Michigan State vs Oakland
The Oakland Golden Grizzlies will be coming into their match against No. 4 ranked Michigan State Spartans, still looking for their first victory of the 2020 college basketball season.
Currently 0-6, the Grizzlies have suffered double digit losses in each of their six matches this season, with things set to get worse on Sunday in their first match against a top 25 ranked opponent.
Contrastingly, the Spartans are 5-0 to start the 2020 season, having recorded victories against Eastern MI, Notre Dame, Duke, Detroit and Western MI.
Junior forward Joey Hauser has been instrumental for Michigan State to start the year, averaging a team high in points (14.0) and rebounds per (10.0) game.
With +400 odds of winning the highly competitive Big 10 conference, the Spartans should have no trouble handing the Golden Grizzlies their seventh big loss of the season and improve to a 6-0 record.
College basketball pick – Michigan State by 26.
West Virginia vs Richmond
In the first of two matches this Sunday that will feature two ranked opponents, No. 11 West Virginia Mountaineers will host No. 19 Richmond Spiders this weekend.
Having recorded wins against Morehead St, Kentucky, Wofford and North Iowa so far this season, the Spiders will travel for just the second time this season, with the hope of improving on their 4-0 start to the year,
Richmond guard Jacob Gilyard will enter the match against West Virginia fresh off recording his first double double of the season. The senior scored 12 points to go along with 11 assists and four steals in the Spiders 10-point win over North Iowa.
The Mountaineers have started the year 5-1, with their one loss for the season coming against Gonzaga. West Virginia pushed the country’s No. 1 ranked team, in an enthralling 87-82 bout earlier this month.
Aside from the loss, the Mountaineers have had a solid start to the season, with wins against SD State, VCU, Western KY, Georgetown and most recently North Texas on Friday
In what is set to be a fiercely competitive and high skilled match against two of the in form teams in college basketball, West Virginia should record their first victory for the season against a ranked opponent, justifying their No. 11 ranking.
College basketball pick – West Virginia by 6.
Iowa vs Northern IL
The No. 3 ranked Iowa Hawkeyes host the winless Northern Illinois Huskies in an early season matchup this Sunday.
The Hawkeyes are currently 5-0 after defeating Iowa State 105-77 on Friday night.
Iowa seniors Luka Garza, Joe Wieskamp and Jordan Bohannon have collectively accounted for 53 percent of all Hawkeyes scoring this season, with Garza leading the team in points (29.5) and rebounds (10.8).
While the Hawkeyes are explosive on offense, they are also shrewd when possessing the basketball, having recorded a turnover on only 13.4 percent of its possessions this season, which is the 15th-lowest rate in the country.
Smart decision and accurate passing, coupled with their 6.3 blocks and 6.3 steals per game on average, the Hawkeyes will likely dominate possession of the ball on Sunday, allowing them to match or build on their 98.0 points per game average.
Luka Garza scores 34 points in 17 minutes, No. 3 Iowa thumps Iowa State. https://t.co/0lAcxo7ovr
— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) December 12, 2020
The Hawkeyes are one of the best teams in the country and will undoubtedly record another big win this Sunday.
College basketball pick – Iowa by 35.
Ohio State vs Cleveland State
The unranked Cleveland State Vikings will face off against the No. 22 Ohio State Buckeyes Sunday.
Currently winless in the college basketball season, the Vikings have started the year 0-2 following losses to Toledo and Ohio in their opening games.
After blowing a 12 point lead in their season opener against Toledo, things got worse for Cleveland State in their most recent game. The Vikings faced a 51-25 deficit at halftime before eventually being defeated 101-46. No Cleveland State player’s hit double digit points against Ohio.
As for the Buckeyes, it has been a much more confident start to the season. Ohio State have recorded a 94-67 win over Illinois State, a 74-64 win over UMass Lowell, a 77-44 win over Morehead State and most recently a 90-85 win against Notre Dame.
Sophomore forward EJ Liddell has been the in form Buckeye in 2020, leading the team in points (15.5) and rebounds (7.5), while most recently putting up 19 points, 12 rebounds and an assist in Ohio State’s victory against Notre Dame.
Heavily favoured to win this game, the Buckeyes should have no problems, picking apart this Vikings team that have been outscored 171-107 in their first two games of the season.
College basketball pick – Ohio State by 23.
Grand Canyon vs Arizona State
No. 23 Arizona State Sun Devils are set to take on the undefeated Grand Canyon Antelopes in Phoenix on Sunday.
Coming off an 87-77 win over Nevada on Friday, Antelopes are now 4-0 to start the college basketball season, having defeated Grambling State, Benedictine University, MS Valley and most recently Nevada.
Alessandro Lever has been leading the way for Grand Canyon, averaging a team high 17.3 points as well as five rebounds. Asbjorn Midtgaard is also a key contributor, putting up 12.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.
Grand Canyon has scored 84.5 points per game and allowed 60.5 over its four-game home winning streak, however Sunday’s match will be their first against an AP ranked opponent.
Despite losing 80-68 to San Diego State in their game on Thursday, the Sun Devils can take a lot out of the loss.
Alonzo Verge Jr. had 25 points in the loss to San Diego State. Verge, who made 7 of 14 3-pointers against the Aztecs and averages a team high 18.3 points to go along with 3.3 assists. Arizona State will also have Remy Martin suiting up for them on Sunday, averaging 15.6 points and 3.8 assists.
With the loss against San Diego State fresh in their minds, the Arizona State Sun Devils should bounce back against the Antelopes, breaking Grand Canyon’s four game winning streak.
Shooters shoot 🏹
Zo cuts the Aztec lead to ten.
🎥 @FS1 pic.twitter.com/YpD9SEIxk3
— Sun Devil MBB (@SunDevilHoops) December 11, 2020
College basketball pick – Arizona State by 7.
*Odds correct at time of writing.
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