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College Basketball

2:45 PM EST

Rotation #726

UNC -24.5 over Wagner (win)

North Carolina was the best ACC team during the regular season, facing a Wagner team that finished 6th in the Northeast Conference, one of the worst in College Hoops. Wagner is the worst team left in the tournament, as they played a weak schedule and didn’t challenge themselves with a hard non-conference slate. The Seahawk’s offense was one of the worst in their conference, so it’s doubtful they crack the Tar Heel’s stellar defense. UNC will use their size to get easy buckets. I am not a fan of big spreads, especially when the winner plays another game tomorrow, but I don’t see a scenario where Wagner keeps it close unless UNC stops playing. Sometimes, teams appear to be better than they are due to playing in a weak conference. Wagner hit lightning in a bottle by winning their tournament, but they have never seen the talent of players like RJ Davis and Armando Bacot. Take North Carolina.

 

College Basketball

7:35 PM EST

Rotation #748

Iowa State -15.5 over South Dakota State (win)

The Jackrabbits of South Dakota State were the top team in the Summit Conference but should have played top-quality teams in their non-conference schedule to prepare themselves. Iowa State has the best defense in the country, and on offense, they are unselfish with basketball. The Cyclones will press the Jackrabbits into making too many mistakes and pull away with a double-digit win. Iowa State coach TJ Otzelberger helped the development of South Dakota State when he coached there a decade ago. Iowa State will be prepared for this game as they played in one of the best basketball conferences. The Cyclone’s second chance and fast break points will be the difference. Tamin Lipsey and Keyshon Gilbert will dominate the game. Take Iowa State

 

College Basketball

9:20 PM EST

Rotation #728

Tennessee -21.5 over St. Peter’s (win)

St. Peter’s went on a run in the MAAC Tournament but shared third place in the regular season. Teams like Quinnipiac and Fairfield were better. The Peacocks were a bad offensive team in their league, losing big to top-name teams during non-conference play. Tennessee’s defense, rebounding edge, and ability to stop teams at the rim will limit the Peacock’s second-chance points. The Vols move the ball well on offense and score fine against weaker talent. The Vols thrived against top-quality competition and should have no issues making a deep run in March. Dalton Knecht is the best player on the floor and should have a monster game. Take Tennessee.

 

College Basketball

10:05 PM EST

Rotation #746

Washington State +1.5 over Drake (win)

Washington State/Drake Over 138.5 (loss)

Washington State has a notable height advantage over Drake. The Bulldogs are getting a lot of love from the public today due to their guard play, but Drake didn’t schedule tough teams in the non-conference, so they have yet to learn how good top-talented teams are. The Cougars have their flaws, but this is the same team that went to Arizona and came away with a win. Drake has a tough time blocking shots on the defensive end due to their lack of size. Washington State might not be athletic, but height is something you can’t teach. The Cougars will get easy buckets whenever they want. Drake is the quicker team that will make plays as they are great shooters, but throughout a game, I can see their top players getting in foul trouble. The Bulldogs don’t have a deep bench so the Cougars can take advantage of their deep rotation. Tonight’s game contrasts style. Look for Issac Jones and Miles Rice to lead the way for the Cougars. Take Washington State and the Over. Treat both picks as straight bets.