College Basketball Picks Today:
Expert college basketball handicapper Greg Peterson shares his top college basketball picks today for Sunday, February 1.
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12:00 PM Eastern
Rhode Island Rams vs. Duquesne Dukes
This game features a tempo war as Duquesne is 34th in total possessions per game, while Rhode Island is 309th. Rhode Island has been a solid defensive team, ranking 52nd overall in points per possession allowed and 12th in turnovers per possession generated, but are 320th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage away from home at 38.3%. Duquesne shoots 34.5% from 3-point range and has gotten to at least 74 points in eight of their past 10 games against Division I Teams. Rhode Island is 106th in points per possession away from home.
Picks: Duquesne -1.5 and Over 144.5 (Greg’s Handicap Duquesne -5 and Total 147)
1:00 PM Eastern
Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Florida Gators
Alabama is looking to make the game as fast and offense-based as possible, ranking 14th in points per possession away from home and are eighth in possessions per game. Florida is not afraid to run either, ranking 55th in possessions per game. Florida had their nation-leading offensive rebound percentage wiped out by shooting just 28.1% from 3-point range at home, which ranks 349th in the nation. Alabama takes 53.2% of their shots from 3-point range, which is the second-highest percentage in the nation. They should get good looks against a Florida defense that is 113th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage.
Pick: Alabama +7.5 (Greg’s Handicap Alabama +3)
Sacred Heart Pioneers vs. Merrimack Warriors
Merrimack is playing at one of the slowest paces in the country, ranking 355th in possessions per game. They limit clean possessions even further, ranking 51st in turnovers per possession generated on defense. Sacred Heart is 250th in turnovers per game and are not playing at a fast pace either, ranking 200th in possessions per game. Neither team does much to get second chances to score, with Sacred Heart 223rd in offensive rebound percentage. Merrimack ranks 341st, which goes to 349th at home with only 20.6% of their missed shots becoming an offensive rebound.
Pick: Sacred Heart vs. Merrimack Under 145.5 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 139.5)
Chattanooga Mocs vs. Furman Paladins
Neither team plays at a fast pace, as Chattanooga is 295th in total possessions per game and Furman is 249th. Chattanooga is making the most of their possessions on offense, ranking 14th in fewest turnovers per possession away from home. They attempt 51.3% of their shots away from home from 3-point range, the seventh-highest percentage in the nation. They should get open looks against a Furman defense that is 162nd in opponent 3-point shooting percentage at home. Furman counters with a 2-point shooting percentage that ranks 13th in the nation, while Chattanooga is 315th in points per possession allowed on defense.
Pick: Chattanooga vs. Furman Over 142.5 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 147.5)
2:00 PM Eastern
Wright State Raiders vs. UW-Green Bay Phoenix
UW Green Bay plays at a very slow pace, ranking 339th in total possessions per game. They are executing well on offense, ranking 107th in points per possession and 29th in home 3-point shooting percentage at 39.8%. Wright State is 17th in road 3-point shooting percentage at 39.2%. They go up against a UW-Green Bay defense that is 355th in points per possession allowed at home.
Pick: Wright State vs. UW-Green Bay Over 144.5 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 148)
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers vs. UL Monroe Warhawks
UL Monroe is pushing a fast tempo, ranking 62nd in total possessions per game. They will not be under duress on defense against a Coastal Carolina defense that is 364th out of 365 Division I teams in turnovers generated per possession. UL Monroe has shot 37.6% from 3-point range at home this season, which ranks 74th in the country. On defense, UL Monroe ranks just 338th in points per possession allowed.
Pick: Coastal Carolina vs. UL Monroe Over 145.5 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 148.5)
Iowa State Cyclones vs. Kansas State Wildcats
Iowa State overall ranks sixth in the nation in points per possession allowed. That ranking goes to 30th away from home as they do allow 15 more points per 100 possessions away from home than at home. Kansas State is playing at a rapid pace, ranking 22nd in total possessions per game. Both teams are two of the better outside shooting teams in the country, with Iowa State fourth in the country in 3-point shooting percentage at 40.6% while Kansas State is 36th at 37.1%. On defense, Kansas State is 189th in points per possession allowed and 250th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage at home at 35%. They face an Iowa State offense that is sixth in the nation in points per possession.
Pick: Iowa State vs. Kansas State Over 154.5 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 160.5)
Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Penn State Nittany Lions
Neither team is playing fast, with Minnesota 331st in possessions per game while Penn State is 281st in total possessions per game. Both defenses have also been inefficient as Minnesota has some of the largest home and road defensive splits in the country, ranking 20th in points
per possession allowed at home and 340th away from home. Penn State is overall 325th in points per possession allowed while maximizing their own possessions on offense, ranking 29th in fewest turnovers per possession. Minnesota’s offense is 222nd in 3-point shooting percentage, which will benefit from Penn State ranking 345th in opponent 2-point shooting percentage.
Picks: Minnesota -1.5 and Over 142 (Greg’s Handicap Minnesota -4.5 and Total 144.5)
St. Peter’s Peacocks vs. Rider Broncos
Both teams are playing at a slow pace. St. Peter’s is 313th in total possessions per game and Rider is 329th. Rider has failed to generate offense all season long, ranking 355th in points per possession at home and shooting 27.3% from 3-point range, which ranks 361st and 266th in
turnovers per possession. St. Peter’s is 18th in turnovers per possession generated on defense. Both teams have struggled with their 2-point shooting percentage, with St. Peter’s 345th and Rider 359th.
Pick: St. Peter’s vs. Rider Under 136.5 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 129)
East Carolina Panthers vs. Florida Atlantic Owls
Florida Atlantic’s biggest weakness is 3-point shooting defense, ranking 222nd in opponent 3-point shooting percentage. Florida Atlantic, with two of their top scorers in Devin Vanterpool and Kanaan Carlyle banged up, gets to go up against an East Carolina group that has been awful in all aspects of offense, ranking 360th in road 2-point shooting percentage and are 362nd in overall 3-point shooting percentage at 27.1%. Florida Atlantic is 12th in 3-point shooting percentage at home at 41.3%, while East Carolina is 292nd in opponent 3-point shooting percentage.
Pick: Florida Atlantic -11.5 (Greg’s Handicap Florida Atlantic -16.5)
Niagara Purple Eagles vs. Marist Red Foxes
While Niagara is 302nd in opponent 3-point shooting percentage at 36.3% and are overall 311th in points per possession allowed, that 3-point shooting percentage falls to 30.4% at home. Niagara will not get many scoring opportunities as both teams play slowly, with Niagara 362nd in total possessions per game and Marist 280th. Marist has been one of the strongest defensive teams in the nation, ranking 10th in the nation in points per possession allowed overall and are 17th in turnovers per possession generated away from home. They face a Niagara offense that has been inefficient to start with, ranking 323rd in points per possession.
Picks: Marist -9.5 and Under 131.5 (Greg’s Handicap Marist -12 and Total 126)
4:00 PM Eastern
Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Nebraska is forcing teams to beat them from 3-point range, with 49.7% of opponents’ field goals coming from 3-point range, the sixth-highest percentage in the country. On offense, Nebraska takes 51% of their field goal attempts from 3-point range, the 12th-highest percentage in the country. They now face an Illinois unit that is 66th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage at 31.4% and lead the country in points per possession on offense, ranking 69th in 3-point shooting percentage at 35.9%. Illinois is sixth in rebound percentage while Nebraska is 135th.
Pick: Illinois Moneyline (Greg’s Handicap Illinois -1.5)
7:00 PM Eastern
East Tennessee Buccaneers vs. Wofford Terriers
The Wofford defense has had leaks all season long, ranking 305th in points per possession allowed at home. They are at a big disadvantage in the turnover department as East Tennessee is 50th in turnovers per possession generated, while Wofford is 271st. Wofford’s offense has
been helped by the team ranking 132nd in offensive rebound percentage and much of that gets mitigated by East Tennessee’s ranking 46th in defensive rebound percentage, with only 25% of opponents’ missed shots becoming an offensive rebound. Wofford’s 3-point shooting dips from 37% away from home to 32.2% at home.
Picks: East Tennessee -1.5 and Under 150 (Greg’s Handicap East Tennessee -5.5 and Total 145.5)
