February 20, 2021 Results:

What we got right:

College Basketball:

#20 Missouri at South Carolina - Missouri bounced back from three straight losses to emphatically beat the Gamecocks and Columbia. In the 93-78 win the Tigers shot 58% from the field and only committed nine turnovers. It was a nice bounce back game for Missouri, who improve to 7-6 in the SEC.

#13 West Virginia at #12 Texas - We knew this was going to be a good game. Texas jumped out to a 19 point lead in the second half before the Mountaineers really ratcheted up their defense. They started making shots and closed the gap, and eventually made enough plays down the stretch to get the 84-82 win. That was a huge win for the Mountaineers, while the Longhorns have to figure out how they let a big lead slip.

#5 Illinois at Minnesota - Somehow, Minnesota is still in the NCAA Tournament, according to ESPN.com. We didn’t think that Illinois would win by 27 like they did the first time these two teams met, but they proved us wrong. The improved on that, winning 94-63, and making a statement that the Big Ten is more than just Michigan and Ohio State.

#16 Florida State at Pittsburgh - Florida State won this game 79-72, covering the 5.5 point spread against Pittsburgh. We predicted the score would be 78-70, so we were really close in nailing this one. This was probably the best win the Seminoles have had on the road, which is big as they continue to make their way through the ACC.

San Diego at #1 Gonzaga - We thought 32 points might be tough for Gonzaga to cover. The Bulldogs had a 29 point lead at halftime and then cruised to the 106-69 win over the Toreros. Gonzaga shot 56% from the field, out rebounded San Diego 47-30, and at one point had a 44 point lead. That is what the #1 team is supposed to do.

NBA:

Sacramento at Chicago - Zach LaVine scored 38 points in leading the Bulls to the 122-114 win over the Kings. That is now six straight losses for the Kings, and it has been their defense that has let them down in that stretch. Sacramento has the worst defense in the NBA, and that was showcased in the loss to the Bulls.

Phoenix at Memphis - Phoenix had a 31 point lead at halftime, and then held serve in the second half to earn the 128-97 win over the Grizzlies. Phoenix hit a franchise record 24 three point baskets, as their offense was flowing all night long. Chris Paul had six assists in this game, and he passed Oscar Robertson for eighth all time in assists in NBA history.

What we got wrong:

College Basketball:

Vanderbilt at #8 Alabama - The Crimson Tide had a ten point lead with ten minutes left and we thought we were going to have a chance for the cover. Vanderbilt made enough plays to keep the game close, eventually falling to the Crimson Tide 82-78. Alabama has a stranglehold on the SEC conference with a 13-1 record, so now they are just trying to win as many games as they can to get a high seed in the NCAA Tournament.

UConn at #10 Villanova - This game was hovering right around the seven point spread the entire second half. It was a matter of who was going to score last. Villanova got a basket with 25 seconds left to make the spread eight points, and UConn couldn’t get a basket. Vegas nailed this game. We didn’t.

Kentucky at #19 Tennessee - Wow Tennessee. You got completely run off the floor by a Kentucky team that is just 8-13 this season. Kentucky was in control the entire way, beating the Volunteers 70-55 in Knoxville. Rick Barnes has to be embarrassed by the effort his team put forth, and has a lot of work to do as we inch closer to March.

#15 Texas Tech at #23 Kansas - Kansas is back! The calling card for the Jayhawks is their defense, and they put it on display against the Red Raiders. They held Texas Tech to just 42% shooting, and scored just enough to get the 67-61 win. Kansas took care of the basketball as well, only committing six turnovers this game.

#9 Oklahoma at Iowa State - Oklahoma won this game 66-56, winning by double digits but not covering the 12 point spread. Iowa State is just 2-16 this season, but they played the Sooners tough. They just don’t have enough talent to compete with the top teams in the Big 12, and it showed yesterday.

Arizona at #17 USC - The Pac-12 continues to be a strange conference, as the Wildcats beat the Trojans 81-72, snapping USC’s seven game winning streak. USC won those games on the defensive end, but in this game it was the offense for Arizona that got the job done. USC is still in first place in the conference, but that loss is bad for the a conference that most experts already think isn’t that good.

#25 San Diego State at Fresno State - We went 0-2 in the two games these two teams played against each other this week. We thought Fresno State would cover one of the games, but they lost by 14 in the first game and by 18 in the second game. That is eight straight wins for the Aztecs, who look to move up in the rankings that come out tomorrow.

#7 Virginia at Duke - This is a game we were very confident on. Duke was missing one of its best players, and Virginia was playing really well. The Blue Devils got a stop on the final possession to earn the 66-65 win, which was their third straight win. Duke was in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament, but this one will go a long way in getting them back in.

NBA:

Golden State at Charlotte - Golden State had a five point lead with under a minute left, but the Hornets scored the last seven points to steal the game, winning 102-100. Terry Rozier scored 36 points, including the game winning jump shot as time expired to give the Hornets the win.

Miami at Los Angeles Lakers - The Lakers are really missing Anthony Davis. LeBron James went 7-21 from the field, including 1-8 from behind the three point arc, in the 96-64 loss. LeBron James is one of the best basketball players ever, but asking a 36 year old to carry the team in his 18th year might be a tall task. The Lakers need Davis back, and soon.

Washington at Portland - Russell Westbrook had a triple double, Bradley Beal scored 37 points, and the Wizards won 118-111, ending the Blazers six game winning steak. Damian Lillard had 35 points in the loss, but he didn’t have the help that Beal had. That was the difference in this game.