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Welcome back! In this article every week, we'll be giving you some of the top college basketball games and betting picks for Tuesday, February 23, 2021. As we approach the month of March, keep an eye out for our extended coverage of March Madness. Stay tuned here at Rotoballer for our comprehensive March Madness coverage, including a look at this week's Bubble Report.
Last week brought about a 1-2 disappointment. Boston University did provide us with the winner of the week, an easy disposal of Holy Cross. Northeastern could not manage to keep things close enough with North Carolina, and Iona was stunned in an upset loss to Quinnipiac. Unfortunately, the Sam Houston State - Lamar game was also cancelled due to COVID-19. The 1-2 week drops the season-long record to 22-17.
Here are some of the top college basketball betting picks. Let me know your thoughts, and follow along with the action on Twitter @fredetterline. All game times below are Eastern Standard Time. Season record to date: 22-17.
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Buffalo @ Northern Illinois - 5:00 PM
The Buffalo Bulls have been a juggernaut in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) since Bobby Hurley first took the head coaching job in 2013. Eight years later and two coaches later (Nate Oats and presently Jim Whitesell), the Bulls have largely maintained their place atop the conference. Junior wing Jeenathan Williams is the star of the show, averaging 18.0 points per game and 7.6 rebounds per game. The Bulls had an up-and-down 6-6 start to the season, but have been cruising with three wins in their last four games, all by 20 points or more.
Northern Illinois is in the midst of a highly forgettable season, and on their second coach of the season in interim coach Lamar Chapman. Outside of a win over Chicago State, who holds the mark of an undisputed bottom-10 program in Division I, and a surprise January 2-point win over Akron, the Huskies have been awful. The Huskies have been without their top player, Darius Beane, for the past two games and his status for a return to Convocation Center is presently unknown. This young program can't seem to reach the end of this miserable season fast enough and the players are all showcasing for their chance to be a bigger part of next year's (hopefully) bigger success.
Pick: Buffalo -13
Mississippi Valley State @ Texas Southern - 7:30 PM
The Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils are led by second-year coach and two-time NBA Champion Lindsey Hunter. With a combined 4-44 start to Coach Hunter's career, one could genuinely make an argument that things have not yet gone according to plan. The 2020-2021 season was winless until a February 8 narrow 3-point victory over Alabama State. The Delta Devils' defense is the worst in the country, allowing 90.5 points per game. The offense, on the other hand, is ranked 344th of 347 teams in the country. The schedule is marked by 40+ point losses to the a short list of teams that includes only Jackson State, Prairie View A&M, Southern University, Vanderbilt, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and North Texas. The one bright spot on the team has been the coach's son, Caleb Hunter, who leads the way scoring 12.0 points per game and chucking 7 three-point attempts per game (down from 9.3 attempts per game as a freshman last year). If nothing else, these Delta Devils are entertaining.
In college basketball, the transfer portal or "pandemic" has overtaken the sport. In many cases, these transfers rob mid-major programs of their proven talents - poached by "Power 5" programs. In some instances, role players, such as Michael Weathers was at Oklahoma State, transfer "down" to become a featured and more prominent player. The 6-foot-3 guard has shined as the go-to scorer, with 14.5 points per game on an extremely efficient 49.3% from the field. Coach Johnny Jones' team has won 5 of their last six games, and is seeking to place itself in a strong pole position for the upcoming SWAC tournament, as they seek their fifth NCAA Tournament appearance since the 2013-2014 season.
Pick: Texas Southern first half -27 / Over 147
Iowa State @ Baylor - 4:00 PM
Coach Steve Prohm's Iowa State Cyclones are in a rebuilding year. The 2-16 Cyclones have yet to notch a win in conference play, and have been overmatched every step of the way. Junior guard Rasir Bolton is the team's leading scorer at 15.7 points per game. Despite a poor start to the year, the Cyclones have played five of their past eight games within 10 points, and haven't lost by over 30 points since January 30 - something that Mississippi Valley State only wishes they could say.
Differentiating between Gonzaga or Baylor as the top team in the nation this year is simply a matter of personal choice. Both teams have been on an incredible undefeated run, and college basketball fans were robbed when the teams' early season matchup was postponed due to the virus. With a #1 seed all but locked up, Coach Scott Drew's team is simply looking to stay in form and hopefully stay unbeaten. The Bears haven't played a game within single digits since January 16, and are showing no signs of slumping. The guard duo of Jared Butler and MaCio Teague averages a combined 31.6 points per game and sows fear in the hearts of their opponents on a nightly basis. Redshirt sophomore guard Adam Flagler sat out last year due to NCAA's old transfer rules, but the former Presbyterian freshman phenom comes off the bench as a sniper from beyond the arc, averaging 10.2 points per game on 44.6% 3-point field goal shooting.
Pick: Iowa State +24.5
Saint Louis @ Virginia Commonwealth (VCU) - 6:00 PM
The Saint Louis Billikens are on the NCAA Tournament's bubble. With an 11-4 record, but marred by a bad loss to La Salle in February, the Billikens will need a strong finish to the season and possibly a deep run in the Atlantic-10 (A10) tournament to justify their bid to the Big Dance. Coach Travis Ford's team has joined an efficient offense (35th in offensive rating) with an efficent defense (31st in defensive rating) for one of the country's most well-balanced mid-majors of the 2020-2021 season. When the Billikens need a bucket, the hometown senior guard Javonte Perkins often gets the call. Perkins, who was the 2019-2020 A10 6th man of the Year, is averaging 17.1 points per game and has had ice in his veins down the stretch with an 86.7% free-throw percentage. Diminutive 6-foot-3 guard Jordan Goodwin is the Robin to Perkins' Batman, scoring 14.6 points per game. Where Goodwin really contributes is his incredible 10.4 rebounds per game, which equates to 7.21 inches of height for every rebound per game.
Coach Mike Rhoades' VCU Rams are also in a relatively perilous bubble position. With less COVID cancellations and a 16-5 record, the Rams should be a bit more comfortable than the Billikens but are far from safe. Fresh off of a bad loss at home to George Mason, the Rams snapped a 6-game winning streak that had bracket prognosticators penciling the Rams solidly into the bracket. Sophomore Nah'Shon Hyland is among the nation's top players, with 19.2 points per game. Freshman forward Jamir Watkins has come on strong in the second half of the season, and has the looks of a future star in the A10 - you'll want to remember the name.
Pick: VCU +2
Thanks for reading, and remember to gamble responsibly.
