College Basketball Weekday Picks Week 12 – Another Big Monday in the ACC
Note: I’ve decided to use the KenPom Top 25 just because I find it much more accurate than the AP, plus, its updated daily
These picks will be updated every day.
Monday, 11/21
#7Virginia Tech (15-2, 4-1 ACC) @ #8North Carolina (14-4, 4-1 ACC) – 7 PM ET, ESPN
Both of these teams have been victims of 20+ point blowouts in the past ten days, Virginia Tech to Virginia, and North Carolina to Louisville, but they square off on Monday to see who the #3 team in the conference is at this moment, and the loser will have teams like Syracuse, NC State, and Louisville knocking on the door for the top-four finish in conference play that earns a double-bye in the ACC tournament. This will be a clash of styles, UNC plays at one of the fastest tempos in the country, Virginia Tech one of the slowest. More often than not, the slower pace wins out, and UNC has played zero games this year under 69 possessions, and Virginia Tech has played every game, except for blowouts against Gardner Webb and VMI, at or below that mark. I see the Hokies controlling the tempo and pulling the big upset on the road to cement themselves as the #3 team in the conference thanks to the offense redeeming themselves after a poor showing in Charlottesville last Tuesday.
Prediction: Virginia Tech 74, North Carolina 73
#14Iowa State (14-4, 4-2 Big 12) @ #10Kansas (15-3, 4-2 Big 12) – 9 PM ET, ESPN
You know, for about a week I said that Texas Tech was the favorite to win the Big 12. Now, after a home loss to Iowa State and a double-digit loss to Baylor on the road, Kansas is back to being the favorites for the 87th year in a row. On Monday, however, Iowa State gets its chance to throw their name into that proverbial hat. Having already demolished the Jayhawks at home, and coming off of the aforementioned win @ Texas Tech, It’d be hard to dispute that the Cyclones are the favorites if they walk out of the Phog with a 5-2 conference record. I just don’t think they can do it. KU hasn’t lost a home game all year, and I can’t see Bill Self letting his team look ahead to their Saturday showdown with Kentucky, not with revenge on their minds for the embarrassment they suffered earlier this month. I think Kansas, with the added piece of Ochai Agbaji, and now settled in with life after Udoka Azubuike, rebounds well from the loss on Saturday and beats the Cyclones in a close one.
Prediction: Kansas 73, Iowa State 68
#17Maryland (16-3, 7-1 Big Ten) @ #3Michigan State (16-2, 7-0 Big Ten) – 6:30 PM ET, FS1
Prediction: Michigan State 73, Maryland 65
Creighton (10-8, 1-4 Big East) @ Georgetown (12-6, 2-3 Big East) – 8:30 PM ET, FS1
Prediction: Georgetown 79, Creighton 78
Baylor (11-6, 3-2 Big 12) @ West Virginia (9-9, 1-5 Big 12) – 9 PM ET, ESPNU
Prediction: Baylor 70, West Virginia 69
Tuesday, January 22nd
#21Mississippi State (14-3, 2-2 SEC) @ #13Kentucky (14-3, 4-1 SEC) – 7 PM ET, ESPN
On Saturday I picked Kentucky to walk into Auburn Arena and walk out with a win and they did it in what was one of the best games of the year so far. I’m really high on the Wildcats, to me, they’re a top ten team in the nation, and they get the home court advantage here against a Mississippi State team that has dropped two of their past four. I’m confident in a John Calipari win here for three reasons: first, UK rebounds the ball at one of the best rates in the country thanks to their extraordinary height, second, they cause chaos on defense with seven and eight percent block and steal rates, respectively, and lastly, and most importantly, they get to the line and they hit their free throws. They had 33 free throw opportunities on Saturday against AU, and hit 24 of them. This Kentucky team is the second-best in the conference, and I’d keep an eye on them come March. They’ll pick up a win here over a Mississippi State that is still getting used to life in the SEC after an easy non-conference slate.
Prediction: Kentucky 74, Mississippi State 69
#10Texas Tech (15-3, 4-2 Big 12) @ Kansas State (14-4, 4-2 Big 12) – 7 PM ET, ESPN2
Kansas, Texas Tech, Iowa State, and Kansas State all currently hold 4-2 record in the Big 12 at the time of writing (Iowa State vs Kansas may have already happened by the time you read this). You’ve probably heard a lot about Kansas and Texas Tech, and perhaps Iowa State too as they beat both teams, but K-State has likely flown under your radar. After making a trip to the elite eight last year and returning most of their pieces, the Wildcats started the year as a top 15 team but quickly got blown out by Marquette and lost to Tulsa, booting them from the national conscience. After starting Big 12 play 0-2 (a blowout loss to Texas at home being one of the two), a tournament bid looked out of the question, as they fell out of the KenPom top 50. To add to that, Bruce Weber’s job certainly looked in question. But, K-State found a way to turn things around and fired off four straight wins, including wins @ Iowa State, @ Oklahoma, and vs TCU, the final two being by double digits. Barry Brown is one of the most exciting players to watch in the country, and the Bramlage Coliseum is one of the toughest places to play in the nation. I think K-State avenges their six-point loss to Texas Tech earlier this year and extends their winning streak to five.
Prediction: Kansas State 65, Texas Tech 62
#15Auburn (13-4, 2-2 SEC) @ South Carolina (9-8, 4-1 SEC) – 6:30 PM ET, SEC Network
Prediction: Auburn 78, South Carolina 72
Villanova (14-4, 5-0 Big East) @ Butler (12-7, 3-3 Big East) – 7 PM ET, FS1
Prediction: Villanova 70, Butler 69
Clemson (11-6, 1-3 ACC) @ Florida State (13-5, 1-4 ACC) – 7 PM ET, ESPNU
Prediction: Florida State 73, Clemson 67
Minnesota (14-4, 4-3 Big Ten) @ #6Michigan (17-1, 6-1 Big Ten) – 7 PM ET, BTN
Prediction: Michigan 74, Minnesota 63
Texas A&M (7-9, 1-4 SEC) @ #23Florida (10-7, 2-3 SEC) – 8:30 PM ET, SEC Network
Prediction: Florida 69, Texas A&M 59
Indiana (12-6, 3-4 Big Ten) @ Northwestern (11-7, 2-5 Big Ten) – 9 PM ET, BTN
Prediction: Northwestern 69, Indiana 68
Ole Miss (14-3, 4-1 SEC) @ Alabama (11-6, 2-3 SEC) – 9 PM ET, ESPNU
Prediction: Ole Miss 74, Alabama 73
#2Duke (15-2, 4-1 ACC) @ Pittsburgh (12-6, 2-3 ACC) – 9 PM ET, ESPN
Prediction: Duke 78, Pittsburgh 67
Wednesday, January 22nd
#10Purdue (12-6, 5-2 Big Ten) @ Ohio State (12-5, 2-4 Big Ten) – 7 PM ET, BTN
I’ve liked Purdue more than the pollsters all year, and at this point, I wouldn’t be afraid to call them a top ten team despite their six losses. Carsen Edwards and company have won six of their past seven, with the only loss coming on the road against conference favorite Michigan State. They face a reeling Ohio State team, needing a victory to add to their tournament resume after four straight losses, including one against Rutgers. Despite all that, I’m picking Ohio State to end their woes against a Purdue team seemingly on fire right now. It may be against my better judgment, but the Buckeyes are desperate for a win and they’ve got the home court advantage here. With games @ Nebraska and @ Michigan coming up next, a loss here would likely ensure a 0-7 start to 2019 for OSU, something that Chris Holtmann can’t afford as they quickly drop seed lines in the eyes of the committee. Add to that Purdue’s struggles on the road this season and you can talk yourself into taking the Buckeyes. Purdue is just 1-6 this season in games away from home against top-75 teams, with the only win coming in overtime. I see the Boilermakers picking up their seventh road loss of the season here in what will be an upset thanks to a strong offensive performance from OSU C Kaleb Wesson
Prediction: Ohio State 70, Purdue 69
Providence (11-7, 1-4 Big East) @ Xavier (11-8, 3-3 Big East) – 6:30 PM ET, FS1
Prediction: Xavier 73, Providence 67
Texas (11-7, 3-3 Big 12) @ #21TCU (13-4, 2-3 Big 12) – 7 PM ET, ESPNU
Prediction: TCU 72, Texas 66
#5Tennessee (16-1, 5-0 SEC) @ Vanderbilt (9-8, 0-5 SEC) – 7 PM ET, ESPN2
Prediction: Tennessee 80, Vanderbilt 66
Georgia (9-8, 1-4 SEC) @ #24LSU (14-3, 4-0 SEC) – 7 PM ET, SEC Network
Prediction: LSU 78, Georgia 65
Oklahoma (13-5, 2-4 Big 12) @ Oklahoma State (8-10, 2-4 Big 12) – 9 PM ET, ESPNU
Prediction: Oklahoma 73, Oklahoma State 67
#13Wisconsin (12-6, 4-3 Big Ten) @ Illinois (5-13, 1-6 Big Ten) – 9 PM ET, BTN
Prediction: Wisconsin 73, Illinois 66
Missouri (10-6, 1-3 SEC) @ Arkansas (10-7, 1-4 SEC) – 9 PM ET, SEC Network
Prediction: Arkansas 72, Missouri 67
Thursday, January 24th
#3Michigan State (17-2, 8-0 Big Ten) @ #23Iowa (16-3, 5-3 Big Ten) – 7 PM ET, FS1
Iowa has flown under the radar to a large degree this year. If you think back to the early season tournaments, the Hawkeyes won the first high-profile one (the 2K Classic at MSG), beating Oregon and Connecticut on the Thursday/Friday before the big Thanksgiving week tournaments. You probably haven’t heard much from them since then as they dropped their first three Big Ten conference games, which happened to be against three of the four highest ranked teams in the conference (2/3 away from home), but since then the Hawkeyes have gone 5-0 (winning by an average of 12.4 points in that time span), including double-digit victories over Nebraska and Ohio State. Throw in a double-digit victory over Big 12 contender Iowa State earlier in the non-conference in the break between those early season conference games and now, and you’ve got yourself a legit top 25 team. The problem here, however, is that they run into the #3 team in the country, Michigan State, a team that already clocked them by 22 earlier this year. Iowa is one a hot streak, and crazier things have happened, but Michigan State is one incredible form right now. The Spartans are winners of 12 straight, all but a handful being by double digits, and its not like they’ve been facing Rutgers-caliber teams, they’ve got wins @ Florida, @ Ohio State, @ Nebraska, and vs Purdue and Maryland in that stretch. Cassius Winston is one of the best distributors in the country (41.4 assist rate) and he can shoot the ball too (44% from three), throw in big man Nick Ward being one of the top rebounders in the conference, and I just don’t see how Iowa could get the win here, even with the home court edge.
Prediction: Michigan State 80, Iowa 72
NC State (15-3, 3-2 ACC) @ #16Louisville (13-5, 4-1 ACC) – 8 PM ET, ESPN3
The ACC Network can’t come soon enough as we get a game between top 30 teams on some random local channel. NC State might prefer not being seen after their recent performances, though, the Wolfpack dropped a game against Wake Forest on last Tuesday. The Demon Deacons are the worst team in a power six conference when you get rid of the Pac-12, which doesn’t deserve to be called a power conference this year. Louisville, on the other hand, is coming off of three straight double-digit wins, including perhaps the most impressive single-game performanceI’ve seen all year, beating Roy Williams’ Tar Heels by 21 at the Dean, the worst home loss Williams has suffered in his 15 years at the helm in Chapel Hill. I think Louisville, which many people didn’t expect to even make the tournament this year, is probably the fourth best team in the ACC right now, and I’ll ride the hot hand, especially at home in the KFC Yum! Center.
Prediction: Louisville 80, NC State 72
Miami (9-8, 1-4 ACC) @ Syracuse (13-5, 4-1 ACC) – 8 PM ET, ESPN3
Prediction: Syracuse 74, Miami 65
Washington (14-4, 5-0 Pac-12) @ Oregon (11-7, 2-3 Pac-12) – 9 PM ET, ESPN2
Prediction: Washington 67, Oregon 66
Arizona (14-5, 5-1 Pac-12) @ USC (10-8, 3-2 Pac-12) – 9 PM ET, FS1
Prediction: USC 71, Arizona 70
Arizona State (13-5, 4-2 Pac-12) @ UCLA (10-8, 3-2 Pac-12) – 11 PM ET, FS1
Prediction: UCLA 75, Arizona State 74
Saint Mary’s (13-7, 4-1 WCC) @ BYU (12-9, 4-2 WCC) – 11 PM ET, ESPN2
Prediction: Saint Mary’s 77, BYU 75
Friday, January 25th
#6Michigan (18-1, 7-1 Big Ten) @ Indiana (12-7, 3-5 Big Ten) – 6:30 PM ET, FS1
FS1 has really stacked these Friday night slots with some excellent Big Ten games, and this one is no different as the second-best team in the conference has to go on the road to a tough environment, Assembly Hall, for a game against a sliding Indiana team in desperate need for a resume-boosting win. The Hoosiers are losers of five straight, albeit all in very difficult games, but this once mighty team is now on the bubble in most expert bracketology projections. It would be a real shame if we were to miss seeing Romeo Langford in the big dance, because the freshman sensation has been maybe the best in the country for his class outside of Durham. Despite the solid HCA that IU receives at Assembly Hall (3.6 points), I’m still taking Michigan to pull this one out on the road, rebounding after losing their first game of the season this past Saturday in Madison and then almost losing their second on Tuesday at home against Minnesota. Those two games do not define this Michigan team and I expect John Beilein to have the Wolverines firing on all cylinders come game time and playing back at the form they held throughout much of the beginning of Big Ten play, thanks in large part to their top-notch defense.
Prediction: Michigan 68, Indiana 64
Butler (12-8, 3-4 Big East) @ Creighton (11-8, 2-4 Big East) – 8:30 PM ET, FS1
Prediction: Creighton 77, Butler 75