Rating: 2 Units

Our power ratings barely side with the Knicks plus the points but without Brunson and their poor form overall as of late, we’re siding with the home Warriors as favorites. It’s come out that Mikal Bridges is requesting the bench to play more minutes as the short rotation may be getting to the Knicks starters as of late as all five starters played between 38-43 minutes in their 114-113 OT win at Portland last time out. If it wasn’t for Portland coughing it up 23 times and shooting just 16-25 from the free throw line, New York likely would have lost outright in regulation. We don’t anticipate those miscues from a veteran Warriors team tonight as they should win this one by double-digits. Take Golden State to keep cruising tonight as they sit just 2.5 games back of the Pacific Division lead.

Rating: 2 Units

The Bulls have won four of their last five games as road underdogs when playing with a rest advantage and have covered the spread in each of their last four games. While the Rockets have lost three of their last four games as home favorites when playing with a rest disadvantage and have failed to cover the spread in each of their last four games on the second leg of a back-to-back against Eastern Conference opponents.

Rating: 2 Units

The Bucks have lost each of their last six night games against Central Division opponents that held a winning record and have failed to cover the spread in five of their last six night games against Eastern Conference opponents that held a winning record. While the Pacers have covered the spread in five of their last six road games against Eastern Conference opponents that held a winning record. Additionally, the underdogs have won four of the Pacers' last five games at Fiserv Forum.

Rating: 2 Units

The underdogs have won seven of the Heat's last eight games at FedExForum. While the Grizzlies have lost three of their last four games as favorites against Eastern Conference opponents and have failed to cover the spread in each of their last nine home games. Additionally, the road team has covered the spread in nine of the Grizzlies' last 10 games.

Rating: 2 Units

The Tigers have won six straight games, while the Green Wave have won four of their last six games. Memphis has the edge here because they’re shooting the ball better, making over 50 percent of their shots in their last three games, while the Green Wave make 45 percent of theirs. They do a good job of finding the open man and they rebound the ball well, grabbing more than 10 offensive rebounds per game, which will give them more scoring chances. They also so a good job of protecting the ball and won’t give up many easy-scoring chances. The Green Wave aren’t playing well defensively and they gave up more than 72 point per game in their last three games, so expect them to have a hard time slowing down the Tigers

Rating: 2 Units

The Tigers were tied with Ole Miss on Friday with six minutes remaining before pulling away in the final minutes. That tight contest comes on the heels of losing back-to-back games to close the regular season. Compare that to Tennessee's game against Texas where the Volunteers never trailed. Tennessee maintained a double-digit lead from the 14-minute mark of the second half through the end of the game. The Vols play at the slowest pace in the SEC, and in theory, should have a little more pep in their step at this time of the season. Tennessee has won six of its last seven games, with that lone loss coming by two points at Ole Miss. Four of Tennessee's six losses this season have come by five points or fewer. The Vols have won three of the last five meetings, and one of Auburn's wins came by two points. 

Rating: 2 Units

Coach Valentine is going to need fresh legs to handle the Rams' aggressive defense. Even with a short-handed lineup, Loyola gave VCU quite a scare in their first meeting and that 19-point margin was not reflective of how that game was played. Loyola held a lead for almost the entire first 30 minutes of that contest. That was a three-point game with six minutes remaining before the Rams ended the game on a 22-3 run. In A-10 play, The Ramblers were No. 4 in offensive efficiency, No. 2 in effective field goal shooting, No. 1 in three-point shooting and No. 1 in assist rate. When these teams met in January, VCU was only +3 in turnover margin. If Loyola can hit a similar mark in this one and limit its mistakes, the Ramblers can stay within double-digits in this matchup.

Rating: 2 Units

Here we go with a matchup with a pair of teams that play completely different styles. Cal Poly can score a ton of points but they also give them up by the truckload. Ranking fifith-worst in the nation in scoring defense isn’t something you want to hang your hat on when it comes to a conference tournament. The Mustangs now have to deal with a UC Irvine team that is solid enough offensively but very good on the defensive end of the floor. UC Irvine has dominated this series in recent years, winning six straight and 16 of the last 17 meetings. We saw the Anteaters hang 101 and 98 points in the two meetings this season against the Mustangs. UC Irvine is solid on the glass and effective offensively: they take advantage of Cal Poly’s defensive woes and the fatigue factor to earn the win here.

Rating: 2 Units

The Tigers have gone 7-2 against the spread in their last nine games. We're a broken record at this time of the year, but we'll go back to the well with one of our favorite angles: We want to play against teams that rely heavily on three-point shooting. Louisville was No. 12 in the country in three-point shot attempts this season, as nearly 49-percent of the Cardinals' shot attempts have come from beyond the arc. Shooting conditions at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte have not been kind to these players as the first 11 games have seen an average of 132.8 points per game and three-point shooting has been dreadful. Clemson shoots above the national average from two-point range, three-point range and the free throw line. When these teams met in Louisville in January, the Cardinals enjoyed a 20-5 edge in free throw attempts. With a better whistle in the rematch, we prefer the balanced attack from the experienced Tigers in this matchup.

Rating: 2 Units

These teams split two meetings earlier this season with the home team prevailing both times. The Broncos turned in a solid defensive showing as they downed San Diego State in their quarterfinal matchup Thursday. Their problem is that New Mexico is a far better offensive team compared to the Aztecs and will seriously test the Broncos here. New Mexico put up 84 and 78 points, respectively, in their two games against Boise State, shooting 52.6% from the floor. Seeing that the Broncos struggled to slow down the Lobos in the regular season, it’s tough to see them pulling it off here as well. Take New Mexico here as they advance to the title game.

Rating: 2 Units

The Creighton Bluejays have shown the ability to dominate the UConn Huskies as they have won seven of the previous 10 games, dating back to Jan. 2021. The Bluejays have shown the ability to be the better defensive team throughout the 2024-25 college basketball season as UConn is 95th in the sport with a 102.8 defensive rating while Creighton is 43rd in college basketball with a 98.0 defensive rating up to this point. The offense as of late shows a bit of a difference as the Huskies are averaging 75.3 points in their previous three games while the Bluejays are scoring 83.7 points in their last three games. All in all, go with the Creighton Bluejays to win as an underdog. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Mavericks have won two of their last three games as road underdogs against Western Conference opponents following a loss and have covered the spread in each of their last four games as road underdogs against opponents who are on the first leg of a back-to-back.

Rating: 2 Units

The Clippers have lost each of their last three games as road favorites and have failed to cover the spread in each of their last seven road games following a win. While the Hawks have won four of their last five games as underdogs following a home win.  Additionally, the underdogs have covered the spread in six of the Clippers' last seven games.

Rating: 2 Units

The Pacers have lost five of their last six games as road favorites against Eastern Conference opponents following a win and have failed to cover the spread in each of their last seven road games against teams that held a losing record. While the underdogs have won four of the last five games between the Pacers and 76ers and have covered the spread in 12 of the 76ers' last 14 games at Wells Fargo Center.

Rating: 2 Units

They’re 14-4 ATS off a loss this season with the Heat failing to cover in three straight which includes games against the Bulls and Hornets where they were favorites in both games. The Celtics won by 18 in Miami just over a month ago and although Tyler Herro didn’t play, both Alec Burks and Nikola Jovic played 26-27 minutes as they’ll miss tonight’s contest with injuries. Before their loss to the Thunder, Boston had covered in four of their previous five so let’s take them to do it again in Miami tonight, winning by double digits.

Rating: 2 Units

Offensively, the Volunteers were 13th in the SEC, averaging 74.5 ppg. As for the Longhorns, they have a slight edge on offense; they average 78.2 ppg, putting them 9th in the SEC this season. For defense, they are seventh in the SEC, giving up 71.4 ppg this season. This is a big spread for the Volunteers to cover in a SEC tournament, and this could be a difficult task to complete against a Longhorns team that is fighting to keep their NCAA tournament hopes alive. Tre Johnson and the rest of this Longhorns team have the offensive power to keep this game close, and even though I don’t think they will pull off the victory, they should be able to cover this large spread against Tennessee

Rating: 2 Units

Kentucky is the more talented team and has the rest advantage, but the value is with Oklahoma and the points. Kentucky is still a young team that’s had issues stringing together success this season and has had issues playing in non-home games. Oklahoma has strung together three straight underdog wins and has covered six straight games overall. While the Sooners have had ups and downs themselves when they’re rolling, they’re rolling, thanks to one of the better offenses in the country. If Oklahoma has found a rhythm, it’s more than capable of winning this game outright. Give me the points with the Sooners.

Rating: 2 Units

The underdogs have won each of the last four games between the Magic and Pelicans at Smoothie King Center and have covered the spread in each of the Magic's last four games at Smoothie King Center. While the Magic have lost four of their last five games as road favorites and have failed to cover the spread in seven of their last eight games against Western Conference opponents that held a losing record.

Rating: 2 Units

This is the first of a back-to-back for LA with a game at Denver on-deck and we know Doncic will want to suit up against his buddy Nikola Jokic so if he does sit one of these games, it’s likely to be tonight. Sure, both LA and Milwaukee sit top three in defensive rating across their last ten games, but as tonight stands we just don’t trust LA’s rotation that will include Alex Len, Jordan Goodwin and Trey Jemison III for tonight on the road. Take the Bucks to come out hot after their devastating loss on Tuesday as they sit in a three way tie for the 4-6 seeds in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Rating: 2 Units

The Wizards have won three of their last four games as road underdogs against the Pistons. While the Pistons have lost five of their last eight games as home favorites against Southeast Division opponents following a win and have failed to cover the spread in six of their last seven games as home favorites following a home win. Additionally, the underdogs have covered the spread in six of the last seven games between the Wizards and Pistons at Little Caesars Arena.

Rating: 2 Units

The Bears went 0-7 straight-up, 0-5-2 against the spread. In road and neutral site games, Baylor went 3-11-2 against the spread. Baylor head coach Scott Drew does not have a great history in this event, either. He led the Bears to the conference championship game in 2014. Since then, Baylor has not won multiple games at this event and has been eliminated in the opening game five times. These Lone Star State foes are operating on different tiers this season, and we expect Texas Tech to handle business with relative ease.

Rating: 2 Units

Marquette won seven of the previous ten H2H encounters and five of the last six. The record is 1-1 this season as each team secured a two-point win on the road. Considering how close those games were, I expect another tight affair that could go either way, while overtime is not excluded as well. Xavier is playing its best basketball of the year and is in better form than Marquette, and I am leaning toward the Musketeers in this one. Xavier has covered the Spread in 19 of its last 34 games, while Marquette has only covered the Spread in 17 of its previous 37 games. Back Xavier to cover.

Rating: 2 Units

The Wildcats are on the second leg of a back-to-back after sneaking past Richmond on Wednesday. That game was a 40-minute grind as neither team held a lead of more than seven points. Davidson is 1-7 against the spread in its last eight games. The Wildcats are only scoring an average of 66.3 points per game during that stretch. Saint Louis shot 60.6-percent from two-point range in A-10 play, which is nearly ten-percent above the national average. At tournament time, we love to back a team that can score in a variety of ways without relying on the three-point shot in an unfamiliar arena. Saint Louis certainly fits that Bill(iken).

Rating; 2 Units

The red-hot Cougars have won eight straight games including a double-OT win over Iowa State on the road. They are 7-3 ATS in that span. The Cyclones closed out the season with seven wins in their final ten games and went 6-4 ATS in that time. They failed to cover the number in the double OT loss, coming in as an 8.5-point favorite at home. The Cyclones will need to shoot like they did against Cincinnati on the afternoon, rather than the 35 percent they shot at home against the Cougars last week. The Cyclones' ability to shoot from long range could be the difference on Thursday afternoon. The Cyclones are sixth in the conference in 3-point shooting and shot 48 percent from beyond the arc on Wednesday. That was against a Cincinnati defense that ranked 7th in 3-point defense, compared to the Cougars who are ranked 14th. Payback will be on the minds of the Cyclones on Thursday and they'll get to the weekend with a win over BYU.

Rating: 2 Units

Bonaventure shot 47.1-percent from three-point range in their last versus Duquesne contest and the Bonnies "only" won by seven at home. A result like that will sound the regression alarms. Duquesne enjoyed a 39-24 advantage on the glass. Prior to that stumble, Duquesne had won the previous five meetings between these teams (4-1 ATS). The Dukes went 6-1-1 against the spread down the stretch with that lone loss coming against the Bonnies. All Coach Joyce has to do is put on film from last year's A-10 Championship run to light a fire under this year's squad. Any regression to the mean from the three-point line should be enough to propel Duquesne to victory in this opening round matchup.

Rating: 2 Units

Our power ratings slightly favor the Nuggets which is the play we’re going to recommend going 8-4 ATS against divisional foes this season. Aaron Gordon is listed as questionable for Denver, but Russell Westbrook did a solid job of filling in for him scoring 16 points on 6-10 shooting and 3-5 from three-point range against OKC last time out. We don’t see the Timberwolves taking three-straight from the Nuggets, especially with this one being in Denver and Minnesota sitting just 18th in defensive rating across their last ten games compared to sitting seventh in defensive efficiency for the season.

Rating: 2 Units

Rutgers won the regular season meeting 95-85 in late-February as Harper and Bailey combined for 39 points and 12 assists. Rutgers closed the regular season on a high note with an overtime win over Minnesota. Take a look at the path for the winner of this game. Purdue has lost five of its last seven games. Michigan has lost its last three and the Wolverines have been playing with fire for the last two months. Steve Pikiell is a very good coach, and if he can get Harper and Bailey motivated for one more run before the NBA comes calling, there is a path for the Scarlet Knights to make some noise in Indianapolis this week.

Rating: 2 Units

The straight up loss to Dallas dropped San Antonio to just 2-12 ATS against the Southwest Division and 2-8 ATS across their last ten games. The Mavericks are holding on to the last play-in spot in the West but Phoenix is inching closer and closer, now just 2.5 games behind them. It would speak volumes if this Mavericks team can still make the play-in considering the lineups they’re rolling out as of late and we’ll take the points with them in San Antonio tonight. It’s worth noting that Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan are both listed questionable for this game with Sochan missing last game and Vassell scoring 24 points on 10-22 shooting. If either were to miss tonight, we like the Mavericks that much more. It also doesn’t help San Antonio’s cause that De’Aaron Fox has averaged under 20 ppg since becoming a Spur which has been underwhelming. Take the Mavs plus the points.

Rating: 2 Units

The Suns have won each of their last three games following a loss and have covered the spread in seven of their last eight games as road underdogs against the Rockets following a loss. While the Rockets have lost four of their last five night games against Pacific Division opponents that held a losing record and have failed to cover the spread in each of their last six night games against Pacific Division opponents.

Rating: 2 Units

The Jazz are still keeping eyes on Jordan Clarkson, Lauri Markkanen, and Jaden Springer, who are all questionable, while the Grizzlies have ruled Brandon Clarke and Zach Edey as questionable for this meeting. The season really couldn't end quickly enough for the Jazz, who can't buy a win these days, but it's not like they have been terrible. They were able to erase a 24-point lead against the Celtics in their last game. The Grizzlies were really struggling before their narrow win over the Suns on Monday, and they are still missing Jaren Jackson Jr, who has been rock solid for them all season. I think the Grizzlies pulled away late for the comfortable win, but I just feel that the line is just a bit too generous for a Grizzlies team still struggling. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Thunder arrive in Boston looking for a sweep of the season series with the Celtics. The Thunder took care of Boston in the first game thanks to a strong defensive effort that held the high-scoring Celtics under 100 points. Boston will have Tatum back in this game, and Horford will as well. That will help the Celtics spread the floor and give their potent 3-point offense more space to shine. In the first matchup, the Celtics scored 65 points in the first half at OKC before scoring 27 points in the second half to take the loss. Don't expect a similar showing in the rematch. The Celtics' ability to hit from beyond the arc is tops in the NBA and even against a Thunder team that is tops in 3-point defense, they'll get plenty of good looks. They have won five straight games and are wrapping up this seven-game homestand looking to end on a high note. They'll take advantage of their ability to get second chance opportunities against a Thunder team that ranks just 19th in the NBA in rebounding and pull away in the second half for a victory and avoid a repeat of their disappointing second half in OKC.

Rating: 2 Units

The Hornets have won six of their last nine games as underdogs against the Hawks and have covered the spread in eight of their last nine games as underdogs against the Hawks. While the Hawks have lost each of their last six Wednesday night games against Hornets teams that held a losing record and have failed to cover the spread in seven of their last eight games at State Farm Arena against Hornets teams that held a losing record.

Rating: 2 Units

The big story in that one was the re-emergence of fifth-year senior Coleman Hawkins. The Illinois transfer suffered a fractured tibia, but only missed three games and insisted on playing in the Big XII Tournament. He finished with 26 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in 38 minutes against the Sun Devils on Tuesday. We're struggling to see how Baylor is going to create enough margin to win this contest by multiple possessions. The Bears are outside the top-300 in KenPom's adjusted tempo metric. Over their last ten games, the Bears have scored an average of 69 points per game. Kansas State looked very comfortable playing at the T-Mobile Center last night. The 'Cats had four players finish in double figures and they shot 44.4-percent from three-point range. We don’t see too much that separates these teams on a neutral floor, especially since K-State has covered each of the last four in this matchup.

Rating; 2 Units

Virginia beat Georgia Tech in the only meeting this season, but it’s the Yellow Jackets that are playing the better ball right now. While both teams have benefited hit or miss all year, it’s Georgia Tech that’s won seven of its last 10 games. Those wins include upsets over Louisville, Clemson, Stanford, and Pitt. Virginia remains a rough offensive club from a shooting perspective and the defense has taken a step back in terms of efficiency. Virginia just plays at a slow pace, but nothing about this team is special. Georgia Tech has shown more at both ends of the floor and is playing with more life entering the tournament. I like Georgia Tech to beat Virginia and to advance in the ACC Tournament. 

Rating: 2 Units

In the 16-team Big XII, Utah's offense was No. 15 in turnover rate, giving the ball away on 19.9-percent of its possessions in conference play. If this game is tight at the end and it becomes a free throw shooting contest, UCF is top-25 in the country in free throw shooting (77.9-percent) while Utah is bottom-10 (64.0-percent). If this was a "normal" regular season game, we could probably find some more positives for the Utes in this matchup. But after back-to-back heartbreaking losses at the end of the regular season and playing without a true head coach, this is a nightmare matchup against a Knights team that wants to run and cause chaos for 40 minutes.

Rating: 2 Units

The Gaels are outside the top-150 in three-point shooting, two-point shooting and free throw shooting. A team that struggles to shoot the ball like they do should not be 28-4. We totally understand the argument. But guess what - They just keep winning. Gonzaga has scored an average of 63.4 points per game against Saint Mary's over the last five meetings. When your defense is that good, you can win games with some ugly offense. From a numbers' perspective, we understand why Gonzaga is favored tonight in Las Vegas. But from a matchup standpoint, the Gaels have the Bulldogs' number right now.

Rating: 2 Units

The New Orleans Pelicans have consistently played tough against the Los Angeles Clippers, holding a 7-2 straight-up record and an impressive 8-1 against the spread (ATS) in their last nine meetings. Even in their December 30 loss, the Pelicans managed to cover the spread. Despite their current four-game losing streak against the Grizzlies, Rockets (twice), and Lakers, New Orleans has shown a competitive fire and have not given up on the season. Meanwhile, the Clippers have also struggled to cover the spread lately, and their inconsistency makes it difficult to trust them to win by seven or more points, especially on the road. The absence of Norman Powell due to injury and the inconsistent performances of Kawhi Leonard make it hard to trust Los Angeles

Rating: 2 Units

This is a tough matchup for the Orange because of their turnover woes. In the 18-team ACC, Syracuse is No. 17 in turnover rate. In conference play, the Orange are turning the ball over on 18.7-percent of their possessions. In their first meeting this season, Florida State won the turnover battle 15-9. Syracuse has lost its opening round game of the ACC Tournament each of the last two years. The Orange went 2-12 straight-up in games played away from home this season with those two wins coming at Boston College (who didn't qualify for the ACC Tournament) and Cal (13-18 overall; 6-14 ACC). Look for the Seminoles to take care of business in Saturday's marquee matchup in Charlotte.

Rating: 2 Units

We’re going to recommend a play on Washington plus the points with Detroit going just 5-9 ATS as a home favorite and not playing at home in 10 days. Although the competition hasn’t been great, Washington is actually 4-3 straight up in their last seven and 10-6 ATS in their last 16 games including 3-1 ATS when listed as a double-digit underdog. We’re not saying Washington will have a shot to win this game, but we do expect them to keep it somewhat close throughout the duration of the game sitting eighth in defensive rating across their last ten games.

Rating: 2 Units

This line makes absolutely no sense. Not only did Southern Utah win both games against Utah Tech, which includes a seven-point win on the road a couple of weeks ago, but the Trailblazers have lost 14 straight games and haven’t won in two months. Southern Utah has issues of its own and isn’t a team you should be excited to back, but its last two wins came against Utah Tech. Favored? I’m not buying this line at all and I’m certainly not laying points with Utah Tech. Give me Southern Utah and the points, and I’ll be on the ML as well.

Rating: 2 Units

Oklahoma State won both H2H duels thus far, including the one they played this season when it was 78-67, covering a +3.5 spread in the process. Neither team impressed me recently and it seems like a coin toss for me who is going to win this game. However, even though Cincinnati is a favorite, I believe Oklahoma State will put up a fight and stay close late in the tilt. Cincinnati has only covered the Spread in 16 of its last 37 games. Don't expect a bunch of points. It's going to be a hard-fought affair, and perhaps the Bearcats will prevail because of a stronger defense, but I am going with the Cowboys to cover.

Rating: 2 Units

Sure, Memphis is 7-4 ATS off no rest this season but they’re just 1-10 ATS across their last 11 games and we’re not sure if they’ve made the right adjustments yet without the services of Jaren Jackson Jr. who is ruled out and has missed the team’s last three games. Aside from Ja Morant and Desmond Bane the Grizzlies may be scratching their heads as to who they can count on for consistent offense. The Suns are the second worst ATS team in the league, but they’re 5-2 ATS across their last seven games with this being the fifth game in eight days for the Grizzlies. Take the points with the Suns who own the NBA’s sixth best offensive rating across their last ten games.

Rating: 2 Units

The Thunder are going for their eighth straight win and although Gordon could miss tonight for Denver, we’re taking the points with them which our power ratings slightly agree with. We just don’t see a veteran team like the Nuggets getting blown out two games in a row by the same opponent and it helps they’re 9-3 ATS when playing off no rest this season and the Thunder 6-7 ATS in the same scenario. The Nuggets are 7-4 ATS against Northwest Divisional foes with this being the sixth game in nine days for OKC and even for a young team like them, that’s exhausting. We’re not saying Denver wins this game, but they definitely keep it within single digits in this rematch from yesterday.

Rating: 2 Units

The 76ers have won eight of their last nine night games against Southeast Division opponents that held a losing record and have covered the spread in four of their last five road games following a win. While the Hawks have lost three of their last four games as favorites against Atlantic Division opponents following a win and have failed to cover the spread in each of their last six games at State Farm Arena against Atlantic Division opponents that held a losing record.

Rating: 2 Units

Both teams are readying for the NBA Draft Lottery but, to their credit, each team has been playing hard to the end. The Raptors have key players missing while the Wizards are a young team that has several holes. The Raptors, with 20 wins already, will not catch the Wizards for the worst record in the league and have more pieces than the Wizards. They shoot the ball better offensively and have a slightly better defense. The Raptors are also the superior rebounding team, ranked 7th in the NBA in rebounding. After dropping the opener of this back-to-back series in Toronto, the Raptors will be motivated to take the second matchup. A rough defensive second quarter on Saturday night did them in. The Wizards are 27th in the NBA in scoring this season and expecting them to replicate their near 40-point second quarter on Monday night is not a wise bet. The Raptors have also been decent at home this season and they'll grab a win

Rating: 2 Units

The Nets have won each of their last six home games on the first leg of a back-to-back after losing as favorites and have covered the spread in each of their last four games against Western Conference opponents that held a winning record. While the Lakers have lost each of their last three road games against opponents who are on the first leg of a back-to-back and have failed to cover the spread in five of their last six games as road favorites against Eastern Conference opponents.

Rating: 2 Units

The Trojans' first two tournament wins have come by 16 and 19 points. Jackson Fields and Tayton Conerway are the only two players to see more than 30 minutes on Sunday as Troy head coach Scott Cross was able to get 13 players in the game and rotate his lineup a bit. Compare that to Arkansas State, who has been involved in a pair of three-point wins over the last two days. RedWolves’ starting point guard Terrance Ford has played 79 out of a possible 80 minutes. In Sun Belt play, Troy grabbed an offensive rebound on 40.1-percent of its misses and the Trojans were top-5 in the country in offensive rebounding rate. If tired legs are a factor with three games in three days, Troy looks a little more prepared for this one.

Rating: 2 Units

This should be a fun game, as Wofford and Furman split the two games this season with the road team winning both contests. I’m laying the bucket with Furman, a team that’s playing its best ball of the season. Furman is on fire offensively and still has a defense that’s top-100 in scoring defense, top-60 in field goal percentage, and top-30 in three-point defense. I mentioned in previous articles that Furman is a legit sleeper to win this tournament and here we are. I’m not jumping off the bandwagon after making it this far. I’ll lay the bucket with Furman, making its eighth NCAA Tournament in school history. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Pistons are on the second leg of a back-to-back after falling at Golden State on Saturday. The Blazers had an extra day to rest and prep for this one after returning home from a seven-game roadtrip. Portland went 4-3 straight-up and against the spread on that two-week trek, which featured tough games at Oklahoma City, Cleveland and Boston. The Blazers have gone 8-2 straight-up, 9-1 against the spread in their last ten home games.

Rating: 2 Units

This is Charleston's first game in the CAA Tournament, so the Cougars are coming in fresh. Charleston is No. 35 in KenPom's adjusted tempo metric, so if Monmouth does have some tired legs, the Cougars are the ideal opponent to take advantage. Monmouth upset Charleston earlier this season as the Cougars were still getting their feet wet with first-year head coach Chris Mack. Prior to that 84-73 upset at Monmouth, Charleston had won the previous three meetings by an average of 16.3 points per game. Charleston is 5-1 against the spread in its last six games as a favorite.

Rating: 2 Units

The Grizzlies have lost three of their last four games as favorites and have failed to cover the spread in each of their last four games following a win. While the Pelicans have won four of their last seven games as underdogs against the Grizzlies following a loss and have covered the spread in five of their last six games as home underdogs on the second leg of a back-to-back.

Rating: 2 Units

Drake plays at the slowest pace in the country, using an average of 22 seconds per possession. In conference play, the Bulldogs are playing even slower. When you limit the game by as many possessions as Drake does, your margin for error is razor thin. The Bulldogs are 5-0 in overtime games this season. When favored by at least four points, Drake has gone 9-14 against the spread this season. The Bulldogs have scored an average of 65.3 points per game over their last seven contests, and that includes two games that went to overtime. We simply cannot recommend laying more than one possession with a team that can't sniff 70 points on most nights.

Rating: 2 Units

The Nuggets will be slightly shorthanded once again with Julian Strawther still out, while the Thunder expect to have a full squad in this one with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander returning after being tested on Friday. These teams have already met twice this season with the series currently split at 1-1, and we look set for another great contest as both teams have continued to pile on the wins. The Thunder expectedly open as favorites at home, but I just feel that the Nuggets are being slightly disrespected. With that being said, I still have the Thunder getting the win at home, but I like the Nuggets to make this a real contest and keep this within a couple of possessions. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Wolverines will be highly motivated to perform on Sunday afternoon against rival Michigan State. They look to avoid losing three straight games entering the Big Ten Tournament and to avoid a season sweep at the hands of the Spartans. Michigan State has depth and defensive presence but they may be a bit more conservative on Sunday with the #1 seed clinched in the Big Ten Tournament. Both teams get after it defensively, ranked first and second in field goal defense. The difference in this game may be the Wolverines' ability to knock down threes to keep this one close. The Spartans are last in the conference in 3-point shooting and rely more on their inside game. The Wolverines are one of the few teams that have the size to match up with the Spartans down low and to be able to exchange three points for two, with the Big Ten's 4th-best 3-point field goals made per game. The Spartans, despite their winning ways, are just 4-6 ATS in their last ten games against the Wolverines. This one will be a one-possession struggle, suggesting you take the points in this one.

Rating: 2 Units

Oregon State enjoyed a +13 edge in rebounds and won the first meeting by 20 in Corvallis. Prior to last night's come-from-behind win over Portland, Pepperdine was on a 1-6 ATS skid. That gave head coach Ed Schilling his first conference tournament win at Pepperdine. That gave the Waves something to build upon heading into next season. But we're not expecting lightning in a bottle on back-to-back nights.

Rating: 2 Units

The Warriors are rolling with wins and covers, but we’re starting to see these lines get inflated and that’s where I pause. The Pistons are a young, scrappy bunch that’s not scared, and they’re 35-27-1 ATS on the season. Tobias Harris is also expected to return, which the Pistons didn’t have him against the Clippers. When the Pistons and Warriors played in January, the game was decided by three points. I’d say the Pistons are even more confident than they were a couple of months ago. I’m not a fan of these lines getting more and more hefty.

Rating: 2 Units

Our power ratings and game line both list the Bucks as 6-7 point home favorites which is the play we’re going to recommend here with Milwaukee sitting as the top rated defense across the last five games and the Magic all the way down at 23rd. Sure, the Bucks won’t have Gary Trent Jr., Pat Connaughton or Bobby Portis but that hasn’t been a problem as of late. Orlando continues to play without Jalen Suggs who is ruled out for the year and they’re 9-20 straight up without him scoring just 102.5 ppg. The Magic are just 5-11 ATS as a road underdog on the season and will have the slight rest disadvantage. Everything points to the Bucks winning and covering at home tonight with the Magic playing in their first road game since Feb 20.

Rating: 2 Units

Freshman Trevor Best has played 71 minutes over the last three games, after playing a combined nine minutes in his entire career up to last week. The few players that Coach Hurley has left put everything they had into competing with Arizona on Tuesday, and we don't see how they get off the mat for this one. Arizona State will have Texas Tech's full attention after the Sun Devils took the Red Raiders to double overtime last month. Freeman and Miller combined to score 43 points for the Sun Devils in that one. Texas Tech will be facing a much different team than the one it saw last month. The Red Raiders closed as a 16-point home favorite in that contest. Home court has changed, but Arizona State is notably worse than it was a month ago. We believe this spread should be closer to the -16 we saw in February.

Rating: 2 Units

The Wizards could be shorthanded again with Richaun Holmes and Jordan Poole both questionable, while the Raptors have ruled out Immanuel Quickley and Chris Boucher. However, they should have RJ Barrett back in action after he was rested for last night's game. The Wizards have come to life with three wins in their past five games, but I have been a little more impressed with the Raptors who have split their last 10 games. You can make an argument for either side, but in what should be a close contest, I am leaning towards the Raptors to get the job done at home despite playing on zero days rest.

Rating: 2 Units

The Pelicans are still shorthanded with Herbert Jones, Bruce Brown and Dejounte Murray out, while the Rockets are still playing without Fred VanVleet. The Pelicans will be disappointed with the result on Thursday as they were right in the contest until they went cold in the third quarter. It's always tough to beat the same team twice in a row, so while I do think the Rockets get the win at home, I am backing the Pelicans to keep this one close. Make it interesting at the end. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Nets are still shorthanded with Cameron Johnson still out, while the Hornets are expecting to have the same squad from last night. The Nets open as the slight favorites on the road as the Hornets are playing their second game of a back to back set. However, the Nets have been in such poor form themselves that you can't trust them to take advantage. The Hornets would've taken so much confidence from the fact that they were right there with the Cavaliers last night and I think they can go one better in this one. Give me the Hornets to pull off the minor upset in this one behind another big game from Bridges.

Rating: 2 Units

It's been a tale of two seasons for Maine at the betting window. The Bears began America East play 6-1 against the spread as opponents struggled with Maine's frantic style on defense. Once Maine started to see opponents for the second time and teams knew what to expect, the script was flipped. The Bears went 1-8 against the spread over their last nine games. With 19 turnovers in Tuesday's meeting, Lowell obviously has some things to clean up but the Hawks have had four days to prep for this one with plenty of fresh film to study. Lowell shot 56-percent from the floor on Tuesday, so when they weren't turning the ball over, the offense was incredibly efficient. Lowell won the rebounding battle 35-18. Any mild improvement in the turnover department should propel Lowell past Maine in this matchup.

Rating: 2 Units

Depth has been an issue for West Virginia all season, particularly after Tucker DeVries was ruled out for the rest of the year. Point guard Javon Small has played 90.8-percent of available minutes in Big XII play, which leads the conference. After playing a road back-to-back against the Utes and Cougars, the Mountaineers now have to play the fastest-paced team in the league that loves to cause chaos. UCF has won three of its last four games. When these teams met in Morgantown last season, UCF closed as a 2.5-point road favorite. We're now looking at roughly a 10-11 point adjustment from last year to this year. Since mid-December, West Virginia has gone 3-4-1 against the spread as a favorite. We just can't get on board with laying eight points on a team that struggles to sniff 70 points on most nights.

Rating: 2 Units

The Nuggets held the Suns to 38.8% shooting from the field in that 122-105 victory in February, though Phoenix missed both Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. Denver outscored Phoenix 54-36 in the paint and went 16-for-35 from downtown. It looks like Beal won’t meet the Nuggets again, but Durant will be available. Anyway, I’m going with the Nuggets because Phoenix will struggle to contain Denver in the paint. Nikola Jokic will dominate the Suns’ frontcourt, and the Nuggets are arguably a better rebounding team than Phoenix. The Suns have struggled to defend all season. They allow 117.9 points per 100 possessions (27th in the NBA). Now, they have to deal with the Nuggets, whose offensive rating is the second-highest in the league (120.0 points per 100 possessions). 

Rating: 2 Units

The Rams have been comfortably at home for the last two weeks, as their lone road game was a bus ride to Colorado Springs. Boise, on the other hand, is coming home following a road back-to-back at Fresno State and Air Force. In Colorado State's 27-point win over San Jose State on Tuesday, senior guard Jalen Lake was the only Ram to see more than 29 minutes. Ten Colorado State players saw double-digit minutes in that contest. When these teams met in Fort Collins in January, Colorado State won the three-point battle, the turnover battle and had more offensive rebounds. The Rams were up by 17 with 13 minutes remaining before the Broncos went on a late run. This is a matchup that Colorado State should feel very comfortable in, and we will gladly grab the points with the Rams.

Rating: 2 Units

The underdogs have won four of the last six games between the Timberwolves and Heat at Kaseya Center. While the Timberwolves have lost each of their last three games against opponents who are on the first leg of a back-to-back and have failed to cover the spread in each of their last 12 Friday night games against Eastern Conference opponents that held a losing record. Additionally, the Heat have covered the spread in each of their last four games at Kaseya Center.

Rating: 2 Units

Our power ratings list the Thunder as 13-14 point favorites but without basically their entire rotation we’re going to recommend a play on the Trail Blazers plus the points as Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe have been playing great together in the backcourt with Deni Avdija coming into his own as well although he’s listed questionable tonight along with Jerami Grant. Regardless, we expect Portland to be the more motivated team in Oklahoma City tonight as the Thunder could be having a host of players called up from the G-League for this game and won’t be affiliated with the offense much. Take the Trail Blazers plus the 2-3 points going 31-22-1 ATS as an underdog on the season.

Rating: 2 Units

The Grizzlies have lost each of their last six games against teams that held a winning record and have failed to cover the spread in each of their last six games as favorites. While the Mavericks have won each of their last five home games against Southwest Division opponents and have covered the spread in each of their last five home games against Southwest Division opponents.

Rating: 2 Units

VMI won six of the previous ten H2H encounters, including both meetings this season. There is no team in the country with a longer losing skid at the moment, and I don't think The Citadel will suddenly start playing better and secure its first win since early December, let alone in the conference tournament. VMI should be good for some 80 points here, which will be more than enough to secure a comfortable victory. VMI covered the spread in four of the last five H2Hs, and I am backing the Keydets to do it again on Friday and advance to the next round, where UNC Greensboro awaits. VMI has covered the Spread in 18 of its last 28 games, while The Citadel has only covered the Spread in 9 of its previous 26 games.

Rating: 2 Units

The Hornets have won six of their last 11 games as underdogs against Central Division opponents following a loss and have covered the spread in each of their last five games as underdogs against Central Division opponents. While the Cavaliers have failed to cover the spread in each of their last three road games against opponents who are on the first leg of a back-to-back.

Rating: 2 Units

Dayton is top-75 in the country in turnover rate this season, so even though the Rams' defense is known for generating steals, we would be very surprised if Dayton turns the ball over like that again on Friday. Flyers' point guard Malachi Smith did not start in that contest. He missed the previous game against Davidson and tried to come off the bench against the Rams, but only scored three points and turned the ball over four times. Smith is now fully-healthy, and the Flyers' offense has responded accordingly. Dayton has won five of its last six games. Need a little more evidence that VCU might be a little over-valued on Friday? Dayton participated in the Maui Invitational against UConn, Iowa State and North Carolina. VCU is laying a bigger number against Dayton on Friday than the two-time defending national champs were back in November.

Rating: 2 Units

Illinois State won the regular season matchup with Belmont 81-78. Belmont shot 12-for-27 from three-point range (44.4-percent), Belmont was +4 in offensive rebounds, Illinois State shot 5-for-14 from the free throw line and Illinois State still won. That does not bode well for Belmont in the rematch. When you win at the free throw line, the three-point line and on the glass and still lose, the second meeting usually doesn't go very well. Illinois State shot 69.7-percent from two-point range in that first meeting, and the RedBirds are top-15 in the country in effective field goal shooting. We expect another strong performance out of Illinois State this afternoon.

Rating: 2 Units

Our power ratings barely favor the Knicks but this is the first of a back-to-back for them so we wouldn’t be surprised to see one or two of the questionable players missing tonight. We’re instead going to side with the Lakers as home favorites against a Knicks team that’s 1-7 ATS in their last eight games. LA sits fourth in defensive rating across their last five games with the Knicks sitting 14th as the Lakers picked up a 128-112 win at MSG the last time these two met on Feb 1 with New York listed as 10-11 point favorites. Take the hot Lakers to keep rolling at home and win by multiple buckets once again.

Rating: 2 Units

In this Cal State Fullerton Titans vs Cal Poly Mustangs Prediction, Cal Poly is coming as a -14.0 home favorites. Cal Poly is rightfully favored, as they have a better record this season, and have been above average at home, while Cal State Fullerton has been terrible on the road. Cal Poly has been playing good basketball lately, as they are 4-1 in their last 5 home games and 7-3 against the spread in their last 10. On the other hand, Cal State Fullerton has been on a free fall with 10 consecutive losses, and is 0-8 against the spread in their last 8. Keep it simple, and take the better team, in better form, playing at home. Take the Cal Poly Mustangs and lay the points at home.

Rating: 2 Units

When these teams played on Sunday, Valpo enjoyed a +8 turnover differential and still lost. UIC was up by 17 in the second half before the Flames got sloppy and allowed the Beacons to make the final score look a little more interesting than it really was. Valpo's defense allows the highest success rate at the rim in Missouri Valley play. UIC has won four of the last five meetings. Valpo's recent history in the MVC Tournament is not pretty. The Beacons lost by 25 to Belmont last season and lost by 28 to Murray State in 2023.

Rating: 2 Units

The Pelicans have won four of their last six games, while the Rockets have lost five straight road games. New Orleans has the edge here because they’re shooting the ball better, making over 50 percent of their shots in their last three games, while the Rockets made 44 percent of theirs. They’ve also done a better job at the charity stripe, making over 78 percent of their free throws at home. They rebound the ball well and grab more than 12 offensive rebounds per game, which will give them more scoring chances. They also cut down their turnovers in recent games and won’t give up many easy-scoring chances. The Rockets aren’t playing well defensively and gave up more than 120 points per game in their last three games, so expect them to have a hard time slowing down the Pelicans. Go with New Orleans to cover the spread.

Rating: 2 Units

The Pacers have won each of their last 12 games as favorites against the Hawks following a win and have covered the spread in each of their last five games at State Farm Arena following a win. While the Hawks have lost each of their last four night games against Pacers teams that held a winning record and have failed to cover the spread in each of their last four games as underdogs against Eastern Conference opponents.

Rating: 2 Units

Illinois State is top-15 in the country in defensive rebounding rate this season. Missouri State is last in the Missouri Valley in two-point defense, allowing opponents to hit 55.4-percent from two-point range. That is music to the ears of the RedBirds, who want to run their offense through the 6-foot-9 Walker in the paint. Missouri State is bottom-20 in the country in KenPom's height metric. We would be shocked if the Bears finished +8 on the glass like they did three weeks ago.

Rating: 2 Units

Memphis is just 1-9 ATS across their last 10 games as we’ll side with a Thunder team who will be missing Alex Caruso tonight with Isaiah Joe listed as questionable. With that, we’re recommending a play on the Thunder to win and cover as road underdogs. Sure, the Grizzlies rank top ten in defensive efficiency on the season, but they’re bottom five in defensive rating in their last five games with the Thunder sitting first in defensive efficiency on the season and 18th in defensive rating across their last five games. As road favorites the Thunder are 15-11-2 on the season and have defeated the Grizzlies twice already this season by an average of 18.5 points. Take OKC to keep rolling a win on the road against a depleted Grizzlies team at the moment.

Rating: 2 Units

During a 30-day stretch to end the regular season, Morehead State was at a -15.2-percent disadvantage from the three-point line. Opponents were shooting a jaw-dropping 42.7-percent from beyond the arc, while Morehead was shooting 27.5-percent. The Eagles were essentially winning the box score in every other area (turnovers, rebounds, etc.) in most of those games, but were getting buried at the three-point line on a nightly basis. These teams split their regular season series with each team winning on its home court. Need another example of just how extreme Morehead's three-point issues were? Lindenwood is the second-worst three-point shooting team in the country, making just 27.2-percent of its attempts from beyond the arc this season. When these teams met at Lindenwood in February, the Lions made 46.2-percent of their three-point attempts in that contest. We're going to bank on that three-point variance leveling-off in this one.

Rating: 2 Units

The Wisconsin Badgers are clicking, winning six of their past eight games. They have covered the spread in all but two games in that span. The Minnesota Golden Gophers have not been reliable at home, dropping four straight home games. Wisconsin is among the best in DI offensively, averaging 124 points per 100 possessions, good for 8th in DI. This is a huge difference compared to Minnesota, which is only averaging 111.1 points per 100. The Badgers are also conceding 5.6 fewer points per 100. Wisconsin pelted Minnesota by 21 points in the first meeting. Also, each of the Badgers past five wins have been by double digits.

Rating: 2 Units

The underdogs have won each of the Heat's last three games at Rocket Arena. The Cavaliers have lost seven of their last eight games against Heat teams that held a losing record and have failed to cover the spread in each of their last five games when playing with a rest disadvantage against the Heat. Additionally, the road team has covered the spread in each of the Cavaliers' last four games.

Rating: 2 Units

We’ve got the two worst teams in the league on the floor here, which is going to be tough to watch. Utah has basically their starting five out in this game as they try to improve their odds for the draft lottery. The Jazz are 7-22 on the road this season but playing with the youth movement they have going right now is a challenge. Washington has struggled themselves though they do have a couple experienced guys in the mix here with Middleton and Smart. The Wizards have a deeper rotation at this point and that may be the difference here: take Washington at home to get back in the win column.

Rating: 2 units

Boston is falling out of contention for the top seed in the East, as Cleveland is now up 7.5 games. They can live with the 2-seed, but they do not want to fall to 3rd and risk playing the second round of the playoffs on the road. Boston is only 2.5-games ahead of the Knicks in the standings, and this is a great buy-low spot for Boston as they have lost two of their last three. The Celtics are dealing with some injuries, but Tatum, Brown and White are all slated to play, and this team has shown they are deep enough to withstand any missed time from Porzingis or Holiday. Portland is playing well, but they are on their sixth game of a road trip, this will start to take its toll on the team, and signs of fatigue will start to set in. Boston is well rested and hungry for a win at home, they will roll here.

Rating: 2 Units

You can make a case for Wagner and the points, as it beat St. Francis (PA) twice in January. Wagner has won five straight games against St. Francis (PA) and nine of the last 10 games overall. However, both meetings this season were decided by two points, including one of the games needing overtime. A bounce here or bounce there and St. Francis (PA) wins those games. Wagner has issues scoring the ball and is coming off two straight games where it scored less than 50 points. St. Francis (PA) has seen nine of its 13 wis come at home and it's playing its best ball of the season with three straight wins. St. Francis (PA) has topped 80 points in three straight games. If that continues, Wagner lacks the horses to counter. Give me St. Francis (PA) and a reasonable number, as the Red Flash make the NEC semifinals.

Rating: 2 Units

Maryland is equipped with everything you'd like to see from a road team in March. Unlike Michigan, Maryland's offense is top-40 in the country in turnover rate. Less than 36-percent of the Terps's field goal attempts come from the three-point line, so Maryland is not reliant on three-point shooting. Maryland was +8 in turnovers and forced 13 steals in Saturday's road win at Penn State. Six-foot-ten freshman Derik Queen is going to have his hands full in the paint trying to defend Michigan's post players, but the Terps have a handful of guards that can make it very difficult for seven-footers Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin to get the ball.

Rating: 2 Units

The underdogs have won six of the Pelicans' last seven games at Crypto.com Arena and have covered the spread in each of the Pelicans' last four games at Crypto.com Arena. While the Lakers have lost three of their last four night games against Southwest Division opponents and have failed to cover the spread in eight of their last nine night games against Southwest Division opponents that held a losing record.

Rating: 2 Units

The Clippers are just 4-9 ATS as a road favorite though and we think the wear and tear of road games recently is getting to them. When you add in the absence of Jones Jr. and Powell, the Clippers could be very limited on offense tonight. It’s worth noting that Bradley Beal is questionable tonight due to injury management, but he played in their 116-98 loss to Minnesota and Phoenix doesn’t play again until Friday. Take the Suns as they attempt to fight their way back in the Western Conference play-in picture.

Rating: 2 Units

The Ragin' Cajuns won both regular season meetings in January by five and three points. Both of those games stayed under their respective totals, and that's the direction we're going to look in this one. This is a neutral site game, but the road has not been kind to Louisiana's offense this season. The under is 6-2 in the Ragin' Cajuns last eight road games. Louisiana has scored an average of 66.3 points per game. In the 14-team Sun Belt, Louisiana is No. 12 in offensive efficiency, last in offensive rebounding, No. 11 in three-point shooting, No. 13 in two-point shooting and No. 13 in assist rate. Monroe is last in offensive efficiency, No. 13 in effective field goal shooting, No. 11 in offensive rebounding and last in two-point shooting.

Rating: 2 Units

Our power ratings side with the Hawks which is the play we’ll recommend here with Atlanta going 2-1 straight up against Milwaukee already this season with the Bucks going just 6-11 ATS as a road favorite. It’s also worth noting that this is the first of a back-to-back for Milwaukee with Atlanta sitting just 1.5 games out of the Southeast Division lead believe it or not. The Bucks are 15-18-1 ATS off a win and just 6-7 ATS with a rest advantage so take the Hawks to keep it within a few baskets tonight at home

Rating: 2 Units

The Warriors seem to have found new life since they acquired Jimmy Butler going 8-1 straight up since with Golden State ranking second in points in the paint allowed this season. This could spell trouble against a Knicks team that is third to last in three-point attempts per game on the season. On defense the Knicks rank dead last in three-point field goal percentage allowed in which Steph Curry and the rest of the Warriors could thrive as they rank fourth in three-point makes per game. Although they’re playing the second of a back-to-back, take the Warriors plus the points with Karl-Anthony Towns more likely to miss than Steph Curry judging by reports at the time of this writing.

Rating: 2 Units

Despite their overall record, the Raptors have been a strong ATS team this season (35-25-1), and Orlando has failed to cover the spread in their last three home games. Although Orlando has been strong defensively, they are in the bottom three of the NBA in three-pointers made, three-point percentage, and field-goal percentage, which makes it hard to put teams away. With Orlando potentially missing Jalen Suggs again, their already-struggling offense could face additional challenges. I will take Toronto to cover again.

Rating: 2 Units

Northern Kentucky's biggest issue this season has been defending the three-point line. Opponents are shooting 37.4-percent from three-point range against the Norse, which is nearly four percent above the national average. Well, Detroit does not shoot three-pointers. The Titans are bottom-10 in the country in three-point shot attempts. Detroit shot 42.6-percent from the floor in the first meeting and 43.4-percent from the floor in the second meeting. They did not eclipse 1.00 point per possession in either contest. Detroit's offense is last in the Horizon League in efficiency, effective field goal shooting, three-point shooting, two-point shooting and assist rate. We're not sure where the support for the over is coming from, but it's certainly not from us.

Rating: 2 Units

The 13 games that were played here last year saw an average of 149.7 points per game. Coastal won the lone regular season meeting 87-78 at Southern Miss on February 20. Chanticleers' guard Jordan Battle finished that contest with 29 points. That game featured 76 free throw attempts, although neither team was particularly good at making them (combined to shoot 61.8-percent). We're probably not going to see that many free throw attempts again, but we will look toward another high-scoring game. Southern Miss plays at a top-20 pace in the country. The Eagles' defense has allowed an average of 81.7 points per game across their last seven contests. The over is 5-2 in those seven games. The over is 10-5 in Coastal's last 15 games. Neither team is heavily-reliant on three-point attempts, so the unfamiliar shooting backdrop should not be too big of an issue since neither team likes to fire from beyond the arc.

Rating: 2 Units

The Detroit Pistons are playing their best ball in over a decade and have the rest advantage, so they should do dirty things to the Jazz. The Jazz played last night and they’re riddled with injuries as they’re clearly focused on getting a top draft pick. However, the Pistons will be without Harris, and this could be a look-ahead spot with the Clippers and Warriors on deck. The Jazz have also covered six of their last eight games, taking advantage of inflated numbers. We also can’t forget the Pistons are a young team still learning how to deal with expectations, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see them come out sluggish a bit. I’ll grab the boatload of points with the Jazz.

Rating: 2 Units

The Sacramento Kings have won three straight games so maybe this is them finally turning the corner. Unfortunately, we’ve seen so much inconsistent ball that it’s going to take more than a decent week to convince anybody. The Kings are also 22-34-3 ATS on the season. The Mavs have been at their best at home where they have 19 wins on the season. The Mavs should also have revenge on their mind after losing to the Kings at home in overtime less than a month ago. The line is reasonable. If it wasn’t, maybe I’d consider the Kings. I’ll lay the bucket with the Mavericks at home.

Rating: 2 Units

Our power ratings and game line are even in which we’ll side with the Rockets plus the points going 8-4-1 ATS as a road underdog on the season. We do have injury concerns on both sides of the ball with Fred VanVleet already ruled out and Amen Thompson as well as Alperen Sengun questionable for Houston. Chet Holmgren missed last night’s game and is questionable for OKC heading into tonight. Yes, OKC is 18-9-2 ATS as a home favorite, but just 6-6 ATS off no rest as we think 9-10 points is just too much to be giving a Rockets team off a loss in which they’re 13-9 ATS in their next game. In their last ten games Houston ranks sixth in defensive rating with OKC coming in at 16th during that same stretch. We’re not saying Houston wins this game, but they shouldn’t have an issue keeping it within single digits against a Thunder team who had to travel late last night after their win.

Rating: 2 Units

This is the Bears' third-straight game playing at Lipscomb's gym so they should have a decent feel for the shooting backdrop by now. In a conference tournament game like this, we like to look for points. With a 20-point spread, there is a good chance that the benches will get emptied in the final minutes. This may be the last chance for bench players on both sides to see the court. If the benches empty in the final minutes, those kids are going to play with purpose. You're not going to see someone dribble the shot clock out for 25 seconds at mid-court. You're going to get 40 minutes of effort on the offensive end as everyone tries to find the box score one last time this season.

Rating: 2 Units

The Trail Blazers have lost each of their last seven night games following an overtime loss and have failed to cover the spread in five of their last six games as road underdogs against opponents who are on the first leg of a back-to-back. While the 76ers have won seven of their last eight games when playing with a rest advantage and have covered the spread in four of their last five games against Western Conference opponents.

Rating: 2 Units

The Hornets have won three of their last four games as home underdogs against the Warriors and have covered the spread in each of their last six games as underdogs following a home loss. While the Warriors have lost four of their last five night games at Spectrum Center and have failed to cover the spread in four of their last five games at Spectrum Center.