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Top College Basketball Picks for Thursday, March 4th, 2021

#2 Michigan facing interstate rival Michigan State, #3 Baylor takes on #17 Oklahoma State and #16 Oklahoma takes on #15 Texas to highlight Thursday’s action in college basketball.

Top College Basketball Picks for Thursday, March 4th, 2021
Picks & Predictions
Wed 3rd March 2021

Michigan State vs. Michigan

No. 2 ranked Michigan has just two games left, both against Michigan State. These teams square off on Thursday and then again on Sunday. Michigan was bounced by Illinois on Tuesday, 76-53. That snapped a seven-game winning streak.

Michigan is averaging 77.5 ppg, 52nd in the country, while allowing 65.8 points per game, 71st overall. They are 20th in the nation in field-goal percentage at 49.1% and 12th in three-point shooting at 38.8%. They are outstanding from the free-throw line as well, connecting on 77.1% of their attempts, 27th overall. Michigan is 39th in rebounds at 35.8 per game. 

The Wolverines are led by Hunter Dickinson, averaging 14.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. Isaiah Livers is right behind at 14.2 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per contest.

Michigan State is coming off a six-point victory over Indiana on Tuesday. They are 4-1 in their last five games and are 4-1 ATS in their last five. However, they are 5-5 ATS over their last 10.

The Spartans are averaging 70.3 ppg while allowing 71.0 points per game. They are shooting 42.6% from the field and 32.7% from three-point range. Michigan State is an outstanding rebounding team as well, averaging 35.5 boards per game, 49th overall. 

The Spartans are led by Aaron Henry at 15.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Two other players are averaging in double digits.

College Basketball Pick – Michigan by 5

Iowa State vs. Texas Tech 

No. 18 ranked Texas Tech welcomes Iowa State. The Red Raiders have won two in a row after defeating TCU on Tuesday, 69-49. They are 5-5 in their last 10, but just 3-7 ATS in the last 10. Texas Tech is 8-7 in the Big 12 and 16-8 overall.

The Red Raiders are averaging 73.0 ppg while allowing 62.6 points per contest, 28th in the country. They are shooting 43.9% from the floor and 34.2% from three-point range.

Texas Tech is led by Mac McClung, who is averaging 16.3 ppg. Kevin McCullar is third on the team in scoring at 10.5 points per game and is the team leader and rebounds at 6.5 per contest.

Iowa State is 2-19 overall and have been swept in the Big 12 this season, going 0-16. Despite the 15 straight losses, the Cyclones are 5-5 ATS in the last 10 games.

Iowa State is averaging 66.2 ppg while allowing 77.1 points per contest. They are shooting 42.6% from the field and have been quite good at the free-throw line, connecting on 77.5% of their attempts, 24th overall. However, they are only averaging 9.0 free throws per game, seventh worst in the country.

Rasir Bolton has been outstanding for Iowa State, averaging 15.4 ppg. He is one of four players on the team averaging in double digits.

College Basketball Pick – Texas Tech by 12.

Oklahoma State vs. Baylor

No. 3 ranked Baylor welcomes No. 17 ranked Oklahoma State. Baylor suffered their first loss of the season last week, dropping them to 19-1. However, they are 11-1 in the Big 12, making them regular-season champions. After losing to Kansas last Saturday, Baylor responded with a 94-89 victory over West Virginia in overtime on Tuesday. They are 6-4 ATS in their last 10.

The Bears are fourth in the nation at 85.4 ppg and are 60th in points allowed at 65.0. They are averaging 49.6% from the floor, 16th in the country, and are first in three-point shooting at 42.1%.

Jared Butler leads the team in scoring at 16.9 ppg. MaCio Teague is second at 14.7 points per contest.

Oklahoma State is 10-6 in the conference, fourth overall. They are 17-6 this season. The Cowboys have won five straight games and are 4-1 ATS during that stretch.

Oklahoma State is averaging 76.6 ppg, 61st in the nation, while allowing 71.6 points per contest. They are 74th in field-goal percentage at 45.9% and are shooting 33.8% from three-point range. Oklahoma State has been great on the boards, averaging 35.9 rebounds per contest, 36th in the country.

Cade Cunningham is one of the best players in the country, averaging 19.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. 

College Basketball Pick – Baylor by 3

Texas Christian vs. West Virginia

No. 6 ranked West Virginia plays host to TCU tonight. West Virginia is third in the Big 12 at 10-5, and they are 17-7 overall. The Mountaineers are coming off a five-point loss to Baylor in overtime on Tuesday. They had won three games in a row prior to that contest.

West Virginia is 51st in the nation in points per game at 77.6 and are allowing 71.8 points per contest. They are shooting 43.3% from the field, but are 57th in the country in three-point shooting at 36.6%. West Virginia has been great on the glass, averaging 35.5 rebounds per game.

Miles McBride leads the team in scoring at 15.8 ppg. Derek Culver has been a double-double machine, averaging 14.7 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.

TCU is 5-9 in the conference and 12-11 overall. They are coming off a 17-point loss to Texas Tech on Tuesday. In their last six games, the Horned Frogs are just 1-5 ATS. 

TCU is averaging 67.7 ppg while allowing 70.8 points per game. The Horned Frogs are shooting 44.1% from the field and 34.4% from three-point range.

The Horned Frogs are led by RJ Nembhard, who is averaging 16.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Kevin Samuel is the leading rebounder at 8.1 per game and is third on the team in scoring at 9.1 points per contest.

College Basketball Pick – West Virginia by 11

Texas-El Paso vs. Kansas

No. 13 ranked Kansas welcomes Texas-El Paso. The Jayhawks are 12-6, second in the Big 12. They are 18-8 overall. Kansas is 6-1 in their last seven games, including a huge 71-58 victory over the previously undefeated Baylor Bears. They are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games.

Kansas is averaging 73.5 ppg while allowing 66.0 points per contest, 73rd in the country. They are shooting 44.0% from the field and 34.5% from three-point range. Kansas is 37th in the nation in rebounds at 35.9 per game.

The Jayhawks have five players averaging in double digits, led by Ochai Agbaji and David McCormack. Agbaji is averaging 13.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game while McCormack is averaging 13.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest.

Texas-El Paso is 12-10 overall and are 8-8 in the Conference USA. The Miners have won four straight games and have covered the spread in each of those contests.

Texas-El Paso is averaging 71.2 ppg, while they are allowing 68.2 points per contest. They are shooting 42.8% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range.

The MIners are led in scoring by Souley Boum averaging 18.7 ppg. Byron Williams is second on the team at 14.8 points and his first and rebounds at 7.1 rebounds per game. 

College Basketball Pick – Kansas by 14

Nebraska vs. Iowa 

No. 5 ranked Iowa welcomes Nebraska. The Hawkeyes are third in the Big Ten at 12-6. They are 18-7 overall. Iowa is 5-1 in their last six games with their only loss being against No. 2 ranked Michigan.

Iowa is fifth in the nation in scoring at 84.7 points per game while allowing 72.4 ppg. They have been outstanding shooting, 44th in the nation in shooting at 47.1%, third in three-point shooting at 40.1%, and are hitting on 71.3% of their free throws. They are sixth in rebounds at 38.2 per game.

The Hawkeyes are getting a monster season out of Luka Garza, averaging 24.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Joe Wieskamp is second at 15.3 points in 6.8 boards per contest.

Nebraska is 3-14 in the conference and 7-17 overall. The Cornhuskers have won their last two contests but are 3-7 in their last 10.

Nebraska is averaging 70.0 ppg while allowing 73.0 points per contest. They are shooting 42.1% from the floor and 33.2% from three-point range. They are 92nd in the country in rebounds at 34.0 per game.

The Cornhuskers have just one player averaging in double digits. That is Trey McGovens averaging 10.8 points per game. 

College Basketball Pick – Iowa by 12

Texas vs. Oklahoma

No. 16 ranked Oklahoma welcomes No. 15 Texas. Oklahoma is 9-7 in the Big 12 while Texas is 9-6. The Longhorns are 15-7 overall while the Sooners are 14-8. Oklahoma defeated Texas by one back on January 26, 80-79. The Longhorns are 2-7-1 ATS over their last 10 games. Oklahoma is 1-5 ATS in their last six.

Texas is averaging 75.1 ppg, 84th in the nation, while allowing 68.5 points per contest. They are shooting 44.8% from the field and 34.4% from three-point range. The Longhorns are 27th in the nation in rebounds at 36.4 per game. Texas is averaging 6.6 steals per game.

Texas is led by Andrew Jones averaging 14.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per contest. Three other players are scoring in double digits for Texas.

Oklahoma is averaging 75.6 ppg, 78th in the nation, while allowing 69.1 points per contest. They are shooting 44.1% from the field and 35.5% from three-point range. The Sooners are 70th in the nation in free-throw shooting at 74.1% and are 91st in rebounds at 74.1 per contest. Oklahoma is 85th in the country in steals at 7.3 per game.

Oklahoma is led by Austin Reaves, averaging 17.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. The Sooners also have three other players scoring in double digits.

College Basketball Pick – Oklahoma by 1

Arizona State vs. Colorado

The Colorado Buffaloes have jumped up into the AP rankings to sit at 24 and get a great opportunity to consolidate their spot when they host the Arizona State Sun Devils this evening.

This Pac-12 clash between the 4th placed Buffaloes and 8th placed Sun Devils has massive postseason ramifications as this is Colorado’s last regular season game before the Pac-12 tournament, while Arizona State has one more following this.

The Buffaloes seem to have found form at the right team of the season, winning three straight games including over USC (3rd in the Pac-12) and UCLA (1st in the Pac-12). They are also now the only Pac-12 team currently in the top 25.

Their most recent performance was a 70-61 home win over the Bruins on Saturday night. McKinley Wright IV played a massive 36 minutes and put in a game high 26 points, along with six assists and five rebounds.

Wright is clearly the key to success for Colorado as he leads the team with 15 points per game but the Sun Devils have their own volume scorer to equalise this threat. Remy Martin averages a massive 21.3 points per game and has been the catalyst behind Arizona State’s three game winning streak of their own.

Martin led the team in scoring in their two wins over Washington followed by the win over Washington State most recently, averaging nearly 27 points per game. The issue for the Sun Devils is that all three of those clashes were on their home court and they are winless in their last four road games.

This is the first and only clash between these two sides, unless they meet in the Pac-12 tournament, but we like the Buffaloes, at home, to pick up their fourth straight and continue their run towards March Madness.

College Basketball Pick – Colorado by 9

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