Auburn covered against Creighton, ending the Tigers' ATS skid. ...

Cleveland State hasn't played in two weeks and is 1-2 in the CBI the past two seasons, the victory coming by two over Northern Colorado. This should be another tight game with Queens, which has covered five straight and had the benefit of playing in the Ocean Center on Sunday. The Vikings went 3-5 down the stretch and might not be as excited as the Royals to be in Daytona Beach, Fla. Look for 6-7 senior Leo Colimerio (13.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.1 apg) to do it all for the Royals and help take this game to the wire.

I was high on Grand Canyon, so what the Terps did to the Lopes left a big impression. The Rams have won and covered 11 straight, but they don't match up well with Maryland's dominant frontcourt. I doubt Kyan Evans can replicate his 6-of-9 shooting performance from deep. Look for the Big Ten to keep cashing tickets as the Terps pull away late.

UConn is the only Big East team still standing. But these aren't close to the Huskies of the past two seasons -- Florida could be on that level, however. After giving up an 11-0 Norfolk State run in its Round of 64 blowout win, the Gators will be extremely focused for this one. They're too deep, too talented and too well-coached for this version of UConn. Oklahoma missed 15 layups against UConn on Friday, and I don't think the Gators will be so sloppy. Look for Florida to improve to 13-2 ATS in its last 15 games.

St. Mary's had a horrific offensive game last time out, versus Gonzaga in the WCC Championship Game. I look for the Gaels to come out sharp thanks to Randy Bennett and exploit their size against Vandy. It will take time for the Commodores to adjust to St. Mary's deliberate style. Look for the Gaels, No. 8 nationally in defensive efficiency, to control the first half.

The Rams have won 10 straight, all by at least eight points. Nique Clifford (projected Top-20 NBA pick) appears to be on a mission, as he's scored 24-plus in four straight. Memphis could be without Tyrese Hunter and another guard, so the Rams should have a nice edge in depth. Look for CSU to slow down the Tigers and make it 11 covers in a row.

Utah State lost three of its last five games, while UCLA split its final eight. The Bruins are stout defensively, but I like the Aggies and their efficient offense (48.4 percent shooting, 17th nationally) to keep this close. Utah State starts four seniors including Ian Martinez, who scored 21 points in the Aggies' NCAA Tournament win over TCU last year. In that matchup, Utah State was a 3.5-point underdog despite being the No. 8 seed. This year's Aggies went 11-5 in road and neutral-site games, including winning at Saint Mary's.

Missouri has lost five of seven, giving up 91-plus points in each of those losses. The Tigers rank 71st in defensive efficiency, per KenPom. Lately they've been prone to fouling. Drake runs a patient offense full of screens and ranks 11th in free throws per field goal attempt. The Bulldogs also lead the nation in steal rate at 14.6 percent. The Tigers will be doubling Bennett Stirtz (19.1 ppg, 5.7 apg) to get the ball out of his hands, but I have confidence in his teammates like Mitch Mascari (41 percent on 3-pointers). Mizzou's Mark Mitchell is good to go after hurting his knee in the SEC Tournament, but I still like the Bulldogs to keep it close.

The Aggies have lost five of seven and drew a tough matchup against Ivy League champion Yale. The Bulldogs shoot 38.5 percent from beyond the arc (ninth nationally) and return key players from the team that upset Auburn in this round last season, also as a No. 13 seed. Senior John Poulakidas (19.2 ppg) had 28 points in that 78-76 win over Auburn. Texas A&M is a tremendous rebounding team but the Aggies can struggle to score if Wade Taylor IV isn't shooting well. In the team's recent four-game skid, Taylor went 14 of 50 from the field.

Mike White is 4-0 in NCAA Tournament opening-round games, and he's got a Georgia team that's beaten Florida, St. John's (neutral site) and Kentucky. Sophomore Silas Demary Jr. averaged 19.4 points over the final eight games, giving Georgia a terrific 1-2 punch with freshman sensation and projected lottery pick Asa Newell. Tough-minded and battle-tested from the SEC schedule, the Bulldogs will make things challenging for high-flying Gonzaga and potentially pull the upset.

San Francisco went 16-1 on its home floor and owns a win over Saint Mary's. But one of the Dons' two first-team All-WCC performers, senior guard Marcus Williams, is not expected to play in this NIT opener. Williams (15.1 ppg, 4.3 apg, 41.4 percent on 3-pointers) is being held out due to an eligibility issue. He missed the WCC Tournament as well. The Wolverines allowed 42 points in the paint in their 89-82 WAC Tournament final loss to Grand Canyon. San Francisco is a more guard-oriented attack, so I bet the Wolverines to keep this close. They're excited to be in the NIT so motivation won't be an issue.

Stanford acquitted itself well in the ACC Tournament, eliminating Cal before losing to Louisville on a buzzer-beater. Led by 7-1 senior Maxime Raynaud (20.1 ppg, 10.6 rpg), the Cardinal are 16-2 at home. They're hosting a Cal State Northridge team that surprised many but could be hampered Tuesday. Matadors leading scorer Marcus Adams Jr., a BYU transfer who originally committed to Kansas, rolled his ankle in the first half of Thursday's Big West Tournament loss to UCSB. He tried to play through the injury ibut was unable to. The 6-8 sophomore averages 16.1 points and 4.9 rebounds and shoots 52.6 percent from the field, 39.5 percent from deep. Adams might not be as effective as usual, assuming he plays, giving Stanford a big edge.

The Cowboys went 12-3 at home, but don't expect a raucous atmosphere in Stillwater, Okla., for this NIT opener as it comes during spring break. (And it's the NIT). The Shockers got a surprise invitation after scattering for their break following an 83-80 AAC Tournament loss to Memphis on Saturday. They might not have time to practice, but every player responded enthusiastically when asked about the chance to keep playing. Senior guard Bijan Cortes, who grew up about an hour away from Oklahoma State's campus, is definitely fired up after pouring in 39 points with 12 assists in two AAC tourney games. The Shockers closed on a 9-3 ATS run and I like them to keep this close, if not win outright.

The Billikens have three legit scoring options who can keep this close. They also have a coach who took his team to the NIT championship game last year. I grabbed the points with a talented St. Louis team that won’t mind the Red Wolves’ fast pace.

The Tigers swept the regular-season series but they haven't exactly been dominant in this tournament, and they won't have senior guard Tyrese Hunter. Yaxel Lendeborg continues to shoot up NBA Draft boards, and he's eager to make amends for a pair of subpar performances versus Memphis. Back Andy Kennedy's team to at least take this to the wire, if not win outright.