College Basketball Picks Today:
Expert college basketball handicapper Greg Peterson shares his top college basketball picks today for Sunday, March 8.
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12:00 PM Eastern
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Neither team is playing at a fast pace as Rutgers is 266th in possessions per game and Penn State is 273rd and the Penn State offense has been respectable, ranking 121st in points per possession while Rutgers is just 253rd, which helps a Penn State defense that is 361st in points per possession allowed in games played away from home with their biggest weakness being down low as they are 357th in opponent 2-point shooting percentage, but Rutgers is 342nd in home 2-point shooting percentage.
Pick: Penn State vs. Rutgers Under 150.5 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 146)
Colgate Raiders vs. Lehigh Mountain Hawks
Lehigh has struggled on the glass this season, ranking 336th in rebound percentage while Colgate is 225th and the Lehigh defense is trying to force opponents off the 3-point line, having the 11th-highest percentage of opponents field goal attempts that are 2-point shots while Colgate is 133rd in 2-point shooting percentage and Colgate has an edge in the turnover department as they are 55th in turnovers per possession on offense while Lehigh is 254th.
Pick: Colgate -1.5 (Greg’s Handicap Colgate -2.5)
Campbell Fighting Camels vs. UNC Wilmington Seahawks
The UNC Wilmington defense has been strong this season, ranking 44th in points per possession allowed and sixth in opponent 3-point shooting percentage at 29.4% while Campbell on offense is 180th in points per possession overall and not executing inside, as they are 256th in 2-point shooting percentage and UNC Wilmington has a big edge on the glass, ranking 22nd in rebound percentage while Campbell is 202nd and UNC Wilmington is looking to slow games down as they are 316th in possessions per game.
Pick: Campbell vs. UNC Wilmington Under 150.5 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 146.5)
2:00 PM Eastern
Memphis Tigers vs. Tulane Green Wave
Memphis has had issues on offense all season, ranking 272nd in points per possession with an inability to take care of the ball as they are 321st in turnovers per possession while Tulane has had issues scoring at home, as they are 317th in points per possession at home with their home 3-point shooting percentage being 29.9% compared to 34.6% away from home, but get to face a Memphis defense that allows the 26th-most free throw attempts per field goal attempt and Tulane has the edge at the free throw line as they are 61st in the country in free throw shooting percentage at 75.8% while Memphis is 189th at 72.4%.
Picks: Tulane +1.5 and Under 151.5 (Greg’s Handicap Tulane -1.5 and Total 145.5)
Charlotte 49ers vs. South Florida Bulls
This will be a tempo war as South Florida is playing very fast, ranking second in the nation in total possessions per game while Charlotte is 332nd and Charlotte will look to exploit South Florida’s suspect 3-point shooting defense as the Bulls are 241st in opponent 3-point shooting percentage at 35% while Charlotte shoots 35.4% from 3-point range, which ranks 95th in the country and are 50th in 2-point shooting percentage away from home.
Pick: Charlotte +16.5 (Greg’s Handicap Charlotte +13.5)
Boston U Terriers vs. Navy Midshipmen
Both teams are playing at a very slow pace as Boston U is 336th in possessions per game and Navy is 323rd and these are teams going in the opposite direction on defense as Boston U is 306th in points per possession allowed on defense while Navy is 21st, with the forte of Boston U’s offense being their 3-point shooting percentage, ranking eighth at 39.3%, but that drops to 36.5% away from home and Navy is 11th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage at 29.7%.
Picks: Navy -6.5 and Under 137.5 (Greg’s Handicap Navy -8.5 and Total 134.5)
3:00 PM Eastern
Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Maryland Terrapins
Illinois is playing at a slow pace, ranking 291st in total possessions per game, but are making the most of those possessions as they lead the nation in points per possession on offense while on defense the team is both allowing the fewest free throw attempts to opponents per game, but are also generating the fewest turnovers of any defense in the country, which means clean possessions for a Maryland offense that is just 278th in points per possession while their defense is even more inefficient, ranking 313th in points per possession allowed.
Pick: Illinois vs. Maryland Over 145.5 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 150.5)
Northern Kentucky Norse vs. UW Green Bay Phoenix
The strength of Northern Kentucky is their ability to generate turnovers, ranking 21st in turnovers per possession away from home while UW Green Bay is not putting teams under distress or fighting for second chances, ranking 348th in turnovers per possession generated and 334th in offensive rebound percentage with only 23% of their missed shots becoming offensive rebounds and Northern Kentucky has executed well down low on offense, ranking 45th in 2-point shooting percentage while UW Green Bay is 326th in points per possession allowed.
Picks: Northern Kentucky -2.5 and Over 145.5 (Greg’s Handicap Northern Kentucky -4.5 and Total 148.5)
3:30 PM Eastern
Drexel Dragons vs. Monmouth Hawks
Both teams are looking to play at a very slow pace as Drexel is 337th in possessions per game and Monmouth is 237th and both teams have their issues on offense as Monmouth is 222nd in points per possession and 305th in 2-point shooting percentage while Drexel is 292nd in points per possession and not doing the little things to close out games as they are 275th in 2-point shooting percentage, 314th in turnovers per possession, and 348th in free throw shooting percentage at 66.4%.
Picks: Monmouth -1.5 and Under 138.5 (Greg’s Handicap Monmouth -4 and Total 134)
4:30 PM Eastern
Michigan State Spartans vs. Michigan Wolverines
Michigan State leads the country in defensive rebound percentage with opponents grabbing only 18.6% of their missed shots as an offensive rebound in games played away from home and overall the team is 22nd in points per possession away from home while Michigan overall is fourth in points per possession allowed on defense and have been stout down low, ranking fourth in opponent 2-point shooting percentage in a game that Michigan State will look to slow down as the Spartans rank 280th in total possessions per game while the Wolverines are 30th.
Picks: Michigan State +11.5 and Under 150.5 (Greg’s Handicap Michigan State +8.5 and Total 146.5)
8:30 PM Eastern
Northwestern State Demons vs. Nicholls Colonials
Nicholls is one of the best teams in America at creating turnovers, ranking 20th in the nation in turnovers per possession generated on defense, which does come at the cost of their low post defense being less than stellar as they are 335th in opponent 2-point shooting percentage, but Northwestern State is just 298th in 2-point shooting percentage and are 274th in turnovers per possession on offense and on defense Northwestern State is 263rd in points per possession allowed.
Pick: Nicholls -2.5 (Greg’s Handicap Nicholls -5.5)
