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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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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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.

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.

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.

PURDUE FORT WAYNE vs UCLA
When: 9:00 PM  ET, Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Where: Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, California

TV: 9:00 PM
LINE: -13.5
PREDICTION: UCLA , IUPU-FT WAYNE

Oddsmakers currently have the UCLA listed as -13.5 point favorites versus the IUPU-FT WAYNE, while the game’s total is sitting at 162.

After beginning last season with an international incident in China, No. 20 UCLA is hoping for a much smoother start for Tuesday’s opener against visiting Purdue Fort Wayne. Picked to finish second in the Pac-12 preseason poll, the Bruins received a boost when guards Jaylen Hands and Kris Wilkes withdrew their names from NBA draft consideration to return for their sophomore seasons.

Hands will take over as the Bruins’ starting point guard after ranking fourth on the team in scoring (9.9 points) and second in assists and steals last season. UCLA coach Steve Alford expected to have a deep rotation after signing a top-five recruiting class, but 6-foot-9 freshman Shareef O’Neal will sit out the season due to a heart defect and point guard Tyger Campbell is out for the year with a torn knee ligament. Fellow freshman Moses Brown gives the Bruins a strong inside presence and made a strong first impression with 20 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in a 125-73 exhibition win over New York Institute of Technology on Oct. 27. “There’s nothing weak about him,” coach Steve Alford told reporters. “You don’t see a lot of guys who are 7-2, who can move like that, and I think that’s what makes Mo special.”

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network

ABOUT PURDUE FORT WAYNE (2017-18: 18-15): The Mastodons have averaged 20.6 wins over the last five seasons and boast a strong backcourt led by senior John Konchar, a preseason All-Summit League first team selection who averaged 14.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists last season. Konchar recorded 10 points and 13 rebounds with six assists in a 90-64 exhibition victory over DePauw on Oct. 30. The team is also looking for immediate contributions from transfers Matt Holba (Lehigh) and Marcus DeBerry, who led Northern Arizona in assists as a sophomore.

ABOUT UCLA (2017-18: 21-12): The Bruins return five of their eight rotation players from last season’s team, including junior guard Prince Ali, who scored a team-high 25 points in the exhibition victory over NYIT. Wilkes was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team last season after averaging 13.7 points and 4.9 rebounds in 33 games (32 starts). With no seniors on the roster, Alford will lean on newcomers such as freshmen guards Jules Bernard and David Singleton, who averaged 23.8 points for Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance, Calif., last season.

TIP-INS

1. UCLA went 14-2 at home last season and has won 30 of its 33 games in Pauley Pavilion over the past two seasons.

2. Purdue Fort Wayne was picked to finish fourth in the Summit League preseason poll.

3. UCLA freshman forward Cody Riley will miss at least the first three weeks of the season with a jaw injury.

PREDICTION: UCLA 86, Purdue Fort Wayne 67

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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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IDAHO ST vs GONZAGA
When: 9:00 PM  ET, Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Where: McCarthey Athletic Center, Spokane, Washington

TV: 9:00 PM
LINE: -27.5
PREDICTION: GONZAGA , IDAHO ST

Oddsmakers currently have the GONZAGA listed as -27.5 point favorites versus the IDAHO ST, while the game’s total is sitting at 153.

Fourth-ranked Gonzaga opens the season without one of its top players when it hosts Idaho State on Tuesday. Junior forward Killian Tillie underwent surgery on his right ankle to repair a stress fracture last week and will be sidelined approximately eight weeks.

Tillie, who averaged 12.9 points last season, is one of the reasons the Bulldogs are so highly ranked despite aggravating a previous ankle injury during a recent practice. “It’s been hurting for a while,” Tillie told The Spokesman-Review. “It wasn’t really bad so I was just playing through it, but the last week it was really bad.” Gonzaga is looking to reach the NCAA Tournament for the 21st consecutive time with last season’s foray ending with a loss to Florida State in the Sweet 16. Idaho State has just one winning campaign in the past 15 seasons and is predicted to finish eighth in the Big Sky.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ROOT (Gonzaga)

ABOUT IDAHO STATE (2017-18: 14-16): The Bengals don’t figure to be able to keep the game close, but coach Bill Evans is eager for the challenge. “I’m really excited,” Evans told the Idaho State Journal. “We’re going up to play a really good team in a really great environment, and it’s exciting to me. I don’t fear Gonzaga. I don’t fear other teams. Sometimes, other teams are more talented, but that doesn’t mean you have to fear anybody, and I don’t fear anybody.” Idaho State’s top players are junior swingman Jared Stutzman and junior guard Brandon Boyd, who shared the team leadership by averaging 14.9 points last season.

ABOUT GONZAGA (2017-18: 32-5): The loaded Bulldogs have three other returning players who averaged in double digits last season in sophomore guard Zach Norvell Jr. (12.7 points per game), senior guard Josh Perkins (12.3 points, 5.3 assists) and junior forward Rui Hachimura (11.6). Perkins (83) and Norvell (77) combined for 160 3-pointers last season and both players recorded over 40 steals — 44 for Perkins and 42 for Norvell. Gonzaga has two transfers who are expected to be strong contributors in senior guard Geno Crandall (16.6 scoring average at North Dakota last season) and junior forward Brandon Clarke (17.3 average at San Jose State in 2016-17).

TIP-INS

1. The Bengals hold a 33-25 series lead over the Bulldogs but the last meeting was during the 1996-97 season, shortly before Gonzaga turned into a national power.

2. The Bulldogs have won more than 30 games in four of the past six seasons.

3. Stutzman made a Big Sky-leading 52 percent of his 3-point attempts last season.

PREDICTION: Gonzaga 104, Idaho State 66

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