Bob's Past Picks
Chattanooga is 1-3 SU and ATS on the road this season. However, this will be the first time all season they’re fully healthy. The Purple Aces have three wins at home but one came against a non-D-I team and the other two were against Green Bay and Campbell. The Mocs have a top-35 offensive inside the arc and even though Evansville may have the height advantage, they’re only averaging 65.9 points per game on the year.
Arkansas is only 2-7 ATS on the season while also being 0-2 ATS on a neutral floor. The Wolverines have won seven straight and have been in better form than Arkansas. But, even with the line moving in the Razorbacks favor, this still seems like a lot of points to be laying on a neutral floor. While Michigan has played the more difficult schedule, this is the most efficient defense they’ve played yet. The Wolverines struggled protecting the ball, averaging 15.1 turnovers, and Arkansas wants to create points off turnovers and win it with their defense.
Brown has won their last five games but are only 3-2 SU at home. The Rams play their first true road game of the season and have covered every game by five points. Rhode Island is off a big comeback win over the Friars but have lost the last three against the Bears. Brown has actually been more efficient offensively than the Rams over their last three games. Rhode Island’s offense can score, averaging 85.1 points per game thus far but they also give up a lot, 73 points to their opponent over their last three games. As long as the Bears can crash the offensive boards and take advantage of this shaky Rhode Island defense, they should be able to hang around.
Typically, don’t play this big of a number, but here we are. Penn has lost six of their last seven games and they’re 0-3 ATS on the road. The Rams are 5-0 SU at home, covering three of four. Penn is one of the worst teams in the country in defending the perimeter, allowing their opponents to shoot 41.3% and also have a bottom offense in terms of scoring. The Rams have the second most efficient defense in the country in limiting their opponent’s offense. And while they aren’t the strongest three-point shooting team, it’s hard to see how the Quakers slow this offense down.
Oregon is 4-0 SU at home this season and this is the Bruins first true road game of the season. They needed a big second half against USC in their last game but committed 14 turnovers along the way. The Bruins are 2nd in the nation in creating turnovers, 4th most efficient defense overall. They aren’t the most consistent from beyond the arc, but they’re shooting 54.8% on the inside. While Oregon has the better offense, this one will come down to defense and even though the Bruins haven’t played the toughest schedule, they’ll be able to keep them off the boards.
This is Saint Mary’s first true road game of the season. The Gaels lead the nation in offensive rebounding, but Utah has the bigs down low to match, especially getting Lawson Lovering back in the lineup the last two games. The Utes are shooting 60.7% effectively at home and Saint Mary’s haven’t faced an offense this efficient yet. The Gaels want a slower paced game and are shooting less than 39% from beyond the arc as compared to Utah’s 40.4% from three at home. The Utes have won four of the last five meetings as well.
Northwestern has lost two of their last three games. Two of those three games had very tough endings, the Iowa and Butler games, losing by a combined three points. This is also the first true road game for the Fighting Illini and Northwestern is 5-0 SU at home thus far. The Fighting Illini have a top 25 defense in terms of efficiency, partially due to level of competition, outside of a loss to Alabama and a solid win over Arkansas. The Wildcats offense isn’t as potent has last season but they’re the better free throw shooting team and have won the last two meetings at home while covering six of the last seven.
It’s tough to beat a team twice in a season. However, for this one UNLV just needs to cover. The Rebels have the 10th best rushing defense in the country while Boise State has the 6th best rush attack in the country. They lost the first match, at home, by five points and held Ashton Jeanty to season-low 3.9 yards per carry but he still had a 128 yards and one score. This game sets up to come down to the wire with a similar game plan to how the Rebels somewhat kept Jeanty in check in the first meeting.
San Francisco is 5-0 SU at home but 3-2 ATS. The Billikens have won four of their last five and three straight with Robbie Avila back in the lineup. The Dons have a top 75 offense in terms of efficiency, partially due to their level of competition, outside of playing Memphis, Clemson and Boise State. Saint Louis has a new coach, Indiana State’s Josh Schertz, along Sycamore players Avila and Isaiah Swope. They’re still figuring out their identity, but this is an experienced team that has shown it’s a much better team, especially defensively, with a healthy Avila.
Cal Poly is 6-1 ATS on the season as an underdog. The Aggies have lost three of their last four games and are shooting less than 47% effectively on the year. This will only be the third home game for UC Davis thus far and face a Mustangs offense in the top 50 in terms of offensive efficiency. UC Davis an experienced team and while their offense isn’t as potent as the Mustangs, they are able to create turnovers, and they defend the perimeter well. This is also just a fishy line for them to be favored over a much better team.
The Nittany Lions have played one game when it was a step up in competition, a loss to Clemson on a neutral floor. However, they’re 5-0 SU at home thus far. The Boilermakers have won the last eight meetings between these two, but Penn State has covered four of the last six. Without Zach Edey downlow, Yanic Konan Niederhauser should find success inside of both sides of the ball. The Nittany Lions have an experienced team with a defensive minded coach while also shooting 61.3% at home. Led by Ace Baldwin, Penn State’s guards need to contain the perimeter and dictate the pace of the game.
Texas has the number one defense in country in terms of guarding inside the arc. However, they’ve played like Chicago State Mississippi Valley State, and Delaware State, all at home. They’ve played three neutral court games, but this is their first true road game. The Wolfpack are 5-0 SU at home, but haven’t played the best competition either, and the line indicates less than a one possession game. Texas has Connecticut on deck and the Wolfpack match up well.
Memphis returns home after a great Maui tournament. The Tigers are 2-0 ATS at home this season and this is only Louisiana Tech’s second road game of the season. Memphis is currently leading the nation in three-point percentage, 46.9%, so you’d have to think regression is coming. The Bulldogs had the guard play to compete with Memphis, and defend the perimeter well, holding opponents to less than 30%. This is a step up in class for Louisiana Tech, but they have the grittier team on the boards.
Wofford is 2-0 at home to start the season, but one of those wins was against a sub-D-I school. The Runnin’ Bulldogs are 1-4 SU on the road, but 4-1 ATS. Gardner-Webb has the more balanced offense and able to guard the perimeter better than the Terriers. Both teams are rather similar in the statistical department with a slight edge to Gardner-Webb at the free throw line. They’ll have to do a better job at protecting the ball to stay within the number.
UCLA is 5-1 ATS at home on the season. They’ve haven’t played a team lower than 181st in terms of team efficiency at home. The Bruins played New Mexico on a neutral floor and lost by eight, they also have the Duck on deck. UCLA ranks first in the country in creating turnovers, but again partially due to their level of competition. The Huskies aren’t the most efficient offensive team, but they’re balanced on both ends with a slight edge on the glass.