College Basketball Picks (Jan. 17-23): 7-4 (+$710)
College Basketball Picks (Jan. 24-30): 6-3-1 (+$520)
College Basketball Picks (Jan. 31-Feb. 6): 5-4 (-$110)
College Basketball Picks (Feb. 7-13): 5-4-1 (+$310)
College Basketball Picks (Feb. 14-20): 5-3 (+$330)
College Basketball Picks (Feb. 21-27): 3-5 (-$500)
College Basketball Picks (Feb. 28-March 6): 5-4 (+$120)
College Basketball Picks (March 7-13): 2-5-1 (-$700)
College Basketball Picks (March 14-20): 2-4 (-$475)
College Basketball Picks (March 21-27): 1-3 (-$230)
College Basketball Picks (Reg Season 2010-11): 46-42-4 (+$185)
College Basketball Picks (Reg Season 2009-10): 46-40-1 (+$880)
College Basketball Picks (Reg Season 2008-09): 66-53-2 (+$1,680)
Butler (28-9) vs. Connecticut (31-9)
Line: Connecticut by 3.5.
9:20 PM ET (Game 601-602)
You have to be nuts to bet this game. Almost every sharp in Vegas has sucked in this NCAA Tournament (per Bill Simmons’ podcast). With a gun to my head, I’d take the Huskies moneyline because I don’t think Kemba Walker will lose. But who the hell knows anymore?
College Basketball Pick: Connecticut 70, Butler 67
Connecticut -165 (0 Units)
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Virginia-Commonwealth (27-11) vs. Kansas (35-2)
Line: Kansas by 11.5.
2:00 PM ET (Game 721-722)
Even when I’m right, I’m wrong. I’m taking Kansas – they’re now the favorite to win the whole thing, and as I wrote earlier, the past five national champs are 26-4 against the spread in the tournament. The Jayhawks are 2-1 ATS thus far.
College Basketball Pick: Kansas 82, Virginia-Commonwealth 67
Kansas -11.5 (0 Units)
Arizona (30-7) vs. Connecticut (29-9)
Line: Connecticut by 2.5.
7:00 PM ET (Game 515-516)
I’ve suddenly realized why I’ve sucked at handicapping the NCAA Tournament – because it makes no f***ing sense. How does Kentucky go from nearly losing to Princeton to knocking off Ohio State? Whatever. I’m going one unit from here on out, and I’m taking Kemba Walker tonight. I think we’re all overreacting to Arizona’s victory over Duke. The Wildcats just played their best half of the entire season. I doubt they can duplicate that.
College Basketball Pick: Connecticut 68, Arizona 62
Connecticut -2.5 (1 Unit) — Incorrect; -$110
Connecticut 65, Arizona 63
Kentucky (27-8) vs. Ohio State (34-2)
Line: Ohio State by 6.
9:30 PM ET (Game 879-880)
I’m going to continue to ride Ohio State. As I wrote last weekend, national champions are 26-4 against the spread in the NCAA Tournament dating back to 2006, and Ohio State is undefeated against the spread thus far.
College Basketball Pick: Ohio State 82, Kentucky 70
Ohio State -6 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Kentucky 62, Ohio State 60
Butler (25-9) vs. Wisconsin (25-8)
Line: Wisconsin by 4.5.
9:55 PM ET (Game 807-808)
I’m done betting against Butler. They’re awesome. They have more experience than Wisconsin, and I can’t believe that they’d lose by five or more points to anyone outside of maybe Ohio State.
College Basketball Pick: Butler 72, Wisconsin 68
Butler +4.5 (1 Unit) — Correct; +$100
Butler 61, Wisconsin 54
Michigan (21-13) vs. Duke (31-4)
Line: Duke by 12.5.
2:45 PM ET (Game 719-720)
This seems like a high spread, but not after you hear this stat: Since 2006, teams that win the championship are 26-4 against the spread in the NCAA Tournament. With that in mind, I’m taking the two best teams.
College Basketball Pick: Duke 81, Michigan 61
Duke -12.5 (1.5 Units) — Incorrect; -$165
Duke 73, Michigan 71
George Mason (27-6) vs. Ohio State (33-2)
Line: Ohio State by 11.
5:15 PM ET (Game 723-724)
Once again, I’m taking the two teams that have the best shot at winning the NCAA Tournament. As for Kansas, I think they’re too lazy after watchinig them struggle on Friday.
College Basketball Pick: Ohio State 77, George Mason 59
Ohio State -11 (1.5 Units) — Correct; +$150
Ohio State 98, George Mason 66
Hampton (24-8) vs. Duke (30-4)
Line: Duke by 23.
3:10 PM ET (Game 829-830)
If I don’t get this selection right, I’m done making college basketball picks for the year. I did so well in the regular season, but the conference and NCAA Tournaments have destroyed my bankroll.
College Basketball Pick: Duke 86, Hampton 60
Duke -23 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Duke 87, Hampton 45
Northern Colorado (21-10) vs. San Diego State (32-2)
Line: San Diego State by 15.5.
4:40 PM ET (Game 731-732)
One afternoon game and one evening game today – I like Northern Colorado to cover the spread. San Diego State had only four conference blowouts, so I don’t know why they’d suddenly have a huge victory over a conference champion that can score.
College Basketball Pick: San Diego State 76, Northern Colorado 68
Northern Colorado +15.5 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
San Diego State 78, Northern Colorado 60
Belmont (30-4) vs. Wisconsin (23-8)
Line: Wisconsin by 5.
7:25 PM ET (Game 737-738)
Belmont is better than Wisconsin. That’s why I’m taking them. The Badgers are in a free fall; they were blown out at Ohio State and then scored just 33 points against Penn State.
College Basketball Pick: Belmont 70, Wisconsin 61
Belmont +5 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Wisconsin 72, Belmont 58
UAB (22-8) vs. Clemson (21-11)
Line: Clemson by 4.5.
9:00 PM ET (Game 541-542)
As I wrote in my 2011 NCAA Tournament Picks, I believe that UAB and VCU will make all the talking heads eat their words by winning two games in the Big Dance (including these bogus first-four contests).
College Basketball Pick: UAB 69, Clemson 67
UAB +4.5 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Clemson 70, UAB 52
Michigan State (19-13) vs. Penn State (18-13)
Line: Michigan State by 3.
4:00 PM ET (Game 535-536) – Game at Indianapolis, Ind.
Penn State is currently in the NCAA Tournament according to Joe Lunardi and our own bracketology, but I’m terrified that we’re going to embarrass ourselves against Michigan State. It’s Izzo Time, and the Nittany Lions are just 4-19 in their previous 23 matchups against Sparty.
College Basketball Pick: Michigan State 59, Penn State 52
Michigan State -3 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Penn State 61, Michigan State 48
LaSalle (15-17) vs. Temple (24-6)
Line: Temple by 9.5.
6:30 PM ET (Game 839-840) – Game at Atlantic City, N.J.
Temple is a capsizing team. The Owls have struggled recently – they barely beat LaSalle about a week ago – because they have so many injuries. It wouldn’t surprise me if they lost this game.
College Basketball Pick: Temple 71, LaSalle 68
LaSalle +9.5 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Temple 96, LaSalle 76
UC-Riverside (12-18) vs. Long Beach State (21-10)
Line: Long Beach State by 10.
9:30 PM ET (Game 879-880) – Game at Anaheim, Calif.
Long Beach State, the No. 1 seed in the Big West Conference, nearly choked yesterday against UC-Irvine. UC-Riverside just knocked off the No. 2 seed, and they played Long Beach tough twice this year.
College Basketball Pick: Long Beach State 70, UC-Riverside 66
UC-Riverside +10 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Long Beach State 74, UC-Riverside 63
Arkansas (18-12) vs. Tennessee (18-13)
Line: Tennessee by 6.
7:30 PM ET (Game 743-744) – Game at Atlanta, Ga.
Tennessee sucks. They’re on the bubble, and I think they’re going to choke. They don’t take inferior teams seriously anyway.
College Basketball Pick: Arkansas 71, Tennessee 70
Arkansas +6 (2 Units) — Push; $0
Tennessee 74, Arkansas 68
Georgia Tech (13-17) vs. Virginia Tech (19-10)
Line: Virginia Tech by 5.
9:25 PM ET (Game 721-722) – Game at Greensboro, N.C.
Virginia Tech is another bubble team I believe is going to choke. Outside of that victory over Duke, the Hokies have played like crap recently.
College Basketball Pick: Georgia Tech 67, Virginia Tech 63
Georgia Tech +5 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Virginia Tech 59, Georgia Tech 43
Oklahoma (13-17) vs. Baylor (18-12)
Line: Baylor by 7.
7:00 PM ET (Game 635-636) – Game at Kansas City, Mo.
Baylor sucks. They’ve lost four of five. They need this game to get into the NCAA Tournament, so there’s a chance they could choke.
College Basketball Pick: Baylor 69, Oklahoma 66
Oklahoma +7 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Oklahoma 84, Baylor 69
South Florida (9-22) vs. Villanova (23-9)
Line: Villanova by 9.5.
7:00 PM ET (Game 569-570) – Game at Madison Square Garden, N.Y.
Villanova really sucks. Sure, they’ve lost to a bunch of great teams recently, but they also barely beat DePaul and Seton Hall during their slump. It wouldn’t surprise me if South Florida came away with a victory.
College Basketball Pick: Villanova 73, South Florida 69
South Florida +9.5 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
South Florida 70, Villanova 69
South Dakota State (19-11) vs. Oakland (23-9)
Line: Oakland by 2.5.
7:00 PM ET (Game 531-532) – Game at Sioux Falls, S.D.
My strategy to bet against the No. 1 seeds in conference tournaments completely bombed on Saturday, but worked flawlessly on Sunday. If only I had the balls to stick with it. Ugh.
Let’s keep going with it. This Oakland team is lucky enough to evade Al Davis, but South Dakota State is pretty much at home.
College Basketball Pick: South Dakota State 81, Oakland 77
South Dakota State +2.5 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Oakland 110, South Dakota State 90
Binghamton (8-22) vs. Vermont (22-7)
Line: Vermont by 12.
2:20 PM ET (Game 703-704) – Game at Hartford, Conn.
I have five picks today, all of which have one thing in common – I’m betting against No. 1 seeds in mid- and low-major conference tournaments. The reason’s simple: These teams have enjoyed tremendous regular seasons, but one loss here means elimination from NCAA Tournament contention. That’s just way too much pressure on a bunch of kids. Hell, professional football and basketball players tend to choke in must-win situations.
In this game, I’m taking Tony Kornheiser’s alma mater. Binghamton has been blown out only once since Jan. 23. The Bearcats battled Vermont close on Feb. 13, losing 60-51.
College Basketball Pick: Vermont 68, Binghamton 61
Binghamton +12 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Vermont 57, Binghamton 46
Marist (6-26) vs. Fairfield (23-6)
Line: Fairfield by 16.5.
4:55 PM ET (Game 679-680) – Game at Bridgeport, Conn.
The Red Foxes have an awful record, but they have only one loss of more than 16 since the end of January.
College Basketball Pick: Fairfield 69, Marist 58
Marist +16.5 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Fairfield 55, Marist 31
North Florida (15-18) vs. Belmont (29-4)
Line: Belmont by 17.5.
6:00 PM ET (Game 711-712) – Game at Macon, Ga.
How can you not take a school named after the great vampire hunter, Simon Belmont? Well, the Bruins have been shaky lately, barely beating Kennesaw State and Mercer. The Ospreys, meanwhile, have knocked off the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds in the Atlantic Sun Tournament.
College Basketball Pick: Belmont 78, North Florida 68
North Florida +17.5 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Belmont 87, North Florida 46
Southern Utah (11-18) vs. Oakland (22-9)
Line: Oakland by 13.
7:00 PM ET (Game 713-714) – Game at Sioux Falls, S.D.
I’m sure Oakland has a bunch of “great playas” with Al Davis in town, but I’m taking Southern Utah to cover. The Thunderbirds were 5-3 in the month of February, and their losses were by 3, 2 and 14.
College Basketball Pick: Oakland 82, Southern Utah 72
Southern Utah +13 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Oakland 82, Southern Utah 66
Elon (14-16) vs. College of Charleston (22-9)
Line: College of Charleston by 9.
9:25 PM ET (Game 675-676) – Game at Chattanooga, Tenn.
This is a conspicuously short line, but Elon’s the hotter team. The Phoenix have won four of five, while College of Charleston has dropped two in a row going into the SoCon Tournament.
College Basketball Pick: College of Charleston 77, Elon 75
Elon +9 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
College of Charleston 78, Elon 60
Southern Illinois (13-18) at Missouri State (23-7)
Line: Missouri State by 11.
1:00 PM ET (Game 843-844)
Missouri State put together a great season. However, it could all end this afternoon if they lose to a crappy 13-18 squad. That’s a lot of pressure to put on a bunch of kids. Also, the Bears have only one double-digit victory in the past two months.
This game’s happening in 20 minutes, FYI. I apologize; I didn’t realize that there were early games today.
College Basketball Pick: Missouri State 68, Southern Illinois 61
Southern Illinois +11 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Missouri State 58, Southern Illinois 56
Oregon State (10-17) at Arizona (23-6)
Line: Arizona by 14.5.
8:30 PM ET (Game 515-516)
Arizona is not playing good basketball right now. The Wildcats have dropped two in a row, and have only beaten one opponent by double digits since Jan. 27. Oregon State, meanwhile, has kept its games close over the past month.
I also gave some consideration to St. John’s -2. But that line just looks like a trap. The Johnnies should be ranked in the top 10 and Seton Hall sucks, so why is the line only -2? Makes no sense to me.
College Basketball Pick: Arizona 79, Oregon State 70
Oregon State +14.5 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Arizona 70, Oregon State 59
Eastern Washington (8-19) at Weber State (17-10)
Line: Weber State by 13.
8:00 PM ET (Game 803-804)
The last time Eastern Washington lost by more than 12 points? Jan. 13. Weber State has bigger fish to fry with the Big Sky Tournament coming up.
College Basketball Pick: Weber State 73, Eastern Washington 65
Eastern Washington +13 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Eastern Washington 75, Weber State 59
Youngstown State (9-20) at Valparaiso (21-10)
Line: Valparaiso by 13.5.
8:00 PM ET (Game 547-548)
Valparaiso is 21-10, but they’re just 2-3 in their previous five games. Youngstown State, meanwhile, has not lost by more than 12 points since Jan. 29.
College Basketball Pick: Valparaiso 75, Youngstown State 67
Youngstown State +13.5 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Valparaiso 80, Youngstown State 71
Providence (14-14) at Marquette (17-11)
Line: Marquette by 10.
4:00 PM ET (Game 833-834)
Marquette, losers of five of its previous nine games, has been inconsistent all year. I don’t think they deserve to be favored by 10 over a decent Providence team. The Friars should be able to score enough to cover.
College Basketball Pick: Marquette 77, Providence 72
Providence +10 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Marquette 86, Providence 62
St. John’s (18-9) at Villanova (21-7)
Line: Villanova by 6.5.
2:00 PM ET (Game 567-568)
Villanova has been playing like crap lately. They’re 2-3 in their previous five, with their two wins coming against DePaul (by 2) and Seton Hall (by 3). St. John’s is the better team right now.
College Basketball Pick: Villanova 70, St. John’s 69
St. John’s +6.5 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
St. John’s 81, Villanova 68
Mississippi State (14-13) at Tennessee (17-11)
Line: Tennessee by 11.
6:00 PM ET (Game 601-602)
Tennessee is a lazy team that doesn’t take lesser opponents seriously. And they’re not that good. The Vols have lost four of six, while Mississippi State hasn’t suffered a double-digit loss since Feb. 2.
College Basketball Pick: Tennessee 71, Mississippi State 68
Mississippi State +11 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Mississippi State 70, Tennessee 69
Wyoming (10-17) at UNLV (21-7)
Line: UNLV by 17.5.
10:00 PM ET (Game 673-674)
This is a pretty high spread for UNLV. The Rebs don’t really blow teams out, while Wyoming has been playing well of late.
College Basketball Pick: UNLV 71, Wyoming 66
Wyoming +17.5 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
UNLV 90, Wyoming 77
Troy (8-18) at Florida Atlantic (19-9)
Line: Florida Atlantic by 10.
7:00 PM ET (Game 519-520)
Rough week thus far. Let’s hope Troy saves me. Troy has won three of four and is playing a lot better than Florida Atlantic right now. The Owls have lost two of three, including one game by 27 points.
College Basketball Pick: Florida Atlantic 72, Troy 68
Troy +10 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Florida Atlantic 77, Troy 60
DePaul (7-19) at St. John’s (17-9)
Line: St. John’s by 13.5.
7:00 PM ET (Game 731-732)
DePaul has been playing everyone tough. Check out their previous five results: loss by 2 vs. Villanova; win by 3 at Providence; loss by 11 at West Virginia; loss by 3 vs. Cincinnnati; loss by 4 at Louisville. Meanwhile, St. John’s has battled so many tough opponents recently; the last cupcake team they’ve played was Rutgers (at home on Feb. 2), and they won that game by only two points. This could be a similar letdown.
College Basketball Pick: St. John’s 71, DePaul 64
DePaul +13.5 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
St. John’s 76, DePaul 51
Illinois (17-10) at Ohio State (26-2)
Line: Ohio State by 10.5.
7:00 PM ET (Game 523-524)
Ohio State isn’t playing good basketball right now, having lost two of three. Illinois, meanwhile, has just one loss of five or more points in conference play. They really need this game more than the Buckeyes; a victory would pretty much clinch a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
College Basketball Pick: Ohio State 67, Illinois 61
Illinois +10.5 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Ohio State 89, Illinois 70
Maryland Eastern Shore (6-20) at Morgan State (13-10)
Line: Morgan State by 13.
9:00 PM ET (Game 721-722)
Maryland Eastern Shore has an awful record, but it plays its opponents tough; the Hawks have been blown out only once in the past month. Meanwhile, Morgan State has only one blowout victory in the same span.
College Basketball Pick: Morgan State 73, Maryland Eastern Shore 68
Maryland Eastern Shore +13 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Morgan State 71, Maryland Eastern Shore 54
Penn State (14-11) at Wisconsin (19-6)
Line: Wisconsin by 12.
6:00 PM ET (Game 865-866)
After a brief slump, Penn State’s playing well again. I like them to cover against Wisconsin. The Badgers don’t really blow teams out; they just don’t have the explosive offense to do that.
College Basketball Pick: Wisconsin 69, Penn State 62
Penn State +12 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Wisconsin 76, Penn State 66
Texas Tech (11-15) at Baylor (17-8)
Line: Baylor by 12.
8:00 PM ET (Game 593-594)
Texas Tech has only been blown out twice in the past month – against top-three teams Kansas and Texas. I wouldn’t put Baylor in that category. The Bears have just one victory of more than four points since Jan. 22 – and that was against Wayland Baptist.
College Basketball Pick: Baylor 75, Texas Tech 69
Texas Tech +12 (3 Units) — Correct; +$300
Texas Tech 78, Baylor 69
San Francisco (14-12) at Gonzaga (18-9)
Line: Gonzaga by 14.5.
8:00 PM ET (Game 595-596)
I’m going against overrated Gonzaga again. San Francisco is 7-2 in its previous nine games, so this line should be in single digits.
College Basketball Pick: Gonzaga 76, San Francisco 68
San Francisco +14.5 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Gonzaga 70, San Francisco 53
Kennesaw State (8-18) at Jacksonville (17-8)
Line: Jacksonville by 16.
7:00 PM ET (Game 823-824)
I have no idea where Kennesaw State is, but I’m taking them to cover this inflated point spread. Kennesaw State has won three of four, and they’re a team that doesn’t get blown out frequently. Meanwhile, Jacksonville doesn’t have a win of more than 13 points since Jan. 22.
College Basketball Pick: Jacksonville 69, Kennesaw State 63
Kennesaw State +16 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Jacksonville 75, Kennesaw State 60
Santa Clara (16-11) at Gonzaga (17-9)
Line: Gonzaga by 13.5.
9:00 PM ET (Game 531-532)
Not sure what happened yesterday. Losing the spread by 1.5 and three points sucks, what can I say?
Hopefully we’ll have better luck today. I’m taking this Santa Clara team that has only one loss of more than seven points during conference play. Gonzaga seems to be getting too many points because they’re a public team.
College Basketball Pick: Gonzaga 76, Santa Clara 73
Santa Clara +13.5 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Gonzaga 85, Santa Clara 76
Youngstown State (8-17) at Detroit (14-14)
Line: Detroit by 10.5.
7:00 PM ET (Game 737-738)
I went with Youngstown State last week because they usually keep games close. They should be able to cover against a Detroit team that has dropped two in a row and is 4-7 in its previous 11 games.
College Basketball Pick: Detroit 73, Youngstown State 68
Youngstown State +10.5 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Detroit 91, Youngstown State 79
CS-Fullerton (9-16) at UC-Santa Barbara (13-10)
Line: UC-Santa Barbara by 12.
7:00 PM ET (Game 737-738)
Both teams are 3-4 in their previous seven games, yet UC-Santa Barbara is a 12-point favorite. How does that make any sense? UC-Santa Barbara doesn’t blow anyone out, while CS-Fullerton usually keeps its games close; the four aforementioned losses were by 1, 2, 2 and 15.
College Basketball Pick: UC-Santa Barbara 74, CS-Fullerton 68
CS-Fullerton +12 (3 Units) — Incorrect; -$330
UC-Santa Barbara 86, CS-Fullerton 71
Mississippi State (13-11) at Kentucky (17-7)
Line: Kentucky by 17.5.
7:00 PM ET (Game 529-530)
Kentucky should not be favored by this much. Not only have they not blown out anyone in a month; they’re just 3-4 in their previous seven games. Mississippi State, meanwhile, has won three of five.
College Basketball Pick: Kentucky 77, Mississippi State 68
Mississippi State +17.5 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Kentucky 85, Mississippi State 79
Providence (14-10) at Connecticut (18-5)
Line: Connecticut by 10.
7:00 PM ET (Game 839-840)
Connecticut is really struggling right now, having lost three of four. Providence is playing much better; the Friars have won three of five. They seldom get blown out.
College Basketball Pick: Connecticut 74, Providence 70
Providence +10 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Connecticut 75, Providence 57
Youngstown State (8-16) at Cleveland State (21-5)
Line: Cleveland State by 17.
2:00 PM ET (Game 555-556)
Cleveland State has dropped two in a row and has beaten only one team by more than 14 points since New Years Day. Youngstown State, meanwhile, has battled everyone tough. They’ve only been blown out once in the past month.
College Basketball Pick: Cleveland State 71, Youngstown State 66
Youngstown State +17 (3 Units) — Correct; +$300
Cleveland State 86, Youngstown State 76
Yale (11-9) at Harvard (16-4)
Line: Harvard by 11.5.
7:00 PM ET (Game 821-822)
Yale is a solid team. They’ve won two in a row, and six of their previous eight. The last time they lost a game by more than eight points was on Dec. 28 at Stanford. Harvard, meanwhile, has only two victories of more than 11 points since New Years Eve. Those wins came against Cornell and Dartmouth, the two worst teams in the Ivy League.
College Basketball Pick: Harvard 72, Yale 68
Yale +11.5 (3 Units) — Correct; +$300
Harvard 78, Yale 75
Penn (9-10) at Cornell (5-15)
Line: Cornell by 2.5.
7:00 PM ET (Game 825-826)
I’m standing by my position that Cornell really sucks and is very overvalued.
College Basketball Pick: Penn 71, Cornell 67
Penn +2.5 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Cornell 82, Penn 71 (OT)
Georgia Southern (4-21) at Furman (17-7)
Line: Furman by 20.5.
7:00 PM ET (Game 563-564)
Furman is favored by 20.5 – which is way too many points for a team coming off a loss that doesn’t blow its opponents out. Georgia Southern, meanwhile, has only lost one game by 20-plus points since the beginning of January, so they’ve been playing tough despite their ugly record.
College Basketball Pick: Furman 71, Georgia Southern 67
Georgia Southern +20.5 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Furman 54, Georgia Southern 45
Sacramento State (6-16) at Montana (16-7)
Line: Montana by 17.
7:00 PM ET (Game 577-578)
Sacramento State has a much worse record than Montana, but they’re playing better basketball right now. They’ve won three of four, while the Grizz have dropped two in a row.
College Basketball Pick: Montana 68, Sacramento State 63
Sacramento State +17 (3 Units) — Incorrect; -$330
Montana 64, Sacramento 44
Bradley (8-16) at Missouri State (18-6)
Line: Missouri State by 15.5.
8:00 PM ET (Game 765-766)
I have to go on a rant for a second because we were seriously cheated in the Indiana-Purdue game last night. Indiana stayed within 11 points the entire game. Thanks to a pair of free throws in the final minute, Purdue finally increased its lead to 12. Indiana missed the ensuing layup, and there were 20 seconds remaining.
Now, down 12 with 20 seconds left, the Hoosiers had no chance, right? Not according to head coach Tom Crean. Crean yelled at his players, imploring them to foul. The refs let a couple of fouls go, but finally blew the whistle with 13 seconds left. Yeah, you’re going to overcome a 12-point deficit in 13 seconds, you f***ing moron.
As this happened, I yelled:
“No!!!!!!!!!! What the f*** are you fouling for!!!!! F*** you, Tom Crean, you f***ing nerd!!!!!”
Of course, Purdue drained two free throws and Indiana missed a half-a**ed attempt at a three-pointer, and that was that. The worst push in college basketball history.
At any rate, Missouri State isn’t playing very good basketball right now; they’ve dropped two of three and haven’t even covered the spread since Jan. 16. Bradley, meanwhile, has won two in a row.
College Basketball Pick: Missouri State 71, Bradley 64
Bradley +15.5 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Missouri State 77, Bradley 69
Indiana (12-12) at Purdue (18-5)
Line: Purdue by 14.
7:00 PM ET (Game 519-520)
Purdue doesn’t blow teams out; the last time the Boilermakers have beaten a team by this margin was Iowa on Jan. 9. Indiana, meanwhile, is playing well right now. If the Hoosiers can keep within double digits of Wisconsin and Michigan State, they should be able to cover this large spread.
College Basketball Pick: Purdue 69, Indiana 67
Indiana +14 (3 Units) — Push; $0
Purdue 67, Indiana 53
Utah (10-13) at San Diego State (23-1)
Line: San Diego State by 17.5.
10:30 PM ET (Game 537-538)
I had Utah about a week ago, and that worked out well. They should be able to cover. Like Purdue, San Diego State doesn’t blow teams out; the Aztecs have just one win of more than 13 points since New Years Eve.
College Basketball Pick: San Diego State 73, Utah 67
Utah +17.5 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
San Diego State 85, Utah 53
Illinois-Chicago (6-18) at Butler (15-9)
Line: Butler by 16.5.
7:00 PM ET (Game 721-722)
Butler is highly overrated. They’re just 1-6 against the spread as double-digit favorites this year, and they’ve dropped four of their previous six overall. Illinois-Chicago, meanwhile, has only lost one game by more than 14 points since New Years Day.
College Basketball Pick: Butler 72, Illinois-Chicago 61
Illinois-Chicago +16.5 (3 Units) — Correct; +$300
Butler 72, Illinois-Chicago 65
Providence (14-9) at Georgetown (17-5)
Line: Georgetown by 11.5.
12:00 PM ET (Game 525-526)
Georgetown is known as the laziest team in college basketball. They seldom try hard when they don’t need to, and they have just one win of more than 11 points since Dec. 23. Providence has won three of four.
College Basketball Pick: Georgetown 77, Providence 75
Providence +11.5 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Georgetown 83, Providence 81
Cornell (4-15) at Brown (8-11)
Line: Brown by 1.
6:00 PM ET (Game 619-620)
Just because Cornell covered one game doesn’t mean that I’m going to stop betting against them. They stink.
College Basketball Pick: Brown 74, Cornell 61
Brown -1 (3 Units) — Incorrect; -$330
Cornell 91, Brown 70
Cornell (4-14) at Yale (9-9)
Line: Yale by 4.5.
7:00 PM ET
I’ve been betting against this Cornell team all year because the public doesn’t understand how bad they are. Everyone remembers last year’s trip to the Sweet 16, but this team really sucks this season.
College Basketball Pick: Yale 73, Cornell 60
Yale -4.5 (3 Units) — Incorrect; -$330
Yale 71, Cornell 70
Michigan (13-9) at Ohio State (23-0)
Line: Ohio State by 16.5.
7:00 PM ET
This is a big rivalry, so it should be a close game. Ohio State is undefeated, but they’ve barely beaten some teams lately, which leads me to believe that this spread is inflated. Michigan, meanwhile, has lost only one contest by more than 16 points since Dec. 28.
College Basketball Pick: Ohio State 78, Michigan 67
Michigan +16.5 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Ohio State 62, Michigan 53
Pepperdine (9-15) at Saint Mary’s (18-4)
Line: Saint Mary’s by 21.
7:00 PM ET
Saint Mary’s has been favored by 20-plus points three times this season, and is 0-3 ATS in those games. Saint Mary’s has also dropped two of three, so I like Pepperdine to cover. Pepperdine has won two of three.
College Basketball Pick: Saint Mary’s 82, Pepperdine 70
Pepperdine +21 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Saint Mary’s 79, Pepperdine 71
Marquette (14-8) at Villanova (17-4)
Line: Villanova by 6.
7:00 PM ET
Villanova is playing like crap like now; it looks like they’re beginning their annual late-season swoon. Marquette always plays the Wildcats tough; the Golden Eagles are 8-2 ATS against Villanova in their previous 10 matchups.
College Basketball Pick: Marquette 80, Villanova 76
Marquette +6 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Villanova 75, Marquette 70
Utah (10-11) at UNLV (16-5)
Line: UNLV by 15.5.
10:30 PM ET
This spread is just out of control. UNLV has beaten only one team (crappy TCU) by more than 12 points since Dec. 30. Utah, meanwhile, has only been blown out once since early December (against BYU). The Utes even played undefeated San Diego State tough, losing by just nine points.
College Basketball Pick: UNLV 67, Utah 61
Utah +15.5 (3 Units) — Correct; +$300
UNLV 67, Utah 54
Penn State (12-8) at Illinois (14-7)
Line: Illinois by 8.
9:00 PM ET
Penn State is playing much better than Illinois right now. The Nittany Lions are 4-2 in their previous six games, with the two losses coming in the final few seconds. The Illini, meanwhile, have dropped four of five.
College Basketball Pick: Illinois 65, Penn State 62
Penn State +8 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Illinois 68, Penn State 51
Canisius (10-10) at Fairfield (16-4)
Line: Fairfield by 10.
Canisius is 6-3 in its previous nine games, and none of those three losses have been by more than eight points. As for Fairfield, their record is impressive, but they haven’t won by more than eight points themselves since early January.
College Basketball Pick: Fairfield 69, Canisius 65
Canisius +10 (3 Units) — Incorrect; -$330
Fairfield 70, Canisius 55
Indiana (11-10) at Michigan State (12-8)
Line: Michigan State by 11.
People can’t accept the fact that Michigan State sucks. The Spartans have lost three in a row, and the last team they beat by double figures was Prairie View A&M on Dec. 18. Indiana, meanwhile, is playing with a ton of confidence right now.
College Basketball Pick: Michigan State 74, Indiana 71
Indiana +11 (3 Units) — Correct; +$300
Michigan State 84, Indiana 83
Northern Illinois (7-11) at Buffalo (11-6)
Line: Buffalo by 13.5.
This spread is way too high. Buffalo has just one win of more than 13 points since Dec. 11. Meanwhile, Northern Illinois has won three of five, and the team hasn’t lost to anyone by more than nine points since they visited ranked Missouri on Dec. 27.
College Basketball Pick: Buffalo 74, Northern Illinois 71
Northern Illinois +13.5 (3 Units) — Correct; +$300
Buffalo 63, Northern Illinois 52
Cornell (4-13) at Harvard (14-3)
Line: Harvard by 12.
Harvard was -11 yesterday over a pretty solid Columbia team. Today, Harvard is only favored by one more point over one of the worst teams in college basketball. I’ll take Harvard.
College Basketball Pick: Harvard 76, Cornell 61
Harvard -12 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Harvard 78, Cornell 57
CS-Northridge (7-13) at UC-Santa Barbara (11-7)
Line: UC-Santa Barbara by 11.5.
CS-Northridge should be able to cover. They’ve won three of four, and they have just one loss of more than 10 points since Dec. 22. UC-Santa Barbara doesn’t blow anyone out.
College Basketball Pick: UC-Santa Barbara 71, CS-Northridge 67
CS-Northridge +11.5 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
CS-Northridge 70, UC-Santa Barbara 69
Cornell (4-12) at Dartmouth (4-12)
Line: Cornell by 4.
As long as Cornell keeps getting too much respect from the oddsmakers and public, I’m going to keep betting against them.
College Basketball Pick: Dartmouth 64, Cornell 60
Dartmouth +4 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Dartmouth 64, Cornell 57
Columbia (11-5) at Harvard (13-3)
Line: Harvard by 11.
Both Columbia and Harvard are pretty good Ivy League teams, so I don’t get why this spread is so high.
College Basketball Pick: Harvard 74, Columbia 70
Columbia +11 (2 Units) — Push; $0
Harvard 77, Columbia 66
Tennessee State (10-9) at Morehead State (13-8)
Line: Morehead State by 10.5.
Eastern Michigan sucked yesterday, but Rutgers was the right side. They led in the second half, but lost the spread because their idiot coach asked his players to start fouling with three minutes left. Cincinnati naturally hit every single free throw down the stretch. Ugh.
I’m always a fan of Morehead, but I’m taking Tennessee State today. The Tigers have won four in a row, while the Eagles haven’t scored more than 50 points in two weeks.
College Basketball Pick: Morehead State 58, Tennessee State 56
Tennessee State +10.5 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Moreheard State 72, Tennessee State 65
Eastern Michigan (5-13) at Ohio (8-10)
Line: Ohio by 10.
Does Ohio deserve to be favored by 10? The Bobcats are 1-5 in their previous six games and 2-7 in their past nine. Eastern Michigan, meanwhile, is coming off a win. They have only one loss of more than nine points in the past month and a half.
College Basketball Pick: Ohio 64, Eastern Michigan 61
Eastern Michigan +10 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$330
Ohio 79, Eastern Michigan 65
Rutgers (12-7) at Cincinnati (17-3)
Line: Cincinnati by 10.5.
This line is really inflated because of Cincinnati’s bogus record. The Bearcats have predictably struggled in Big East play, losing three of their previous five. Rutgers, meanwhile, is 8-5 in its past 13 games.
College Basketball Pick: Cincinnati 71, Rutgers 68
Rutgers +10.5 (3 Units) — Incorrect; -$330
Cincinnati 72, Rutgers 56
UNC-Wilmington (10-9) at Old Dominion (14-5)
Line: Old Dominion by 14.5.
This spread is out of control. UNC-Wilmington 5-3 in its previous eight games, while Old Dominion is coming off a loss. And check out Old Dominion’s margins of victory since Dec. 9: 3, 9, 4, 15, 4, 11, 6.
College Basketball Pick: Old Dominion 65, UNC-Wilmington 63
UNC-Wilmington +14.5 (3 Units) — Incorrect; -$330
Old Dominion 58, UNC-Wilmington 43
South Florida (7-13) at West Virginia (12-5)
Line: West Virginia by 13.
I completely disagree with this spread. South Florida hasn’t lost by more than 12 points all year. Meanwhile, West Virginia has just one blowout since Dec. 7. Here are their margins of victory in that span: 4, 30, 6, 2, 11, 3.
College Basketball Pick: West Virginia 75, South Florida 69
South Florida +13 (3 Units) — Correct; +$300
West Virginia 56, South Florida 46
Tennessee (12-6) at Connecticut (15-2)
Line: Connecticut by 6.5.
I know this Tennessee team. They play hard when they want (i.e. when they’re underdogs). They beat Pitt, yet they lose to teams like College of Charleston and Oakland. They’re 3-0 against the spread as underdogs. They’ll get up for Kemba Walker.
College Basketball Pick: Connecticut 76, Tennessee 74
Tennessee +6.5 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Connecticut 72, Tennessee 61
Columbia (10-5) at Cornell (4-11)
Line: Cornell by 4.5.
I’m going to keep betting against Cornell. They’re overvalued because of last year’s NCAA Tournament run.
College Basketball Pick: Columbia 75, Cornell 66
Columbia +4.5 (3 Units) — Correct; +$300
Columbia 70, Cornell 66
Indiana State (12-7) at Wichita State (15-4)
Line: Wichita State by 11.
This line is too high. Wichita State is coming off a loss, while Indiana State has won six in a row. Larry Bird’s old school should cover this number.
College Basketball Pick: Wichita State 73, Indiana State 67
Indiana State +11 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Wichita State 93, Indiana State 83
Wisconsin-Green Bay (10-9) at Butler (13-6)
Line: Butler by 14.5.
Butler’s reputation has inflated this spread; I don’t think the Bulldogs are two touchdowns better than Wisconsin-Green Bay. Butler is coming off a loss, and Green Bay doesn’t get blown out often. They even stayed within 14 against Wisconsin earlier in the year.
College Basketball Pick: Butler 74, Wisconsin-Green Bay 67
Wisconsin-Green Bay +14.5 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Butler 81, Wisconsin-Green Bay 75
West Carolina (8-10) at College of Charleston (12-6)
Line: College of Charleston by 10.5.
This spread is way too high. West Carolina has won four in a row, while College of Charleston is coming off a loss to Tennessee-Chattanooga. In fact, Charleston has just one victory of more than four points since Dec. 31.
College Basketball Pick: College of Charleston 75, West Carolina 70
West Carolina +10.5 (3 Units) — Incorrect; -$330
College of Charleston 93, West Carolina 64
Tennessee Tech (8-8) at Austin Peay (12-7)
Line: Austin Peay by 13.5.
Another high line. Austin Peay is coming off a loss to 8-9 Tennessee State, as well as two other close wins. They have just one win of more than 10 points against a Division I opponent since Dec. 18. Tennessee Tech, meanwhile, is 4-2 in its previous six games, with the losses coming by 12 and 7 points.
College Basketball Pick: Austin Peay 72, Tennessee Tech 69
Tennessee Tech +13.5 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Tennessee Tech 71, Austin Peay 68
East Carolina (9-8) at Central Florida (14-2)
Line: Central Florida by 12.5.
Central Florida’s record is a farce. Check out their previous four games: Loss at Southern Miss by 17; loss at Houston by 5; Won vs. Marshall by 7; Won vs. Princeton by 6. Does this sound like a team that deserves to be a 12.5-point favorite? East Carolina, meanwhile, hasn’t lost a game by more than 12 points since Dec. 7.
College Basketball Pick: Central Florida 75, East Carolina 69
East Carolina +12.5 (3 Units) — Correct; +$300
East Carolina 74, Central Florida 62
George Washington (10-7) at Richmond (13-5)
Line: Richmond by 14.
Another spread that’s way too high. George Washington has won five of six going into this game, with the one loss by five points.
College Basketball Pick: Richmond 73, George Washington 67
George Washington +14 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Richmond 68, George Washington 58
Clemson (13-4) at North Carolina (12-5)
Line: North Carolina by 5.5.
It’s amazing how North Carolina continues to be overrated. They don’t cover any of their games because the oddsmakers keep setting the line too high, perhaps thinking that bettors expect them to bounce back. Well, it doesn’t appear as though they will. Clemson’s the better and hotter team.
College Basketball Pick: North Carolina 72, Clemson 70
Clemson +5.5 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
North Carolina 75, Clemson 65
Kansas State (13-5) at Missouri (15-3)
Line: Missouri by 5.
Remember when Kansas State was a top-five team coming into the season? Well, they’ve lost some games and have become undervalued. Missouri’s record is inflated, and I believe Kansas State is the better team.
College Basketball Pick: Kansas State 70, Missouri 64
Kansas State +5 (2 Units) — Incorrect; -$220
Missouri 75, Kansas State 59
Eastern Michigan (4-11) at Western Michigan (8-7)
Line: Western Michigan by 10.5.
This is a strange line; Eastern Michigan hasn’t lost by double digits since Dec. 5, so I think they’ll cover.
College Basketball Pick: Western Michigan 71, Eastern Michigan 65
Eastern Michigan +10.5 (3 Units) — Incorrect; -$330
Western Michigan 65, Eastern Michigan 48
UCLA (10-6) at Oregon (8-9)
Line: UCLA by 4.
Two reasons why I like Oregon: First, UCLA is overrated this year. And second, I don’t see how any team can win on Oregon’s new court. It’s like Boise State’s blue turf.
College Basketball Pick: Oregon 76, UCLA 66
Oregon +4 (3 Units) — Incorrect; -$330
Penn State (10-6) at Ohio State (18-0)
Line: Ohio State by 18.5.
This line is way too high; Penn State’s playing really well right now.
College Basketball Pick: Ohio State 70, Penn State 58
Penn State +18.5 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Cornell (4-10) at Columbia (9-5)
Line: Columbia by 3.5.
Do people think Cornell is going to bounce back because of their NCAA Tournament run? Why is this line only 3.5?
College Basketball Pick: Columbia 74, Cornell 65
Columbia -3.5 (3 Units) — Correct; +$300
UC-Riverside (7-8) at UC-Santa Barbara (9-6)
Line: UC-Santa Barbara by 13.
I don’t get this line. The last time Riverside lost by double digits was Dec. 14 – and that was to Saint Mary’s, which is understandable. And it’s not like Santa Barbara is that good.
College Basketball Pick: UC-Santa Barbara 71, UC-Riverside 65
UC-Riverside +13 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Providence (11-6) at West Virginia (10-4)
Line: West Virginia by 9.5.
It’s no surprise that West Virginia is only 4-7 against the spread. They’re still living off what they did last year. They’re not 9.5 points better than Providence.
College Basketball Pick: West Virginia 71, Providence 67
Providence +9.5 (3 Units) — Incorrect; -$330
UNC-Greensboro (0-15) at Appalachian State (7-7)
Line: Appalachian State by 15.5.
UNC-Greensboro is playing hard for its first win. Dating back to Dec. 8, all but one of their losses (to Duke) has been by 15 points or fewer. They even took Wake Forest and Maryland down to the wire.
College Basketball Pick: Appalachian State 75, UNC-Greensboro 66
UNC-Greensboro +15.5 (2 Units) — Correct; +$200
Ohio State (17-0) at Michigan (11-5)
Line: Ohio State by 11.
College basketball picks are back!
Ohio State is favored by way too much in this heated rivalry. They haven’t played a tough road game since Thanksgiving, while Michigan just played really well against Kansas.
College Basketball Pick: Ohio State 74, Michigan 72
Michigan +11 (3 Units) — Correct; +$300
Toledo (3-12) at Central Michigan (3-11)
Line: Central Michigan by 13.
What the hell are they thinking with this spread? Central Michigan has just one win since Thanksgiving – a 3-point victory over Cornerstone College. That’s not even a real school.
College Basketball Pick: Central Michigan 59, Toledo 58
Toledo +13 (2 Units) — Push; $0
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Season:
2013-14: 2013-14 -
2012-13: 2012-13 -
2011-12: 2011-12 -
2010-11: 2010-11 -
2009-10: 2009-10 -
2008-09: 2008-09 -
2007-2008: December - January - February - March -
2006-2007: November - December - January - February - March - April -
2003-2004 Season: 138-107-6 (56.3%)
2004-2005 Season: 168-148-6 (53.2%)
2005-2006 Season: 188-173-7 (52.1%)
2006-2007 Season: 273-255-8 (51.7%), +$945
2007-2008 Season: 71-64-5 (52.6%), +$1,420
2008-2009 Season: 66-53-2 (55.5%), +$1,680
Career Against The Spread: 906-780-32 (53.7%), +$4,045
2013-14: 2013-14 -
2012-13: 2012-13 -
2011-12: 2011-12 -
2010-11: 2010-11 -
2009-10: 2009-10 -
2008-09: 2008-09 -
2007-2008: December - January - February - March -
2006-2007: November - December - January - February - March - April -
2003-2004 Season: 138-107-6 (56.3%)
2004-2005 Season: 168-148-6 (53.2%)
2005-2006 Season: 188-173-7 (52.1%)
2006-2007 Season: 273-255-8 (51.7%), +$945
2007-2008 Season: 71-64-5 (52.6%), +$1,420
2008-2009 Season: 66-53-2 (55.5%), +$1,680
Career Against The Spread: 906-780-32 (53.7%), +$4,045
