Rhode Island was expected to struggle this season after losing former coach Dan Hurley to Connecticut, and struggle is exactly what the Rams have done. Actually, Rhode Island was in pretty solid position for a possible NIT bid five weeks ago, but the Rams have dropped seven of their past nine and find themselves needing to win three of their next four games just to ensure eligibility for the postseason. Has URI given up or is this a team whom the sportsbooks have given too many points?

To the credit of Pacific coach Damon Stoudamire, he knows exactly what he has with his team. He’s well aware that his squad isn’t any good on offense, and if it’s going to have anything resembling a chance, it has to slow down the contest and limit possessions. A virtually shorter game means a puncher’s chance. But at +24 bettors want to know if those efforts might result in a cover. DJ has the NCAA pick.

Markus Howard is a beast for Marquette. The last time the teams met, Villanova actually did an excellent job on the rest of the Golden Eagles, holding them to just 28 points. The problem is that Howard did what he’s done for most of the year, lighting up teams. He had 38 vs Villanova. Howard is the type of player who can take over the game and carry his team, and the Wildcats have to prevent that from happening again tonight.

Online sportsbooks opened Virginia a 21 point favorites. That’s a lot even against a terrible Georgia Tech team! Matt Lowry looks at the pace of this game and what kind of scoring output Virginia will need to get a cover against this spread. Check out Matt’s NCAA prediction and game breakdown!

Losing Zion Williamson would have been a death knell for many teams, but Duke isn’t most teams. The Blue Devils are still incredibly talented, especially because R.J. Barrett is in the lineup. Williamson gets almost all of the accolades from fans and pundits, but it’s Barrett who is usually Duke’s most important player. Combine that with who is missing for Virginia Tech and we have a basketball pick on our hands! DJ breaks down Blue Devils/Hokies!

Kansas State hopes for some Kansas on Kansas crime as it attempts to steal one in Allen Fieldhouse as 3.5 point dogs. Kansas is not a better team without Lagerald Vick, and its success in the past three games was a product of playing at home and just how inept Oklahoma State and West Virginia are this season. Throughout this season, Kansas has been the quintessential home-court hero. Allen Fieldhouse has been a fortress for Kansas, which is 15-0 this season in Lawrence. The Jayhawks have been nothing special away from home, as Kansas is just 2-7 in true road games. Can KSU make the Jayhawks uncomfortable early enough to take the home crowd out of the game? DJ looks at all factors and gives his college hoops pick.

Something seems to have awakened in the Spartans after they got tripped up by Illinois. Since that game in Champaign, Michigan State is 4-0 and has won three of its four by ten or more, with the fourth being an eight-point win over Wisconsin. But Michigan State plays their rival as underdogs which sportsbooks opened at +4. DJ looks at if the momentum can take State to a cover against the spread!

Playing in Lubbock hasn’t been much of an edge for Texas Tech when Kansas has been the visitor. Granted, Texas Tech has beaten Kansas just once in the past 19 meetings overall, but the Red Raiders have lost eight straight to the Jayhawks in Lubbock, dating back to 2009. Current Texas Tech coach Chris Bears was on the Red Raiders’ bench for that game — as an assistant to Patrick Knight, who was then in his first season as the head man in Lubbock. Since then, Knight, Billy Gillispie and Tubby Smith have all come and gone, and not one managed to win a home game versus Kansas. Is this the game? The bookie’s line suggests it could be and DJ has a suggestion on your basketball bet!

Neither of these two squads are Kentucky, a strong mix of both offensive and defensive excellence. But, both of them can score points in bunches while struggling to get stops at the other end. Over its past nine contests, LSU has held exactly one team under 70 points, and that’s bottom-feeder Texas A&M.

The only two teams that have beaten the Virginia Cavaliers since last season, the Duke Blue Devils and UMBC. Before we Google UMBC to find out who that is, lets just say Duke is a clear and present danger, and UVA is going to need to do everything in their power to avoid seeing Coach K’s squad come tournament time. A win today versus Louisville will help. Sportsbooks have the Cards as 5 point underdogs. Find out who Kyle Cash has!