(#635) Minnesota Lynx @ (#636) Las Vegas Aces | UNDER | . 

These are probably the two hottest teams in the WNBA right now. Although you might expect points galore in a matchup like this, I actually think that the defense will be huge in a game like this. Don't get me wrong, the Lynx have been scoring quite a ton so far this season. But, this is a game where they are going to have to work for their points against a very strong defensive team in LV. 

Like Minnesota, the Aces are one of three teams who are perfect in the Commissioner's Cup "tournament" so far. They are off consecutive very high scoring games against Seattle & Portland. But, those are two of the worst teams in the West this season. This line has gotten way too high 

Burns' Prediction: 85-78 Las Vegas.

(#225309) Bosnia & Herzegovina @ (#225310) Canada | UNDER | . 

As a Canadian, obviously I'm cheering for Canada to accomplish great things in the World Cup this year. That being said, I think that fans & the oddsmakers are slightly overrating this team as one of the co-hosts in this tournament. Prior to the 2022 World Cup, Canada had never even scored a goal in the World Cup. It got on the scoresheet in the game vs. Croatia in that edition, but still managed to score just two goals in the three games. I think that Canada could win this game, but I don't see it scoring more than a goal tonight. Bosnia plays very sound defensively and has seen five consecutive games (including three in Qualifying) have two goals or less combined w/ their opponents. Four of those games ended 1-1. While the draw could definitely be in play here, I'm going with the "under" in this matchup. 

Burns' Prediction: 1-1 Draw.

(#19) Vegas Golden Knights @ (#20) Carolina Hurricanes | UNDER | . 

All four of the games in this series so far have gone "over" the total and with significant ease. That has made this total move from 5.5 in Gm1 to 6.5 here in Gm5. It's time to see a much lower scoring game on Thursday evening. With the series tied at two games a piece, this pivotal Game 5 could most definitely determine who's going to win the cup. However either team turns to in the crease (I do expect both Gm4 starters to play,) I believe that this matchup is going to be much lower scoring. 

Considering all of the scoring, I haven't been unimpressed with the goaltending. There's been unlucky bounces & fantastic snipes into the top corner that these goalies simply can't save. That being said, the nerves are going to be high for everyone back in Carolina & I expect not as many grade A chances to be had. Don't let the first four games of this series fool you. These are still two very strong defensive teams. Hammer the "under" in Game 5. 

Burns' Prediction: 3-2 Carolina.

(#921) Texas Rangers @ (#922) Kansas City Royals | UNDER | . 

MacKenzie Gore (3-4, 4.23 ERA) vs. Seth Lugo (2-4, 3.91 ERA) . 

I know that both of these pitchers have had their struggles at times this season. However, this is a spot where I expect them both to shine. Yes, his latest outing was poor. But, Gore has allowed only eight runs over his past five outings. That's very solid work right there. He's already faced the Royals this season and went 6.1 shutout innings. 

On the other hand, Seth Lugo returns back at home where he's pitched consecutive QS's He's more than capable and pitched six innings against the Rangers in that same series, while allowing just a single earned run in that start. Give me the "under" in this encounter as the o/u line is simply way too high. 

Burns' Prediction: 3-1 Rangers.

(#613) Dallas Wings @ (#614) Minnesota Lynx | OVER | . 

Dallas has impressed me a ton with its offense so far this season. As a matter of fact, the Wings have scored 89.4 PPG so far this season through the opening 10 games (scored 104 against LA last time out as well.) Well who's the only team that's averaged more points so far? The Minnesota Lynx. Even without the Lynx' superstar NaPheesa Collier, they've been able to average 90.3 PPG so far this season, good for the highest mark in the entire WNBA. 

When these two teams played each other in May, they combined for 176 points. That included a very low scoring 38 point 4th quarter. This time, I'm expecting tons of points throughout the entirety of the contest. That should ultimately lead to this game flying "over" the number on Tuesday evening. 

Burns' Prediction: 92-88 Minnesota.

(#973) Cleveland Guardians @ (#974) Texas Rangers | UNDER | . 

Joey Cantillo (4-2, 3.92 ERA) vs. Jacob DeGrom (4-4, 3.48 ERA) . 

While neither of these two starting pitchers would have "Cy Young Numbers," I do believe that both are definitely more than capable of dominating on any given day. Joey Cantillo has been phenomenal in day games so far this season. In those five games, he owns a 2.05 ERA & a .216 OBA. He's also been slightly stronger during this campaign when playing on the road. 

On the other hand, Jacob DeGrom also has elite numbers when pitching in day games. In only two starts this year in those games, he's got a 0.69 ERA. Not only that, but his home splits are nothing short of unbelievable. An ERA of 1.52 in five home games this season sees opponents hitting .152 against him. That's ridiculous. 

All in all, both of these pitchers are bound for a big performance tonight. I'm not too impressed with either lineup when it comes to hitting with power. Therefore, this should most definitely end up as a pitchers duel on Sunday afternoon. Hammer the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 3-1 Texas.

(#24521) John Yannis vs. (#24522) Marcus McGhee | UNDER | . 

As a ridiculously big favorite, I'm expecting Marcus McGhee to get the job done on Saturday. Therefore, I'm also expecting him to dictate the pace of this fight. He's got a record of 10-2 in his pro career after falling short against Petr Yan (current champ) last time out. However, he's finished nine of his ten opponents (eight of them within the first two rounds.) I understand that his past two fights have finished in a decision. But, a decision is not anything to worry about against a guy like Petr Yan who definitely likes to take things slow from the opening bell. John Yannis is a bit less aggressive when it comes to finishes. But, he's been submitted twice in his career. I do expect both guys to be striking for the most part in this fight, both with strengths in knocking out their opponents. While Yannis has never been knocked out, I do believe that he's vulnerable at times and prone to being hit. There's a big chance for a KO here from McGhee. I do not think that this fight goes the distance and I expect a finish within the opening two rounds (before the half way mark in the 3rd at the very least.) Hammer the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: Marcus McGhee via. 2nd Round KO.

(#501) New York Knicks @ (#502) San Antonio Spurs | OVER | . 

I get that the "under" has been extremely profitable in the NBA Finals for so many years now. As a matter of fact, the "under" is 36-10 since 2022 in the NBA Finals. That being said, I'm not a big fan of looking at history when we've got two up and coming programs fighting for future success in this league. 

New York's been chomping at the bit for a couple of seasons now, waiting patiently for this opportunity. Over this playoff run, the Knicks are averaging 119.9 PPG on some historic shooting performances. No, I'm not expecting the Knicks to go absolutely bonkers here throughout this series. But, I am expecting them to put up a real fight and perhaps shock the world. 

Looking at the Spurs, their offense looked pretty unstoppable over the last two games of the OKC/SAS series. Quite frankly, the defending champions couldn't even figure out how to defend this team. The relentless hustle & top notch play from the youngsters have brought this Spurs team to new heights. 

This game being Gm1 in the NBA Finals could cause for some early jitters. But, I don't expect that to last long, playing at home in front of their own crowd. NYK will show up ready, and this one could quite be the best game of the whole series. I expect lots of points, just like in the NBA Cup Final earlier this year. Give me the "over." 

Burns' Prediction: 119-108 Spurs.

(#929) New York Mets @ (#930) Seattle Mariners | UNDER | . 

Jonah Tong (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Logan Gilbert (3-4, 3.69 ERA) . 

I know that Jonah Tong hasn't had much work so far this season. But, I do expect him to pitch whether he comes out of the bullpen again or starts this game on Tuesday. He's been excellent when he's pitched, yet to allow an earned run. Tong showed glimpses of excellence last year in his first season with the Mets. I expect more of that this evening. 

On the other hand, Logan Gilbert's stats aren't bad. But, he'd definitely like to improve on those numbers, especially the record part of it. The M's just haven't been as dominant as you'd expect and it's a large part due to the lack of offensive production. Both teams have had trouble hitting at times this year & therefore I see this one being low scoring. 

Burns' Prediction: 3-2 Mariners.

(#8747) Mirra Andreeva vs. (#8748) Sorana Cirstea | OVER GAMES | . 

Despite Andreeva being a quite heavy favorite, it's very difficult to see her winning this matchup as easily as she's won her opening four matches. I mean, the Russian was tested in round two having to come from a set down. But, she's never really been tested or been to any tiebreaks yet. That's likely to change today. 

Sorana Cirstea is in the midst of her "final season" on tour and with her current level of play, that might change in the near future. She's playing phenomenal tennis and is beating opponents that you'd normally not expect. While Cirstea hasn't really been tested either, this gives both players a fantastic challenge to reach the Semi's of the French Open. These players have matched up once before & it was an absolute war with Andreeva winning 7-6, 4-6, 6-2. Give me the "over" games here in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 Andreeva.

(#225885) Uzbekistan @ (#225886) Canada | UNDER | . 

These matches before the World Cup are sometimes a bit difficult to predict. That being said, I believe that both of these teams are very sound defensively. Canada might be without some of its main pieces that we're going to see in a couple of weeks time. But, even without some of those guys, I trust the back line to stay tight and limit chances from Uzbekistan. 

Don't get me wrong, the Asian side is capable of scoring goals. But, over their past four games (incl. Friendlies & Qualifying,) they've scored six and allowed one. This game profiles as a low scoring contest with both teams looking to get their feet wet before the main stage begins. Give me the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 1-0 Canada.

(#973) New York Yankees @ (#974) Athletics | UNDER | . 

Ryan Weathers (2-2, 3.14 ERA) vs. J.T. Ginn (2-3, 3.19 ERA) . 

Yesterday's game saw plenty of runs in the opening few innings, until it cooled off in the later stages (until the 9th.) That game finished "over" the o/u line. Today, I'm expecting a lot less offensive success. Ryan Weathers will take the mound for the Yankees and he's been a big surprise to me. Coming off a 7 IP 0 ER performance, his numbers are quite excellent, and even better in road games. 

Now, this is a difficult place to pitch, as the long ball could be in play. But, outside of one bad showing when he allowed four, Weathers has allowed just four homers in the other nine starts this season. Ginn, on the other hand, is used to pitching here in Sacramento. He's allowed just two homers in five home starts this season. If & when the long ball stays limited, I see this one staying "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 4-2 Yankees.

(#8201) Felix Auger Aliassime vs. (#8202) Brandon Nakashima | OVER GAMES | . 

The opening round of this French Open was a bit of a struggle for the Canadian. He managed to pull through in an epic 5-setter vs. Daniel Atlmaier that went the distance. He also dropped the opening set against Roman Andres Burruchaga in his second round matchup. Now, he's going up against an opponent that on paper is much more difficult in Brandon Nakashima. 

These players did play once before back in Florence in 2022 on the hard courts. FAA won that match fairly easily. Since then, Nakashima has climbed up the rankings and has become a very consistent tennis player in his own right. Nakashima cruised through his opening round matchup vs. Bautista Agut. But, he also ran into some trouble, winning his latest match against Van Assche in a 5th & deciding set after being down 1-2. 

When these two clash in the "night session" this evening in Paris, I'm expecting an all-out war. Neither of these players prefer the clay over the hard courts, but both are more than capable of making a deep run considering the remaining draw in this tournament. I like this match to go "over" the number of games on Saturday. If the "over" sets is also available for you at 3.5, I'd like that a lot as well. 

Burns' Prediction: 6-7, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 Auge Aliassime.

(#977) Atlanta Braves @ (#978) Boston Red Sox | UNDER | . 

Spencer Strider (2-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. Ranger Suarez (2-2, 2.40 ERA) . 

Even though I believe that both of these offenses could definitely breakout in this series, I'm expecting a lower scoring opening game of this three-game set. Not only does Strider have a perfect record so far. But, I also like him very much in this matchup. Boston's been horrific here at home at Fenway so far and are the last team remaining in the big leagues with single digit home wins (at this very moment.) 

Looking at the other side of things, Ranger Suarez has looked pretty dominant for the most part this season. Boston expected brilliance & he's been one of their lone bright spots on the year. Having allowed only a run in 13.2 innings pitched here in May so far, I believe that he's going to be great again here on Tuesday. Give me the "under" w/ this pitching matchup this evening. 

Burns' Prediction: 3-2 Braves.

(#915) Cleveland Guardians @ (#916) Detroit Tigers | UNDER | . 

Parker Messick (5-1, 2.35 ERA) vs. Keider Montero (2-3, 3.65 ERA) . 

Coming into this game, the Tigers are really struggling. As a matter of fact, they've lost 11 of their most recent 13 games since putting Tarik Skubal on the IL. That being said, I think that Keider Montero has been very solid. With a 0.99 WHIP, he's hardly allowing any baserunners and that's huge in the long run as a starting pitcher. I expect him to slow this Guardians lineup down. 

Cleveland will turn the ball over to its best pitcher so far this season in Parker Messick. Not only has he got incredible numbers overall, but he's been even more stellar in road contests this season. He's also got a WHIP below 1.00 and this is a chance to take on a struggling Tigers lineup here on Tuesday. Either team could win this game. But, I'm expecting little runs in this contest whoever edges out a victory. Hammer the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 4-2 Tigers.

(#903) Arizona Diamondbacks @ (#904) Colorado Rockies | OVER | . 

Michael Soroka (5-2, 3.53 ERA) vs. Michael Lorenzen (2-5, 6.54 ERA) . 

So far in this series, we haven't seen a high scoring battle. Yes, the first game had 10 runs. But, that's normal for a game here at Coors Field. Arizona will give the ball to Michael Soroka on Sunday. Even though he's been great this season, I do think that he's not as good as his numbers suggest. He's posted a 7.20 ERA in road games and his home ERA is most definitely not sustainable playing in this division. 

Michael Lorenzen will take the ball on the other side. He's simply not been good at all. Colorado also allows the worst opposing batting average in the entire MLB this season. Pair that with a bottom three ERA. Give me the "over" in the finale of this series on Sunday afternoon. This one should be high scoring. 

Burns' Prediction: 8-6 Diamondbacks.

(#979) San Francisco Giants @ (#980) Athletics | OVER | . 

Trevor McDonald (1-0, 2.92 ERA) vs. Luis Severino (2-4, 4.07 ERA) . 

While I do like what I've seen from both of these two starters so far this season, I also believe that this isn't going to be as low scoring as the ERA's make it look. McDonald gave up 11 baserunners against the Dodgers last time out, allowing three runs. Now, he's going to be forced to pitch in this "AAA" level ballpark. 

Luis Severino has made it clear that he doesn't like pitching here. He's avoided this ballpark so far in May, but now gets his first start of the month at home. With a 4.91 ERA here at home so far this year, I don't think he's going to enjoy being back here. Give me the "over." 

Burns' Prediction: 8-4 Giants.

(#43) Buffalo Sabres @ (#44) Montreal Canadiens | UNDER | . 

Game 5 started out very fast with five goals in the opening period. I do not think that this one's going to be nearly as high flying, especially early in the game. Buffalo now faces elimination & I expect the Sabres to go back to Alex Lyon for this contest. He's been elite throughout the playoffs, despite a few lapses in this round so far. 

On the other hand, Montreal is definitely ecstatic coming back home with a 3-2 series lead. Back at the Bell Centre, the Canadiens are now favorites to win this series. One thing that's stood out is the goaltending, especially when the games have mattered. Give me the "under" in this one on Saturday. 

Burns' Prediction: 3-2 Canadiens.

(#525) San Antonio Spurs @ (#526) Minnesota Timberwolves | UNDER | . 

Admittedly, I did lose with Minnesota in Game 5 in what was simply a bad pick. Now, I'm back with another selection on this series here in Game 6. Considering four straight games in this series have gone "over" the number, I believe that this is the perfect time for this series to shift back to a lower scoring type of game. If the Timberwolves showed up in Gm5, I believe that it would've been a lower scoring game too. But, Minnesota's entire team practically didn't come to play, leading to a bunch of points for the Spurs. San Antonio is coming off a much lower scoring series with the Trail Blazers. Yes, there were a couple of high scoring games. But, defense was key for the most part. As the series gets older, I believe that every single one will continue to get more intense and high pressure, leading to less points overall. With the four "over's" in succession, this total has gone up a point from last game. Give me the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 109-102 Timberwolves.

(#863) Kansas City Royals @ (#864) Chicago White Sox | UNDER | . 

Kris Bubic (3-1, 3.50 ERA) vs. Anthony Kay (2-1, 4.89 ERA) . 

While neither of these two pitchers have necessarily been dominant starters this season, I've seen glimpses of great pitching from both of the two. What's helping Kris Bubic for this matchup is that he owns a jaw-dropping 2.04 ERA in 12 outings against the White Sox over his career. He might be 2-4 record wise. But, he's dominant against them, especially as of late, throwing consecutive seven inning starts while allowing no runs. 

Anthony Kay looked phenomenal in his last start against the Mariners. He went 5.0 innings and although there's a run for the Mariners on the scoresheet, he's going to take a performance like that every day of the week. Kay also went 5.2 innings against the Royals in April, and allowed non runs on just three hits. Give me the "under" in this pitching matchup on Thursday. 

Burns' Prediction: 3-1 Royals.

(#967) Kansas City Royals @ (#968) Chicago White Sox | UNDER | . 

Stephen Kolek (1-0, 4.50 ERA) vs. Erick Fedde (0-4, 3.79 ERA) . 

I expect this game to be much lower scoring than this total suggests on Tuesday. Not only is the wind expected to be blowing in. But, I believe that both of these starting pitchers are capable of having very strong outings, especially in a matchup like this. Looking at Stephen Kolek, he's made just one start this season. Although he allowed three runs in six innings (which was a quality start against CLE,) he allowed just four baserunners in that contest. Great for the WHIP. Erick Fedde, on the other hand, is much better than his record shows. He owns a 2.41 ERA here at home, allowing a .200 BA in those games. Against a KC lineup that's struggled for the majority of the season so far, this is a great chance to even improve those stats. Give me the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 4-1 Royals.

(#201269) AS Roma @ (#201270) Parma Calcio 1913 | UNDER | . 

Having just scored four goals itself against Fiorentina, AS Roma is probably very confident at the moment. Having said that though, this is a much harder game than it looks. Roma has lost two of its past three games played on the road and Parma will make it difficult for the favorites. Defensively, Roma's been great, allowing 29 goals in 35 games this season, which is tied for the best in the Serie A. 

Parma, on the other hand, is also top ten in the Serie A in goals allowed per game. That's significant, being in 13th in the rankings. It offers little to no goal scoring threat itself though, averaging 0.71 goals per game. I expect a low scoring affair on Sunday. Give me the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 1-0 Roma.

(#905) St. Louis Cardinals @ (#906) San Diego Padres | OVER | . 

Dustin May (3-3, 5.15 ERA) vs. Randy Vasquez (3-1, 3.20 ERA) . 

Dustin May hasn't been the same since his esophagus injury that he suffered back in 2024. Prior to then, he had some of the nastiest pitches in all of baseball despite limited action. Now, he's not quite as feared by the rest of the league and has been tossed around team to team over the past few seasons now. He did have a strong start last time out. But, back on the road, where he owns a 6.14 ERA this season, I expect another shaky outing from the 28 year old. 

On the other hand, Randy Vasquez is having a pretty solid year. However, he did just suffer his first loss of the season and hasn't looked great in consecutive starts now. In two starts a season ago against the Cardinals, Vasquez allowed six earned runs in eight innings of total work. Five of those runs came in the last meeting, which was the one here at Petco. I know that this is typically a lower scoring ballpark. But, the pitchers aren't great and I'm expecting quite a few players to cross home plate in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 7-4 Cardinals.

(#921) Seattle Mariners @ (#922) Chicago White Sox | UNDER | . 

Luis Castillo (0-3, 6.29 ERA) vs. Anthony Kay (1-1, 5.70 ERA) . 

I get that these two starters both have very high ERA's & bad numbers overall. That being said, I'm not too worried about numbers for pitchers quite yet in the season. We're only just over a month into the year and guys are just finding their rhythm at the moment. No, these aren't good starts for guys that are supposed to be key rotational figures for their respective ball club. But, this isn't the end of the world all that yet. 

Over his entire career, since 2017, Luis Castillo has been one of the most consistent arms in the big leagues. His worst ERA in a season has been 4.30 (in 2018.) and he's never gone 4.00 or above since then. Kay, on the other hand, posted a 1.74 ERA in 155.0 innings of work in Japan last year. I expect him to get on track here. This line is way too high. Give me the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 4-2 Mariners.

(#13) Montreal Canadiens @ (#14) Buffalo Sabres | UNDER | . 

From early scoring to very solid defensive play, Game 1 saw a bit of everything. Yes, there were six goals in the opening 37 minutes of that game. But, the final 23 minutes were absolutely scoreless & I'm expecting that to carry on into this game on Friday. Postseason hockey is very demanding & physical. A long seven game series with Tampa didn't help MTL's cause in that opening game of this series. I see the Canadiens having a much better goaltending performance on Friday in this massive Game 2. 

Buffalo looked sharp, as it has all season long. However, the Sabres did only produce a single shot in the 3rd period. As a matter of fact, Buffalo had just 16 shots on the whole game. I do think that this game will be much more even in the shot department. But, both goaltenders should hold up. Give me the "under" in Game 2. 

Burns' Prediction: 2-1 Canadiens. 

(#569) Los Angeles Lakers @ (#570) Oklahoma City Thunder | OVER | . 

This is a big game. If Los Angeles can somehow mange to right the ship & somehow win this game, it buys Luka Doncic a couple of more days to get ready to come back for an important game. If the Lakers fail to do so, they risk going down three games to none back at home over the weekend. Scoring 90 points isn't going to cut it & LeBron knows it. He's going to come out ready to "die on the floor" on Thursday doing whatever he can to help get the Lakers back in this series. 

Oklahoma City, on the other hand, will be looking to extend this lead & stay perfect in the postseason. The Thunder still managed to cover ATS despite Shai having scored less than 20 for the first time since Game 3 of the WCF last year. I expect a better performance from him. Did you know that #1 seed in the playoffs that are at home in the 2nd game of a playoff series are 34-11 (75.6%) towards the "over" since 2017! Give me the "over" in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 123-105 OKC.

(#969) Cleveland Guardians @ (#970) Kansas City | UNDER | . 

Joey Cantillo (1-1, 3.67 ERA) vs. Cole Ragans (1-4, 5.29 ERA) . 

In this pitching matchup on Wednesday, I believe that we're going to see two starters absolutely dominate. Joey Cantillo's numbers don't look like anything too special. But, he's more than capable of pitching lights out against any opponent in the big leagues in my eyes. He's already faced the Royals this season & went 5.1 innings allowing only one earned run. 

On the other hand, Cole Ragans gets the nod. I had Ragans about a week and a half ago when he picked up his first win. Now, even though his numbers aren't good by any means, he's slowly improving them & this is a fantastic matchup for him against a struggling Guardians lineup. Both teams have issues offensively, ranking in the bottom half of the MLB in scoring. I'll go "under" here. 

Burns' Prediction: 4-1 Guardians.

(#224225) Paris Saint-Germain F.C. @ (#224226) FC Bayern Munich | OVER | . 

If you didn't watch the opening leg of the "tie," you missed something special. These two teams combined for nine goals in one of the most epic matches that you would have ever seen. Now, it's time for the second leg & I'm expecting absolute fireworks once again. PSG remains the team to beat, as the defending champs & with a 5-4 lead on aggregate. I watched this team earlier this season in the Champions League back when it faced Tottenham in a game that featured eight goals. Boy oh boy, this team is elite offensively. 

But, Bayern Munich might be even more elite offensively. During the Bundesliga this season, the German champs are averaging 3.63 goals per game, with 116 on the year. That's absurd. Now, back at home after scoring four in Paris, Bayern knows what it has to do to win this game. Both teams haven't been as elite defensively, leaving me expecting yet another absolute shootout in leg two. Hammer the "over." 

Burns' Prediction: 3-3 Draw.

(#77) Minnesota Wild @ (#78) Colorado Avalanche | OVER | . 

Many of the games in these playoffs have been going "under" and although I'm all for great defensive battles, it's also nice to see a high scoring affair once in a while too. Colorado's offense got stifled a bit against LAK, despite winning in four games. The Avalanche should have a bit of an easier time finding the back of the net in this series, with so much talent on display. 

Minnesota had the much harder opening series, beating Dallas in six games. But, the Stars could hardly score in 5v5. I expect both offenses to get going early and often in this one. Both teams started to wake up offensively over the past two as well, scoring nine goals each in those contests. Give me the "over." 

Burns' Prediction: 5-3 Avalanche.

(#200277) Middlesbrough F.C. @ (#200278) Wrexham A.F.C. | OVER | . 

This should be a high scoring encounter on Saturday morning (afternoon in the UK.) This total has gone back and forth between 2.5 favoring the "over" & 3.0 favoring the "under.' Fortunately, I'm jumping in at 2.75 before it goes back to 3.0. Yes, this is a very high leverage contest, with both teams currently sitting in a spot to play in the #3-6 playoff at the end of the season to determine the final team moving up. However, I still think both teams are going to play freely, just like they have all season long. 

On the season, Middlesbrough has scored 70 goals in 45 games. Wrexham has scored 67 goals in the same amount of games. Not only that, both teams allowed at least a goal per game (Middlesbrough - 45 & Wrexham - 63.) Middlesbrough has also scored eight goals over its past three games. Wrexham hasn't been in as strong form, scoring five in its past five games, but allowed 10. Tied w/ Hull & one point ahead of Derby County, Wrexham, at home, need points in this game more than anything,. Expect it to throw everything it can at Middlesbrough in this one, leading to plenty of opportunities & goals. 

Burns' Prediction: 3-2 Wrexham.

(#905) Milwaukee Brewers @ (#906) Washington Nationals | OVER | . 

Jacob Misiorowski (1-2, 3.31 ERA) vs. Jake Irvin (1-3, 4.85 ERA) . 

I do really like what I've seen from Jacob Misiorowski so far this season, despite the losing record. However, he's running into a very hot Nationals lineup that's scored 19 runs over the past two games. Washington doesn't have as many superstars as say maybe Milwaukee. But, the Nats can sure hit and are averaging 5.5 runs per game which is the T-2 in the MLB. 

On the other hand, Milwaukee also ranks in the top five in runs per game at 5.1. Yes, the Brewers pitching has been quite strong and limiting runs. But, I expect Washington to be able to score some here. Irvin's been rocked a ton against the Brewers as well. Give me the "over" on Friday afternoon. 

Burns' Prediction: 8-6 Brewers.

(#973) Seattle Mariners @ (#974) Minnesota Twins | UNDER | . 

Logan Gilbert (1-3, 4.36 ERA) vs. Joe Ryan (2-2, 3.90 ERA) . 

Neither of these pitchers have exactly been perfect so far, and both are not pitching as well as I expect them to this season. That being said, I think that this is the perfect chance to play on both of them to have a great performance. Looking at this matchup, the Twins were really able to hit Castillo last night. I don't expect that to be the case vs. Gilbert, who has dominated the Twins in 4/5 of his career starts against them. 

On the other hand, Joe Ryan owns an excellent 2.45 ERA at home this season & he's definitely going to want to make up for his disaster last time out this season. Both teams rank in the bottom third of the league in SLG % so that should help both of these pitchers as well. I've got the "under" in this baseball game. 

Burns' Prediction: 3-1 Mariners.

(#979) Seattle Mariners @ (#980) St. Louis Cardinals | UNDER | . 

Emerson Hancock (2-1, 2.83 ERA) vs. Michael McGreevy (1-2, 3.29 ERA) .

I don't think that he's being talked about as much as he should. But, through the opening month of the season, I believe that Emerson Hancock looks like one of the premier arms in the entire big leagues, yet alone the American League. With a 0.87 WHIP, his stuff practically looks un-hittable at times. In this matchup, even though St. Louis has been solid, I expect him to dominate, given the ball-park. 

Over the past three years, Busch Stadium has been one of the most pitcher friendly ball-parks in the MLB. That's why Michael McGreevy owns a 1.64 ERA here at home so far this season. Both of these pitchers are fantastic & I expect these lineups to have trouble cracking either of them in this one. Expect a pitchers duel. 

Burns' Prediction: 3-2 Mariners.

(#919) Athletics @ (#920) Texas Rangers | UNDER | . 

Jeffrey Springs (3-1, 3.34 ERA) vs. MacKenzie Gore (2-2, 4.15 ERA) . 

These two pitchers faced up against each other just under two weeks ago in Sacramento. While that's an extremely difficult stadium to pitch well in, being in a AAA ballpark, both guys did a tremendous job of limiting runs. As a matter of fact, the game finished with three total runs. Now, in a much more pitcher friendly ballpark, I'm expecting both of these guys to show up for their teams once again. 

Springs currently holds a WHIP below 1.00 which is every pitchers dream. When you're doing that as a regular starter, you're going to have a strong season. Gore has been slightly worse. But, I love what he's been able to do at home this season w/ a 2.45 ERA. Give me the "under" on Saturday evening. 

Burns' Prediction: 3-1 Rangers.

(#24353) Lucas Brennan / (#24354) Francis Marshall | OVER | . 

Although both guys have proven that they are more than capable of submitting their opponents, with 5+ finishes each on the ground, I do believe that this fight is going to be a bit more of a scrap on the feet. That might be slightly concerning, given that UFC fights end with knockouts more often than submissions these days. However, I believe that no matter where this fight is, both guys are strong enough to be able to withstand some pressure and keep this fight going the whole 15 minutes. Marshall, with eight submission wins to his name, is the big favorite. Brennan though, has never been finished in his 13 fight career. This is a short notice fight for the 25 year old. But, I like him to stay composed and keep this fight close. Because neither of these fighters have been submitted, this one should go to a decision. 

Burns' Prediction: Marshall via. S-DEC.

(#61) Pittsburgh Penguins @ (#62) Philadelphia Flyers | OVER | . 

In both of the first two games of this series, Pittsburgh's offense has been shutdown. I'm not so sure that's going to be the case in Game 3, even on the road. Over the course of the season, the Penguins averaged 3.537 goals per game, which was the 3rd highest rate in the entire NHL. Considering how hot the Flyers are at the moment, the Pens are going to need to be at their best offensively and they know it. 

Talking about Phialdelphia, it's scored three in both of the first two games. As a matter of fact, the Flyers have now scored 3+ in seven straight games. Over those games, they are averaging four a game. Now, with a 2-0 cushion, heading back home, Philadelphia doesn't have much pressure on its shoulders at the moment. But, with a coach like Rick Tocchet, the Flyers are definitely going to want to press measures even further to grab a 3-0 series lead in the "Battle Of Pennsylvania." 

I've got the "over" in this one. It should be a high scoring & electrifying encounter. 

Burns' Prediction: 4-3 Penguins.

(#513) Portland Trail Blazers @ (#514) San Antonio Spurs | OVER | . 

Game 1 saw a much lower scoring game as the Spurs went on to win that game 111-98. While the playoffs always involve a more intense level of defensive play, I still believe that we're going to see a few high scoring games in this series and this one definitely could be one of those. The Blazers, who average 14.5 threes per game, were only able to hit 10 on Sunday. 

During the season, all three games finished below the number. The total has also continuously gone down since the first game of the year between the two teams (240.5, 234.5, 229.5, 223.5.) Now that the total is below 220, I believe that there's excellent value on the "over" as both teams went "over" the number in more games than not against conference opponents this season. All in all, this one could be much closer and more active down the stretch with fouling as well. Give me the "over" as my ROUND 1 TOY. 

Burns' Prediction: 120-109 Spurs.

(#201849) Deportivo Alaves @ (#201850) Real Madrid | OVER | . 

Last time against Real Madrid, Alaves was able to put one in the back of the net & I would not be shocked if it was able to do it again on Tuesday afternoon. Now out of the UCL & with La Liga hopes slowly fading away, Real Madrid has much less pressure to play with. I believe that this team is still going to push until the final whistle of the final game of the season as that's what Madrid does. It's an elite soccer club and there's no way that it should be losing this match, whatever the table looks like. I expect Real Madrid to put up at least three goals itself in this game. Play on the "over." 

Burns' Prediction: 4-1 Madrid.

(#209889) Houston Dynamo @ (#209890) Orlando City SC | OVER | . 

This should be an electrifying matchup on Saturday evening in Orlando. I know that the home side has struggled as much as any team has so far during the season through seven match weeks. But, this is a chance for Orlando to finally start clicking again. Houston hasn't done much damage offensively this season. But, it's also struggled defensively, allowing seven goals over its past two games. The Dynamo did just win in the US Open Cup by a score of 4-1 which should give lots of excitement for this game too. Orlando has only scored six goals. But, two of those came against a top Inter Miami team. Orlando has also allowed 24 goals, which is the most by any team in the MLS (by a large margin - 4 goals.) Expect tons of goals to fly left right and center in this match on Saturday evening. 

Burns' Prediction: 3-2 Orlando.

(#913) Kansas City Royals @ (#914) New York Yankees | UNDER | . 

Michael Wacha (2-0, 0.43 ERA) vs. Cam Schlittler (2-1, 2.49 ERA) . 

Through a few starts, this might actually be the best version that we've ever seen of Michael Wacha. He owns a 0.71 WHIP along with his fantastic 0.43 ERA. If we look at the numbers, Wacha has improved drastically over his time in the big leagues. He hasn't had an ERA above 3.90 in any of the past four seasons which is great for any pitcher. 

On the other hand, Cam Schlittler has now become the best young pitcher on this Yankees pitching staff. He had an elite rookie campaign, posting a 2.96 ERA in 14 starts last season and has started off this year just as good, if not better. A strikeout machine, Schlittler should be able to dominate against a team that is averaging 3.42 runs per game which is bottom five in the big leagues this season. 

Talking about scoring, both teams have struggled to put runs up so far, considering how good they are expected to be. NYY is averaging 4.53 runs per game this season and even though that seems like quite a bit, that's not even top 10 at the moment. I expect a pitchers duel to take place here today. 

Burns' Prediction: 3-1 Yankees.

(#561) Orlando Magic @ (#562) Philadelphia 76ers | OVER | . 

I expect an electrifying encounter in this one on Wednesday evening. Orlando has looked a bit tentative at times, on both sides of the ball. But, the Magic are still a slightly above average "pace" playing team this season, especially as of late. The Magic are making a real push at the playoffs and even though a matchup with Boston seems like an uphill battle, when it's playoff time, anything can happen. Over their most recent six games, the Magic have averaged 123.2 PPG. I'm expecting them to keep up the high tempo in this one. 

Once Philadelphia gets going, it runs until there's no tomorrow as well. The Sixers sit just behind the Magic on the season for tempo. However, with this lineup, I expect them to be very energetic as well in this one. Philly comes in with confidence, off consecutive wins and this should be a game where it shows it's best stuff, at home for a chance at the playoffs. Expect lots of points in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 123-115 Sixers.

(#563) Portland Trail Blazers @ (#564) Phoenix Suns | OVER | . 

This line continues to come down and I'm not sure why. I believe that it's going in the wrong direction. Phoenix does play rather slow. However, the Suns are also more than capable of putting points on the board. They shoot a ton of 3-balls & make 14.8 per game which is good for top five in the NBA. Having just scored 135 on the #1 seed - OKC, I expect the Suns to be feeling very confident for this basketball game. 

Portland plays on the faster side of things, the pace should cancel out here and it should be a fairly average paced contest. The Blazers also shoot a lot of threes and make 14.5 per game (7th.) They've scored 238 points over the past couple of games, good for an average of 119 per game. 

There's also something to be said about playoff ball being more physical and defensive minded. Now, that's true. But, considering the fact that two of the three matchups saw 235+ points when these two teams matched up, I like this one to go at least "over" 220. The time that these teams went way "under" in February, the Suns had practically its whole team out and Portland didn't have Sharpe. Hammer the "over" in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 117-112 Suns.

(#975) Cleveland Guardians @ (#976) St. Louis Cardinals | UNDER | . 

Joey Cantillo (1-0, 2.46 ERA) vs. Michael McGreevy (1-1, 2.16 ERA) . 

Over the years, I've leaned towards the "under" in most games involving the Guardians. It's not that they don't have the ability to score a ton of runs. But, they normally have really solid pitching and have a contact approach offensively, leading to more base hits and not as many home-runs. Last year, I won 60% of the time doing so. This year, I expect to use a similar style of approach, depending on the situation and pitching matchup. 

Both of these two pitchers have been great so far, with ERA's below 2.50. Cantillo is an up and coming 26yr old Hawaiian left-hander with a ton of strikeout ability. He's yet to allow more than two runs in a start and Cleveland's won every time he's stepped on the mound. On the other hand, the same could be said about Michael McGreevy. He's a 25yr old right hander that does not issue walks. He's also got a 0.78 WHIP through three starts. 

All in all, I'm expecting a low scoring contest here on Tuesday. Both of these pitchers have more to prove and get the opportunity to shine against each other here in this one. Give me the "under" as my #1 MLB TOTAL OF THE MONTH. 

Burns' Prediction: 3-2 Guardians.

(#537) Orlando Magic @ (#538) Boston Celtics | OVER | . 

While Boston has already secured the number two seed in the Eastern Conference, Orlando is still trying to avoid the play-in tournament. The Magic have little chance to do so, considering Atlanta holds the tiebreaker on them and Toronto plays against Brooklyn. However, it could definitely happen as stranger things have happened. Therefore, the Magic should go for it on Sunday evening vs. the Celtics. 

The last time that these two teams matched up, the Magic were able to score 129 on Boston. As a matter of fact, they are averaging 119.66 PPG over the three games against the C's this season. Boston's always going to get its points, even with its bench players in, as Joe Mazulla fears nobody. I've got the "over" in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 119-116 Celtics.

(#915) Houston Astros @ (#916) Seattle Mariners | OVER | . 

Lance McCullers Jr (1-0, 3.27 ERA) vs. Luis Castillo (0-0. 2.79 ERA) . 

Even though on paper this is a good pitching matchup between two capable starters, I believe that we're going to see quite a few runs here this evening. The Astros have been one of the highest scoring teams in baseball. Averaging over six runs per game, they are ranked 2nd, only behind the Dodgers right now. 

Houston has been struggling on the pitching side of things though, allowing over six runs per game itself. That's good for 2nd worst in the big leagues as well. Seattle's had some issues with the scoring itself. But, this could be a game where it explodes given that Lance allowed four runs in 2.2 innings in his outing @Seattle last year. I've got the "over" in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 6-4 Astros.

(#202457) FC Bayern Munich @ (#202458) FC St. Pauli | OVER | . 

Looking at this matchup, St. Pauli is probably going to be playing to limit Bayern to as little goals as possible. That's been the gameplan at lot of the time for it this season allowing much less than one would expect, being down in 3rd last in the Bundesliga. However, this match isn't going to be easy to do so. Bayern has been perhaps the most lethal team in all of soccer this year, attacking wise and have scored 3+ in eight of the past 10 games this season. I believe that we're going to be in store for another offensive masterclass from the German giants here on Sunday. Give me the "over" in the late Bundesliga game -- still early..

Burns' Prediction: 4-1 Bayern.

(#975) Chicago White Sox @ (#974) Kansas City Royals | UNDER | . 

Davis Martin (2-0, 2.46 ERA) vs. Kris Bubic (1-1, 4.09 ERA) . 

I've been very impressed with what I've seen from Davis Martin so far and even though I like the Royals to win this game, I do think that Martin is going to make it hard for KC to score many runs once again. He's slowly improved each and every season so far in the big leagues and definitely could take another step forward this year if he continues this pace. Considering the Royals only scored seven runs in the series vs. Cleveland to begin this week, and got shutout yesterday, they'll likely have trouble again today. Bubic has been a top arm in the AL over the past couple of years and that shouldn't stop this year. He owned a tremendous 2.55 ERA last season and perhaps could even match that this year. He's faced CWS 11 times over his career so far and despite the 1-4 record against them, he owns a 2.30 ERA and that includes going seven strong shutout innings against them last year. Give me the "under" here on Friday. 

Burns' Prediction: 4-2 Royals.

(#503) Detroit Pistons @ (#504) Charlotte Hornets | UNDER | . 

Because of the stakes of this game for Charlotte, it's the favorite in this evening's game. I still believe that the Pistons are going to try and play as well as they can because who wouldn't. But, I'm all over the "under" in this contest. When these two teams played in December, the total was 234.5 in a game that ended 112-86. In the February meeting, the line dropped significantly, down to 221.5 and the final was 110-104. Even though I don't always love playing on the thing that's been occurring throughout the year always, this is a case where both teams play shutdown defense and should be in for another one of those games on Friday. Charlotte's gone six straight contests allowing less than 115 points and I'm hammering the "under" this evening. 

Burns' Prediction: 109-102 Hornets.

(#67) Minnesota Wild @ (#68) Dallas Stars | UNDER | . 

Playing in the Central Division alongside one another, these games are pretty much always intense. Minnesota's bulked up for a postseason push this year while Dallas always remains a contender in the Western Conference. Because these teams are #2 and #3 in the division, this is going to be the opening series of the playoffs. One thing to note is that this game could decide who's going to get home ice advantage in that series. So, this is practically game one. 

Having said that, both teams should want to be at their best. Defensively, the Stars have been really solid on this current home stand, allowing five goals so far over the three games. This game is going to be a hard one. But, I expect Jake Oettinger to be up for the task. When these teams played a few weeks ago, it was an overtime game with the Wild winning 2-1. I expect another game just like that with only a goal or two separating these teams in a fantastic low scoring affair. 

Burns' Prediction: 3-1 Stars.

(#701) Connecticut @ (#702) Michigan | OVER | . 

While UCONN surprised me slightly, by shooting at much higher percentages in the Final Four matchup against Illinois, I'm not going to count the Huskies out of this game like a lot of people are. I believe that if they can shoot lights out and have success defending the paint again, it's going to be right in this game. That being said, UCONN's going to have to score lots of points to have a chance and I think that it's going to help the "over's" cause very much so. 

Michigan is the first team in College Basketball history to score 90+ points in five NCAA Tournament games. In the Wolverines' Final Four game, they looked pretty much unbeatable, making so many tough shots and not allowing Arizona to get settled in early. MICH will dictate the pace of this game and they play at the #22 fastest tempo in the country. Give me the "over" in the National Title Game. 

Burns' Prediction: 84-70 Michigan.

(#507) Toronto Raptors @ (#508) Boston Celtics | UNDER | . 

Even though the Raptors shoot a high percentage from the field, I believe that they are going to have a tougher time in this contest on the road against one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. Toronto isn't the best three point shooting team either. That makes things difficult in games like this as underdogs. 

Boston shoots a lot of threes, and even though a lot of them seem to go in, a lot miss as well. The Celtics play at the slowest pace in the NBA, dead last in the league in offensive possessions per game (only team with less than 100.) They will slow this game down and play to their strengths. I don't see Toronto getting more than 105 tonight, and wouldn't be shocked if it was held below 100. Give me the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 109-100 Celtics.

(#69) Winnipeg Jets @ (#70) Columbus Blue Jackets | UNDER | . 

Coming off an 0-3 loss last time out, the Winnipeg Jets are still very much in must-win situations until the end of the season. Three points back, it's not completely out of reach. But, not performing in a game like this would be a massive blow to the Winnipeg playoff hopes. What needs to take place? Well, it starts with perhaps the best goalie in hockey in Connor Hellebuyck. Other than his gold medal winning performance in Italy, he hasn't been his normal self this season. He has played better since then. But, he needs to show up tonight and each and every night going forward. I expect him to have a massive game between the pipes this evening. 

Looking at Columbus, I expect it to go back to Jet Greaves after Merzļikins suffered the loss last time out. The Blue Jackets have lost five consecutive games and also see themselves outside of the playoffs looking in. This is of course on the Eastern Conference for CBJ. Having said that, I expect a great showing from the Jackets net-minder as well, who's more than capable as we've seen down the stretch of the season. This is going to be an all-out defensive war on Saturday evening. Hammer the "under." This is my #1 NHL TOTAL OF THE YEAR. 

Burns' Prediction: 3-1 Jets.

(#203853) FC Twente @ (#203854) AFC Ajax | OVER | . 

FC Twente is right behind Ajax in the table and claiming all three points would send it above in the rankings. Twente has been scoring lots lately, having seen 16 goals go in the back of it's opponents net over it's most recent seven games. I like it to score at least once today in this game as slight underdogs on the road. 

Currently in 4th in the Eredivisie this season, Ajax can still make a charge at the top two in the league. I think that it has a real chance if it can pick up three points today. Having scored nearly twice per game this season there's no question that Ajax will be going for it in front of its home fans this afternoon. Ajax has also conceded 35 goals in 28 games. I expect lots of goals in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 2-2 Draw.

(#55) Philadelphia Flyers @ (#56) New York Islanders | OVER | . 

I expect this one to be quite high scoring on Friday evening. The Islanders are currently holding the 3rd position in the Metro Division while the Flyers are two points back of a playoff spots. That makes this game extremely important for both teams. Now, even though that might make you think that a "playoff" type of game like this would see more intensity and defensive efforts, hockey is a bit different as the teams play pretty similar throughout the season opposed to NBA when the teams really start to turn up. Philadelphia has scored at least four goals in four consecutive games played on the road. Not only that, but their most recent one was a 6-4 loss against Washington, who's another team playing for a spot in the playoffs right now. New York needs to bounce back offensively because the goaltending has been extremely poor, allowing 12 goals over its past couple of contests. I expect both teams to find the back of the net at least a couple of times here on Friday. 

Burns' Prediction: 5-3 Islanders. 

(#955) Minnesota Twins @ (#956) Kansas City Royals | UNDER | . 

Taj Bradley (0-0, 2.08 ERA) vs. Cole Ragans (0-1, 9.00 ERA) . 

I know that the Twins looked awful on Wednesday and lost 13-9 in the second game of this series. But, I also do know that every single day of the MLB season holds a different challenge to another. Bradley is still a young, talented arm and just because Joe Ryan didn't perform the way Minnesota would have liked, it doesn't mean that Bradley isn't going to have a good game. Last season, Bradley pitched much better in road games for whatever reason. He looked fantastic against the Orioles and has great strikeout numbers. Cole Ragans didn't have the best of starts in his first outing this season. But, the Royals ace is definitely going to be excited for this matchup on Thursday afternoon. Ragans owns a 2-2 record & a 1.85 ERA against the Twins in six career appearances. This is a rebuilding team with lots still to learn. I expect these pitchers to both hold their own and this one to stay below the number on Thursday. Hammer the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 4-2 Royals.

(#517) Atlanta Hawks @ (#518) Orlando Magic | OVER | . 

Atlanta has really amped up the pressure on teams since the All-Star break and I believe that it's going to be a problem for a lot of teams down the final stretch of the season. The Hawks are the five seed currently in the Eastern Conference and are still trying to avoid the play-in tournament and have a secured spot in the postseason. That's going to put some pressure on this contest against another team that's trying to avoid the play-in tourney in Orlando. 

Talking about the Magic, they played yesterday and probably won't bring the same intensity defensively on Wednesday night. Tuesday's game was against the Suns, who are a great defensive team. Now, this is a much different type of game where Atlanta will try to outscore you rather than play tough defense. 

These teams have met twice so far this season and both games have gone "over" the number. Although that's not always the best sign to look at, the Hawks simply play at a very fast tempo and that should continue here this evening. I expect lots of points on Wednesday once again between these two divisional foes. 

Burns' Prediction: 124-117 Hawks.

(#67) Boston Bruins @ (#68) Columbus Blue Jackets | UNDER | . 

Both teams played on Saturday and I believe that this is going to be an extra tough game for both of these sides. Boston's gotten quite lucky at times this season with a much weaker expected goals for than the actual output having scored quite a bit. On the road, the Bruins have definitely been weaker as well, losing more than winning. Even with the Korpisalo projected between the pipes, they should be able to shut Columbus slow though as every game is some important right now. The Blue Jackets haven't been impressive to me throughout this season even despite having a strong run to end Feb and begin March. They've lost consecutive games now and have scored just three over their past couple of games. Greaves should be back in net tonight and he's been stellar. Hammer the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 3-1 Blue Jackets.

(#629) Iowa Hawkeyes vs. (#630) Illinois Fighting Illini | UNDER | . 

These teams met earlier in the season, as Big Ten members, and we saw a closely contested ball game. I know that the first meeting had plenty of offense, with Illinois taking the game 75-69. However, this time around, I'm expecting a much lower scoring affair. Iowa's been one of the slowest playing teams all season long and remains the #361 ranked team in KenPom's adjusted tempo rankings. Adding to that, the Hawkeyes average the 3rd slowest time per offensive possession. 

Illinois showcased just how dominant its defense can be in the Sweet Sixteen win against Houston. That was an out-of-this-world performance defensively and I wouldn't be shocked if the Fighting Illini are able to do similar things here today. With one of the best offenses in the country too, the total is being pushed up higher slightly. But, the Illini also play on the slower end, with the #286 tempo nationally. With so much on the line, and a chance to get to the final four, I expect both teams to have some jitters offensively, especially early in this one. I believe that we're going to see a defensive war. Give me the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 67-61 Illinois.

(#11) Minnesota Wild @ (#12) Florida Panthers | OVER | . 

I know that it's sometimes difficult to predict the number of goals in games with playoff bound teams against opponents that aren't going to make it. However, I believe that these teams are going to put on a show in the goal scoring department in this contest on Thursday. Not only does Minnesota need this game. But, it's lost five of its past seven games which has it sitting five points back of the Stars now. If the Wild want home ice advantage for at least a series in the playoffs, they are going to have to start winning a lot more games than they have. Florida, on the other hand, has been much weaker defensively this season allowing 3.31 goals per game which is 27th best in the NHL. The Panthers still have the talent to score the puck as well. Give me the "over" in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 5-3 Wild.

(#919) Texas Rangers @ (#920) Philadelphia Phillies | UNDER | . 

Nathan Eovaldi (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Cristopher Sanchez (0-0, 0.00 ERA) . 

After dominance from both of these pitchers in 2025, I'm expecting both to have strong campaigns once again in 2026. Texas isn't expected to be as strong, losing guys like Marcus Semien and Adolis Garcia offensively. But, I do expect the pitching still to be at a very high level with Eovaldi, DeGrom & Gore. With a 11-3 record & a 1.73 ERA/0.85 WHIP a year ago, expect Eovaldi to look sharp in the opener. 

Philadelphia's got a potent lineup and it was the team that went out and grabbed Adolis Garcia from the Rangers. However, the Phillies got locked down by last year's opening day starter for the Nats, McKenzie Gore (6.0 innings, 13 K's, 1 hit allowed.) Now, although they managed to torch the bullpen of Washington in that game, it could take them a while for the bats to wake up in this one too. 

Cristopher Sanchez went 13-5 last season with a 2.50 ERA & a 1.06 WHIP. Those are phenomenal numbers considering that he took the ball every five days and started 32 games for the Phils. Both pitchers are more than capable of pitching very well & I'm expecting this first game to be low scoring throughout. Hammer the "under" on Opening Day. 

Burns' Prediction: 3-1 Phillies.

(#809) Texas Tech Red Raiders @ (#810) Alabama Crimson Tide | OVER | . 

I know that there's definitely something to be said for tournament games being much more physical & defensive minded. However, I'm expecting absolute fireworks in this contest on Sunday in the Rof32. Texas Tech might be on the slower side for "tempo." But, the Red Raiders sure love to shoot the three ball and that's not going to stop here. Averaging 80.4 PPG, they are going up against one of the worst defenses in power-four ball here. 

We all know that Alabama likes to run. The Crimson Tide finally got going in the second half of their first round contest vs. Hofstra and still ended up with 90 points even after 37 in the first half. Bama averages 91.7 PPG which is the #1 mark in the whole country. Even without Holloway, they love to run in transition, attack the paint as well as get open looks from deep. 

I simply don't believe that there's going to be much defense in this game. TTU's offense looked fantastic on Friday and Alabama's not going to be able to slow the Red Raiders down. I do expect the Tide to get their share of points as well. This one could also come down to the wire with fouls late. Give me the "over."

Burns' Prediction: 92-83 Texas Tech.

(#203221) Stade Brestois 29 @ (#203222) AJ Auxerre | UNDER | . 

Stade Brestois is the better of the two teams and playing on the road will make this a very interesting encounter. Through 26 games, Brest has scored just 34 goals which is 1.3 per game. That's not a whole lot considering that it's won 10 contests. AJ Auxerre has lost 15 games through 26 games, and it's only conceded 36 goals. Not to mention that Auxerre also has the worst attack in the top fight of France, scoring only 19 goals this season in Ligue 1 play. That's 0.73 per game. I don't see either team scoring more than one, and I could definitely see a 0-0 draw in this one on Saturday. Play the "under" at the best price that you can. (2.5 or 2.25 is fine.) 

Burns' Prediction: 1-0 Brest.

(#767) California Baptist Lancers vs. (#768) Kansas Jayhawks | UNDER | . 

This is a very intriguing matchup in my opinion. People love upsets in March and this could definitely be a game where the lower seed come come away with the win in the final moments. But, I'm taking a different approach as I find value in the total of this contest. 

California Baptist is phenomenal defensively. With the 50th ranked defensive efficiency in the country, the Lancers also hold teams to very low percentages. Their effective FG% against ranks 15th nationally while they hold opponents to less than 30% from 3pt land which gives them the 6th best in the nation. More importantly, they know how to keep teams out of the paint as the average distance to the hoop on 2s that they allow is 6.4 feet away from the basket which ranks 75th. 

Although Kansas plays faster between these two teams, the Jayhawks also are much better on the defensive end. The Jayhawks rank 10th in defensive efficiency and had a horrific offensive showing in their most recent game, scoring only 47 points against another strong defensive group in Houston. If Kansas can't knock down it's shot early, it could be on upset watch. But, even if the Jayhawks are able to score some early baskets, I expect them to slow the game down considering how big this game is. 

One thing to note too is that Kansas ranks in the bottom half of the country (211th) in 2pt field goal percentage at 51.1%. With how good the Lancers are at defending the three ball, this is a great matchup for the defenses. This line is too high and I wouldn't be shocked if it comes down a tad before tip. 

Burns' Prediction: 65-62 Kansas.

(#31) New Jersey Devils @ (#32) New York Rangers | OVER | . 

While both of these two teams are pretty much eliminated from the playoffs, I do believe that there's plenty of value on the "over" in this game. New Jersey has been turning up the heat lately, scoring 10 goals over its past couple of contests. Well what's happened over the past two times the Devils faced the Rangers? They've also put up 10 goals in those games. 

New York, on the other hand, has been playing much better since the Olympic Break as well. As much as the Rangers would like to have a good draft pick, the NHL is great in the way that teams are still going to try until the end of the season, not benching it's stars. NYR has scored 21 goals over its past five games. Give me the "over" in this one. I like it at 5.5 & 6.0. 

Burns' Prediction: 4-3 Rangers.

(#9) Pittsburgh Penguins @ (#10) Colorado Avalanche | OVER | . 

I know that Pittsburgh has been going "over" the number at a pretty high rate recently. But, that doesn't scare me off for this contest with Colorado. With pedestrian defensive work & goaltending this season, the Penguins are a team that's going to play in high scoring games and it's as simple as that. Offensively though, Pittsburgh does its best work, averaging 3.36 goals per game, 29.1 shots on goal per game and a 25% PP%. All three of those rank top 10 in the NHL. Colorado, on the other hand, remains the number one team in terms of offense, ranking 1st in both SOG and goals per game (33.9 & 3.75.) The Avs do play great defense, allowing the least amount of goals per game. But, having given up three and losing against Winnipeg (I won with the Jets) last time out, I could see that many goals being conceded again here. Either way, expect Colorado's offense to look much better than it did over the weekend and that should lead to a high scoring affair. 

Burns' Prediction: 5-3 Avalanche.

(#201273) AC Milan @ (#201274) S.S. Lazio | UNDER | . 

I believe that this is going to be a very low scoring contest on Sunday. AC Milan protects its net better than any team in Italian soccer. As a matter of fact, it's allowed 20 goals over its 28 games this season, which is of course the lowest mark in the Serie A. Not only that, but despite ranking 2nd in the standings, AC Milan are 5th in goals scored, which is lower than expected. 

Lazio is also phenomenal defensively, considering its position in the table. Averaging 2.0 goals combined with its opponents this season, Lazio is tied for 6th best in goals allowed this season. At home, I think that Lazio's defense is going to be a real challenge to crack open. Expect either one or two goals in this matchup, no more. 

Burns' Prediction: 1-0 AC Milan.

(#61) Chicago Blackhawks @ (#62) Vegas Golden Knights | UNDER | . 

Last season Chicago wasn't good offensively at all. This year, the Blackhawks have continued that trend and rank 4th last in goals per game at 2.65. Chicago has won consecutive games, and definitely could be in for a tough outing here today. But, I do believe that the goaltending of the Blackhawks is playing much better and should be able to keep Vegas from running up the score. 

Before Thursday, the Golden Knights had been struggling to put the puck in the back of the net. As a matter of fact, it had been 13 goals in their most recent seven games before the six goal outburst. Even if Vegas puts up four in this one, I don't think Chicago's going to score enough to send this one "over." Expect a low scoring game here on Saturday evening.

Burns' Prediction: 3-2 Vegas.

(#209981) Colorado Rapids @ (#209982) New York City FC | OVER | . 

I'm expecting a very exciting encounter on Saturday evening. Colorado scored four goals last weekend, winning that contest 4-1 against LA Galaxy. The week before that, the Rapids put up two more goals. NYC, on the other hand, has been scoring at an even more elite level. It put up five goals in its last game against Orlando and scored twice as well in match week two. I expect both sides to get on the board and considering Colorado's struggles on the road, New York City FC should be able to get at least a couple. Give me the "over." 

Burns' Prediction: 3-2 NYC FC.

(#200017) Manchester City F.C. @ (#200018) West Ham F.C. | OVER | . 

After the 3-0 UCL loss during the week against Real Madrid, Manchester City will look to take its anger out on West Ham this weekend. A lot of teams in this situation wouldn't care about this weekend's game and start fully preparing for the 2nd leg during next week. However, with City still very much in the title race for the Premier League, every single point is crucial. 

West Ham has been much better in the second half of the season and it's fighting for its life to stay up in the EPL this season. With only three points separating the Hammers between 18th (where they stand right now) and 15th in the table, an upset win would do wonders. Considering WHU has scored five goals over its past three games in all competitions, including twice against Liverpool at Anfield, I expect West Ham to get at least one goal on Saturday at home. Give me the "over." 

Burns' Prediction: 4-2 City.

(#613) Vanderbilt Commodores vs. (#614) Florida Gators | OVER | . 

I know that conference tournament games and other games played in the month of March are always slightly more intense, with higher quality defense. However, I'm expecting a very offensive showdown on Saturday in this SEC semi-final matchup. Vanderbilt ranks 77th in the country in tempo, combining that with the 8th ranked offensive efficiency. The Commodores managed to put up 75 in their QF game against a very slow Tennessee team. I expect much more today. 

Florida, on the other hand, plays at the 24th fastest pace in the nation. I know that the Gators are considered by some to have the best defense in the country. But, Vanderbilt is actually the team that has put up the most points in a game vs. Florida all season at 94. The Gators also have an elite offense that did a ton of damage down the stretch. The first meeting was very high scoring and I'm expecting this one to be as well. Give me the "over." 

Burns' Prediction: 90-83 Florida.

(#33) Los Angeles Kings @ (#34) New York Islanders | UNDER | . 

These teams matched up not long ago and it finished in a pretty high scoring contest. I don't believe that this one will be as high scoring. On the year, the Kings have been going "under" quite often, especially against foes from the Eastern Conference. As a matter of fact, the "under" is 10-3 in those games played on the road this season. 

Both teams are bottom ten in goals per game as well as top 10 in goals allowed per game this season. Prior to the outlier in their last game, these teams had seen four straight games feature five goals or less. I'm expecting another low scoring contest on Friday evening. 

Burns' Prediction: 2-1 Kings.

(#815) Kennesaw State vs. (#816) Sam Houston State Bearkats | OVER | . 

I won with the "over" in Kennesaw State in yesterday's game against Western Kentucky (SBC Tourney TOY) and I'm back on another Owls' "over" here this afternoon. If you didn't read the analysis in the selection yesterday, Kennesaw ranks as the 19th fastest playing team in the country, via. KenPom's adjusted tempo rankings. The Owls also love to crash the offensive glass and shoot free throws at the 5th highest rate in College Hoops. Not only that, but they allow the second most free throws per game as well. 

Looking at Sam Houston State, it's another program that enjoys pushing the pace and playing up-and-down instead side-to-side. Meaning, they like to attack the hoop or draw up plays, instead of passing back and forth across the top of the key until they find a shot. SHSU also ranks in the top 40 in tempo. Something different about the Bearkats is that they shoot the three ball extremely well, at 37.9%. Expect another high scoring CUSA affair. 

Burns' Prediction: 91-84 SHSU.

(#771) Kennesaw State Owls vs. (#772) Western Kentucky Hilltoppers | OVER | . 

I expect a very high scoring game in this CUSA quarterfinal matchup on Thursday. Throughout this season, Kennesaw State has shown the ability to score fast and create havoc on the offensive boards. The Owls rank 19th in the country in adjusted tempo, while averaging the 29th fastest offensive possession time. If you read my "NCAA Conference Tournament Preview" over in the articles section of my page, you'd know that Western Kentucky plays a very similar style to Kennesaw, as it likes to play downhill basketball, driving to the hoop and getting lots of FT attempts. WKU also ranks 62nd in the nation tempo wise. On the year, both teams rank inside the top 20 in the country in free throw attempts per game. Not only that, but both rank inside the top 10 "worst" in free throw attempts allowed per game. I don't see how FT's don't become a massive part in this game and this one should get high scoring near the end. 

Burns' Prediction: 88-86 Kennesaw.

(#737) Iowa Hawkeyes vs. (#747) Ohio State Buckeyes | UNDER | . 

All season long, Iowa's established itself as one of the premier defending teams in the country. Ranking 29th in defensive efficiency, the Hawkeyes have allowed an average of only 65.8 PPG (which is 17th best.) They also play at the 12th slowest pace in the country via. KenPom's adjusted tempo rankings. 

Ohio State doesn't play quite as slow. But, the Buckeyes are not a fast playing team by any means either. They managed to lock down the three point shot of Iowa (5/18) in the first meeting this season, and will need to do a much better job at defending the paint. Even if Iowa's able to establish itself inside again, I don't believe that there's going to be enough "chunk" points to send this one "over" the number. Give me the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 68-63 Iowa.

(#645) SMU Mustangs vs. (#646) Louisville Cardinals | OVER | . 

In March, the air gets tighter and the players have a lot more pressure on them. Having said that, I still believe that there are great opportunities to play on totals, both "under" and "over" bets. SMU has been a fast playing team throughout this season and although it could be without BJ Edwards again, I think that the Mustangs are going to want to play fast this evening. Don't forget that they rank #19 in offensive efficiency as well, taking very high quality shots. 

Looking at Louisville, it plays even faster than SMU. The Cardinals rank #43 in adjusted tempo, while also having one of the country's top offenses. As a matter of fact, they rank even higher in offensive efficiency, as the #14 best team in the nation in that category. Expect lots of running and tons of points in this ACC Tournament game on Wednesday. 

Burns' Prediction: 92-84 Louisville.

(#306527) Winthrop Eagles vs. (#306528) High Point Panthers | OVER | . 

Although its record isn't as special as High Point's, Winthrop has been absolutely fantastic over the past two months of the season. As a matter of fact, since Jan 1st, the Eagles are 15-2 in all games. That's excellent for any team in the country. A large part of that success comes from their offense. Ranking #119 in offensive efficiency via. KenPom, I expect the Eagles to have quite a bit of success in this one. Not to mention that they also play at the #57 fastest tempo in the country. 

On the other hand, the Panthers like to play just as fast at #61 in the nation. One of those two losses that Winthrop had down the stretch was against HPU in a 89-87 thriller. The Panthers own the #62 offensive efficiency in the country, ranking #30 in 2pt percentage and #50 in effective FG percentage. I expect another high scoring matchup between these two teams. 

Burns' Prediction: 92-81 High Point.

(#737) Western Carolina Catamounts / (#738) Mercer Bears | OVER | . 

Entering the tournament, Western Carolina might just be the hottest team in the SOCON. The Catamounts have won six consecutive contests and are averaging 84.0 PPG over those games. I know that this is going to be a difficult matchup for them, given that Mercer was fantastic during the regular season. But, there's no question in my mind that WCU will be able to score. 

Mercer plays at the #89 fastest tempo in the country, while owning a very poor defense. Opponents are shooting nearly 37% from the 3pt line against the Bears this season and that's something WCU will be able to capitalize on. Mercer also has a very solid offense. I expect a ton of points in this basketball game. 

Burns' Prediction: 87-80 Mercer.

(#689) UT Arlington Mavericks @ (#690) Abilene Christian Wildcats | UNDER | . 

Playing at the #310 tempo in the country, UT Arlington is one of the slowest teams out there. Not only that, but the Mavericks combine their slow pace with the #53 ranked defensive efficiency. They have the best 3pt % against in the country at just 27.5% this season. UTA also struggles offensively, with an effective FG% of 47.8% which is #318. 

Abilene Christian doesn't play quite as slow. But, the Wildcats offense is very poor as well. As a matter of fact, they are #332 in effective FG% and it's not going to get any better against a fantastic UTA defense. The first meeting saw these teams combine for 130. I expect even less on Saturday in an important final game of the regular season. 

Burns' Prediction: 63-56 UTA.

(#873) Denver Pioneers @ (#874) North Dakota Fighting Hawks | OVER | . 

While neither of these teams play at an extremely fast pace, I'm expecting a ton of points in this basketball game on Friday evening. Both teams struggle on the defensive end. As. matter of fact, Denver ranks 357th in defensive efficiency this season while North Dakota ranks 334th. Not to mention that they are both also significantly better on the offensive end. 

When these teams have met up this year, both meetings went "over" the number which was similar to today's. While that's not always something that I like to point out, as there's always going to be change. However, considering that UND shot 3/21 from deep in the last game and was still able to score 79 on Denver's defense means that it should cause much more damage this evening. I've got the "over." 

Burns' Prediction: 88-86 Denver.

(#559) Atlanta Hawks @ (#560) Milwaukee Bucks | OVER | . 

This should be a high scoring game. Through 62 games this season, Atlanta has averaged the fourth most offensive possessions of any team in the NBA. The Hawks improve that ranking to #2 over the past three games. They want to play fast and that's what's gotten them to where they are at this very moment. 

With Giannis back for the Bucks, his offensive presence is going to help contribute to a ton of the Milwaukee buckets. Yes, he might still be on a minute restriction. But, I'm expecting Milwaukee to have much better results on Wednesday than over its past three games. This is a game that the Bucks should be able to open up the scoring much more than it has. Hammer the "over." 

Burns' Prediction: 123-116 Bucks.

(#743) Northern Kentucky Norse @ (#744) Oakland Golden Grizzlies | OVER | . 

Playing at the 59th fastest pace in the country, via, KenPom's adjusted tempo rankings, Northern Kentucky is going to want to push the pace in this basketball game. The Norse love getting the ball into the paint and creating easy buckets down low, leading to their 82.5 PPG this season. Having had all week to prepare, and having scored 173 points over its past couple of games, I expect NKU's offense to be ready again. 

Oakland too relies on its offense to carry the load. Also averaging 82.5 PPG, the Golden Grizzlies play at an even faster tempo at 55th in the country. They also like to get the ball into the paint and create opportunities down low. That leads to quite a few foul shots per game and they do a great job from the charity stripe. With both meetings during the regular season having gone "under" this sets up perfectly for a high scoring game on Wednesday. 

Burns' Prediction: 91-82 Oakland.

(#549) Phoenix Suns @ (#550) Sacramento Kings | UNDER | . 

Coming off of a big win against the Lakers, Phoenix remains without Dillon Brooks for this evenings contest. The Suns are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA this year and that makes them be able to score less and win at a higher level than one would expect. They are eight games above .500, while scoring only 112.1 PPG, which is T-25 in the association. 

Sacramento is "in shambles" right now. With a couple of season ending injuries, the Kings are likely just playing for a great draft pick at this moment. Scoring even less than the Suns, this ought to be a low scoring contest. I see PHX holding SAC to around the 100 mark, while not putting up a whole lot itself. Hammer the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 109-97 Suns.

(#607) Towson Tigers @ (#608) Stony Brook Seawolves | UNDER | . 

I expect this to be a very low scoring contest on Tuesday. Towson brings in the 97th most efficient defense via. KenPom's rankings. Not only that, but the Tigers are significantly worse on the offensive side of the ball, while playing at the 345th fastest tempo. In February, the Tigers played three road games and averaged 60.67 PPG over those three games. 

Stony Brook doesn't play nearly as slow, but still ranks among the slower playing teams in College Basketball. The Seawolves have been struggling, putting up just 127 points over their most recent two contests. Remember, these teams combined for only 126 a few weeks ago. Neither team fouls a lot. Play the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 63-57 Stony Brook.

(#639) Oregon Ducks @ (#640) Northwestern Wildcats | UNDER | . 

It hasn't been the season that Oregon was hoping for, that's for sure. Injuries have been a big issue for the Ducks and they just couldn't put anything together offensively. They are coming off consecutive strong performances. But, too little too late to do anything this year. With a below average pace of play, at 266th in the country in tempo, I believe that the Ducks are going to struggle here to score on the road against Northwestern. 

Looking at the Wildcats, they also play at a similar pace, 263rd in the nation in tempo. What stands out to me is the defense for NW. It might not light up the stats compared to some of the "best of the best" in the country. But, the Wildcats hold opposing teams to an average of 18.9 seconds per possession, which is 3rd longest of any team. 

Although both offenses aren't what you'd call "bad," I do believe that the tempo will be a lot slower in this game given the circumstances. Both teams don't have much to play for and I expect to see the coaches work on some longer sets to build on for next season. Expect a low scoring contest. 

Burns' Prediction: 69-60 Northwestern.

(#306569) Mercyhurst Lakers @ (#306570) Stonehill Skyhawks | UNDER | . 

If I'm being honest, I'm not sure why the o/u line on this game keeps going up and up and up (opened at 133.5.) Mercyhurst plays extremely slow, as the 331rd ranked team in adjusted tempo via. KenPom. Not only that, but the Lakers average 19.9 seconds per possession offensively, which actually ranks the third slowest of any team in the country. Considering they don't shoot the ball well from deep either, I'm expecting the Lakers to be below 65 points in this game. 

Stonehill isn't very strong either. The Skyhawks rank 363th in offensive efficiency on the season (3rd worst) and are averaging 66.2 PPG this season. They also play at a very slow pace, at 257th in adjusted tempo. The first matchup between these sides went to OT and still didn't even reach 120 points. I mean, they literally combined for 119 points including a five minute period added on. I'm all over the "under" in today's game. 

Burns' Prediction: 62-59 Stonehill.

(#201949) Villarreal CF @ (#201950) FC Barcelona | OVER | . 

Having won consecutive games, Villarreal remains 3rd in La Liga at the moment. This is an excellent feat considering that nobody was expecting this to happen with just 13 games left in the season. Having said that, limiting opponent goals will be difficult on Saturday against the leagues most dominant offensive attack in Barcelona. Barca has scored 67 goals in 25 games this season. That's 2.68 per game and considering that, I believe that it's going to be able to score at least three on Saturday. But, given Villareal's success this year this should be an exciting matchup. Barcelona has struggled at times with opposing counter attacking. Give me the "over" as my LA LIGA TOTAL OF THE YEAR. 

Burns' Prediction: 4-2 Barcelona.

(#867) Harvard Crimson @ (#868) Princeton Tigers | UNDER | . 

Harvard brings in a respectable 15-10 record, currently 2nd in the Ivy League standings. A massive part of that is the defense, especially along the perimeter. The Crimson don't rush things whatsoever, playing at the 6th slowest tempo via. KenPom in the country. That's going to help them run their offense and although they are superb from the charity stripe, they do not shoot that many of them. In five road game since Jan 1st, Harvard allowed an average of 58.0 PPG. 

The Tigers, on the other hand, haven't been nearly as strong this year. However, with three games remaining, there's definitely still some opportunity, with fourth spot only a game away. Princeton plays almost just as slow as Harvard, ranking 349th out of 365 teams in tempo. Despite the defense not being nearly as strong as the Crimson's, the Tigers are also fantastic at eliminating the three ball. Expect a ton of long possessions with not too many long balls. This one stays "under."

Burns' Prediction: 62-57 Harvard.

(#871) Merrimack Warriors @ (#872) Canisius Golden Griffins | UNDER | . 

I'm expecting a very low scoring contest here on Friday. Merrimack is coming off consecutive OT games (one going to double OT) and I just don't see that happening again in this one. The Warriors play at the 348th tempo in the country with an outstanding defense. They limit opposing teams to just 29.6% from 3pt land which ranks in the top 15. Rebounding has been one of the only issues for this team. But, against a squad that also doesn't rebound too well, I don't expect that to come back to haunt the Warriors or the "under" for that matter. Canisius has the 332nd fastest pace in the nation with the 358th ranked offense. That's simply brutal. Shooting a horrid 43.8% from within the arc, which is 359th, I do not expect Canisius to be able to crack 60 on Friday, even at home. Give me the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 63-54 Merrimack.

(#839) UT Arlington Mavericks @ (#840) California Baptist Lancers | UNDER | . 

I expect a really low scoring contest on Thursday evening. Despite the losing record inside the conference, UT Arlington ranks 63rd in KenPom's defensive efficiency rankings. The Mavericks are 32nd in PPG allowed and this is all while playing at a very slow pace; 296th in adjusted tempo. They should be able to limit Cal Baptist today. 

Talking about the Lancers, they too are much better defensively than offensively. As a matter of fact, they are 67th in defensive efficiency, while playing at a very similar pace, ranking 289th in adjusted tempo. These two teams went to OT in the first meeting, which was a higher scoring game. Both of them have played in much lower scoring games since, then and have shown that defense is key. Considering that the o/u line is even lower in this game than the first meeting, I've got the "under" in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 60-55 Cap Batist.

(#234049) Fenerbahçe SK @ (#234050) Nottingham Forest F.C. | OVER | . 

In the first leg, Nottingham Forest was able to secure quite the victory on the road. Forest scored three goals in that leg and I believe that we could be in store for a lot more on Thursday. Because of failing to produce any sort of goal threat at home, Fenerbahçe is going to need to throw everything at the English side this afternoon. It's not impossible, as Juve came back from down 3-0 to send yesterday's match to ET, even a man down. But, it needs to finish some shots here today and I think that it will. But, given the attacking threat the Forest have right now as well, I wouldn't be shocked if it bagged a few more in this leg. All signs point towards a high scoring affair in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 3-2 Fenerbahçe (Forest to win 5-3 on Agg.)

(#529) Cleveland Cavaliers @ (#530) Milwaukee Bucks | OVER | . 

Both teams played on Tuesday which is something that I like for this selection. I don't expect the defensive intensity to be as heavy as it would be otherwise in a game like this. Cleveland's got a date at Detroit up next, which could lead to Milwaukee scoring a lot more than some people are expecting this evening. The Cavs also have been starting to get more and more production out of Harden as well as Mobley who's still recovering from his injury. 

Milwaukee didn't have Giannis last night and hasn't had him for a while now. But, there's a chance that he could return on Wednesday. Even without him though, the Bucks have added Cam Thomas and are definitely not as bad as some of the other teams with poor records in the NBA. The Bucks have scored 125+ points in two of its past three games while allowing 115+ in all three as well. Hammer the "over."

Burns' Prediction: 122-114 Cavaliers.

*Harden is out. Mobley is also out. Line dropped significantly. I still like the "over."

(#663) Arizona Wildcats @ (#664) Baylor Bears | OVER | . 

This o/u line is simply way too low. I get that the Arizona Wildcats have been playing in low scoring contests recently. However, those games were against great defensive teams. As a matter of fact, all four of the Wildcats' past four games have been against opponents w/ defensive efficiencies ranked in the top 50 of KenPom. Today's game should definitely open up the Arizona offense. 

Baylor's coming off a great win over Arizona State to get the season back on track at least a little bit. While the Bears are significant underdogs this evening, they should still attempt to win this game. It's much easier said than done, but being at home should give them much more confidence than being away in this contest. Baylor scores an average of 87.9 PPG at home this season which is 14.8 PPG more than it does in away games. That's huge. 

In the end, I'd be shocked if the Wildcats didn't come away victorious. But, don't expect it to be easy. Both teams are capable of putting up a ton of points and the defense is definitely not great, especially inside the pain this year for the Bears. I'm all over the "over" in this basketball game on Tuesday evening. 

Burns' Prediction: 91-77 Arizona.

(#306605) Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils @ (#306606) Grambling State Tigers | UNDER | . 

While neither of these two teams play at an extremely slow pace like I normally look for, the offensive of both sides are simply brutal. Mississippi Valley State is and has been one of the worst teams in the country over the past few years and the 364th rated offensive efficiency via. KenPom is a big part in why. The Delta Devils score only 61.9 PPG on the road, 57.9 PPG if we look at the 10 road games since the start of December.

Grambling State's offense isn't much better, scoring 232 points over its past four home games // 58.0 average. The Tigers are playing some of their worst basketball of the season and even though this seems like a good matchup, if the offense can't score, this could be an all-time low scoring affair. I've got the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 70-52 Grambling.

(#565) Philadelphia 76ers @ (#566) Minnesota Timberwolves | UNDER | . 

Even though Philadelphia is a bit of a mystery with the injuries that it has and Embiid's status, there's always going to be something that can alter the line ever so slightly in a game. This line opened at 236.5 and has jumped a few points and I believe that it's gone in the wrong direction. Don't get me wrong, these teams like to score points. But, the pace should be a lot slower than expected here in this one. 

Philadelphia has played at a fairly normal/average pace throughout this season, leading to numbers that are "middle of the pack." The Sixers don't have great percentages from the field or beyond the arc. It's been a struggle for the 76ers all month to score points and even though their defense has been poor, they won't have to guard as many big men as the Twolves normally have to offer with Gobert suspended for a game. 

Now, Rudy Gobert is known for his defense, which could be the reason for this o/u line movement. However, Gobert also scores 11.2 PPG and has been even more active as of late. I believe that he's going to be missed as a big down low presence as well in this game. Minnesota's got a big 3-game road trip coming up that it could be caught looking ahead to. Did you know that 11 of the past 14 games here in Minnesota between these sides have gone "under" I see both teams struggling from the field in this game just like in the majority of those contests, ultimately leading to an "under" on Sunday. 

Burns' Prediction: 119-108 Timberwolves.

(#203337) LOSC Lille @ (#203338) Angers SCO | UNDER | . 

While it's been a solid season for Lille, it's not in the best of forms (scored two goals over it's past five games in all competitions.) Losing to FK Crvena zvezda during the week at home wasn't exactly what it was hoping for given that the second leg is coming up very shortly. Having said that, the defense has also been great for Lille, allowing only three goals over those five games that I mentioned in the first sentence. 

On the other hand, Angers won't make it easy for Lille to score either as it has allowed 27 goals all season in 22 games. Fantastic for a team that sits in 12th out of 18 teams in the top flight of France. Angers doesn't score much either, averaging a goal per game. Expect a low scoring affair. 

Burns' Prediction: 1-0 Lille.

(#803) Cal State Fullerton Titans @ (#804) Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners | OVER | . 

Even though neither of these two teams are what you'd call "really good" they both like to play very fast and that should help this game be very high scoring on Saturday evening. Cal State Fullerton is coming off one of its best offensive performances of the season, dropping 93 against UC Davis. But, the Titans still allowed 92 points in that game and are susceptible to allowing quite a lot at any given moment. They are T-15 in PPG allowed per game at the moment. 

On the other hand, CS Bakersfield plays at the 62nd fastest pace in the country. The Roadrunners have been horrible, don't get me wrong. But, a match at home like this could give them some confidence. With how poor the Titans defense has been recently, allowing an average of 86.66 PPG over the past three games, I like CSUB to keep this one close at the very least. Either way, expect lots of points. 

Burns' Prediction: 87-82 CS Fullerton.

(#663) Rhode Island Rams @ (#664) La Salle Explorers | UNDER | . 

Rhode Island brings in one of the best defenses in the whole conference into this game. The Rams don't score much and allow even less. Playing at the 273th pace in the nation, URI will look to slow down the game when it has the chance. Neither Rhode Island or La Salle shoot the three ball at a high rate either. 

In January, I had my A10 TOY on La Salle/Fordham "under" and was victorious. I know that the Explorers like to play very slow and play at the 320th fastest rate in the country this season. They also are much strong defensively than offensively, only producing 65.6 PPG this season. I don't expect many points from La Salle this afternoon. 

Even though the first meeting saw 150+ points, I don't see this one having more than 135. Hammer the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 65-58 URI.

(#813) South Dakota Coyotes @ (#814) Denver Pioneers | OVER | . 

I know that the past couple of games have been quite low scoring for South Dakota. But, this matchup should definitely open up some more opportunities to score a lot more points on Thursday evening. The Coyotes play at the #45 tempo in the country via. KenPom. They get to the free throw line at the 15th highest rate in the country (25.9 FTA per game) and shoot at a very respectable 75.2% as well. 

Denver, on the other hand, simply has one of the worst defenses in the nation. The Pioneers allow 82.7 PPG which is tied for the 13th worst in D1. They also play quite well offensively despite those struggles on the other side, scoring 83.3 PPG which is 42nd in the country. The Pioneers play pretty fast as well so I'm expecting a fairly solid pace in this contest. Don't forget that the "over" is also 5-1 over the past six meetings between these sides. I'm on the "over." 

Burns' Prediction: 93-84 Denver.

(#731) DePaul Blue Demons @ (#732) Seton Hall Pirates | UNDER | . 

This should be a really low scoring affair on Wednesday evening. DePaul hasn't been near the top of the Big East in a few years and probably won't be for a while yet. But, that doesn't mean that the Blue Demons can't contend. Via. KenPom, DePaul owns the 56th most efficient defense. That's going to do wonders against Seton Hall today. 

Talking about the Pirates, they are also fantastic defensively. They actually might be even better than DePaul on that side of the ball. They own the 12th best defensive efficiency and have locked up some of the best teams in the nation already this year. These teams combined for 127 the first time this year. Expect around the same or lower today. 

Burns' Prediction: 64-58 Seton Hall.

(#306551) Gardner Webb Runnin' Bulldogs @ (#306552) Charleston Southern Buccaneers | OVER | . 

Both of these teams aren't the best defensively, Gardner Webb especially. Entering with the 4th worst defensive efficiency in the country via. KenPom's rankings, the Runnin' Bulldogs are simply just bad on the defensive end. They've given up 100+ in consecutive games and now allow 87.8 per game which is the 3rd worst in the nation. 

Charleston Southern has allowed 90+ in two of its past three games. The Buccaneers enter as the large favorite this evening and I believe that is going to lead to them dictating the pace a bunch. Well, they play at the 22nd fastest pace in D1 and that's going to show here this evening. Hammer the "over."

Burns' Prediction: 98-82 Charleston Southern.