(#865) Montana Grizzlies | ATS | . 

Even despite not having that strong of a year, Montana remains a team to watch out for in the Big Sky Conference. The Grizzlies have already beaten UNCO this season and although I don't love that at times, this is a great spot for them to continue to roll into the conference tourney with some momentum. Montana just knocked off a very gritty Portland St team and shoots the ball at a tremendous percentage. As a matter of fact, the Grizzlies own the #24 most effective FG% in the whole country. On the other hand, I know that Northern Colorado is a very solid team itself. However, the Bears don't get too many opportunities at the free throw line (22nd least FT attempts per game) and they also have quite bad at defending inside of the paint. Considering Montana's edge in the FT department, I'll give the edge to the Grizzlies in a tight game. Grab the points. 

Burns' Prediction: 77-75 Montana.

(#832) Marist Red Foxes | ATS | . 

Back on the second of January, Marist suffered a loss against this very Saint Peter's team. I don't think that it was a strong performance from the Red Foxes back then whatsoever. Since, they've played very well inside the MAAC, and currently sit in 4th inside the conference standings. The Red Foxes own the 51st most efficient defense in the country, via. KenPom's efficiency rankings. 

St. Peter's got famous for making a run into the second weekend of one of the NCAA Tournaments a couple of seasons ago now. However, even despite their strong conference record, I have not been too impressed with the Peacocks lately. They average 20.2 fouls per game, which ranks T-12 among all teams in the country. That's significant because Marist shoots 79.2% from the line, which is #4 in the country. Give me Marist in this revenge game. 

Burns' Prediction: 70-55 Marist.

(#802) UC San Diego Tritons | ATS | . 

Earlier this season when these two teams matched up, Cal Poly was able to get to win. The Mustangs play at the fastest pace in the country and even though it didn't come back to haunt them in that game back in January, I believe that it will do just that this evening. The Mustangs have perhaps an even tougher opponent due up on the road, and I expect them to be looking ahead to that game @UCI during next week. 

That should give UCSD the perfect opportunity to strike back and even up the season series. Last season, UCSD won both meetings by double digits, including a 95-68 win here at home. Now, I know that the Tritons aren't as dominant as last year. But, this is still a fantastic basketball team that's scorching hot at the moment. Lay the number. 

Burns' Prediction: 82-68 UCSD.

(#731) BYU Cougars | ATS | . 

Even with the somewhat of a late comeback of the Cougars in their last game against UCF, it was the most humiliating defeat of the year. BYU looked absolutely horrendous in that first half and I simply don't see that happening again this season, even against the best of the best. With games @Cinci and at home against TTU remaining, BYU absolutely needs this basketball game. It's got one of the most talented squads in College Hoops. 

Looking at West Virginia, I have not been too impressed with the results lately. As much as I like both Honor Huff & Treyson Eaglestaff as players, the Mountaineers just aren't on the same level as the Cougars. I also know that WVU has a fantastic home court with loud/roudy fans. That should fuel AJ Dybantsa even more, as a top three pick in this upcoming draft. 

It's as simple as this, BYU needs this game a whole lot more than WVU does. The Mountaineers could use a few more wins for a confidence boost going into next season. But, they have two much easier matchups after this one to close out the season. Rebounding will be a key factor and Brigham Young does it at a much higher level. Give me BYU as my #1 BIG 12 GAME OF THE WEEK. 

Burns' Prediction: 76-63 BYU.

(#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.

(#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.

(#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.

(#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.

(#536) Philadelphia 76ers | ATS | . 

The Heat should be excited about the rest of the season given that Tyler Herro looks to be making great progress during these past few games. However, I don;t think that this is a great matchup for Miami. It's coming off a loss against Milwaukee and the road results simply haven't been there all year long (14-17 YTD.) 

Philadelphia, on the other hand, looks fantastic. After going into Minnesota and knocking off the Timberwolves, the 76ers absolutely dominated the Pacers last time now. Embiid played on Tuesday and is probable for this evening's game. That's a huge boost. With Miami having won five straight meetings as well as covering ATS in six straight, I expect a change in trajectory on Thursday. Give me Philadelphia to flip the script. 

Burns' Prediction: 127-117 Sixers.

(#306522) Stonehill Skyhawks | ATS | . 

Last season, St. Francis PA was able to shock the rest of the Northeast Conference and reach the Big Dance. This time around, I don't believe that the Red Flash have much of a chance. Currently 7-22 on the year, dead last in conference play with a record of 5-11, this shouldn't be a matchup that they win both of in 2025-26. St. Francis did win back at home in January. But, this time around, it should be much different. 

Stonehill doesn't have the greatest of records either. But, it's much more respectable. The Skyhawks might not own the best of offenses. But, the defense keeps them in games and that should be the key here this evening. Down the stretch, I believe that Stonehill will be able to hit its free throws and the pace of the Red Flash is going to come back to cost them here this evening. Hammer the Skyhawks. 

Burns' Prediction: 73-61 Stonehill.

(#306501) Bethune-Cookman Wildcats | ATS | . 

While I haven't played on Bethune-Cookman yet this season, I did win with the Wildcats as my SWAC CONF. TOURNEY GOY a season ago. They have been excellent over the majority of this season and enter today's action as the top ranked team in the conference at the moment. Even though that's not saying much given some of the records in the conference, B-CU's performances out of conference impressed me as well. The Wildcats enter today off consecutive wins and want to close out the regular season with a bang. 

Grambling State doesn't really have anything to lose, like the majority of the SWAC at the moment. However, the Tigers rank T-8th worst in the country in turnovers per game this year with 14.9 and I just don't see their offense having much success in this ball game. Even on the road, give me the Wildcats to come away with another big time win. 

Burns' Prediction: 74-63 B-CU.

(#741) Seattle Redhawks | ATS | . 

I like Seattle a lot in this game on Wednesday evening. The Redhawks come into today's contest having just been on a 3-game home stand. Winning two out of three was always the most likely scenario, given that one of those game was against St. Mary's. But, the Redhawks played that game tremendously and definitely could have won. I liked what I saw. Having said that, I expect them to finish the season strongly and go into the WCC tourney feeling extra confident. 

Pepperdine has been one of the worst teams in the conference again this year and I don't see that changing as we near March. The Waves have lost 60% of their home games and Seattle's going to want to have a much better defensive showing than the first meeting. I'm expecting a double digit Redhawks win this evening.

Burns' Prediction: 75-62 Seattle.

(#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."

(#531) Sacramento Kings | ATS | . 

It's definitely getting harder to pick NBA winners in games like these at this time of the year given that Sacramento is somewhat in "tank mode" while Houston fights for seeding position. One might think that because of those circumstances, the Rockets would be the best selection here. But, the oddsmakers account for that as well and I believe that this game is going to be a lot closer than expected. 

The Kings have already beaten Houston twice this season (of three games so far.) So, it most definitely can be done. Amen Thompson, who played in the Rockets' most recent game, will be out this evening. That's a huge miss. Sacramento also just won its last game and has been upping its offensive game recently. I think that Houston plays down to the level of its opponents at times and that could lead to a close game and a potential upset on Wednesday. 

Burns' Prediction: 110-108 Rockets.

(#701) Florida Gators | ATS | . 

Somewhat surprisingly, after winning with Florida twice in the NCAA Tournament a season ago, in both the final four and in the final, I haven't played on the Gators once yet this season. Even though I knew that the front court was among the best in the country, I was skeptical at first with the guard play. Having said that, I believe that this is the perfect time to unleash with confidence on Florida. It's playing its best basketball right now and Todd Golden simply knows how to win at this time of the year. 

Up against a Texas team that was also scorching hot entering this past weekend, this should be an energetic contest with a great Longhorn crowd. The matchup on Saturday vs. UGA was your typical let down spot, with a huge game like this on deck. Having said that, the confidence having been on a five game winning streak definitely will have dropped a bit. None of those opponents of the Longhorns during that 5-gm winning stretch are ranked in the top 50 of KenPom's efficiency rankings. UGA was a step up in competition and now, this is a massive difference. Florida is top 20 offensively and defensively, ranking 5th overall. Even on the road, expect a big statement win for Florida as the Gators look to remain one of the country's hottest programs. 

Burns' Prediction: 92-76 Florida.

(#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.

(#510) Cleveland Cavaliers | ATS | . 

In their second most recent game, the Knicks were able to pull off a monster 4th quarter comeback and win against the Houston Rockets. Although you may think that a win like that could give a side momentum over their next few games, and they did win their next game, I believe that every game in the NBA is as different as ever. Having played a game since then, I believe that things will change tonight against a much better opponent. 

Cleveland should be able to control the tempo of this game, playing at home. The Cavs were already a contender and then they went out and added James Harden to their team. I believe that he's slowly becoming more and more comfortable with the team. Mobley is getting healthier again too. Lay the points with Cleveland today. 

Burns' Prediction: 118-107 Cavs.

(#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.

(#840) Tulane Green Wave | ATS | . 

I think that this line should be much bigger, possibly even into the double digits. Rice has been dealing with inconsistencies all season long and is coming off maybe it's worst loss of the season, by double digits against a 9-18 ECU team (at home.) I know that the Owls have had a whole week off, and time to prepare for this game. But, that isn't going to help against a scorching hot team on the other side. 

Fresh off three consecutive wins, the Green Wave are playing their best basketball of the year. Each of their past two games were on the road and the oddsmakers had them as a decent sized dog. Now, back at home, I expect the Green Wave to give their fans something to cheer about this weekend. Tulane's defense and length will be the difference in this game. Hammer Tulane. 

Burns' Prediction: 83-67 Tulane.

(#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.

(#546) Miami Heat | ATS | . 

Both teams played yesterday and both will travel overnight on Friday. That eliminates the fatigued factor of both teams. Memphis continues to play without Morant and a lot of its best players and do not have much hope this year after trading JJJ before the deadline. The Grizzlies might have beaten the Jazz. But, Utah's quite depleted right now as well. 

Getting back Tyler Herro was huge for the Heat in the win last night against Atlanta. Miami shot 52% from the field and rebounded the ball phenomenally. I expect the Heat to continue the fast play and ultimately score too many points for Memphis to keep up on Saturday. Expect a beatdown. 

Burns' Prediction: 124-104 Heat.

(#771) Furman Paladins | ATS | . 

Despite the average results lately, the Paladins are having another very solid year this season. Furman must wake up though to finish the year to have some confidence heading into March. It's been one of the better teams in the SoCon for a while now and that has made this a gigantic game on Saturday. The Paladins haven't shot the three ball at their best this year, but the 2pt shooting has been extremely effective/efficient all year long. 

For the Terriers, they've slowed down a bit recently. Losing two of their past three contests and only beating VMI by six last time out, they've failed to cover ATS in three straight now. Wofford wasn't expected to be great this year and has definitely had some struggles on the defensive end at times this year. Considering Furman lost the first game of these teams, I like it to bounce back and win this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 82-69 Furman.

(#754) Northern Iowa Panthers | ATS | . 

After winning the first meeting by 15 this season, Southern Illinois is probably feeling great about this game. However, the Salukis haven't done too much right other than that win this season and I'm expecting a massive response from the Panthers. SIU owns a 5-8 away record, but has actually won three consecutive road games. Don't expect a fourth straight on Saturday. 

With an 18-10 overall record, you'd probably expect the Panthers to be higher in the MVC standings (currently in 6th.) But, the conference is so competitive near the top, one win can alter the standings drastically. I believe that UNI has as good of a chance as any of these teams to come out of the conference with its stifling defense and unique style of play. Expect a big win here. 

Burns' Prediction: 68-50 UNI.

(#758) Idaho State Bengals | ATS | . 

Despite being in second place in the Big Sky Conference standings at the moment, Montana State hasn't really impressed me this season. The Bobcats rely on iso basketball to create open shots and don't really use much passing to run their offense. That's not going to be something that works in my opinion in the big games down the stretch. They also are fresh off an overtime road game on Thursday which definitely could suck some of the energy out of this team that will now be playing their third straight road game in a week's time. Looking at the Bengals, they had a very rough stretch of losing from mid-Jan to mid-Feb. That being said, Idaho State just broke that losing streak and looked very strong against Montana on Thursday. The Bengals like to get to the free throw line and should make that happen again on Saturday in a game where they can rely on a home crowd for support. Grab the points in this one and expect a mini upset. 

Burns' Prediction: 75-70 Idaho State.

(#730) Tarleton State Texans | ATS | . 

Utah Tech might own the better record and numbers this season. But, that doesn't mean that this is the right matchup for the Trail Blazers. They had their run of six straight wins and are now coming off of a disappointing loss against UT Arlington that could have them depleted for this encounter. Let's not forget what happened when Utah Tech was at home in this matchup. The Texans won that game by six points. 

Now, I know that it's difficult to beat a team twice in the same season. But, Tarleton State is playing some of its best basketball at this very moment and I believe that the Texans are going to be a tough out come the WAC Tourney. They have been excellent at home all year long and will play behind their home crowd again this evening. Tarleton is favored for a reason. Lay the points. 

Burns' Prediction: 80-68 Tarleton St.

(#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.

(#625) North Carolina Tar Heels | ML | . 

After being dominated in the battle of North Carolina in the last game, this isn't necessarily the best spot for the Tar Heels. However, even without Wilson and possibly Veesaar, I do believe that they are the much more talented team and should be able to come out on top of this matchup on Saturday afternoon. 

The Orange just got blasted against Duke and nearly lost that game by 40 points. I know that it was a road game and that Syracuse has been playing much better at home over the past few games. But, this is a very daunting task on Saturday after that humiliation. Give me UNC on Saturday with or without Veesaar. 

Burns' Prediction: 79-73 UNC.

(#614) St. Joseph's Hawks | ATS | . 

After being predicted to finish as one of the better teams in the A10 this year, Loyola Chicago hasn't lived up to expectations whatsoever. As much as I want to avoid playing against the Ramblers, because I do think that they are better than their record, it's hard to pass up an opportunity like this where they are against a very solid opponent and on the road. The Ramblers are 8-19 ATS this year and 1-7 SU/3-5 ATS on the road. 

On the other hand, St. Joseph's has probably been exceeding most people's expectations. That being said, coming off the win over the Bonnies, I believe that the Hawks are going to continue the great play here this weekend. The Hawks won the first meeting away from home by 21 points. They should be able to win the matchup on their home court by double digits as well. 

Burns' Prediction: 80-63 JOES.

(#872) Iona Gaels | ATS | . 

St. Peter's has definitely exceeded expectations up until this point in the season with the second best record inside the MAAC at the moment at 12-4. However, the Peacocks continue to struggle in road games and it's been an issue all season long. They just lost as favorites on the road against a Sacred Heart team that owns a losing record. 

Looking at today's opponent, Iona hasn't been great inside the MAAC either. But, there's still time to improve the conference record as we head into the final couple of weeks of the regular season. The Gaels shoot nearly 5% better from the three point line and if those shots are falling today, there's no question in my mind that Iona can't win this game by double digits. Entering this season, I liked Iona a lot. I've got it winning this one on Friday. 

Burns' Prediction: 74-66 Iona.

(#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.

(#608) Buffalo Bulls | ATS | . 

These two teams met back at the end of December at NIU. That game turned into a thrashing pretty quickly with the Bulls winning by double digits. Northern Illinois has been poor throughout the season, winning just eight games this year and two out of 12 on the road. Northern Illinois also has one of the worst offensive capabilities in the league, currently ranked #343 in KenPom's offensive efficiency rankings. 

On the other hand, I know that Buffalo hasn't necessarily been great recently either. However, coming off a win and coming back home should help drastically. Unlike NIU, the Bulls are fantastic offensively, ranking #109 in those same rankings. That difference is going to be key here with one team being able to score and the other team struggling on the road. Lay the points and expect another double digit win. 

Burns' Prediction: 84-63 Buffalo.

(#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.

(#306535) Lamar Cardinals | ATS | . 

On the road on Monday, Lamar is going to have to bring its A-Game. Both of these two sides have played similar basketball this year, with similar records to show for. While UTRGV does have the slightly better numbers and an excellent record vs. the Southland this year, I do believe that the recent defeat that the Vaqueros suffered is still going to be in the back of their heads. It was their first loss in over a month and that's not always great for momentum. 

I know that Lamar hasn't been good lately, and there's a reason for it being the underdog. However, the Cardinals will dominate the glass in this game and that should help them get plenty of second chance opportunities to capitalize on. While UTRGV won the first meeting, it was all the way back in December. Both teams have changed a ton & I'm expecting a close affair. Take the points. 

Burns' Prediction: 71-67 Lamar.

(#851) Towson Tigers @ (#852) Monmouth Hawks | UNDER | . 

Both of these teams play at very slow paces. According to KenPom's adjusted tempo rankings, Towson owns the #343 pace in the country out of 365 teams. The Tigers combine that with the #96 defensive efficiency as well as very few fouls committed at T45 in D1. This should be a great matchup to show those compartments against another slower team. 

Monmouth plays slightly faster, but still at the #208 pace. The Hawks also combine that with above average defending and T64 in the nation. I'm expecting both of these two teams to slow down the game and play a defensive game after their 62-48 game back in January. Hammer the "under." 

Burns: Prediction: 64-57 Monmouth.

(#835) Illinois State Redbirds | ATS | . 

Coming off an electric second half performance against Valparaiso during the week, I expect the Redbirds to be flying all over the basketball court on Sunday against the Flames. Illinois State has the better record, but actually trails UIC in the conference standings, making this game very important for seeding in the upcoming conference tournament. The Redbirds have revenge on their minds after losing the first encounter in overtime. 

Looking at Illinois Chicago, it's had a rocky season. It's been much better inside the MVC. However, the Flames are beginning to play the better teams in the conference and have began faltering. I expect the stronger overall team to get the job done, even on the road this afternoon. 

Burns' Prediction: 77-63 Illinois State.

(#826) Quinnipiac Bobcats | ATS | . 

It's been five consecutive wins for the Merrimack Warriors. I'm not impressed though with this roster. Given that it's had struggles all year on the glass, I'm actually very shocked that the Warriors are in a good position at 17-9. If you didn't know, Merrimack owns the worst rebounding margin in the country at -9.5 per game. Against a great defensive team on the road, I don't see that working in its favor. 

Quinnipiac is also scorching hot entering this one off four straight wins. The Bobcats are elite at offensive rebounding and defending the ball inside the three point line. Merrimack doesn't spam the three so that's going to help Quinnipiac tonight. I believe that this line should be much heavier, so I'll lay the points on Sunday. 

Burns' Prediction: 75-66 Quinnipiac.

(#755) Hawaii Rainbow Warriors | ATS | . 

Earlier this season, the Rainbow Warriors absolutely dominated the Matadors. I know that the game was played in Hawaii which is a daunting task for any team. But, this is going to be a similar result on Saturday in my books. Hawaii's been excellent throughout this season and CSU Northridge is not as good as its record suggests. Winning four consecutive games is as high as this season gets for the Matadors. While CSUN plays fast, & so does Hawaii - meaning it should be even in terms of pace. I expect the Rainbow Warriors' defense to be the difference. 

Burns' Prediction: 79-68 Hawaii.

(#697) Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles @ (#698) Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles | UNDER | . 

Coming off consecutive defeats, while scoring only 120 combined points in those two games, I believe that Tennessee Tech is going to be lacking confidence for this one. The Golden Eagles already play at a lesser than average pace and have one of the worst offenses in the country // 289th in offensive efficiency via. KenPom. 

On the other hand, Southern Indiana's offense is even worse. Coming in at 361st out of 365 teams in the nation, that's pretty abysmal. The Screaming Eagles did win the first matchup of these two sides back in January. The past three meetings have all gone "under" with scored of 125, 143 and 132. Expect another "under" on Saturday. 

Burns' Prediction: 67-62 USI.

(#680) UNC Wilmington Seahawks | ATS | . 

Hofstra managed to hang on against me on Thursday against Charleston. I still wasn't too impressed with the Pride. I firmly believe that Hofstra is overrated and won't be going too far in the CAA Conference Tournament next month. Despite winning four consecutive contests, the Pride had lost five straight before then. 

Looking at the other side of things, UNCW has the best record in the CAA by far and looks to extend the lead this afternoon. With a loss, there would be some concern on not getting the #1 seed in the tournament. But, a win here should be enough for the Seahawks to solidify it. Yes, William & Mary had UNC Wilmington's number over those two games. But, the Seahawks have been flawless in conference other than those two games. Lay the couple of points - or play ML. Either works. 

Burns' Prediction: 74-62 UNCW.

(#306607) Central Connecticut Blue Devils | ATS | . 

Entering the season, I believed that this Central Connecticut State team was going to be the team to beat in the NEC just like last year. While the Blue Devils are up there in the standings, the gap between them and LIU is definitely quite big. However, getting the #2 seed in the conference tournament is going to be key. Winning today is a must though. 

Fairleigh Dickinson had its run in the March Madness a few years ago. However, the Knights just aren't at the same level anymore. Teams from the Northeast Conference don't get respected much. But, in conference play, it's been a struggle. Both teams have won three consecutive games. CCSU's got a great 7-7 record in away games, with a 10-4 ATS record. I'll grab the point. 

Burns' Prediction: 75-63 CCSU.

(#641) Southern Methodist Mustangs | ATS | . 

On the road, oddsmakers believe that this is going to be a tough game for SMU. I don't think so. The Mustangs have played outstanding basketball all year long and even though they haven't gotten some of the results that they would have liked in ACC play this season, I do believe that SMU is one of the best teams in this conference. It's won consecutive games and both in style. 

Syracuse brings in a 14-11 record into Saturday's contest. Unlike SMU, I have not been impressed with what I've seen from the Orange, especially recently. They've lost six of their most recent eight contests and played a crazy double-OT contest mid-week against Cal which probably has sucked a bit of energy out of the team, despite the win. 

This will be the only meeting of these sides in the regular season and probably of the season. The Mustangs are significantly better offensively with the #15 ranked offensive efficiency via. KenPom's rankings opposed to #79 from Syracuse. Expect SMU to keep rolling and come out on top once again on Saturday. 

Burns' Prediction: 85-72 SMU.

(#887) Massachusetts Minutemen @ (#888) Akron Zips | OVER | . 

UMASS might not be as talented as Akron. But, the Minutemen won't be easy to beat on Friday evening. They play a very fast tempo as well, at #44 in the country via. KenPom. Not only that, but they've had lots of rest since their triple OT game on Saturday and have scored 90+ points in both of their games so far in February. UMASS probably won't score 90 this game, but I expect it to get around the 80 mark. 

Akron, on the other hand, is phenomenal offensively. Averaging 89.5 PPG on the year, the Zips are top 10 in all of College Basketball. They also play extremely fast, even faster than Massachusetts w/ the #43 ranked adjusted tempo rankings. Recent games for Akron probably has this total lower than it should be considering the defense has been improved. However, for this style of matchup, the defense should go out the door a tad which should also let the offense explode. I wouldn't be shocked if Akron reaches 100 points on Friday. Hammer the "over." 

Burns' Prediction: 96-81 Akron.

(#797) South Alabama Jaguars | ATS | . 

If you don't already know (from previous analysis') I played high school basketball alongside South Alabama G/F Adam Olsen. Averaging 16.0 PPG this season, he's a key part to what the Jags want to do, especially with his three point shooting ability. I know that the Jaguars are on the road this evening. But, they've done some of their best work away from home on the season and actually bring in a fantastic winning 6-5 record in away games. 

Southern Miss, on the other hand, doesn't do many things too well. At .500 on the season, I don't believe that the Golden Eagles have it in them to win this basketball game. They are coming off an emotional 1pt out of conference home win in their most recent game. They are going to have a hard time focusing on this game, given the circumstances in the conference standings with only five games to go. In the end, I'm giving the edge to USA's defense, which is significantly stronger than USM's. I'll grab the points, but expect a "mini road upset" from the Jags. 

Burns' Prediction: 70-62 USA.

(#781) Portland State Vikings | ATS | . 

While Portland State did win its last game, it didn't cover the spread for me. I'm backing the Vikings yet again on Thursday and I'm expecting a much better defensive performance from the 53rd ranked defense in KenPom's defensive efficiency rankings. That's right, the Vikings are normally phenomenal on that side of the ball, allowing a 3pt percentage of just 30.6% and only 69.5 PPG. 

That's going to be hard for Northern Arizona, as three point shooting is about the only thing that this school really does all too well. The Lumberjacks have struggled dearly all season long and are coming off a 19pt loss against Weber State. Portland State is a much better team than Weber State. Even on the road, lay the points with confidence. 

Burns' Prediction: 75-60 Portland St.

(#763) Marist Red Foxes @ (#764) Merrimack Warriors | UNDER | . 

With one of the lowest totals on the board today, I believe that it's for good reason. While struggling drastically on the offensive side of the ball, averaging 67.9 PPG in away games, Marist is actually one of the top defensive teams in all of College Hoops. The Red Foxes allow 62.6 PPG which ranks top five in the entire country. They also play at a fairly slow pace, making it difficult for their opponents to gain any sort of rhythm. 

Merrimack, on the other hand, plays extremely slow. According to KenPom's tempo rankings, the Warriors rank 343th in the country. Not to mention that their defense is also very solid at 144th in defensive efficiency. I believe that this one could see "under" 120 points on Thursday evening. Expect a low scoring contest nonetheless. 

Burns' Prediction: 58-53 Merrimack.

(#757) Murray State Racers | ATS | . 

In its last game, Murray State struggled to score for one of the only times this season. Yes, the Racers are on the road this evening. Yes, they haven't been the same teams recently as early in the season. However, I simply believe that this is the perfect matchup to get Murray State back on track. The Racers did only win by four in this encounter back at home. But, Indiana State shot 50% from deep in that game and I'm not expecting. that to be the case on Thursday. Talking about the Sycamores, they are really having trouble within the MVC this season. Currently second last in conference play, there's no really coming back this season. I firmly believe that Murray State should be able to run away with this one and potentially even win by more than my projections. 

Burns' Prediction: 92-77 Murray St.

(#762) College Of Charleston Cougars | ATS | . 

As good as Hofstra has been this season, I simply don't believe that it'll have the capability to win this game on the road. The Pride have got a great away record this year, winning 50% of their 14 games. However, they have won just one of their past four inside the conference and this is a matchup against an opponent that has already managed to beat them on their home court. 

Charleston has been one of the top sides in the CAA for a few years running now. It's a completely different side from last year. But, the Cougars have hit their stride and won't let one off-day take them off their game. Prior to that loss, COFC had won eight consecutive home games. Being at home mid-week always is a bonus. Give me the Cougars on Thursday. ML is also an option. 

Burns' Prediction: 82-72 COFC.

(#753) Stony Brook Seawolves @ (#754) Towson Tigers | UNDER | . 

Entering Thursday, Stony Brook is feeling great about itself. It's won three consecutive road games, while averaging only 67.7 PPG in away games this year. The Seawolves don't play fast and rank 284th in KenPom's adjusted tempo rankings. Even though they do shoot well from 3pt land, the Seawolves will have to go against the nation's 73th best 3pt % defense this year in Towson. 

Talking about Towson, it is a bit of a weird team. It's been a decent season for the Tigers, with 13 wins in 25 games (above .500.) However, the scoring hasn't really been there. The Tigers average 69.4 PPG and play at the 343th fastest pace in the country out of 365 teams (via. KenPom as well.) Why do they have a winning record? Well, they have a top 100 defense and have allowed 67.2 PPG this season which ranks 28th among all teams. 

All signs points towards another low scoring affair. Hammer the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 65-58 Towson.

(#547) Los Angeles Clippers | ATS | . 

These two teams played yesterday and Houston was able to get the best of LAC. That was a seven point game and I believe that we're going to see slightly different results on Wednesday. The Rockets are the stronger team according to the records. However, despite their 18-6 home record on the year, they have been abysmal vs. the spread. As a matter of fact, they are 8-16 ATS in home games.

For the Clips, it's been a bit of a mystery on what's going on in this organization this year, trading away Harden and making some other moves as well. I don't think that we're going to see them give up by any means though given the current standings. Kawhi remains one of the best players in the NBA and will get some help today. Expect at least another cover, but possible upset on Wednesday. 

Burns' Prediction: 105-102 Clips.

(#697) UAB Blazers @ (#698) Tulsa Golden Hurricane | OVER | . 

Even though UAB is a sizeable underdog for today's meeting, I do believe that the Blazers are going to be able to score. They are averaging a very respectable 81.4 PPG and absolutely dominates the glass. All of this while playing at the 73rd fastest pace according to KenPom's adjusted tempo rankings. UAB managed to score 77 in the first meeting. Expect similar results in this one. 

For Tulsa, it's been one of the highest performing teams in the whole country so far. The Golden Hurricane have the 24th most efficient offense in the nation and has scored 90+ points in seven of it's 11 home games this year. They average 86.9 PPG this season. I expect tons of points on Wednesday after they combined for 176 in the first meeting. 

Burns' Prediction: 91-78 Tulsa.

(#692) Tulane Green Wave | ATS | . 

Who is the better team in this matchup? With the oddsmakers putting this line where they have, it makes me believe that they think Temple is. I don't believe so. The Owls come in with a 15-9 record, which is fairly solid. However, they've had a fairly easy schedule so far and the defense is nothing special whatsoever. Temple won its home game against Tulane by only three points. 

Talking about the Green Wave, they began the year very well. I know that it's been a struggle for them in American play so far. But, they still have plenty of time to turn things around before the conference tournament. Tulane is led by an excellent guard by the name of Rowan Brumbaugh. He's going to be the best player on the court. With home advantage, expect Tulane to get revenge. 

Burns' Prediction: 80-69 Tulane.

(#306545) Boston University Terriers | ATS | . 

Back in January when these two teams met, I had Boston and won with them in this matchup. That line was -7.5 at home and now we're getting Boston at a very respectable -2.5 on the road. I know that playing on the road is difficult for any team in the country. But, considering how Boston has played recently, I believe that this task isn't so daunting whatsoever. 

Army actually owns a losing home record on the campaign. The Black Knights have been held to 60 or less in consecutive games and I just don't see how they will be able to keep up on Wednesday. Boston scored 100 points in the first matchup this season. I expect another great offensive showing from the Terriers. 

Burns' Prediction: 80-66 Boston.

(#635) Iowa State Cyclones | ATS | . 

Recent ISU teams of the past few seasons have been really good. But, this Iowa State team could just be the best of the bunch. The Cyclones own a ridiculously strong 21-2 record this season. I know that they probably would like those two losses back. But, the Cyclones responded very well to them and have looked fantastic ever since. 

Texas Christian comes into this game having lost six of its past nine conference games. The Horned Frogs have failed to cover ATS in three consecutive contests and simply don't seem like a threat in this very competitive Big 12 in 2025-26. I don't see a team that ranks in the 100's in KenPom's offensive efficiency rankings having much success whatsoever against a very aggressive Cyclones defense over the rest of the season, even at home. 

Given that ISU had the whole weekend to relax back at home, I believe that it'll be ready for this road encounter on Tuesday evening. They blew out the Horned Frogs in two of the three meetings last year and have won and covered ATS in six straight meetings against them. Hammer the Cyclones on Tuesday evening. 

Burns' Prediction: 88-66 Iowa State.

(#501) Detroit Pistons | ATS | . 

Leading the charge in the Eastern Conference at 38-13 this season, the Detroit Pistons will attempt to knock off the hottest team in the NBA on Monday. Detroit's coming off a win and I believe that we're going to see an excellent performance from superstar Cade Cunningham in this one. Earlier this season when these teams met, the Pistons won 112-86 (26 point win.) Now, I know that it was a home game for the Pistons. But, they were -10.5 and still covered easily. Now, the spread is much, much lower. 

Charlotte's been incredible on this nine game winning streak, don't get me wrong. However, I simply don't believe that a team like this can make it double digit wins all in consecutive games. Before this run, the Hornets were 16-28 on the season. They still own a losing overall record, at home and in away games. 

In the end, Detroit's ability to dominate the paint should be enough to win this game. The Pistons also hold teams to 34.6% from three point land this year which is top five in the NBA. Charlotte's going to shoot a lot of those. Lay the points with Detroit this evening. 

Burns' Prediction: 120-107 Pistons.

(#858) Cincinnati Bearcats | ATS | . 

Central Florida has over-performed in my eyes so far this season. the Knights won this matchup by only a point back in Orlando and I believe that we're going to see a different outcome on Sunday. UCF is coming off a very big loss against Houston in its last game and remains on the road for this weekend's contest. 

Cincinnati is in need of a strong performance. While I liked the Bearcats during the week when they took on WVU, I managed to stay off them. This weekend, they remain at home where they've already beaten Iowa State this season. Cinci definitely has the talent and expect it to use it in this one today. 

Burns' Prediction: 84-74 Cinci.

(#817) Portland State Vikings | ATS | . 

Portland State might be playing on the road this evening, but that shouldn't slow it down. The Vikings are 15-6 this season with an excellent 6-4 road record. While that might not seem all that impressive, most teams have a losing record away from home. Since the calendar switched to 2026, Portland St. has won nine of its past 10 games including a 96-69 rout over this very Sacramento St. team. 

Talking about the Hornets, they are a bit of an interesting team. Although I respect Mike Bibby and Shaq for making this happen for the Hornets, the record still isn't all that impressive given the talent of some of their top players, like Prophet Johnson & Mikey Williams. Other than those two, they really don't have much. I believe that Sac St is going to get overwhelmed in this contest just like it did in the first meeting. Lay the points. 

Burns' Prediction: 85-72 Portland St.

(#791) Clemson Tigers | ATS | . 

I know that Clemson's on the road for this big ACC matchup. But, the Tigers have been comfortable playing away all season & I don't see why they can't have the same success as the last time that these teams matched up here on the west coast of the United States. Clemson didn't play @Cal last year. But, it's already beaten Stanford away on this road trip and that should give it plenty of confidence for this evening's game against an overrated Cal group. 

Why do I say overrated? Well, the Golden Bears are just 6-9 ATS at home this year and have had quite an easy schedule over the past couple of weeks. When Cal was playing the real competition in the ACC, it was on a 3-game losing streak in early January. I don't believe that Cal's going to be able to hang with the much more efficient Clemson team that executes at a very high level on both ends. ML is definitely an option, but I'll lay the points. play until -5.0 or -200

Burns' Prediction: 70-60 Clemson.

(#306663) Jackson State Tigers | ATS | . 

Playing this game on the road, the point spread isn't as big for this game as I would have expected. Jackson State hasn't been too impressive. But, it's been a whole lot better than Mississippi Valley State. The Tigers won their most recent road matchup and should absolutely dominate this basketball matchup. 

Mississippi Valley State has one single in win 22 games this year. I know that the Delta Devils are going to want to improve those numbers. But, as the worst team in KenPom's efficiency rankings by quite a margin, (#365 in offense & #364 in defense,) I just don't see it happening anywhere. MVSU has lost five consecutive games by 8+ points. Lay the points. 

Burns; Prediction: 82-55 Jackson St.

(#743) Harvard Crimson | ATS | . 

While Harvard might be more known for its academics, the Crimson athletes are quite solid as well. They are coming off consecutive wins, including a win @Yale last week in their most recent contest. While I'd normally see this as a possible let down spot after that contest. Given, the time off, I believe that Harvard will come ready to play on Saturday. 

Dartmouth has also taken that week to recover from what has been a very inconsistent year. At 10-10 this season, the Big Green are behind Harvard in the Ivy standings at the moment. In the first meeting Dartmouth shot 45% from three on 20 attempts. I don't expect quite as good of a percentage in this one and that should shift favors in the direction of Harvard (who normally shoots much, much better than 28%.) Expect revenge here. 

Burns' Prediction: 75-64 Harvard.

(#306641) Houston Christian Huskies @ (#306642) Southeast Louisiana Lions | UNDER | . 

I'm expecting a very low scoring game on Saturday afternoon between these two teams. Houston Christian ranks 333rd in KenPom's tempo rankings and takes a whole second and a half longer than the average CBB D1 team per possession (18.9 opposed to 17.4.) The Huskies average 65.6 PPG on the road this year. 

Southeast Louisiana plays slightly faster. But, it's one of the worst scoring teams in all of College Hoops. The Lions average 64.5 PPG which is 11th worst in the nation. At 28.1% from 3pt land, the Lions are the third worst shooting team in the country. 

Neither team rebounds the ball well and they both don't crash the offensive boards. Both teams also shoot well below the D1 average in free throw percentage. Give me the "under" in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 66-59 SELA.

(#306623) North Florida Ospreys @ (#306624) Queens NC University Royals | OVER | . 

This game should be an absolute shootout. In the first meeting, the final score was 89-82. If you didn't know that total, you'd probably think that, that game went "over." Well it didn't as the o/u line was 173.5. Today's line is even higher and I'm expecting a much higher scoring contest. 

Despite being 6-18 overall this season, North Florida comes into this game with the 154th ranked offensive efficiency (via. KenPom) in the country. The Ospreys play very fast, with the 31st fastest tempo. Well, why is this team so bad then? Well, the defense has been absolutely horrendous, ranking dead last in defensive efficiency this season (365th.) Yes, dead last. 

Queen's should see that and be very excited about this game. The Royals scored 89 in that first game and that was on the road. Now, they are back at home where they've scored 90+ in seven of 10 games this year including B2B. Queens plays at the 92th fastest tempo with the 76th ranked offense. Its defense is also horrible at 336th. Hammer the "over" and expect at least 180 here. 

Burns' Prediction: 102-88 Queens.

(#653) St. Bonaventure Bonnies | ML | . 

St. Bonaventure hasn't necessarily been fantastic this year. But, the Bonnies still have time to become somewhat relevant. All teams are working towards peaking at the right time and this might just be the right time for the Bonnies to start dominating. They are very respectable on the road this year and have actually covered ATS in five of their seven away contests this season (if cover today, would win outright as a fav.) 

On the other hand, Fordham has been pretty miserable on home court lately losing four out of five. The Rams are a very low scoring team and do not shoot the three ball well whatsoever. Fordham does rebound the ball much better than St. Bonaventure. But, that wasn't the difference in the first meeting as the Bonnies actually won the battle on the glass. 

In that first game this season, Fordham took 18 free throws and made 17 of them. While the Rams do shoot really well from the line, I do not expect a percentage that strong on Saturday. Look for the Bonnies to get their revenge and win this game on Saturday afternoon. 

Burns' Prediction: 74-67 Bonnies.

(#611) Nebraska Cornhuskers | ATS | . 

Coming off consecutive losses, some people are starting to wonder if Nebraska is on fraud watch. Having said that, you don't win 20 straight games to begin a season if you're not a good basketball team, no matter who's the competition. Now, up against one of the worst teams, if not the worst, in the Big Ten, I believe that the Cornhuskers are going to get back to work. 

Rutgers played on Tuesday and got absolutely annihilated by UCLA by 32 points. I know that was a road game and that the Scarlet Knights are winless away from home this year. But, even so, I don't like where this school is at, especially with no Dylan Harper & Ace Bailey this season. Nebraska hasn't played since Sunday. I like Fred Hoiberg to get his guys ready and have a good game plan to dominate this basketball game and get back on track. 

Burns' Prediction: 83-63 Nebraska.

(#539) Memphis Grizzlies @ (#540) Portland Trail Blazers | OVER | . 

Even though Memphis traded away quite a bit of its players at the deadline and during the build up to it, I believe that this core can definitely still put up points this season. The Grizzlies are only two games out of a play-in spot right now and even though they probably won't go for broke this season considering they gave up JJJ, I expect them to continue to fight. 

Portland is the team that they are chasing, as the Blazers are the last team in the play-in at the moment. Good news for the Grizz is that Portland's lost six straight games. Portland did just play in a game where it scored 125 points and still lost though. This evening, the Trail Blazers get back Scoot Henderson for the first time this campaign. I expect an immediate offensive presence. 

Both teams score quite well considering the places in the standings. Both also rank 5th and 6th this season in possessions per game, meaning they play rather quickly. Even if Avdija doesn't play, the Blazers are deep enough and I expect this one to finish "over" the total. 

Burns' Prediction: 123-116 Blazers.

(#827) UC Santa Barbara Gauchos | ML | . 

Even on the road, I believe that UCSB is the much better side and should emerge victorious without much fuss on Thursday evening. On a six game winning streak, the Gauchos now own the #79 ranked offense in the country. The defense has also been great for them as they've allowed an average of 63.5 PPG over their past four games. 

UC Davis has been very hit or miss this year with strong results at times but also sometimes quite poor results. Given that UCD has already beaten UCSB this year, I believe that we're going to see a split in the season series. I'll go with the ML in this one just to be safe. 

Burns' Prediction: 79-73 UCSB.

(#832) Montana Grizzlies | ATS | . 

Eastern Washington has been dreadful this year with a 5-17 record through 22 games. The Eagles have lost consecutive games and have the #299 ranked defensive efficiency in the country. They aren't going to win too many games with those numbers. 

Montana's been much more effective, winning 13 of 23 games this year. The Grizzlies have won four straight home contests and have a better offense and defense than EWU. Montana seeks revenge after losing to Eastern Washington earlier this year and I expect it to get just that. Lay the points. 

Burns' Prediction: 83-71 Montana.

(#524) Houston Rockets | ATS | . 

It's been a ridiculous 7-0 run for Charlotte, winning @Orlando, vs. Philly & vs. SAS along the way. That being said, all streaks come to an end eventually and I believe that the Hornets are finally going to taste defeat for the first time since Jan 21st. They are still out of a playoff spot if the postseason were to start today. 

Some people get scared off when a team's playing the second game of a B2B. While obviously that's a factor, it's also factored into the line and there's many other situational things/matchup statistics to look at. Houston's been phenomenal at home all season, 17-4 going into Wednesday's game against the C's (17-5 now.) The Rockets also dominate the glass, leading the NBA in both OREB & REB per game. 

In the end, I'm expecting the better and more experienced team to get the job done. Houston's a legitimate championship contending team while Charlotte is still in the "rebuilding/gaining experience" stage. One more season and maybe Charlotte's a playoff contender. But, before then, don't expect the Hornets to win an eight straight game. 

Burns' Prediction: 119-106 Rockets.

(#777) Merrimack Warriors @ (#778) Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers | UNDER | . 

Two defensive minded teams will go H2H in this game on Thursday. Merrimack ranks #346 in the country in adjusted tempo via. KenPom. Its defense has been a focal point, allowing the 3rd longest possession time in the nation to opposing teams, completely locking up its opponents. The Warriors have allowed 58, 59, 61 & 55 points over their most recent four games. 

Mount St. Mary's plays faster (average,) but lacks very much so offensively. The Mountaineers have the #339 ranked offensive efficiency and has actually been phenomenal defensively lately too. They've allowed 65, 66 & 61 points over their past three contests. I expect a slow game, hammer the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 62-59 MSM.

(#752) San Francisco Dons | ATS | . 

Having got the best out of San Francisco back in January on its home court, Loyola Marymount has failed to win a game since, losing six consecutive. The Lions simply don't have what it takes at the moment, allowing 102 against Santa Clara at home. When playing in away games this year, LMU has lost five straight. I know that this hasn't been the best of seasons for San Francisco and we're nearing the end of it all for the Dons. But, having held Gonzaga to 68 in Spokane not long ago and fresh off a win, who's to say there's no upsets possible in March. If the Dons come into the WCC tournament hot, I expect them to do some damage and perhaps knock off a top team in the conference. Playing at home has been great to San Francisco this season. Give me the Dons by double digits in this revenge game spot. 

Burns' Prediction: 80-65 SF.

(#687) Arkansas State Red Wolves | ATS | . 

While Arkansas State hasn't been as strong as I had expected going into the season, I believe that this is an excellent matchup for the Red Wolves to bounce back and get their season back on track. So far this year, this conference has been pretty "road team friendly" if you'd ask me, with plenty of teams having very respectable road records. That should help ARK ST in this one. 

Coastal Carolina's over-performed in my eyes and the winning will finally come to an end on Wednesday. Over the past two seasons, CCU has been dreadful when playing against ARST. As a matter of fact, the Chanticleers have lost every one of those four games by double digits. Even with the recent SBC success, the Chanticleers are still more than 50 spots below the Red Wolves in KenPom's efficiency rankings. I'll lay the points with the road dog on Wednesday. 

Burns' Prediction: 82-71 Ark State.

(#641) SIU Edwardsville Cougars | ATS | . 

Despite being the road underdog on Tuesday evening, SIU Edwardsville is still one of the best teams in the OVC in my books. The Cougars play a complete opposite style to a lot of teams (including today's opponent,) playing at a very slow pace with stellar defense. When these teams met back in January, Lindenwood was completely shut down by this SIUE defense. As a matter of fact, the Lions shot just 24/66 from the field (36%) and 4/21 from deep (19%.) While this game will be played in Missouri, opposed to that one being in Illinois, I believe that we're going to see similar results. SIUE has beaten USI & SEMO and lost to Morehead State by only two points over its past three road games. Lindenwood's back at home for just a single game before going back on the road. The Lions are coming off an emotional high scoring one point win. That could take some energy out of them. I'll grab the points here. 

Burns' Prediction: 72-66 SIUE.

(#567) Atlanta Hawks | ATS | . 

Atlanta might not have Onyeka Okungwu at the moment. But, that shouldn't matter against a team in Miami that's coming off an emotional three game set against Chicago over last week. The Hawks are off consecutive defeats and badly need this game to get back on track. Miami's got a solid home record this year. But, it doesn't have the same home crowd that some of the other teams in the NBA have given the location and how a lot of the fans don't even show up until the second half of games. I don't believe that the Heat are going to be able to win a fifth consecutive game against the Hawks this evening given the excellent ball movement of Atlanta this season. Porzingis could possibly be back for this game too. Grab the points. 

Burns' Prediction: 123-114 Hawks.

(#879) Weber State Wildcats @ (#880) Sacramento State Hornets | OVER | . 

Coming off a big home win against Idaho State, Weber State is hoping to bring that momentum into today's road matchup. The Wildcats play quite fast, ranking 83rd in KenPom's adjusted tempo rankings and despite their "average" record, they are playing much better than I expected this year. The offense is what's keeping Weber State competitive in these games, averaging 82.6 PPG this season. 

On the other hand, Sacramento State is co-led by former 5* Mikey Williams and Prophet Johnson. Although it's not averaging a ton of points, this is a team that can put up a bundle of points in the right matchup. I expect both of those guards to have great performances against a weak defense. 

For the Hornets, they play at the 19th fastest pace in the country via. KenPom. I know that this total is quite high considering the PPG averages of these two sides. But, there should be plenty of possessions as they each rank in the top 80 in offensive possessions per game as well. Expect a very high scoring affair in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 92-84 Sac St.

(#545) Los Angeles Clippers | ATS | . 

Los Angeles has sure woken up over the past month and I'm very happy about it. The Clippers began the year quite horribly and are very much back in the race to get to the playoffs. With these teams having played three times already this season, the Clippers will want to go out with a bang against the Suns who have won consecutive. 

As I very much respect the Suns for what they are doing and have done this season, enough is enough. It's time for one of these "better" teams to beat Phoenix and take advantage of playing it without the likes of Devin Booker. I believe that the Suns will struggle to guard both Harden and Kawhi on Sunday evening. 

Burns' Prediction: 111-103 Clippers.

(#544) New York Knicks | ATS | . 

While the Lakers have been excellent over this road trip so far, this will now be the 7th straight away game. That's a lot for any team. Last year, the Lakers were able to win all three meetings against the Knicks. Quite shocking. I don't believe that the Lakers are going to have much success this evening against NYK.

Why? Well, the Knicks are coming off a fifth straight win and are getting fantastic play from all of their players. Teams that have covered ATS by more than 18 points in consecutive games (non-conference games,) own a 26-5 (83.9%) record since 2022. That system applies to the Knicks,. Lay the points on Sunday. 

Burns' Prediction: 121-104 Knicks.

(#867) East Tennessee State Buccaneers @ (#868) Wofford Terriers | ATS | . 

The Buccaneers might be on the road on Sunday. But, they are 3-1 over their most recent four away games and that includes wins over teams like Samford & Chattanooga. ETSU is 15-7 and shoots the ball at 49.1% which ranks inside the top 30 of the entire country. That's going to be something to watch out for here. 

While I did play against Wofford on Thursday and wasn't successful, I'm going against it again on Sunday. I'm simply not a believer in the Terriers this season despite their success (15-7 record.) Wofford owns KenPom's 266th ranked D-efficiency and that's going to get eaten alive against a very respectable offense and one of the better teams in the SOCON. Give me ETSU on Sunday. 

Burns' Prediction: 83-72 ETSU.

(#853) Cleveland State Vikings @ (#854) Wisconsin Milwaukee Panthers | OVER | . 

Even though this probably isn't the most exciting game on the board for most, it definitely should be one on people's lists. Cleveland State has won three consecutive contests, putting up 80+ in all of those games comfortably. Note that two of those three were on the road and so is this one tonight. On the defensive side of things, the Vikings own KenPom's 359th ranked D-efficiency out of 365 teams. 

That's going to be something that Milwaukee should be able to capitalize on this afternoon. Coming into the season, I expected great results from the Panthers. While they haven't necessarily came yet, there's still time, most definitely. They also have a very weak defense ranked 270th in KenPom's efficiency rankings. Both teams have an average offensive possession length of 17.0 seconds or under (D1 average is 17.4.) There should be plenty of possessions in this one. Give me the "over." 

Burns' Prediction: 88-86 Milwaukee.

(#847) Marist Red Foxes @ (#848) Niagara Purple Eagles | UNDER | . 

I'm very surprised that the total has gone up in this contest from the opening line of 127.5. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't be surprised one bit if the total goes back own before tip off. Although it's just below league average in terms of pace of play, Marist somewhat surprisingly brings in one of the best defenses in the country into this encounter. The Red Foxes rank 50th in KenPom's D-efficiency rankings while only ranking 310th in O-efficiency. That's all while playing with the 221st ranked adjusted tempo. Niagara, at 5-16 ranks among the worst in the whole country in most things. The Purple Eagles ranked worse than 330th in both D & O-efficiency and have the 362nd slowest pace in the country out of 365 teams. With this game being held at Niagara, that should help it a bit in this game. I do believe that Marist should win fairly comfortably. But, the stronger play is the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 70-52 Marist.

(#807) Saint Mary's Gaels | ATS | . 

In the most highly anticipated matchup that the WCC can put together, I believe that we're going to see a very exciting game on Saturday evening. St. Mary's might not be on the Gonzaga "level." But, let's not forget that the Gaels have gone into Spokane and won B2B meetings here on the road. St. Mary's is more ready than ever to compete with the Zags once again in '25-'26. 

Gonzaga will be missing one of its better players in Braden Huff as he's been out for a while. Even though Graham Ike is expected to make his return on Saturday evening, he's not going to provide the Bulldogs enough to win this game by double digits. This is practically the Gaels' "Super Bowl" every year. Although I wouldn't be shocked at all for another upset, I'll grab the points. 

Burns' Prediction: 72-70 St. Mary's

(#577) Chicago Bulls @ (#578) Miami Heat | OVER | . 

Chicago and Miami have been two of the fastest playing teams in the NBA this season and I'm expecting a very tough battle. Miami ranks #1 among every team in the NBA in possessions per game, in all games as well as at home. In road games, guess who's #2? The Chicago Bulls are number two. 

When these teams met up on Thursday, they combined for 229 and finished "under" the number. While Miami shot under their average for FG%, Chicago shot a whopping 8% below. I don't expect that to continue here today. We're going to see lots of running up and down the court and we're getting a slightly better number than we would have a few days ago. Hammer the "over."

Burns' Prediction: 126-119 Bulls.

(#775) Connecticut Huskies @ (#776) Creighton Blue Jays | UNDER | . 

While it's difficult choosing the "under" in a game where it's expected to be tight down the stretch, I believe that we're going to see a very low scoring contest on Saturday in this Big East encounter. Connecticut currently ranks 298th in KenPom's adjusted tempo rankings with the 5th most efficient defense in the country. That's pretty good if you'd ask me. The Huskies just played a fast team in Providence and was able to change its game style to win that game. I expect them to come back down to earth against a much slower team. Creighton isn't "slow." But, the Blue Jays are still below average in pace, as KenPom has it at 231st this season. These teams have been two of the best in the Big East Conference over the past couple of years and I wouldn't be shocked if they slow it down even more and focus on defense in this massive contest. Creighton needs it more than anything so expect it to be calm and run its sets. The "under" should roll. 

Burns' Prediction: 70-61 UCONN.

(#306613) Eastern Kentucky Colonels @ (#306614) Central Arkansas Bears | OVER | . 

While Eastern Kentucky is lacking quite a bit in the ASUN conference, it has been playing in some very high scoring contests. The Colonels don't play necessarily fast, ranking 196th in the nation in KenPom's tempo rankings. But, they have the 335th ranked defense with a 161st ranked offense. That definitely helps games end up higher scoring that expected. 

On the other hand, Central Arkansas' defense might be rated slightly stronger. But, the Bears have lighting up the scoreboard lately and it hasn't really mattered. Over their past four games, the Bears have averaged 86.5 PPG. Two of those games were on the road. I believe that playing at home should help C-ARK on Saturday and we should see another high scoring affair. 

Burns' Prediction: 84-77 Central Ark.

(#703) Nebraska Omaha Mavericks | ML | . 

If you haven't been following along this season, I've been absolutely riding Nebraska Omaha throughout the past month. I've been able to avoid the Mavericks in the bad spots and win whenever they win. As a matter of fact, I'm 4-0 on them this month. Having said that, this is another great spot for them to be in having won consecutive games and not playing for nearly a whole week after today. 

Denver, on the other hand, I'm not a big fan of. Don't get me wrong, winning on the road against UMKC was a great result for the Pioneers. But, they have struggled dearly against any sort of competition in the Summit League and this one's going to be a real challenge. I think that Omaha is among the best in the conference. Getting it at plus money is an absolute gift in this spot. 

Burns' Prediction: 84-73 Omaha.

(#689) Arkansas Little Rock Trojans | ATS | . 

Despite the struggles this season, Little Rock remains one of my teams to beat in the Ohio Valley Conference this season. The field in this conference is so tight at the moment that anyone could make a run come March. We're going to see the Trojans on the road this weekend, and I expect them to finally start dominating the weaker teams. 

Tennessee Tech simply isn't very good. With a 7-14 record on the season, I don't expect it to pose much of a threat on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Eagles have already gotten killed in this matchup back on the first of January (19pt loss.) If Little Rock is hot early, don't expect this one to be close either. That being said, either way, I expect the experience of Little Rock to prove too good on Saturday. 

Burns' Prediction: 77-69 Little Rock.

(#627) UNC Greensboro Spartans | ATS | . 

It hasn't been that good of a season for UNC Greensboro. It's only won eight games and has lost consecutive games. That being said, this matchup is against one of the worst teams in the conference and even though the Spartans are on the road, they should be able to do some damage this Saturday afternoon. 

The Citadel has played a lot better through nine games inside the conference this season than last. Nonetheless, I believe that this team is still very, very weak. The Bulldogs won five games total last year and zero inside the conference. Don't expect many more wins the rest of this season. When these teams played two weeks ago, UNCG came out on top in OT. I've got it to win again in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 80-70 UNCG.

(#502) Orlando Magic | ATS | . 

Toronto was scorching hot on its most recent road trip, winning four of five on the west coast. The Raptors then returned back to Canada for a game and then headed back down south to Florida for this contest. That's a lot of travelling in a two week stretch. Having just lost against the Knicks quite handily, I believe that it's going to be hard for the Raptors to get any sort of rhythm going here tonight as well. 

Orlando, on the other hand, will still be without Franz. But, I expect the Magic to continue to play steady basketball with Anthony Black & Jalen Suggs playing very well in the backcourt as well as Paolo Banchero being the best player on the court. The win against Miami was big. Give me Orlando to win another game here on Friday. 

Burns' Prediction: 119-108 Magic.

(#569) Detroit Pistons | ATS | . 

While I had the Pistons (lost) in the matchup back in Detroit, free throws at the end of the game were the difference. If Detroit hit those shots, it would've covered easily. Now, even on the road, I believe that this is a great matchup for the Pistons to capitalize on. Let's not forget that Cade Cunningham shots just 3/16 in that contest and 4/9 from the line. I simply don't see him having another game like that. 

Looking at the Suns, they've continued to play well this year. However, without Booker again & possibly Gillespie for the second straight contest, Detroit should definitely have the edge across the court in terms of ability. Duren will feast on the glass and I expect a third consecutive Pistons win on Thursday. Lay the points. 

Burns' Prediction: 115-105 Pistons.

(#790) Abilene Christian Wildcats | ATS | . 

Utah Tech's got more wins on the season but has played three more games. The Trailblazers are coming off a big time offensive performance. However, they are not great defensively, allowing an average of 81.7 PPG on the road this season. They are also struggling ATS recently. 

ACU, on the other hand, had some extra time off with its Monday contest being postponed. The Wildcats haven't played in nearly two weeks and that's what this team needed. They needed a regroup and reset because they are a lot better than what they've shown recently. I believe that ACU could win this one by double digits after losing the first of three meetings already this season between these sides. Give me Abilene Christian to rebound from that loss. 

Burns' Prediction: 75-66 ACU.

(#795) Utah Valley Wolverines @ (#796) Tarleton State Texans | OVER | . 

Quietly one of the better mid-major teams in the entire country this season, Utah Valley ranks #106 overall in KenPom's efficiency rankings. The Wolverines like to play fast and are the 58th ranked team via. adjusted tempo. Not on that, but they are also the 15th best shooting team in the nation via. FG% shooting at 50.7% this year. 

Tarleton State, on the other hand, has had lots of time to think about this contest having had its Monday game postponed (hasn't played in over a week.) The Texans play even faster than the Wolverines, ranking as the 29th fastest team (via. KenPom again.) While the Texans don't necessarily light up the stat sheet with any stat, they do get to the free throw line at the 34th best rate in D1, and shoot 76.6% from the line which is very solid. 

Looking at the defensive numbers, the Texans give up a ton of easy looks to opponents, averaging the 6th worst defensive possession average time ~ at 16.0 (17.4 secs is in the D1 average) leading to many more chances for their opponents throughout the game. I believe that this one could get extremely high scoring and I like the chances of late fouling pushing this game "over" the number if need be. 

Burns' Prediction: 87-83 Utah Valley.

(#306533) Le Moyne Dolphins @ (#306534) Long Island Sharks | OVER | . 

While I'm not the biggest fan of this Le Moyne team, it's hard to ignore the fact that it's won five road games already this season. The Dolphins scored 83 against LIU when these teams met a couple of weeks ago. Now, playing in Long Island, I believe that we're going to see Le Moyne be able to use that confidence and put up some points once again. 

I do expect the Sharks to bounce back from that loss and win this game. But, I don't see their defense being as strong as they should be in this game. Long Island a hard game on the road against CCSU on deck this weekend. But, don't expect LIU to falter offensively against an opponent in the Dolphins who own the 291st best defensive efficiency via. KenPom. Hammer the "over" in this contest. 

Burns' Prediction: 82-75 LIU.

(#306540) Stonehill Skyhawks | ATS | . 

Both of these two teams have struggled dearly to begin this season and both come into today's game with seven wins on the year. Fairleigh Dickinson owns an atrocious 2-10 road record and just allowed 87 points at home against Le Moyne. This conference is very much so up for grabs but I don't believe that any school in the NEC travels well during the week. 

Stonehill's been poor, but its home record is still solid. The Skyhawks just won a close game against CCSU and will be feeling confident, still at home on Thursday. Stonehill's covered ATS in consecutive games. I'll lay the point and a half on Thursday and expect another cover. 

Burns' Prediction: 70-57 Stonehill.

(#758) Chattanooga Mocs | ATS | . 

Wofford brings in a very solid 14-7 record into today's game. Yes, that's quite impressive considering everything. But, its defense has actually been quite poor all year and rank 289 in KenPom's defensive efficiency rankings. Now, I know that the Terriers have definitely been better than most in the Southern Conf. so far. However, I believe that the sub-par defensive work is going to come back to cost the Terriers against some of the better teams in the conference as we head into the final months of the season. 

Chattanooga is in need for a bounce back performance. The Mocs got stunned against ETSU at home in the last game, with a late foul that blew the game. That made the next contest a bad spot for them. Now, with the five days off and being back at home during this mid-week contest, I believe that the Mocs are going to come out playing their best basketball. For all of these mid-major conference teams, everything starts to matter right about now. I expect a big surge for CHAT as we head into February. This team is much better than its record suggests. 

Burns' Prediction: 82-70 Chattanooga.

(#543) Los Angeles Lakers | ATS | . 

Coming into this game, I've really liked what I've seen from Los Angeles in recent games. Luka Doncic looks like the MVP if he keeps this up and I don't expect him to cool off against Cleveland on Wednesday. The Lakers got smacked both times against Cleveland last year, and LeBron is going to want to make sure that it doesn't happen this season., 

Unluckily for Cleveland, the Cavs will be without both Garland & Mobley this evening. I believe that Mobley's non-presence more-so will hurt the Cavs in this one as the Lakers love playing a physical brand of offensive basketball. Expect an outright win for the Lakers on Wednesday evening in Ohio. 

Burns' Prediction: 116-105 Lakers.

(#689) La Salle Explorers @ (#690) Fordham Rams | UNDER | . 

While this total is fairly low, I'm expecting a very slow and hard fought contest on Wednesday evening in New York, New York. Fordham's the favorite in this game, as the oddsmakers are expecting it to win. The Rams have failed to reach more than 65 points in three consecutive games now. Even though I wouldn't be shocked if they were within the 65-70 range on Wednesday, the defensive effort should help keep this one below the number. 

Just like Fordham, La Salle is one of the slowest playing teams in the country. As a matter of fact, both of these teams rank in the bottom 50 of the country in KenPom's adjusted tempo rankings. The Explorers have not had too much success scoring the ball on the road this year. They are averaging 62.9 PPG in eight road games played all season while scoring 60 or less in four of those games. I've got the "under" in this one on Wednesday. 

Burns' Prediction: 66-57 Fordham.

(#306504) Eastern Kentucky Colonels | ATS | . 

Austin Peay has had an excellent start to the campaign which is why it's got some respect on this point spread for being a road team. The Governors have been lighting up teams left right and centre in ASUN play so far. As impressive as that sounds, I still haven't been too impressed. 1-3 ATS over their past four games, they also lost their most recent away game. Austin Peay doesn't shoot the ball all that well considering the great record. 

Eastern Kentucky, on the other hand, is a scrappy team that loves to hound the offensive glass. The Colonels shoot a ton of three pointers and average 11.4 3pt makes per game. When these teams met back on the 15th @Austin Peay, it was only a two point contest and turnovers ended up being the difference. I expect EKU to be calmer at home and settle into this game earlier. That should ultimately help get the job done. ML is an option but I'll lay the point here. 

Burns' Prediction: 78-70 EKU.

(#651) Kentucky Wildcats @ (#652) Vanderbilt Commodores | UNDER | . 

Bringing in a perfect record over its past five games, Kentucky is finally beginning to play like we're used to seeing a Kentucky team play like. The Wildcats are allowing 72.6 PPG over that stretch and that's against very good SEC play! Both matchups in this series went "under" last year and quite easily. 

While I've won with a Vanderbilt "over" in this month as my SEC TOM, I do believe that the matchups tell the story in College Hoops for totals. The Commodores were feisty defensively in their last matchup allowing only 58 points against MSST. I expect another great showing from the defense as they will probably need to, to get past the red hot Wildcats. Play on the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 75-74 Vanderbilt.

(#645) Purdue Boilermakers | ATS | . 

Coming off consecutive losses, people are starting to wonder whether the Boilermakers are as legit as they were earlier on this season. I firmly believe that they still are. Purdue began the year 17-1 and has wins over teams like Iowa, Auburn, Texas Tech, @Alabama & @USC. For how good this team is, I simply don't see Purdue losing a third straight contest. 

Looking at Indiana, it's been a bit of a rocky season so far. The Hoosiers did have great success in College Football winning the National Title Game a few weekends ago. But, they've lost four of their past five games and that incudes two home games against both Nebraska and Iowa. Indiana's simply not at the same level as some of these top Big Ten schools this season. 

Overall, Purdue's the much stronger rebounding team and has some of the best playmaking in the country with Braden Smith at the point guard position. Trey Kaufman-Renn is due for a monstrous performance and I expect him to get one here on Tuesday. This is my #1 BIG TEN GAME OF THE YEAR. 

Burns' Prediction: 82-70 Purdue.