Big East Title Total Takedown* The Villanova Wildcats defense is far better than it was last year. Villanova has been superb all season long, and in my mind they have been one of the biggest surprises in the nation. I knew they would be solid, but they have been way better than I expected. Villanova slows the tempo down more than they have in the past, and they take great care of the basketball. Xavier has been a team I've had success playing the under with. The Musketeers aren't playing nearly as fast recently as they did during the early part of the season. This game is played at Madison Square Garden, where the shooting backdrops are terrible. 

The under is 5-0 in Xavier's last 5 following an ATS win. The under is 6-0 in Xavier's last 6 following a straight up win. The under is 6-1 in Xavier's last 7 vs. a team with a 60% or higher win percentage. A 17-1 angle. Take the under. 

*4 Star Play Over* This is a really interesting spot for these teams. Southern is ineligible for the NCAA Tournament, so regardless of who wins this game, it will be Texas Southern representing the SWAC in the NCAA Tournament. That makes for an interesting dynamic here, and I think it means that both teams will play faster than they normally do. Texas Southern has the best offense in the SWAC by a wide margin. Texas Southern should be able to put up a big number here, and Southern typically prefers to play fast as well. Take the over. 

*4 Star Play Over* 

*3 Star Play Under* The under is 24-6 in UCSB's last 30 games at a neutral venue. The under is 42-13 in UC Irvine's last 55 games. When these two teams meet tonight, there's a lot on the line. UC Irvine is the best defensive team in the Big West thanks to a tremendous 7'6 shot blocker in Mamdou N'Diaye. With him in the game, Irvine also slows the tempo down. UCSB prefers a slow tempo as well. The last time these two met (just a couple weeks ago) the game stayed way under this posted total. With so much on the line, I expect the defenses to hold the edge here. Take the under. 

*4 Star NCAA BB Total DOMINATION* The Georgetown Hoyas and Xavier Musketeers have played twice this year and both games stayed way under the posted total. These two teams know each other well, and the defenses make it hard for the opposing offense to get open looks. This game is also played at Madison Square Garden, which probably has the worst shooting backdrop in the country. There are often some very low shooting percentages here when college teams that aren't used to the gym show up. I had this number at 131. Take the under.