(photo: Busting Brackets)
I will do my best to provide *at least* a daily three ball of picks for all of you snipers out there. The goal is a 2-1 night, with some 3-0’s sprinkled occasionally. I recommend you play them individually .. however, never be scared of a little three ball parlay! 20/21 Season: 58%
Season Record: 4-5
11/12 Starting Five:
Minnesota +3
Furman +9
Santa Clara +4
SMU +8
UCLA -4
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Minnesota +3 : The wrong team is favored here. I have this as Minnesota -2.5, so I love getting the points. I love the group of transfers the Gophers brought in. Battle will be a star in the Big 10 this season. They are efficient and really shoot the basketball well. Their size will not hurt them against a Western Kentucky team that is learning their way without Charles Bassey. WKU really struggled from the line, and turned the ball over quite a bit against Alabama State. I think this is a “Remember Last Year?” trap from Vegas. Minnesota wins outright.
Score Prediction: Minnesota 73 – WKU 69
Furman +9: Simply too many points. The Paladins are bringing experienced guard play to the YUM! Center. Mike Bothwell is a bucket. That could cause issues for a Louisville team that I think will struggle to score again this season. Noah Locke was a good addition, but I do not love the make-up of this team. Also, Furman has been successful in keeping these Power 5 games close in recent years. Bob Richey is an excellent coach that will continue to get looks to move-up in the ranks. Take the Paladins.
Score Prediction: Louisville 70 – Furman 65
Santa Clara +4: Upset Alert!!!! Is it though?? Not really. That is why the line is where it is. Santa Clara is simply the better basketball team. Josip Vrankic dropped a cool 29/8/5 on a decent Cal State Fullerton team the other night. That is just an elite stat line at the collegiate level. This team is poised, rarely turn the ball over, and shoot lights out. The Broncos win outright.
Score Prediction: Santa Clara 69 – Stanford 64
SMU +8: Too many points for this scrappy bunch with elite guard play. Davis, Nutall, Bandoumel, and Weathers could each give you a 20 piece McNugget on a given night. I also love the additions of Tristan Clark and Marcus Weathers to help defend and rebound behind this group of guards. Oregon is a great team and get the win, but the Mustangs keep it close. Guards, Guards, Guards.
Score Prediction: Oregon 76 – SMU 73
UCLA -4: I am not buying the Villanova hype. What has changed? Seemingly nothing in my opinion. The only difference? They lost their best player to the league. It appears Gillespie has lost a step from his knee injury, and I believe the UCLA guards will run circles around him. Myles Johnson had a productive career in Piscataway, and will fill in serviceably for Riley tonight. I have this game at -6.5 to -7, and I would have taken it there. I think UCLA wins this game by 10 points or so. Villanova will run into the same problem as last year with not being able to score with offensively elite teams. Especially, early in the season. Also, this may be a sleepy game for the Wildcats. 11:30pm ET start.
Score Prediction: UCLA 72 – Villanova 62
Best of luck! Let’s snipe this one y’all!!
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