Picks for 3/15/25
College Basketball
1:00 PM EST
Rotation # 614
Auburn -5.5 over Tennessee (loss)
Tennessee is an outstanding defensive team, but I am not thrilled with their turtle pace on offense and lack of fastbreak points. Auburn also plays excellent defense, but I trust their offense a bit more. The Tigers move the ball as well as anyone else, and they can create easy points on the fastbreak. When the Tigers need a bucket, they can call on big man Johni Broome to deliver by getting to the foul line or getting buckets around the rim. When it comes to closing time, I trust the Tigers bench as there isn’t much drop-off in talent. Having extra quality players on the bench is always good to avoid starters getting into foul trouble. Look for the Tigers to advance to the title game. Take Auburn.
College Basketball
3:30 PM EST
Rotation # 611
Michigan +4.5 over Maryland (win)
Maryland is a scrappy basketball team as they force turnovers and lock teams down on defense. The Terps beat Michigan in Ann Arbor 10 days ago and have the talent to win the BIG 10 Tournament. Michigan is a big team that relies heavily on their forwards. The Wolverines must protect the basketball, which has been an adventure all year with sloppy play. One area in which Michigan has a slight advantage is bench production. The Terps are a top-heavy team that played a game yesterday. Fatigue sets in sooner or later in the tournament when playing quality competition every 24 hours. It will be a long night if the Terps get into foul trouble. Vladislav Goldin and Danny Wolf need to be solid on the glass and get the Terps into foul trouble. Look for the Wolverines to take the game to the wire. Take Michigan.
College Basketball
1:00 PM EST
Rotation # 616
Florida -3.5 over Alabama (win)
The Gators +700 have a fighter’s chance to win the NCAA Tournament. Alabama is a gifted offensive team, but it’s hard to ask them to score 100 points a night because they lack defense. The Crimson Tide play sloppy as they often turn the ball over and fail to turn teams over. It’s not a big issue for them, as their offense bails them out, but when it comes to top-level competition with no rest on a neutral court, you could start to see fatigue and panic when the ball isn’t always going in the net. Look for Walter Clayton Jr and Alijah Martin to lead the Gators to the SEC Title Game. Take Florida.