Picks for 3/19/26
College Basketball
12:40 PM EST
Rotation # 728
Nebraska -13.5 over Troy (win)
Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg did a tremendous job in conference this season, taking his team from 12th a year ago to 2nd in the BIG 10. Troy was outstanding in the Sun Belt and did a good job of challenging itself with quality teams in non-conference play. The Cornhuskers pride themselves on playing hard-nosed defense and not allowing opponents second-chance opportunities. Sam Hoiberg and Jamarques Lawrence are great playmakers, finding open teammates. Pryce Sandfort, Rienk Mast, and Braden Frager use their size well and should be able to find holes in the Trojans defense. Take Nebraska.
12:40 PM EST
Rotation # 728
Nebraska -13.5 over Troy (win)
Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg did a tremendous job in conference this season, taking his team from 12th a year ago to 2nd in the BIG 10. Troy was outstanding in the Sun Belt and did a good job of challenging itself with quality teams in non-conference play. The Cornhuskers pride themselves on playing hard-nosed defense and not allowing opponents second-chance opportunities. Sam Hoiberg and Jamarques Lawrence are great playmakers, finding open teammates. Pryce Sandfort, Rienk Mast, and Braden Frager use their size well and should be able to find holes in the Trojans defense. Take Nebraska.
College Basketball
7:10 PM EST
Rotation # 714
Michigan -30.5 over Howard
Howard did a great job holding off UMBC the other night, but they are playing in a different weight class today. The Bison play in the weakest basketball conference and had a weak schedule. Head coach Kenneth Blakeney did a great job turning the program around after the Bison won just 12 games last season, but there are levels to competition, and the Bison will find that out quickly today. The Wolverines have a massive size advantage. Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara, and Morez Johnson are too big and too good to be slowed down on the boards and should clean up in the paint. Both teams can up the tempo and are sloppy with the basketball, but Howard is one of the most careless teams in the country, which should lead to a lot of fast-break points for the Wolverines. It’s tough wagering on games with spreads this high because you can’t predict a coach laying off the gas, but the Wolverines should be up big before the halftime break. Take Michigan.
7:10 PM EST
Rotation # 714
Michigan -30.5 over Howard
Howard did a great job holding off UMBC the other night, but they are playing in a different weight class today. The Bison play in the weakest basketball conference and had a weak schedule. Head coach Kenneth Blakeney did a great job turning the program around after the Bison won just 12 games last season, but there are levels to competition, and the Bison will find that out quickly today. The Wolverines have a massive size advantage. Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara, and Morez Johnson are too big and too good to be slowed down on the boards and should clean up in the paint. Both teams can up the tempo and are sloppy with the basketball, but Howard is one of the most careless teams in the country, which should lead to a lot of fast-break points for the Wolverines. It’s tough wagering on games with spreads this high because you can’t predict a coach laying off the gas, but the Wolverines should be up big before the halftime break. Take Michigan.
College Basketball
7:25 PM EST
Rotation # 737-738
Texas/BYU Over 157.5
Texas is on a high after beating NC State at the horn the other night. BYU is looking to make a run in the tournament, but is down one of its best defenders, Richie Saunders. Both teams are vulnerable on defense. The Longhorns will have a tough time containing freshman sensation AJ Dybantsa, leaving other players like Kennard Davis and Robert Wright open. Dailyn Swain is having an outstanding year for the Longhorns, leading the team in points, assists, and steals. Tramon Mark, Jordan Pope, and Chendall Weaver are senior guards looking to extend their careers another game. Matas Vokietaitis will use his size to get points in the paint area and to get points at the foul line. I like both offenses a bit more than the defense. Take the Over.
7:25 PM EST
Rotation # 737-738
Texas/BYU Over 157.5
Texas is on a high after beating NC State at the horn the other night. BYU is looking to make a run in the tournament, but is down one of its best defenders, Richie Saunders. Both teams are vulnerable on defense. The Longhorns will have a tough time containing freshman sensation AJ Dybantsa, leaving other players like Kennard Davis and Robert Wright open. Dailyn Swain is having an outstanding year for the Longhorns, leading the team in points, assists, and steals. Tramon Mark, Jordan Pope, and Chendall Weaver are senior guards looking to extend their careers another game. Matas Vokietaitis will use his size to get points in the paint area and to get points at the foul line. I like both offenses a bit more than the defense. Take the Over.
College Basketball
9:25 PM EST
Rotation # 724
Illinois -25.5 over Penn
Penn did an incredible job in the final moments of the IVY league championship game, snatching the win away from Yale. Head coach Fran McCaffery has won at every school he has coached and turned the Quaker program, which won just 8 games last year, around. Still, he will be without top scorer Ethan Roberts, and the star of the IVY League Title Game, TJ Power, is questionable due to illness. Penn had a great year, but it wouldn’t be disrespectful to call them a one-trick pony, as it’s clear they rely too much on the three-point shot. The Quakers have the worst 2-point percentage among all tournament teams. I trust teams that can play above the rim and make high-percentage shots with ease. Illinois has a massive size advantage. David Mirkovic and Tomislav Ivisic should have huge games in the paint, and Keaton Wagler and Andrej Stojakovic have size at the guard position and should have big days. The Illini are sound on the glass and play outstanding three-point defense. The ball in the tournament is different, and it takes teams a while to get used to it. Penn has no shot in this game unless they shoot an unusually high percentage from downtown. Take Illinois.
9:25 PM EST
Rotation # 724
Illinois -25.5 over Penn
Penn did an incredible job in the final moments of the IVY league championship game, snatching the win away from Yale. Head coach Fran McCaffery has won at every school he has coached and turned the Quaker program, which won just 8 games last year, around. Still, he will be without top scorer Ethan Roberts, and the star of the IVY League Title Game, TJ Power, is questionable due to illness. Penn had a great year, but it wouldn’t be disrespectful to call them a one-trick pony, as it’s clear they rely too much on the three-point shot. The Quakers have the worst 2-point percentage among all tournament teams. I trust teams that can play above the rim and make high-percentage shots with ease. Illinois has a massive size advantage. David Mirkovic and Tomislav Ivisic should have huge games in the paint, and Keaton Wagler and Andrej Stojakovic have size at the guard position and should have big days. The Illini are sound on the glass and play outstanding three-point defense. The ball in the tournament is different, and it takes teams a while to get used to it. Penn has no shot in this game unless they shoot an unusually high percentage from downtown. Take Illinois.