For quality teams that are disappointed at being bypassed by the NCAA Tournament, the opening round of the NIT is revealing. Do they care about the “consolation bracket” event? In the Redbirds’ case, the answer is a resounding yes. They trounced UC Irvine and are rewarded with another home game, where the are 16-0 this season. Given the ultra-low projected score, the 4.5 could be dicey. But UCF has covered only twice in the past seven roadies. The Birds’ disappointment is behind them.

I'm projecting 115 points for this NIT matchup Monday night, giving us a nice cushion below the posted total. The Under is cashing in 84 percent of my simulations. Go Under.