UCLA vs MICHIGAN
When: 3/30/2021 9:57 PM
Where: Lucan Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN

TV: 9:57 PM
LINE: -300
PREDICTION: UCLA, Michigan

Oddsmakers currently have Michigan listed as 7 point favorites versus UCLA while the game’s total is sitting at 136.

Underdog UCLA sets sights on Michigan for another upset win

UCLA was expected to have a short stay in the NCAA Tournament, but the Bruins stand just one win away from reaching the Final Four.

The 11th-seeded Bruins aim to win their fifth straight tourney game when they attempt to upset top-seeded Michigan in Tuesday night’s East Regional final at Indianapolis.

The Bruins (21-9) are attempting to join Virginia Commonwealth in 2011 as the only schools to go from being relegated to the NCAA Tournament’s First Four to crashing the Final Four. They earned their date with the Wolverines by posting an exhilarating 88-78 overtime win over second-seeded Alabama on Sunday.

“There’s many times we could have packed it in, but I told them they’ve put up with me for two years trying to pound into them toughness and competitive spirit,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said. “They allowed me to do it, and you’re seeing the results right now.”

The Bruins were mired in a four-game losing streak before starting their tournament run by defeating Michigan State in overtime in the First Four. They have followed up with double-digit victories over BYU, Abilene Christian and the Crimson Tide.

UCLA has its eyes on reaching the Final Four for the first time since 2008 when it made the last of three straight such appearances under former coach Ben Howland.

The Bruins will again be in the position of needing to score an upset when they play Michigan (23-4), which is playing in the Elite Eight for the fourth time in its last seven NCAA Tournament appearances.

UCLA sophomore swingman Jaime Jaquez Jr. said to go ahead and slap the underdog label on his team because he says the highly confident club won’t wilt under the pressure.

“I don’t want to say invincibility. Everyone is beatable,” Jaquez said. “Everyone has good nights and bad nights. We’re definitely a confident team. We definitely believe in ourselves, even when no one else was or did. So we just believe in each other every single day and knew, if we got this opportunity, we’re going to take full advantage.”

Michigan certainly is operating on all cylinders after trampling fourth-seeded Florida State 76-58 on Sunday.

The Wolverines began their push with wins over Texas Southern and LSU but ramped up their effort against the Seminoles, and the whipping included a 50-28 edge in points in the paint.

“We knew coming in that they were going to switch a lot of ball screens and basically everything,” sophomore guard Franz Wagner said. “So we tried to move the ball. I think a lot of times people get in trouble just holding the ball and dribbling the whole time. So I think we moved the ball pretty well and then attacked close-outs.”

The stellar performance gave Juwan Howard an Elite Eight berth in his second season as Michigan coach.

“As a player, I’ve been to three Elite Eights,” said Howard, referring to the school’s Fab Five era in the early 1990s. “So Michigan has had a lot of success in the basketball program. It’s just beautiful to see that all the hard work is paying off this year.”

The Wolverines are experiencing their March Madness success without standout senior forward Isaiah Livers (foot). Howard said he remains out indefinitely.

This marks the fifth time the schools have met in the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins won three of the previous four meetings, including a 91-80 win in the 1965 national championship game when Gail Goodrich poured in 42 points.

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USC vs GONZAGA
When: 3/30/2021 7:15 PM
Where: Lucan Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN

TV: 7:15 PM
LINE: -450
PREDICTION: USC, Gonzaga

Oddsmakers currently have Gonzaga listed as 9 point favorites versus Southern California while the game’s total is sitting at 153.

Most college basketball fans are probably familiar by now with Gonzaga’s big three of Corey Kispert, Jalen Suggs, and Drew Timme.

They were the first trio from the same team to be among 10 players chosen for the Wooden All-American team. Kispert was named a finalist for the Wooden Award, which goes to the national player of the year.

The three have led the top-seeded Bulldogs to the Elite Eight, and an accompanying meeting Tuesday with sixth-seeded Southern California.

But what about the Bulldogs’ other starters?

Well, Andrew Nembhard and Joel Ayayi showed in Sunday’s 83-65 victory against Creighton in the NCAA Tournament’s West Region semifinal that they deserve the defense’s attention as well.

Nembhard and Ayayi combined for 30 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists as Gonzaga (29-0), the top overall seed, moved within a game of their second Final Four berth.

“We play our best when we’re just moving the ball because we have so many pieces and so much versatility,” said Nembhard, a transfer from Florida who has played with the Canadian national team. “It’s just like playing in a park with a bunch of guys that click so well.”

Nembhard’s 17 points Sunday were two shy of his season-high set Dec. 2 in an 87-82 victory against West Virginia, the Bulldogs’ lone game to be decided by fewer than 10 points this season.

Gonzaga is chasing history as well as its first NCAA title. The Bulldogs could become the first undefeated champion since Indiana in 1975-76.

“I’m just telling you: We’re not hung up on the undefeated thing at all,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. “We’ve got to go undefeated from here on out. We’ve got to go 3-0 if we want to win the championship, which, has been our goal all along. But nobody’s talking about the overall undefeated thing at all.”

Gonzaga’s victory in Sunday’s early game assured the West Region final would be an all-West Coast affair.

While the Bulldogs will be making their fourth Elite Eight appearance in the past six tournaments, the Trojans earned their first trip in 20 years and just their second in six decades with their victory in the late game, 82-68 over Pac-12 rival Oregon 82-68 Sunday night.

Isaiah White led the Trojans (25-7) with 22 points, and their zone defense shut down Oregon’s potent attack.

“We’re making history, and it just means a lot to this program,” White said. “As a team, we’re just super excited and we worked for this, so I’m glad that it’s paying off.”

As for USC’s chances against Gonzaga?

“We believe we can beat anybody,” White said.

USC’s 7-foot freshman Evan Mobley considered a potential top-three pick in the next NBA draft, had just 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting against the Ducks but added eight rebounds, six assists, and two blocked shots.

“He takes what the defense gives. He has confidence in his teammates,” USC coach Andy Enfield said. “When your most talented offensive player is your most unselfish and most willing passer, you can win a lot of games like that.”

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PURDUE vs OHIO ST
When: 1/19/2021 6:30 PM
Where:

TV: 6:30 PM
LINE: -5
PREDICTION: OHIO ST , PURDUE

Oddsmakers currently have the OHIO ST listed as -5 point favorites versus the PURDUE, while the game’s total is sitting at 136.5.

Three-game win streaks will be on the line when No. 15 Ohio State hosts Purdue on Tuesday.

The Buckeyes (11-3, 5-3 Big Ten) got their third victory in a row Saturday, an 87-81 decision at Illinois. Following successive road wins, they return home, where they are unbeaten this season in eight games, including three Big Ten contests.

Tuesday’s game was moved from Jan. 27 to accommodate schedule changes in the conference due to COVID-19 protocols, and it lands in a spot that means Ohio State will have one more day of rest than the Boilermakers (10-5, 5-3), who defeated visiting Penn State 80-72 on Sunday.

The short turnaround is rare for regular-season conference games. It’s the first time in 20 years that Purdue has had had just a one-day break between Big Ten games (Feb. 27 and 29, 2000).

“That’s just part of it,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said on the Boilermakers’ postgame radio show Sunday. “We’re in this position because somebody else has some issues and then everything gets rearranged.”

The Boilermakers recovered from a 1-3 slump over the new year, losing to three ranked teams – Iowa, Rutgers and Illinois — to beat Michigan State, Indiana and Penn State. Now they are amid a tough stretch in which they play three times in six days, culminating Friday when they host No. 7 Michigan.

Purdue defeated the Buckeyes 67-60 at home on Dec. 16, but Ohio State is a changed team.

The Buckeyes are finding their rhythm despite the absence of point guard CJ Walker and backup Jimmy Sotos. Walker (hand) has missed the past three games and Sotos (shoulder) two. Forward Justice Sueing has taken over some of the ball-handling role and freshman Meechie Johnson, who has played three games since enrolling in December, has stepped in as well.

“What we found out, what we kind of knew, is that we were going to have some depth, and a strength of our team could be our depth if our guys embrace the role and play it at a high level,” Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann said. “So far, they’ve done that, and we’ll see if they continue to do that.

Not only was Johnson added, but Harvard graduate transfer Seth Towns made his Buckeyes’ debut three days after the loss to Purdue after rehabbing from multiple knee surgeries.

“We’ve made a ton of progress as a team, chemistry-wise and so on,” said Towns, who’s had three 11-point performances in eight games. “We’re finding each other where we like our spots to be and you see so many guys on the team coming alive because of it.”

Purdue likely can’t get away with the miserable shooting it had against Penn State when the Boilermakers missed their first 14 attempts on 3-point shots. They finished the game 6 for 32 (18.8 percent).

What’s more, Purdue led Penn State by 17 with 9 1/2 minutes to play but it became a 76-72 score with 17 seconds left.

“The last 10 minutes was just a torture chamber to coach,” Painter said, “with everything you had to go through like missing free throws, letting guys hit pull up 35-footers, going for rebounds, not boxing out and letting them get it.”

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ALABAMA vs LSU
When: 1/19/2021 9:00 PM
Where:

TV: 9:00 PM
LINE: 1
PREDICTION: LSU , ALABAMA

Oddsmakers currently have the LSU listed as 1 point favorites versus the ALABAMA, while the game’s total is sitting at 164.5.

Alabama leads the Southeastern Conference and leaped into the AP Top 25 on Monday.

The 18th-ranked Crimson Tide (11-3, 6-0 SEC) will try to stay unbeaten in conference play when they face second-place LSU (10-2, 5-1) on Tuesday night in Baton Rouge, La.

Alabama, which is off to its best start in SEC play since 1987, won its seventh consecutive game when it routed visiting Arkansas 90-59 on Saturday. The victory came four days after an 85-65 victory against Kentucky.

“We talked about what type of character we would have after the big win at Kentucky,” coach Nate Oats said. “We knew Arkansas was going to bring everything they had. Our guys responded great.”

The 31-point margin of victory was the Crimson Tide’s largest in SEC play since defeating host Mississippi State 75-43 eight years ago.

John Petty Jr. led the team with 17 points and he became the school’s all-time leader in 3-pointers when he made his 264th.

“I am really happy for Petty,” Oats said. “He could’ve left after his junior year. He decided to come back. You like for guys who decide to come back for their senior year to do great things.”

Jaden Shackelford added 16 points and Herbert Jones, who was questionable because of a finger injury suffered against Kentucky, scored 13 points in 23 minutes.

The Tide led for nearly 39 minutes of the game, racing to a 42-19 halftime advantage and leading by as many as 36 points.

“Our attention to detail on defense was great,” Oats said.

LSU’s defense was important in its fourth-straight victory — an 85-80 home win against South Carolina on Saturday.

“We know we can score the ball,” said Javonte Smart, who had 15 points as one of four Tigers in double figures. “We talk about defense. They were getting some buckets; some back-door looks. We just wanted to lock in when we were down. We just wanted to get back in that lead, and cut it and tie the game, and on to play defense.”

The Tigers trailed 72-64, but they held the Gamecocks without a field goal for more than seven minutes to take control. South Carolina missed 11 consecutive shots and made just one of its last 13.

“Good team effort,” LSU coach Will Wade said. “Just happy to win. It’s tough to win in the SEC…Our guys really dug in.”

Cam Thomas scored 25 points, Trendon Watford added 23 and Darius Days scored 11.

“Trendon did a great job all night,” Wade said. “They were collapsing on him. He did a good job finishing. He did a great job at the free-throw line (nine of 10). He was really, really good.

“You have to play through your hot hand. Then, Cam was able to make plays down the stretch off the ball screens with Trendon also. We were able to play through Trendon in the post. That’s where the mismatches were. That’s where we were able to make things happen.”

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FRESNO ST vs NEVADA
When: 1/17/2021 4:00 PM
Where:

TV: 4:00 PM
LINE: -7
PREDICTION: NEVADA , FRESNO ST

Oddsmakers currently have the NEVADA listed as -7 point favorites versus the FRESNO ST, while the game’s total is sitting at 135.

The post FRESNO ST vs. NEVADA 1/17/2021 Free Pick & CBB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

INDIANA ST vs ILLINOIS ST
When: 1/17/2021 4:00 PM
Where:

TV: 4:00 PM
LINE: 5
PREDICTION: ILLINOIS ST , INDIANA ST

Oddsmakers currently have the ILLINOIS ST listed as 5 point favorites versus the INDIANA ST, while the game’s total is sitting at 141.5.

The post INDIANA ST vs. ILLINOIS ST 1/17/2021 Free Pick & CBB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

EVANSVILLE vs BRADLEY
When: 1/17/2021 4:00 PM
Where:

TV: 4:00 PM
LINE: -9
PREDICTION: BRADLEY , EVANSVILLE

Oddsmakers currently have the BRADLEY listed as -9 point favorites versus the EVANSVILLE, while the game’s total is sitting at 124.

The post EVANSVILLE vs. BRADLEY 1/17/2021 Free Pick & CBB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

SACRAMENTO ST vs IDAHO ST
When: 1/17/2021 4:00 PM
Where:

TV: 4:00 PM
LINE: -2
PREDICTION: IDAHO ST , SACRAMENTO ST

Oddsmakers currently have the IDAHO ST listed as -2 point favorites versus the SACRAMENTO ST, while the game’s total is sitting at 129.

The post SACRAMENTO ST vs. IDAHO ST 1/17/2021 Free Pick & CBB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

DAYTON vs GEORGE WASHINGTON
When: 1/17/2021 2:30 PM
Where:

TV: 2:30 PM
LINE: 8
PREDICTION: GEORGE WASHINGTON , DAYTON

Oddsmakers currently have the GEORGE WASHINGTON listed as 8 point favorites versus the DAYTON, while the game’s total is sitting at 138.5.

The post DAYTON vs. GEORGE WASHINGTON 1/17/2021 Free Pick & CBB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

PORTLAND ST vs OREGON
When: 11:00 PM  ET, Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Where: Matthew Knight Arena, Eugene, Oregon

TV: 11:00 PM
LINE: -20
PREDICTION: OREGON , PORTLAND ST

Oddsmakers currently have the OREGON listed as -20 point favorites versus the PORTLAND ST, while the game’s total is sitting at 156.5.

Oregon freshman Bol Bol’s dynamic offensive game is highlighted by a surprisingly strong perimeter shot, but coach Dana Altman is quick to remind everyone that his 7-foot-2 phenom is far from a finished product. Bol makes his collegiate debut Tuesday when the 16th-ranked Ducks host Portland State, which was picked to finish fifth in the Big Sky preseason coaches poll.

After settling for an NIT bid last season, the Ducks are setting their sights higher with a mix of youth and veterans such as junior point guard Payton Pritchard, who led the team in scoring (14.5 points per game) and assists (4.8) last season. The Ducks were picked to finish first in the Pac-12 preseason poll and boast two of the best shot blockers in the country in Bol and 6-foot-9 sophomore Kenny Wooten, who led the conference with 2.6 blocks per game last season. Bol figures to be a centerpiece of the Oregon offense, but there have been questions about his inconsistent play in the past. “We said from the start he’s a unique player, unique talent,” Altman told reporters. “There’s a lot more there. He coasts a lot. But he’s getting better. He’s working at it. He’s going to be a work in progress all year but there’s a lot more that he can do.”

TV: 11 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network

ABOUT PORTLAND STATE (2017-18: 20-14): The Vikings’ impressive backcourt features seniors Michael Mayhew, Deante Strickland and Holland Woods, who was named Big Sky freshman of the year after averaging 10.5 points and 5.6 assists last season. Strickland and Woods scored 18 points apiece in last Friday’s 119-89 exhibition win over Multnomah. Second-year coach Barret Peery said his team’s up-tempo approach will be similar to last year, when the Vikings finished third in the nation in scoring (85.2 points per game) and second in steals (9.8) and turnovers forced (18.1).

ABOUT OREGON (2017-18: 23-13): Bol had 19 points and freshman forward Francis Okoro added 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench to lead five players in double-figures in last Thursday’s 77-58 exhibition win over Western Oregon. The Ducks’ backcourt received a boost with the addition of graduate transfer Ehab Amin, who led the NCAA with 3.4 steals per game in 2016-17 for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi before sitting out last season due to injury. Altman doesn’t expect to settle on a starting lineup until December, but senior wing Paul White (9.4 points last season) figures to be a key part of the team’s imposing frontline.

TIP-INS

1. Oregon has won 20 straight home openers – including last season’s 70-54 victory over Coppin State.

2. Portland State beat two Pac-12 schools (Stanford and California) in the same season for the first time in school history last year.

3. Pritchard sat out last Thursday’s exhibition game due to bruised ribs but is expected to be available for the opener.

PREDICTION: Oregon 97, Portland State 76

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