College Basketball Picks

Losing Zion Williamson would have been a death knell for many teams, but Duke isn’t most teams. The Blue Devils are still incredibly talented, especially because R.J. Barrett is in the lineup. Williamson gets almost all of the accolades from fans and pundits, but it’s Barrett who is usually Duke’s most important player. Combine that with who is missing for Virginia Tech and we have a basketball pick on our hands! DJ breaks down Blue Devils/Hokies!

Kansas State hopes for some Kansas on Kansas crime as it attempts to steal one in Allen Fieldhouse as 3.5 point dogs. Kansas is not a better team without Lagerald Vick, and its success in the past three games was a product of playing at home and just how inept Oklahoma State and West Virginia are this season. Throughout this season, Kansas has been the quintessential home-court hero. Allen Fieldhouse has been a fortress for Kansas, which is 15-0 this season in Lawrence. The Jayhawks have been nothing special away from home, as Kansas is just 2-7 in true road games. Can KSU make the Jayhawks uncomfortable early enough to take the home crowd out of the game? DJ looks at all factors and gives his college hoops pick.

Something seems to have awakened in the Spartans after they got tripped up by Illinois. Since that game in Champaign, Michigan State is 4-0 and has won three of its four by ten or more, with the fourth being an eight-point win over Wisconsin. But Michigan State plays their rival as underdogs which sportsbooks opened at +4. DJ looks at if the momentum can take State to a cover against the spread!

Playing in Lubbock hasn’t been much of an edge for Texas Tech when Kansas has been the visitor. Granted, Texas Tech has beaten Kansas just once in the past 19 meetings overall, but the Red Raiders have lost eight straight to the Jayhawks in Lubbock, dating back to 2009. Current Texas Tech coach Chris Bears was on the Red Raiders’ bench for that game — as an assistant to Patrick Knight, who was then in his first season as the head man in Lubbock. Since then, Knight, Billy Gillispie and Tubby Smith have all come and gone, and not one managed to win a home game versus Kansas. Is this the game? The bookie’s line suggests it could be and DJ has a suggestion on your basketball bet!

Neither of these two squads are Kentucky, a strong mix of both offensive and defensive excellence. But, both of them can score points in bunches while struggling to get stops at the other end. Over its past nine contests, LSU has held exactly one team under 70 points, and that’s bottom-feeder Texas A&M.