Locks
NCAA Basketball – Kent St @ Virginia -19.5 (-110):
Do you trust Virginia after their loss in shades-of-UMBC fashion to San Francisco? I’m going to trust them simply because of the perception of that loss and the overreaction it’s caused in the market. We just watched the Cavaliers bounce back and cover a line of 23 against a St. Francis squad who had beaten an ACC team.
Now giving less than 20 against a team from the MAC, which is projected to have a down year even by their standards, is a good buy-low opportunity on what’s still one of the best teams in the country. Kent St won’t be prepared for the pack-line defense and will be lucky to score in the 50s. All Virginia needs is to score at their season average of 75 points and this should be an easy cover.
Degenerates
NCAA Basketball – Seton Hall vs. Oregon -3 (-110):
Life for Seton Hall without Myles Powell is not starting out great. Myles Cale and the other guards have been somewhat exposed without Powell to draw attention, and the Pirates have been forced to lean on Mamu down low. I didn’t think Oregon looked terrible against Missouri, and they should benefit from the experience since it was only their first game.
Eugene Omoruyi showed he’s going to be a force for the Ducks, and his ability to stretch the floor and create from the forward position is something Seton Hall won’t be able to match up with. Like a lot of top teams in a weird year like this, Oregon needed a wake-up call, and I think they respond in this one. The market agrees as sharp money drove this number from its open of 1 to here at 3 and climbing, so grab this line while you can.
NCAA Basketball – Troy @ Texas Tech -26 (-110): This feels like another buy-low opportunity on a team that I thought coming into the season could challenge for the national title. Texas Tech brought in great transfer talent with Mac McClung, Marcus Santos-Silva, and Jamarius Burton that have added balanced scoring to complement the great Red Raider defense.
Losing to Houston is nothing to be ashamed of, and given that Tech’s wins this year have been by 43 and 32, I think they bounce back in a big way here. Troy was run out in their last game by Wilmington by 23, showing their struggles to shoot in the process. That will be bad news traveling to Lubbock to face a team that’s talented, motivated, frustrated and looking to take it out on someone. I think Tech rolls here by 30 plus, so lay the points.
Tiny Nick is 37-18 (+17.1 Units) on his Locks since joining Zone Coverage.
Every day he will offer his Locks and Degenerate picks. Locks are the games he’s confident in. Degenerates are entertaining, but riskier picks.
