Picks for 3/3/26
College Basketball
7:00 PM EST
Rotation # 634
Oklahoma -2.5 over Missouri (win)
Both teams played in an overtime thriller in Columbia back in late January, which Missouri won. The Tigers were great in the paint and substantially better on the boards. I am not quite sure they will be that dominant on the road. The Sooners are winners of two straight and looking to finish the season with purpose. Oklahoma has played the tougher of the two schedules and wants to prove they are just as good as a Missouri team that will make the tournament. Nijel Pack has been outstanding from the three-point line this season. Sooner’s coach, Porter Moser, has a gifted offensive team but knows the road to making the tournament next year will start with defense. The Sooners have the guard play to upset quality teams at home. Take Oklahoma.
College Basketball
7:00 PM EST
Rotation # 636
Xavier +1.5 over Seton Hall (loss)
Seton Hall is another team that excels at home but is just average on the road. The Pirates dominated the January meeting at home, outrebounding their opponents and winning the turnover battle. The Musketeers have more size and should be able to do much better at the Cintas Center at closing the gap in some of the areas they struggled in. Adam Clark has struggled in his last few starts for the Pirates. Clark looked like an NBA veteran in the previous matchup. Look for the Musketeers to play with pace and for Tre Carroll to lead his team to victory. Take Xavier.
College Basketball
10:00 PM EST
Rotation # 674
Auburn -9.5 over LSU
The great debate is: will an average Auburn team make the NCAA Tournament over a small-conference team like Miami (Ohio) if they lose the MAC tournament? I don’t know how the debate can continue if the Tigers lose tonight at home to an LSU team that is still shorthanded, without their best playmaker and scorer, Dedan Thomas. Auburn has played one of the nation’s toughest schedules and should be able to pick up the pace against a bad LSU defense. Auburn’s defensive play is nothing to write home about, but the offensive play of Keyshawn Hall and Tahaad Pettiford will be too much for LSU to keep up with. Auburn needs to leave no doubt to the committee and must get back on track after a two-game slide in its final game at Neville Arena this year. Take Auburn.
College Basketball
11:00 PM EST
Rotation # 678
UCLA -1.5 over Nebraska
Nebraska has played outstandingly this year, while UCLA has taken a step back. UCLA head coach Mick Cronin has been under the microscope for his antics this year, but much of that can be put to bed with a victory tonight that would most likely be enough for a Bruins NCAA Tournament at-large bid. The Bruins have been outstanding at the Pauley Pavilion. Tyler Bilodeau has the size to dominate in the paint and to secure crucial rebounds. Donovan Dent is the best guard on the floor and will look to get his teammates going early and often. The Cornhuskers have taken advantage of an extremely weak schedule down the stretch and will be in for a tough battle tonight. Take UCLA.
7:00 PM EST
Rotation # 634
Oklahoma -2.5 over Missouri (win)
Both teams played in an overtime thriller in Columbia back in late January, which Missouri won. The Tigers were great in the paint and substantially better on the boards. I am not quite sure they will be that dominant on the road. The Sooners are winners of two straight and looking to finish the season with purpose. Oklahoma has played the tougher of the two schedules and wants to prove they are just as good as a Missouri team that will make the tournament. Nijel Pack has been outstanding from the three-point line this season. Sooner’s coach, Porter Moser, has a gifted offensive team but knows the road to making the tournament next year will start with defense. The Sooners have the guard play to upset quality teams at home. Take Oklahoma.
College Basketball
7:00 PM EST
Rotation # 636
Xavier +1.5 over Seton Hall (loss)
Seton Hall is another team that excels at home but is just average on the road. The Pirates dominated the January meeting at home, outrebounding their opponents and winning the turnover battle. The Musketeers have more size and should be able to do much better at the Cintas Center at closing the gap in some of the areas they struggled in. Adam Clark has struggled in his last few starts for the Pirates. Clark looked like an NBA veteran in the previous matchup. Look for the Musketeers to play with pace and for Tre Carroll to lead his team to victory. Take Xavier.
College Basketball
10:00 PM EST
Rotation # 674
Auburn -9.5 over LSU
The great debate is: will an average Auburn team make the NCAA Tournament over a small-conference team like Miami (Ohio) if they lose the MAC tournament? I don’t know how the debate can continue if the Tigers lose tonight at home to an LSU team that is still shorthanded, without their best playmaker and scorer, Dedan Thomas. Auburn has played one of the nation’s toughest schedules and should be able to pick up the pace against a bad LSU defense. Auburn’s defensive play is nothing to write home about, but the offensive play of Keyshawn Hall and Tahaad Pettiford will be too much for LSU to keep up with. Auburn needs to leave no doubt to the committee and must get back on track after a two-game slide in its final game at Neville Arena this year. Take Auburn.
College Basketball
11:00 PM EST
Rotation # 678
UCLA -1.5 over Nebraska
Nebraska has played outstandingly this year, while UCLA has taken a step back. UCLA head coach Mick Cronin has been under the microscope for his antics this year, but much of that can be put to bed with a victory tonight that would most likely be enough for a Bruins NCAA Tournament at-large bid. The Bruins have been outstanding at the Pauley Pavilion. Tyler Bilodeau has the size to dominate in the paint and to secure crucial rebounds. Donovan Dent is the best guard on the floor and will look to get his teammates going early and often. The Cornhuskers have taken advantage of an extremely weak schedule down the stretch and will be in for a tough battle tonight. Take UCLA.