Nevada has more than lived up to the hype it built last season in its run to the Sweet 16, winning all of its first eight games by double digits. Coach Eric Musselman’s strategy of relying mainly on junior college players has set the Wolf Pack up with eight seniors this year, and they’ve played like seniors. Sportsbook believe that experience helps make the Pack 7.5 point favorites. DJ has your basketball pick!
Iowa State might only go five deep with its talent now that Lindell Wigginton is out with a foot injury, but the Cyclones have proven that they can get big nights out of anyone and be successful. With five players averaging more than seven points per game, the Cyclones don’t allow opponents to shut down any one thing that they do well, because they’ll simply adjust to whatever the defense is willing to give them. Can Iowa State keep winning with a short bench? DJ has your basketball pick!
Having a target on its back hasn’t hurt Gonzaga at all when playing at home, where the Bulldogs have beaten every opponent by at least 23 points this season. Zach Norvell (18.6 points per game) has blossomed as a sophomore and now serves as Gonzaga’s main threat from the perimeter and a nice complement to the inside scoring of Rui Hachimura (21.9). In this matchup, Norvell’s shooting has the potential to be critical, as the Washington defense will attempt to choke off the paths to Hachimura and force the Bulldogs to beat them with deep shots. Sportsbooks have Gonzaga as huge 15 point favorites.
West Virginia has been a tough team to figure out since opening night, when the Mountaineers lost in overtime to Buffalo. Buffalo has proven to be better than anyone expected, but the same can’t necessarily be said for the Mountaineers, who have no impressive wins on their resume at this point and haven’t really shown the kind of defense one would expect from a Bob Huggins-coached team. What can we expect from WVU versus the Gators?
Through five games, Iowa looked like it might really have something this season, in contrast with last year’s wipeout that saw the Hawkeyes record their worst Big Ten finish ever. After a 5-0 start, the Hawkeyes have played a tight game at home against Pittsburgh and slipped up against Wisconsin, calling into question just how good the Hawkeyes really are. The biggest difference from last year’s team is freshman Joe Wieskamp, who serves as Iowa’s top 3-point shooter and averages 10.9 points a game. When he’s on, he can highhandedly change a game for Iowa, but he’s shown a tendency to disappear against big-time opponents this season. Can Iowa’s shooting keep the Hawkeyes within the bookie’s line of +10?
UCLA has many weapons who can hurt its opponents, most notably sophomore Kris Wilkes. A 6-foot-8 guard, Wilkes can score from anywhere on the floor and he provides the presence inside to own the boards. Against Hawaii, he notched a double-double by grabbing 10 rebounds to go with 16 points. He’s scored in double figures in every UCLA game this season. His boards are as important as his points, because it’s not with the first shot that UCLA beats its opponents. It’s with the second and third. The Bruins rank 10th in the country in rebounds and are excellent at getting on the glass and extending their possessions. When teams don’t limit the Bruins to one shot, they usually find themselves paying the price. Can UCLA manage the glass well enough to get a win against the -10 spread?
Ignas Brazdeikis, the freshman, has now topped 20 points in three consecutive games and is playing at a very high level as defenses struggle to adjust to what he brings to the table. He’s been the cog that has taken Michigan’s offense from pedestrian to solid, and when he’s on, Michigan is as good as anyone in the country. Can bettors expect Purdue to slow him and stay within the 6.5 point spread?
UCF spreads its scoring pretty well, and it’s long on experience, which sets this up as a chance for coach Johnny Dawkins to reach a breakthrough in Year 3 in Orlando. The Knights get strong contributions from B.J. Taylor and Aubrey Dawkins, but it’s the play of Tacko Fall that catches the attention of most people due to him being 7 foot 6. Can UCF’s balance attack make up for the 6 point handicap?
Were Michigan’s early struggles a mirage, or did the Wolverines get something figured out after two lackluster games to start the season? Whatever it was, the struggling start to the year seems like it was months ago instead of just over two weeks, and the Wolverines are now rolling at both ends of the floor. Michigan has been spectacular on defense in all six of its wins, but now that freshman Ignas Brazdeikis has gotten rolling, the Wolverines appear just as solid when they have the basketball. Does Michigan have enough momentum to cover the 3 point spread? DJ has your college basketball pick!
Duke showed that it is human in Maui, playing a tight game against Auburn and falling to Gonzaga in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score indicated. But those are both top 10 teams on a neutral court, which says that Duke is still an immensely talented squad that will likely be a major factor in both the ACC and the national title chase. Do they have enough momentum to cover the bookie’s line of -14.5? DJ has your basketball pick.