9 Expert Picks
Will this Ivy League semifinal be an Over bettor's dream?
The best two defensive teams in the America East have drawn
Each team won at home in two meetings this season...
The Gators went 16-2 in SEC play this year...
Florida has won 9 of its last 12 games by double digits...
The under is 5-1 in Michigan's last six games this season. ...
Penn's leading scorer is out. ...
Saint Joseph's is 7-0 against the spread in its last seven games. ...
Arizona is 8-5 against the spread away from home this season. ...
Tired Oklahoma might prefer a different opponent for its third SEC Tournament game in three nights. Arkansas plays up-tempo, having averaged the 18th most shot attempts per game in Division 1 during the regular season, and should benefit from any Sooners' fatigue. The Razorbacks won the regular season matchup by only four points but were on the road. Their strong fan following should dominate the arena for the rematch. And they welcome back SEC Freshman of the Year Darius Aciff Jr., who was held out of the last game with an ankle injury largely as a precaution.
Oklahoma had a run of getting off to good starts against top SEC teams only to wilt down the stretch, with the four-point loss to Arkansas back on Jan. 27 being one of those examples. The Sooners offensive ceiling is so high that in a neutral game state they played free and scored often, only to struggle to win those key possessions in the second half. Now Oklahoma is riding a six-game winning streak with two wins already in Nashville and playing an Arkansas team that’s been on ice for nearly a week. I’ll take the team in rhythm with a history of hot starts to do so again, and give Oklahoma a good feeling heading into the locker room at halftime.
Rest and an edge from conference play has been inconsistent in conference tournaments. For instance McNeese State after a triple overtime win over UT Rio Valley Grande had no issues defeating a Stephen F Austin team that defeated they were 0-2 ATS in conference against. In the SWAC quarterfinals yesterday, Southern played a wire to wire game against Arkansas Pine Bluff, while Florida A&M had the day off. Even though they defeated Southern in both conference matchups, look for the Jaguars to handle the Rattlers as they advance to the SWAC final.
The Rattlers won both regular-season meetings, but the Jaguars are better. And they're entering this SWAC semifinal on a roll, having won three straight while scoring 84-plus in two straight. Southern is the best 3-point shooting team in the conference and that should carry the Jags to a win and cover.
The Zips let their collective foot off the gas vs. Buffalo on Thursday, failing to cover in a 73-70 win. They led by 11 with about four minutes left. Now they face a Kent State team they have crushed twice, most recently winning 92-70 at Kent State on Feb. 27. Look for the Zips, who shot 33 percent from 3-point range and 61 percent on free throws Thursday, to be more efficient Friday as they close in on a MAC championship.
Alabama’s SEC Tournament performances across 2024 and 2025 were a series of track meets, with an average of 181.7 points scored across those three games. Those teams, like this one in 2026, played fast with one of the best offenses in the country and had a defense that was average in terms of efficiency in SEC play. Ole Miss benefited from some cold shooting on Georgia’s part in the first half of the Rebels’ 76-72 upset win, and regression could be coming in the form of a big scoring night for the Crimson Tide. Getting to 90 points against this defense should be manageable for Nate Oats' crew.