College Basketball Picks Today:
Expert college basketball handicapper Greg Peterson shares his top college basketball picks today for Wednesday, December 3.
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7:00 PM Eastern
Queens NC Royals vs. Gardner-Webb Bulldogs
Gardner-Webb is having all sorts of struggles, ranking 349th in points per possession on offense and 356th in points per possession allowed on defense, while the Queens NC offense has been high octane, ranking 94th in points per possession on 35.6% 3-point shooting. Gardner-Webb is also 306th in 3-point shooting percentage defense at 37.2%.
Pick: Queens NC -12 (Greg’s Handicap Queens NC -16.5)
Hofstra Pride vs. Columbia Lions
Columbia is likely to see some regression from their current 42.2% 3-point shooting, which ranks seventh in the country, but they face a Hofstra squad that has had issues guarding the perimeter, ranking 196th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage after placing 184th in that category a season ago. Columbia has also been dominant on the glass, ranking seventh nationally in rebound percentage.
Pick: Columbia -2 (Greg’s Handicap Columbia -8)
Cornell Big Red vs. Towson Tigers
This will be a clash of tempos as Towson ranks 363rd in total possessions per game while Cornell is 13th. Towson leads the country in points per possession allowed among teams that have played a home game against another Division I program. Cornell lives and dies by the 3, making 41.7% of their attempts with 53.6% of their shots coming from deep — the sixth-highest rate in the nation — but now face a Towson defense allowing just 30.1% from 3-point range.
Picks: Towson -5.5 and Under 152 (Greg’s Handicap Towson -7.5 and Total 149.5)
Cleveland State Vikings vs. Northern Kentucky Norse
Cleveland State has sped things up to 45th in total possessions per game, but many of those trips are empty with the team ranking 291st in turnovers per possession on offense, while Northern Kentucky is 200th. The Norse have also created a ton of turnovers, ranking 35th in turnovers forced per possession, but they struggle on the glass, sitting 211th in rebound percentage.
Picks: Cleveland State +10.5 and Under 157.5 (Greg’s Handicap Cleveland State +7 and Total 151)
Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles vs. Western Michigan Broncos
Both teams are pushing pace — Southern Indiana is 26th in possessions per game and Western Michigan 88th — but neither offense has executed well. Southern Indiana ranks 331st in points per possession and 353rd in 3-point percentage, while Western Michigan sits 249th in points per possession and 269th from 3. Southern Indiana’s defense has stepped up, ranking 142nd in points per possession allowed and top-83 nationally in both opponent 2- and 3-point percentage.
Pick: Under 154.5 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 146)
Indiana Hoosiers vs. Minnesota Gophers
Minnesota has struggled from the outside, ranking 255th in 3-point shooting at 31%, while allowing opponents to shoot 38.5% from deep (324th). That number does dip to 30.3% at home. Minnesota has also held their own on the glass, ranking 41st in rebound percentage, just behind Indiana at 39th.
Pick: Minnesota +11 (Greg’s Handicap Minnesota +7.5)
Fort Wayne Mastodons vs. Oakland Grizzlies
Fort Wayne ranks 32nd in turnovers forced per possession and plays at a moderate tempo (147th). Oakland should see positive regression after opponents shot 38.7% from 3 against them, and the Grizzlies have the 10th-highest percentage of their shots blocked in the country. Fort Wayne isn’t generating second chances either, ranking 329th in offensive rebound percentage.
Pick: Under 162.5 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 156.5)
Furman Paladins vs. Elon Phoenix
Elon has cranked up both their tempo and their offensive efficiency, ranking 54th in points per possession and 82nd in 3-point shooting, with that clip rising to 43.9% at home. Furman, meanwhile, has shot just 26.4% from 3 away from home, and though they return most of last year’s forwards, replacing the backcourt has contributed to a drop to 232nd in points per possession and a slowdown to 304th in possessions per game.
Pick: Elon +2.5 (Greg’s Handicap Elon -3.5)
Drexel Dragons vs. American Eagles
American sped up to 118th in possessions per game after being 350+ the past two seasons, but with their last three games coming in more than four possessions slower on average than their first six, they may be returning to their slower style. Drexel continues to be defense-oriented, ranking 285th in pace and owning a big edge on the glass, ranking 78th in rebound percentage while American is 317th.
Picks: Drexel +4.5 and Under 140 (Greg’s Handicap Drexel -1 and Total 132)
Austin Peay Governors vs. Kent State Golden Flashes
Kent State has cranked up their pace to 11th in possessions per game, while Austin Peay sits 185th but has the ability to slow the game with their turnover generation — 51st in turnovers forced per possession away from home and 56th in points per possession allowed overall. Kent State is 218th in turnovers per possession on offense, while Austin Peay struggles themselves at 259th in points per possession.
Pick: Under 156.5 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 146)
8:00 PM Eastern
Idaho State Bengals vs. Kansas City Roos
Kansas City has sped up to 60th in possessions per game while Idaho State sits 310th, but with KC’s defense tumbling to 308th in points per possession allowed, they may revert to last year’s much slower tempo. KC should also see a rise from their current 23.1% 3-point mark, which ranks 361st. Idaho State has been sloppy with the ball, ranking 341st in turnovers per possession.
Picks: Kansas City +5.5 and Under 140.5 (Greg’s Handicap Kansas City -1.5 and Total 137.5)
Princeton Tigers vs. Monmouth Hawks
The Princeton offense has struggled, ranking 284th in points per possession, and while they’ve been strong on the glass — allowing opponents to grab just 23.2% of their misses (48th in defensive rebound percentage) — they face a tough interior matchup. Monmouth ranks 90th in opponent 2-point percentage and owns the 22nd-highest block rate in the nation.
Picks: Monmouth -3.5 and Under 143.5 (Greg’s Handicap Monmouth -7 and Total 139)
9:00 PM Eastern
Northwestern Wildcats vs. Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin has sped up in recent seasons but still isn’t playing fast, ranking 101st in possessions per game while Northwestern is 244th. Neither team is generating many second chances, with Northwestern ranking 238th in offensive rebound percentage. Wisconsin is generating more turnovers than in years past, ranking 111th in turnovers forced per possession.
Pick: Under 155.5 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 150)
9:15 PM Eastern
Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Georgia Tech has struggled badly on offense, ranking 282nd in points per possession, but their defense has been excellent, ranking 26th in points per possession allowed. Their tempo has come down by nearly five possessions per game over the last three outings. Mississippi State is only 176th in points per possession and 202nd in 3-point shooting, which would actually be their best mark under Chris Jans.
Pick: Under 149.5 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 140.5)
NC State Wolfpack vs. Auburn Tigers
Both teams are playing fast but not at an extreme level, with NC State 106th in possessions per game and Auburn 123rd. Auburn has been inconsistent from deep at 32.8% (190th) and now faces an NC State defense that forces teams to take 50% of their shots from 3, the 12th-highest rate in the country. NC State’s 42.4% 3-point clip seems due for regression.
Pick: Under 167.5 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 157.5)
