Auburn has gone 0-5 ATS in their last 5...

Great offense against a great defense, who has edge?...

Tennessee has the top perimeter defense allowing 28% from 3...

Bryant won the American East conference at 23-11 only covering 15 of the games while Michigan State played a high-stress game every night in the Big Ten and finished the regular season at 27-6 covering 22 of those games. Michigan State won and covered eight straight games before losing to Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament 77-74. Bryant scores 82 points per game and Michigan State allows 67 points a game. It might be different if Bryant played the slow-down game with fewer possessions, but more possessions mean more errors and Michigan State is one of the best at forcing mistakes. The big advantage will be on the boards both offensive and defensive. Michigan State gets cover.

Akron made the tournament for the third time in the last four seasons and Coach John Groce did an amazing job building this team that only returned one starter from last year. They finished the season 28-6 including 16-0 at home and 8-4 on the road. They shoot 47.3% from the field and made 10.9 three-point shots which is 8th in the nation. They average 84.6 points a game. Arizona doesn't come into this tournament stacked the way they usually are at only 22-12. They're not a good three-point shooting team and their defense is not outstanding like years past. Akron to cover.

The Gators come in with the number one seed against Norfolk State and Florida's going to bury this team on the glass with their size and with their shooting. This is a team that scored 85 points a game and won every game by 16.2 points in the best conference. An SEC team that went 30-4 on the season with 26 covers. The last time Florida and Norfolk State played was in the 2012 tourney and Florida beat them 84-50 and I think that's a score similar to what's going to happen Friday. Florida to cover.

Vanderbilt went 20-12 and had a great season in SEC play by making the tournament, but they lost their last three straight and six of their last nine. They play a high-scoring game, and that's where I think Saint Mary's is going to frustrate Vanderbilt on the court. Saint Mary's doesn't turn the ball over, rebounds well, and holds opponents to 60 points while averaging 73. Saint Mary's for the cover.

UNC Wilmington was 24-10 last year and finished third in the Colonial Athletic Association at 12-6 they had to rebuild the team with one returning starter who averaged three points per game. They got a new team through transfers and they went 27-7, finished second in the CAA and then won the conference tournament. That's Wilmington basketball and they come in with the six-game winning streak. Texas Tech went 25-8, covered 17 games and recent losses were to Arizona and Houston but then there's also a February 18th game at TCU where they lost 69-66 as 7.5-point favorites. I think that team against TCU is still in the locker room with a neutral court. Wilmington to cover.

In only their 5th year of Division 1 basketball, San Diego makes their first NCAA tournament and faces Michigan in the first round. This is the classic five versus 12 seed. But San Diego isn’t your ordinary 12 seed. They went 30-4 and won the Big West this season but covered 25 games and their 78% cover rate was the highest in college basketball. They also like to take threes and make 10.8 per game, which is 5th in the nation. The Tritons strength on offense is they don't turn the ball over having the least amount at 8.7. Michigan just won the Big Ten tournament and they are a five seed and only -2.5? San Diego to win.

Coach Ben McCollum did a great job with Drake in his first season and led his team to a 30-3 season, better than last year's NCAA tournament team the went 28-7. He did it with no returning starters. They look the same shooting 48.1% from the field. This isn't a road game, it's a neutral site game, but it's still not a home game and Missouri went 3-7 in their road games this season as opposed to Drake going 9-1. That mental toughness is worth backing on the money line. I'll take Drake to cover in this game.

Yale is back in the tournament again after upsetting Auburn in last year's tournament. Texas A&M better be careful as a 4 seed against 13. Yale lost three starters from last year's team and still made the NCAA tournament and still shot 49% from the field. Yale scores 81 points a game and covered 18 and 10 ATS this season with a defense allowing 40% shooting. Texas A&M has lost five of their last seven games. Yale to cover.

I want to take the dog in most situations during the tournament but sometimes it just ain't there and that's the way I think with Clemson versus McNeese State. I just can't see McNeese State beating Clemson. Both teams are 27-6 but Clemson is playing in a much stronger conference in the ACC as opposed to the Southland conference and McNeese State only covered 15 games this year. Clemson was 20-13 against spread. Clemson's got the size and they got the swagger of low-scoring defense with lots of discipline. They get the cover by 10 or more.

Alabama State is getting 32 points from Auburn and they went 20-15 this year. They covered 14 of those games. Auburn was 28-5 this year and they lost in the SEC tournament to Tennessee making it three losses in their last four games meaning that they are very angry and will take out that anger on Alabama State. This is a spot where the size of Auburn and the athletic ability of the team will stand out and Coach Bruce Pearl is well aware of their number on the game and will want to get the guys started in the tournament on a positive note. Auburn to cover.

Purdue made the championship game last year so we forgot about their previous February funks and March miseries but the fact is they lost three straight to double-digit seeds in the tournament. Purdue looks like that team again, and the funny thing is that I think they feel that pressure on their back. High Point has won 14 straight games and shot 49.4% from the field and also hit 36.4% from 3-point range. They're a great rebounding team as well. Purdue's going to have trouble here. High Point scores 82 points a game but has stayed under seven of their last eight games. High Point to cover.

North Carolina barely made the tournament but they made it because of their last 10 games when they won eight of them, losing twice to Duke. They made it because they covered eight of their last nine games and San Diego State is going to be in trouble. The Aztecs went 21-9 but only covered the spread in 12 of the games. North Carolina average is 80 points a game and San Diego State only allowed 63 per game and they defend well holding opponents to 37.8% shooting percentage but that's all they do well. They're not a good rebounding team and their offense is shaky. North Carolina wins and covers.