Larry's Past Picks
The Cardinal have been excellent at home in conference play, going 5-0. They are 12-1 overall in Maples Pavilion. This is a long trip for the Demon Deacons, who snapped a two-game skid last time out with a two-point win over Pitt. Look for Maxime Raynaud (20.4 ppg, 11.8 rpg) to lead Stanford to a win and cover.
Tulane rolled to a 92-63 win over the Roadrunners on Jan. 4 in the AAC opener. So why are the Green Wave only slight favorites Wednesday? It might have to do with Tulane's conference schedule. The Green Wave have not beaten a team with a winning conference record and haven't faced North Texas yet. UTSA, meanwhile, comes off one of the biggest wins in program history, 54-50 at North Texas. Look for the Roadrunners to build off that in front an "Orange Out" crowd in San Antonio.
East Tennessee State has won six straight meetings, including 84-69 on Jan. 1 in Johnson City, Tenn. But this is a much-improved Keydets team. They're coming off a 2-0 road trip and have won five of their past six conference games, the loss coming by three to UNC Greensboro. Ricky Bradley Jr. (15.6 ppg, 3.3 apg), Augustinas Kiudulas (15.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 41 percent on 3-pointers) and TJ Johnson (13.0 ppg, 38.2 percent from deep) give VMI a dangerous trio that can keep the Keydets competitive in this payback spot.
I agree with the market move toward BYU. Arizona is more talented but enters off an emotional rivalry win and will have to deal with a raucous atmosphere in Provo, Utah. Cougars stud defender Mawot Mag, the Rutgers transfer, is finally contributing offensively, scoring 19’points in BYU’s latest win at Central Florida. The Cougars have won 18 of their last 19 home games.
The Zips have won nine straight, seven by double digits. They're 10-0 at home and lead the MAC in scoring margin. They make a conference-high 11.5 3-pointers and convert at the second-best rate in the MAC (36.3 percent). Akron plays at a fast pace, uses a deep bench, and should take advantage of a suspect Ball State defense. Look for the Zips to cover while scoring 90-plus for the fifth time in eight games.
Alcorn State is 4-17, but all four wins came in conference following a mostly brutal non-conference schedule. And the Braves have been a covering machine. They enter this one on a 10-2 ATS tear, with the two misses coming by a combined five points. Grambling shouldn't be laying this big of a number.
UAB blew an 18-point lead in the first meeting in Denton, Tex., as North Texas guard Atin Wright nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer in a 78-75 Mean Green win. North Texas made 10 of 18 from deep in the game. That is striking because over the past three games, the Mean Green are hitting 29.5 percent from deep (36.1 percent for the season). It will be a White Out in Birmingham, Ala. Look for Yaxel Lendeborg and the Blazers to even up the season series at home.
Both teams have one conference win. The Pirates got theirs in an 85-80 overtime victory over DePaul. In that game, Seton Hall sophomore guard Isaiah Coleman scored 24 points on 6-for-12 shooting, adding six rebounds and five assists. He made all eight of his free throws. But the Pirates' leading scorer enters this game after missing a blowout loss to Creighton with a back injury, then going 0 for 10 from the field in Tuesday's home loss to Providence. Look for the Blue Demons to get their revenge on home court.
The Gaels own the WCC’s best defense and I like them to slow down the league’s top offense. This will be a tight game but I don’t think St. Mary’s should be a home dog given the Gaels’ pedigree. Grab the points.
Georgetown has lost six of seven and mustered just 41 points in getting shellacked by St. John’s. Butler was very competitive against Marquette last time out. The Bulldogs have won big in their last two visits to Washington, D.C. Look for the Hoyas’ turnover issues to keep plaguing them as Butler gets the cover and perhaps the outright win.
Both teams are 3-4 in AAC play. Two of UTSA's conference losses have come by five or fewer points. The Owls have lost three of four while giving up 73 or more points each game. Look for the improving Roadrunners, led by senior guard Primo Spears (21.1 ppg), to keep this within single digits.
Oklahoma has won two straight after an 0-4 SEC start that included a narrow home defeat to Texas A&M. Sooners freshman Jeremiah Fears has contributed 52 points, 19 rebounds and 13 assists over his past three games. The Aggies are getting too much for homecourt advantage in this one. Look for OU to be very competitive.
Michigan State crushed Minnesota 90-72 in the first meeting, and the Spartans have won 12 in a row -- seven by double digits. But this is a different Golden Gophers team than the Spartans handled on Dec. 4. Senior Dawson Garcia has scored 78 points and grabbed 24 rebounds during Minnesota's three-game win streak. Look for the Gophers to cover their fifth straight in a respectable loss in East Lansing, Mich.
The Blazers are red-hot and lead the conference in scoring, shooting percentage and rebounding margin. With Yaxel Lendeborg leading the way, UAB can keep this close against a talented but turnover-prone Memphis team.
UNC Wilmington has scored 80-plus in two straight games, both victories, but it's been more of a struggle on the road. The Seahawks are 1-2 SU in their past three road games, with losses at Hofstra and Howard. After shooting a season-best 50 percent in the win over William & Mary, look for the Seahawks to have a tougher time at Charleston. I bet on the Cougars, led by reigning CAA Player of the Week Deywilk Tavarez (14.1 ppg), to get a home win and cover.