Picks for 3/14/24
College Basketball
2:30 PM EST
Rotation #745
St. John’s -3.5 over Seton Hall (win)
St. John’s are hot, winners of five straight. Rick Pitino has done a marvelous job turning the Red Storm around. Both teams have a lot of similarities, but Seton Hall isn’t a great three-point shooting team, and their bench is subpar. Teams are playing with tired legs late in the season, so not having a quality bench can hurt if a starter gets into foul trouble. The Red Storm shares the ball generously and is a better team that should advance to the next round. Look for Daniss Jenkins and Joel Soriano to lead the way. Take St. John’s
College Basketball
5:30 PM EST
Rotation #778
Oregon -2.5 over UCLA (loss)
Mick Cronin is an elite coach, but his UCLA offense is terrible. The Bruins can’t share the ball or shoot, they can’t make three-pointers, and they can’t grab defensive rebounds, which is due to their youth. The Ducks aren’t overly talented, but they do everything well. The Bruins’ defense is fantastic, but they can go with many long-scoring droughts that have them playing from behind and outside their system. Look for Jermaine Couisnard to lead all scorers and for the Ducks to escape to the next round. Take Oregon.
College Basketball
6:30 PM EST
Rotation #740
Iowa +1.5 over Ohio State (loss)
Ohio State impressed by finishing the season strong, winning four straight. Iowa is a fun offensive team to watch, and if they shoot well, they can beat anyone. The problem the Hawkeyes have is their ability to play defense. I don’t know if it will hurt them tonight, but if they get deeper into the tournament, it will be their downfall. Tonight’s game is a bubble-buster for one of these teams. Payton Sandfort is the best shooter on the court and should lead his team to the next round. Take Iowa.
College Basketball
7:00 PM EST
Rotation #756
Iowa State -6.5 over Kansas State (win)
Iowa State is a bigger, stronger, and more experienced team. The Cyclones are active on the defensive side of the ball, turning teams over as well as anyone in the nation with their smothering defense. Kansas State has turnover problems, so it could be a long day. I like the Cyclones’ role players better, as they are a superior team on a neutral court. If the Cyclones don’t allow a lot of three-pointers, they should win this game by double digits. Tamin Lipsey should play well on defense, and Keshon Gilbert should do it on the offensive end. Take Iowa State.