College Basketball Picks Today:
Expert college basketball handicapper Greg Peterson shares his top college basketball picks today for Tuesday, April 1.
Note that some of these games are in the inaugural College Basketball Crown in Las Vegas. A lot of states are not allowing wagering on the CBC. If yours is, you can use Greg’s analysis to help, but there are NIT games here as well.
Check out Greg’s Daily College Basketball Lines and his Coast 2 Coast Hoops Podcast. Also, check out our College Basketball Betting Splits.
3:00 PM Eastern
DePaul vs. Cincinnati
DePaul ranks 179th in points per possession on offense and will have a tough time breaking through a Cincinnati defense that ranks 32nd in the nation in points per possession allowed and eighth in turnovers forced per possession. This challenge is magnified by DePaul ranking 299th in turnovers per possession away from home. Meanwhile, Cincinnati’s offense struggles in key areas, ranking 335th in free throw shooting percentage (66.8%) and 266th in three-point shooting percentage, while also playing at a slow pace, ranking 296th in possessions per game.
Pick: Under 143 (Greg’s Handicapped Total: 138.5)
5:30 PM Eastern
Oregon State vs. Central Florida
Central Florida takes a major hit without Keyshawn Hall, who led the team with 18.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Oregon State will be without its top three scorers—Michael Rataj, Parsa Fallah, and Nate Kingz—all of whom have entered the transfer portal. Central Florida ranks just 339th in defensive rebounding percentage, allowing opponents to rebound 32.4% of their missed shots, while Oregon State is 84th in this category. However, with Oregon State now down to just two players averaging more than 3.2 rebounds per game, their rebounding edge is diminished. Central Florida ranks just 155th in points per possession, while Oregon State retains point guard DeMarco Minor from an offense that ranks 22nd in points per possession but plays at a slow pace, ranking 336th in total possessions per game.
Picks: Central Florida -4 and Under 159.5 (Greg’s Handicap: Central Florida -5.5 and Total 155.5)
7:00 PM Eastern
North Texas vs. UC Irvine
Both teams boast elite defenses, with North Texas ranking 10th in the country in points per possession allowed away from home and UC Irvine ranking third. However, North Texas has the advantage in the turnover department, as UC Irvine ranks 244th in the nation in offensive turnovers per possession and will face a North Texas defense that is 30th in turnovers forced per possession away from home.
Pick: North Texas -1.5 (Greg’s Handicap: North Texas -2.5)
8:30 PM Eastern
Colorado vs. Villanova
With Villanova head coach Kyle Neptune fired, the team will be under the guidance of Mike Nardi. Fortunately for Villanova, they have a veteran squad with players looking to make one final push. This includes Eric Dixon, who leads the country in scoring at 23 points per game and needs just nine more points to become the school’s all-time scoring leader. Villanova also leads the nation in three-point shooting percentage at 39.8%, while Colorado struggles offensively, ranking 278th in points per possession and 352nd in turnovers per possession.
Pick: Villanova -3.5 (Greg’s Handicap: Villanova -7)
10:00 PM Eastern
Tulane vs. USC
USC’s three-point shooting drops significantly on the road, where they shoot just 31.3% from deep compared to 40.8% at home—where they rank 11th in the nation. Defensively, their three-point defense travels well, ranking 30th in the country, allowing opponents to shoot just 30.5% from beyond the arc away from home. Tulane also struggles from deep on the road, hitting only 30% of their three-point attempts. Second-chance scoring opportunities will be limited, as USC ranks 201st in offensive rebounding percentage and Tulane 299th.
Pick: Under 157.5 (Greg’s Handicapped Total: 150.5)
