Kudos to Syracuse for blasting North Carolina, 81-53, in the second round of the ACC Tournament Wednesday night. The Orangmen are not a deep team, though, and now they have to take on a frustrated Louisville squad. 
The Cardinals blew the ACC regular-season title by finishing the regular season going 3-4. 
Louisville is rested and superior to Syracuse. The teams met on Feb. 19 and Louisville buried the Orangemen, 90-66, at home. This line opened short in my view so I'm involved. 

Kudos to Syracuse for blasting North Carolina, 81-53, in the second round of the ACC Tournament Wednesday night. The Orangmen are not a deep team, though, and now they have to take on a frustrated Louisville squad. 
The Cardinals blew the ACC regular-season title by finishing the regular season going 3-4. 
Louisville is rested and superior to Syracuse. The teams met on Feb. 19 and Louisville buried the Orangemen, 90-66, at home. This line opened short in my view so I'm involved. 

These teams met twice during the regular season and the combined amount of points scored were 125 and 109 points, respectively. 
So why should the Over/Under be higher for this Big West Tournament game? The answer is it shouldn't.
This especially is true considering the site and setting. The tournament is being played at the massive Honda Center, which is better equipped for hockey. There also won't be any people in the stands. So the shooting atmosphere is going to be different on two important factors. 
UC Irvine is the top defensive team in the Big West. The Anteaters have held six of their last eight opponents to 64 or fewer points. 

So much for Virginia regressing this season. Riding the top-ranked defense in the nation, the Cavaliers are 11-1 in their last 12 games and have won eight in a row. I want them going for me here in the ACC Tourney at this short number. 
Virginia gives up just 52.4 points a game. The Cavaliers also rank second in defensive field goal percentage. Notre Dame surrenders 17 more points per game than Virginia. 

Kudos to the Kings, who have the fewest points in the Western Conference. Despite their lowly status, the Kings have put together a six-game win streak. Note, though, that three of those victories were by one goal with two of the victories coming in either overtime, or via a shootout.
Now, for just the second time in their last 16 games, the Kings are favored. 
This is where I jump off the Kings' bandwagon. 
Ottawa hasn't been playing bad either with four wins in its last six games. The Senators are 7-3 the past 10 times against the Kings. 
Bottom line: Too much value on Ottawa to let this one pass. 

TCU was 2-0 versus Kansas State during the regular season. I don't see that pattern changing in their Big 12 Conferernce Tournament game. The Horned Frogs have played better down the stretch even defeating Baylor three games ago. TCU has a chance to draw an NIT bid with a good tournament showing. Kansas State is not going anywhere with a 10-21 record, 3-15 mark in the Big 12. 
The Wildcats actually are a little fat and happy having halted a 10-game losing streak with a 79-63 home win against Iowa State this past Saturday on their senior day. 
TCU is the better and more motivated squad. The Horned Frogs also have revenge incentive. Kansas State defeated them, 70-61, in the Big 12 Tournament last year. 

The last time these teams met was 10 days ago. Old Dominion won, 85-80, in overtime. Both teams shot well from the floor. But that final score shouldn't disguise the fact that Florida Atlantic is a strong defensive-minded team. So are the Monarchs. They also play at a slow pace. 
These teams are familiar with each other having just met. That's a plus for the defenses. 
This is a netural site setting, too - the Ford Center in Frisco, Texas. That's another plus for the Under especially given Old Dominion's track record there, which is five games played in the last two years all of which fell below 121 points. 

These are two evenly matched teams - each 8-12 - playing at a neutral site in the first round of the Big Sky Conference Tournament. So I am happy to accept this many points with Weber State.
The Wildcats average nearly seven points more per game than Sacramento State. The Hornets are the better defensive team, but they enter tourney play giving up 76 and 79 points during their last two games, losses to Portland State and Montana. 
Weber State beat Sacramento State during the most recent meeting, 70-66, as 1-point home 'dogs on Feb. 6. 

The Nets are a pesky underdog. They have covered five of the last six times getting points and are in an excellent spot to cover the spread again. 
The Lakers are coming off impressive victories against the Bucks this past Friday and rival Clippers two days ago. The Lakers host the Rockets on Thursday in a much bigger matchup than this one. 
That makes this a major letdown situation for the Lakers. 
Brooklyn is playing its second game under interim coach Jacque Vaughn having opened his era with a 110-107 home win against the Bulls this past Sunday. One of Vaughn's changes from former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson was starting and giving more minutes to center DeAndre Jordan at the expense of Jarrett Allen. Jordan helped the Nets outrebound the Bulls, 50-31. He is a better defensive player, rebounder and shot-blocker than Allen. 
LeBron James and Anthony Davis are going to receive all the attention, but Jordan knows the Lakers well from his many years with the Clippers. Brooklyn has an underrated backcourt, too, with Spencer Dimwiddie and Caris LeVert, who is averaging 28.8 points in his last four games. 

Timberwolves plus 12 1/2 at Rockets 
It has been eight years since the Timberwolves beat the Rockets in Houston. I don't expect Minnesota to end that 13-game road losing streak. to the Rockets. I do expect, though, the Timberwolves to hang within single digits. 
Houston isn't playing nearly well enough to be laying this many points to any NBA opponent. The Rockets are 0-4 SU and ATS in their last four games losing to the Knicks on the road by two, falling to the Clippers by 15 at home, dropping a road game to the Hornets by nine points and getting blown out at home by 20 points to the Magic two days ago.
The Rockets have been cold with their 3-point shooting and are minus-36 rebounding during their losing streak. That's the danger of going with the smallest lineup in the NBA. Houston also could be minus Eric Gordon, its third-leading scorer. He's questionable with a knee injury. 
The major part of my handicap is a fade on the Rockets. But the Timberwolves do offer a top-10 offense. They have produced at least 115 points in 11 of their last 14 games. D'Angelo Russell is an accomplished scorer and shooting guard Malik Beasley is one of the more underrated players in the league producing nine 20-point performances in 13 games since coming from Denver. 
Sure there's a chance the Rockets take their frustrations out on the Timberwolves. Keep in mind, though, the Rockets are playing their third game in four days and have a far bigger matchup on deck against the Lakers on Thursday. Houston is not a deep team either. So even in a worst case scenario for the Timberwolves of the Rockets getting things together, the backdoor should swing open if late-game garbage time should occur. 

(Editor's note: Stephen Nover is one of the hottest basketball 'cappers in North America with a 68-44 record on his premium NBA plays this season and going 109-62-6 on his college basketball plays the past two seasons, including 43-23-3 on his last 69 CBB plays! Stephen also is beating the NHL for a fourth straight year and just cashed an underdog winner with the Kings on Monday. All of Stephen's plays come with his unique, in-depth analysis and are guaranteed to win.)