January 16, 2021 Picks:

College Basketball:

#21 Ohio State at #14 Illinois (-6.5) - We kick off a full day in college basketball between two ranked Big Ten teams duking it out. This will be a close game but we give the edge to the Buckeyes. They are playing better basketball right now. Ohio State will not only cover, they will win outright. Pick: Ohio State 74 Illinois 69

#17 Missouri (-4) at Texas A&M - The SEC is having a down year. Everyone knows what is going on with Kentucky, but they aren’t the only ones. Florida, LSU, and Auburn are also underperforming. Missouri and Tennessee are the only teams in the conference that are ranked, and Missouri isn’t that good. They lost by 15 to Mississippi State in their last game. A Mississippi State team that Texas A&M just beat. We are rolling with the Aggies in this one. Pick: Texas A&M 72 Missouri 65

#7 Michigan (-5.5) at #23 Minnesota - There is no way you can pick against the Wolverines right now. Michigan has bludgeoned their conference opponents, including an 82-57 victory over these same Golden Gophers. It won’t be that bad today, but it will be by more than six. Pick: Michigan 81 Minnesota 70

#8 Creighton (-8) at Butler - Creighton has won six games in a row, and has gotten better each game. They now face a Butler team that has lost two straight. We are going with the hot hand here and riding the Blue Jays to a dominating win over the Bulldogs. Pick: Creighton 77 Butler 62

#2 Baylor (-4) at #15 Texas Tech - This will be a fun one. Texas Tech is coming off that huge win against Texas, and now faces a Baylor team that has dominated all comers so far this season. This will be the first real test for the Bears, and something about it just says upset. We like the Red Raiders to win in this one, knocking Baylor from the ranks of the unbeatens. Pick: Texas Tech 76 Baylor 73

Vanderbilt at #10 Tennessee (-18) - Vanderbilt may not be a good team, but 18 points is too much to be giving up here. The Commodores have had a couple of close games in the last week, and while they will lose by more than three, it will be by less than eighteen. Pick: Tennessee 81 Vanderbilt 68

#18 Virginia (-2) at #12 Clemson - Clemson is at home. Clemson is the higher ranked team. Yet it is the Cavaliers that are two point favorites in this one. Virginia hasn’t played a top tier opponent since their loss to Gonzaga, and while they have improved since then we are still going to ride with the Tigers in this one. Pick: Clemson 66 Virginia 61

Kansas State at #4 Texas (-18) - In the Vanderbilt Tennessee clash we said 18 points was too much to be giving up. We don’t think that is the case here. Texas will come in steaming mad after giving up a buzzer beater in a loss to Texas Tech. Kansas State hasn’t been competitive in conference play, and that will continue here. Pick: Texas 89 Kansas State 65

#16 Louisville (-3.5) at Miami - Louisville is getting hot, which should worry the rest of the ACC. The Cardinals are undefeated in conference play, and now face a Miami team that just lost by 22 to Boston College. This spread should be more like eight points, so we will happily take Louisville here. Pick: Louisville 77 Miami 67

#1 Gonzaga (-15.5) at Saint Mary’s - Another day and another chance to finally pick a Gonzaga game correctly. Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga is the premier rivalry in the West Coast Conference, but the Gaels will not be able to keep up with the Zags this year. Pick: Gonzaga 96 Saint Mary’s 72

NBA:

Houston at San Antonio (-7) - The Rockets still don’t have Victor Oladipo, but with the way Christian Wood is playing they may not need him in this one. Wood is averaging 23 points and 10 rebounds, and figures to get more touches with Harden gone. Seven points is a lot in this one, especially since the Spurs haven’t been playing their best basketball lately. Give us the Rockets and the points. Pick: Houston 114 San Antonio 109

Orlando at Brooklyn (-9) - Until Orlando proves they can play a close game, we will be picking against them moving forward. That includes against a Brooklyn team that still doesn’t have Kyrie Irving, and the at the time of writing this we don’t know if James Harden is going to play. Brooklyn still has Kevin Durant. That is enough for us. Pick: Brooklyn 113 Orlando 97

Charlotte at Toronto (-7) - These two teams played two days ago and the Raptors won by three. Somehow that is enough for Vegas to say that Toronto should now win by seven. That seems strange. Give us the points and another close Raptors win. Pick: Toronto 118 Charlotte 114

Detroit at Miami (-5) - The Pistons sit at 2-9 and in last place in the Eastern Conference. They face a Miami team that still has Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo out due to Covid concerns. With Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, and the rest of the shooters Miami has, they don’t need Butler or Adebayo in this one. Pick: Miami 120 Detroit 107

Philadelphia (-1) at Memphis - This line seems really strange. Yes, Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons are questionable. Yes, Memphis has won three games in a row. But the 76ers are really only a one point favorite? The Grizzlies don’t have anyone to stop Joel Embiid, who will have a huge game in a Philadelphia win. Pick: Philadelphia 116 Memphis 108

Atlanta at Portland (-4.5) - Trae Young looks to bounce back from a horrendous shooting performance as the Blazers and Hawks battle it out in Portland. Portland has won four of their last five, and the big reason why is the play of CJ McCollum. McCollum will have another big day for the Blazers, who will get the home win here. Pick: Portland 121 Atlanta 111

NFL:

Los Angeles Rams at Green Bay (-6.5) - This is a matchup between the top ranked scoring offense in the Packers and the top ranked scoring defense in the Rams. Usually that matchup favors the defense. With how banged up the Rams are, we don’t think that will happen here. With Jared Goff coming back from that thumb injury, Cooper Kupp questionable with a knee injury, and Cam Akers and Andrew Whitworth recently returning from injuries of their own, the Rams offense hasn’t had much time to gel. Now they face a Packers team that has won six straight games and is firing on all cylinders. Give us the Packers. You can have the points. Pick: Green Bay 31 Los Angeles Rams 17

Baltimore at Buffalo (-2.5) - The Ravens are the team that no one wants to play right now. Baltimore has won six consecutive games, and Lamar Jackson has been the main reason why. Last week he had over 100 yards rushing in the victory over the Titans. Can Buffalo contain Jackson in the pocket? That will be the big question and the biggest test for the Bills. We say they can’t. We expect a shootout here, but predict the Ravens will make the AFC Championship game. Pick: Baltimore 38 Buffalo 34

Happy picking everyone!