Dan Jamison

The one real chance that Vanderbilt has against Tennessee is the fact that rivalry games tend to produce some strange outcomes. Sometimes, a team that has done nothing all season, like Vanderbilt, plays the game of its year and pushes its rival to the brink of disaster. Sometimes, it goes the other way and the favorite delivers a beat down that embarrasses its rival and forces a long, hard look in the mirror for the defeated. Do we expect a dramatic result here? DJ has your college hoops play and prediction!

Do the Blue Devils have enough gas left in the tank for the Panthers? This is a classic trap game for the Blue Devils. They’ve only had 72 hours to come down from the high of beating Virginia, and two of their five starters played all 40 minutes against Virginia. Given Duke’s style of running the floor as often as it can, fatigue could become a real factor for the Blue Devils in this contest. Is that reason to look at the dog and a whopping 12.5 points here? DJ has your college hoops pick!

The Cavaliers play at the slowest pace of any Division I school, but they’re efficient when they do have the ball, scoring an average of six points on every five trips down the floor. Kyle Guy has been the main catalyst for the Wahoos by upping his shooting percentage to 47.2 percent, and he’s hit double figures in 10 consecutive games. Does a recipe of pace and efficiency mean a +2 cover for Virginia bettors? DJ has your basketball pick.

The Musketeers may cover if they can take away one of Nova’s two main offensive weapons. Villanova’s lack of a third scorer makes beating it a simple, straightforward task — if you have the necessary personnel to pull it off. Paschall and Booth are both matchup nightmares for opposing defenses: quick, quality shooters with the confidence to take the open look whenever it comes. However, when things go wrong for one or both of them, as was the case in Villanova’s blowout loss to Michigan, the Wildcats can be easily beaten. The sportsbooks opened the Musketeers +10.5. Do they have the ability to defend their way to a cover against the spread?

Pinnacle Bank Arena has become a fortress for Nebraska, as the Huskers have won 20 straight games in Lincoln, dating back to a one-point loss to Kansas on Dec. 16, 2017. The Spartans are in town and putting that streak in serious jeopardy. Can Nebraska defend their house as small underdogs? DJ has your college basketball pick.

At the start of Big 12 play, the Wildcats looked like a mess. They got drilled by Texas in a 20-point loss, and with Kamau Stokes and Dean Wade down, Kansas State looked like it was going to struggle to accomplish anything positive in the league. Instead, the Wildcats have gotten healthy and returned to being a competitive team, proving so with a win at Iowa State. Is this new version or K-State a value pick at the +6.5 that sportsbooks are currently offering? DJ breaks down the game.

College Basketball Handicapper, Dan Jamison has a big play on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. North Carolina Tar Heels game which tips off tonight, Tuesday, January 15, 2019 at 9pm EST, Bookmakers opened the Tar Heels as Goliaths at -14.5.

If you think Virginia is only about defense, then you haven’t watched Virginia play in 2019. Defense remains the calling card for Tony Bennett’s men, but the Wahoos have added a strong, efficient offense to their arsenal this year, which is why Virginia’s offense ranks sixth in the nation despite playing at the slowest pace of any Division I team. Will the scoring prowess propel the Cavs to a 8.5 point cover?

Point guard Ashton Hagans is Kentucky’s leader in assists as well as steals per game. Hagans, a freshman who originally committed to his home-state school Georgia before the Bulldogs fired Mark Fox and hired Tom Crean, leading Hagans to renege on his commitment and instead go to Lexington, will likely be the focus of the Bulldogs crowd. Will the young floor general rise to the occasion or fold under pressure? DJ has your college basketball prediction.

Michigan is at its best when it denies open looks at the basket, mainly in the form of dunks, layups or 3-pointers. The Wolverines want every shot to be a contested look, and they are excellent at forcing their opponents to try to beat a defender. Does Northwestern have enough isolation talent and ability to take their man to the rim to make +12 the pick? DJ breaks down the matchup!