College Basketball Picks Today:
Expert college basketball handicapper Greg Peterson shares his top college basketball picks today for Thursday, March 20.
Check out Greg’s Daily College Basketball Lines and his Coast 2 Coast Hoops Podcast. Also, check out our College Basketball Betting Splits.
12:15 PM Eastern
Louisville vs. Creighton
Louisville should be getting Reyne Smith back in the lineup after he missed the ACC Tournament. He ranks fourth in the country in made three-pointers per game. That’s a big boost for a Louisville team that makes 36.2% of its three-point shots away from home, ranking 53rd in the country. They should have plenty of clean possessions against a Creighton defense that ranks 361st in turnovers forced per possession.
Pick: Louisville -2 (Greg’s Handicap: Louisville -3.5)
12:40 PM Eastern
Purdue vs. High Point
Purdue has struggled defensively on the interior, ranking 350th in opponent two-point shooting percentage. Meanwhile, High Point ranks third nationally in field goal shooting percentage away from home and 44th in rebound percentage, while Purdue is just 123rd in that category.
Pick: High Point +8 (Greg’s Handicap: High Point +3)
1:30 PM Eastern
Montana vs. Wisconsin
Wisconsin does a good job limiting second-chance points, ranking 56th in defensive rebound percentage. They also hold opponents to 32.2% shooting from three-point range on the road, ranking 76th. Neither team excels at offensive rebounding—Wisconsin ranks 269th in percentage of missed shots resulting in an offensive rebound, while Montana is 350th. Both teams play at a relatively moderate pace, with Wisconsin ranking 166th in total possessions per game and Montana 224th.
Pick: Montana vs. Wisconsin Under 152 (Greg’s Handicapped Total: 148.5)
2:00 PM Eastern
SIU Edwardsville vs. Houston
Houston leads the country in points per possession allowed, but their slow pace makes covering large spreads difficult. They rank 357th in total possessions per game. SIU Edwardsville plays strong interior defense, ranking 22nd nationally in opponent two-point shooting percentage, and they hold opponents to just 25.8% of their missed shots, ranking 71st in road defensive rebound percentage.
Pick: SIU Edwardsville +29.5 (Greg’s Handicap: SIU Edwardsville +25)
4:05 PM Eastern
VCU vs. BYU
BYU ranks 16th nationally in road three-point shooting percentage, making 37.7% of their threes. They should feel comfortable playing at elevation in Denver. Meanwhile, VCU’s defense ranks fifth in the nation in points per possession allowed, but they may struggle to adjust, especially late in the game. BYU also holds an edge on the glass.
Pick: BYU -2.5 (Greg’s Handicap: BYU -5.5)
4:35 PM Eastern
Georgia vs. Gonzaga
Gonzaga’s defense is often criticized, but they actually rank 17th nationally in points per possession allowed. Both teams struggle with three-point shooting away from home—Georgia ranks 347th at 28.7%, while Gonzaga shoots just 31.1%. Georgia also ranks 287th in points per possession in road games.
Pick: Georgia vs. Gonzaga Under 151 (Greg’s Handicapped Total: 148.5)
6:50 PM Eastern
Wofford vs. Tennessee
Tennessee ranks ninth nationally in points per possession and leads the country in three-point defense, allowing opponents to shoot just 27.6% from beyond the arc. Wofford attempts 47.7% of its shots from three, ranking 23rd in three-point attempt rate, but struggles defensively, ranking 238th in points per possession allowed. Away from home, Wofford allows teams to shoot 36% from three.
Pick: Tennessee -18.5 (Greg’s Handicap: Tennessee -21.5)
7:10 PM Eastern
Kansas vs. Arkansas
Kansas ranks 274th in points per possession in road games but is 21st in points per possession allowed away from home. Arkansas could get Boogie Fland back, but that might not be a good thing. The Razorbacks have played some of their best basketball without him, going 9-6 after an 0-5 start to SEC play. Arkansas ranks 123rd in points per possession this season.
Pick: Kansas vs. Arkansas Under 146 (Greg’s Handicapped Total: 142.5)
7:25 PM Eastern
Yale vs. Texas A&M
Texas A&M leads the country in offensive rebound percentage, grabbing 40.2% of its missed shots. However, Yale allows opponents to rebound just 23.3% of their misses, ranking 21st nationally. Yale also ranks ninth in points per possession in road games, while Texas A&M struggles offensively, ranking 348th in two-point shooting percentage and 317th in three-point shooting percentage away from home.
Pick: Yale +7.5 (Greg’s Handicap: Yale +6)
7:35 PM Eastern
Drake vs. Missouri
Drake plays at the slowest pace in the country, but Missouri is an efficient offensive team, ranking 36th in three-point shooting percentage at 37% and fifth overall in points per possession. However, Missouri’s defense is a concern, ranking 335th in points per possession allowed away from home.
Pick: Drake vs. Missouri Over 132 (Greg’s Handicapped Total: 137)
9:25 PM Eastern
Utah State vs. UCLA
Utah State ranks 10th nationally in points per possession, while UCLA’s defense ranks 33rd. However, UCLA has struggled on the road, allowing 16.5 more points per possession in road and neutral-site games compared to home games. The Bruins are also just 2-7 in games played east of the Mississippi River.
Pick: Utah State +6.5 (Greg’s Handicap: Utah State -2)
10:00 PM Eastern
UC San Diego vs. Michigan
UC San Diego ranks second nationally in turnovers forced per possession, while Michigan ranks 328th in turnovers per possession on offense. Despite Danny Wolf and Vladislav Goldin combining for over 16.5 rebounds per game, Michigan is just 137th in defensive rebound percentage, allowing opponents to grab 27.8% of their missed shots.
Pick: UC San Diego +2.5 (Greg’s Handicap: UC San Diego -2)
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