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, 12/3
Iowa (6-1, 0-1 Big Ten) @ #9
Michigan State (6-2, 1-0 Big Ten) – 6:30 PM ET, FS1
Prediction: Michigan State
Rutgers (5-2, 0-1 Big Ten) @ #22
Wisconsin (7-1, 1-0 Big Ten) – 8 PM ET, BTN
Prediction: Wisconsin
Tuesday, 12/4
Indiana (6-2, 1-0 Big Ten) @
Penn State (4-3, 0-1 Big Ten) – 7 PM ET, BTN
Prediction: Indiana
Northeastern (4-4) @ #19
Syracuse (5-2) – 7 PM ET, ESPN3
Prediction: Syracuse
Oklahoma (6-1) vs
Notre Dame (6-1) in New York, NY – 7 PM ET, ESPN
Prediction: Notre Dame
Miami (5-3) @
Pennsylvania (6-2) – 7 PM ET, ESPN+
Prediction: Miami
Wofford (6-2) @ #2
Kansas (6-0) – 8 PM ET, ESPN+
Prediction: Kansas
#5Michigan (8-0, 1-0 Big Ten) @
Northwestern (6-2, 0-1 Big Ten) – 9 PM ET, BTN
Prediction: Michigan
#24Florida (4-3) vs #25
West Virginia (5-2) in New York, NY – 9 PM ET, ESPN
Prediction: Florida
Wednesday, 12/5
#23Ohio State (7-1, 1-0 Big Ten) vs
Illinois (2-6, 0-1 Big Ten) in Chicago, IL – 7 PM ET, BTN
Prediction: Ohio State
VCU (6-2) @
Texas (5-2) – 8 PM ET, ESPNU
Prediction: Texas
Temple (7-1) @ #19
Villanova (6-2) – 8:30 PM ET, FS1
Prediction: Villanova
#22Nebraska (7-1, 1-0 Big Ten) @
Minnesota (6-2, 0-1 Big Ten) – 9 PM ET, BTN
Prediction: Minnesota
San Diego (6-2) @
San Diego State (5-2) – 10 PM ET, Stadium Facebook
Prediction: San Diego State
Washington (6-2) @ #4
Gonzaga (8-0) – 11 PM ET, ESPN2
Prediction: Gonzaga
ATS Pick: Washington +14.5
Thursday, 12/6
Maryland (7-1, 1-0 Big Ten) @ #14
Purdue (5-3, 0-1 Big Ten) – 7 PM ET, BTN
Prediction: Purdue
#17Iowa State (7-1) @
Iowa (6-2) – 8 PM ET, FS1
Prediction: Iowa
Friday, 12/7
TCU (6-1) vs
USC (5-3) in Los Angeles, CA – 9:30 PM ET, FS1
Prediction: USC
#5Nevada (8-0) vs
Arizona State (7-0) in Los Angeles, CA – 11:59 PM ET, ESPN2
Prediction: Nevada
Saturday, 12/8
#9
Michigan State (7-2) @ #21
Florida (5-3) – 12 PM ET, CBS
The only KenPom Top 25 vs Top 25 matchup on Saturday will top right at noon between two teams with somewhat disappointing starts to the year. For Florida, it’s been the surprise underperformance of Senior Jalen Hudson, who was a potential NBA Draft selection were he to have declared last year. Hudson has seen his minutes cut by almost 40% this year, and his offensive rating has fallen from 112 to just 87. The Gators got blown out but FSU on the road to start the year and dropped games to Oklahoma and Butler in the Bahamas, but this is their first true home test this year. As for Michigan State, the Spartans are battle tested, their losses coming to #2 Kansas on a neutral by just five, and a last second overtime loss to Louisville at home which the Spartans really should have won. They also won the Las Vegas Invitational (beating UCLA and Texas) and opened up Big Ten play 2-0 including a 22 point win over Iowa. Home court advantage will be in full effect for this one, but Tom Izzo’s team is just flat out more talented than UF. Expect Ward, Winston, and Langford to show out and lead the Spartans to victory.
Prediction: Michigan State
#15Kentucky (7-1) vs
Seton Hall (5-3) in New York, NY – 12 PM ET, FOX
Prediction: Kentucky
Pittsburgh (7-2) @
West Virginia (5-3) – 12 PM ET, ESPN2
Prediction: West Virginia
Wichita State (4-3) vs
Oklahoma (7-1) in Oklahoma City, OK – 12 PM ET, ESPNU
Prediction: Oklahoma
Xavier (6-3) @
Cincinnati (8-1) – 2 PM ET, ESPN2
Prediction: Cincinnati
Louisville (6-2) @ #23
Indiana (7-2) – 2:30 PM ET, FOX
Prediction: Indiana
Georgetown (7-1) @ #15
Syracuse (6-2) – 3:30 PM ET, ESPN
Prediction: Syracuse
Loyola-Chicago (5-4) vs
Maryland (7-2) in Baltimore, MD – 4 PM ET, BTN
Prediction: Maryland
ATS Pick: Loyola-Chicago +9.5
Houston (7-0) @
Oklahoma State (4-4) – 4 PM ET, FSN
Prediction: Houston
Clemson (6-2) vs
Mississippi State (7-1) in Newark, NJ – 4 PM ET, ESPN2
Prediction: Mississippi State
#12Wisconsin (8-1) @
Marquette (7-2) – 5 PM ET, FOX
Prediction: Wisconsin
Yale (4-2) @ #1
Duke (8-1) – 5:30 PM ET, ESPN
Prediction: Duke
ATS Pick: Yale +24.5
Creighton (6-2) @ #24
Nebraska (7-2) – 6 PM ET, BTN
Prediction: Creighton
#16Florida State (7-1) vs
UConn (7-2) in Newark, NJ – 6:30 PM ET, ESPN2
Prediction: Florida State
New Mexico State (7-1) @ #2
Kansas (7-0) – 8:30 PM ET, ESPN2
Prediction: Kansass
Dayton (5-3) @ #8
Auburn (7-1) – 8:30 PM ET, SEC Network
Prediction: Auburn
Notre Dame (6-2) @
UCLA (6-2) – 10:30 PM ET, ESPN2
Prediction: UCLA
Sunday, 12/9
#10
Tennessee (6-1) vs #6
Gonzaga (9-0) in Phoenix, AZ – 3 PM ET, ESPN
A top ten showdown in Phoenix will lead a small but intriguing set of Sunday games. This one is part of the Jerry Colangelo Classic doubleheader and should be a good one. Gonzaga has struggled the past week, needing to come back from down double digits to beat Creighton last Saturday, and then needing a buzzer beater to put away Washington at home earlier this week on Wednesday. This Zags team has a history of underperforming, everybody remembers the win against Duke in Maui, but in the first round of that tournament, the Bulldogs struggled to pull away from an Illinois team outside of the KenPom top 100. Tennessee, on the other hand, I’m a lot more confident in. Its hard to argue that the Vols wouldn’t be a contender for that #1 spot in the AP poll had Grant Williams not fouled out in the final minutes against Kansas, leading to the Jayhawks taking it in overtime. Outside of that OT loss to #3 Kansas (without their best player in OT), the Vols have won every game by double digits, and they rank top 15 in KenPom in both offense and defense. I’d expect a high scoring shootout here, but in the end, I’ll take Tennessee to pull the upset, 85-82.
Prediction: Tennessee
Arizona (7-2) @
Alabama (5-3) – 1 PM ET, ESPN
Prediction: Alabama
VCU (7-2) @ #2
Virginia (8-0) – 1:30 PM ET, ESPN3
Prediction: Virginia
#14Purdue (6-3) @
Texas (5-3) – 6 PM ET, ESPN2
Prediction: Texas