Rinse and repeat. Teams are getting caught in bad spots, and unranked conference home dogs are taking down their foes. It might seem crazy as a whole on a nightly basis, but in a vacuum, these things make sense. Let’s take a look at Thursday’s slate in a vacuum and grab two winners off of the board as we did on Tuesday. Here are the College Basketball Picks for February 22nd.
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College Basketball Picks February 22nd
Rutgers at Purdue (-15.5) (O/U 138.5)
Rutgers is still a different team with Jeremiah Williams in the lineup, but going on the road in the Big 10 is unforgiving. The Scarlet Knights led at half in Minnesota and came out flat for the second half. The Gophers continued their impressive ATS record by not only winning and covering, but a double digit victory.
Life doesn’t get easier for the Scarlet Knights as they head to Purdue and face the Boilermakers off a road loss of their own. The last thing I would want to do is catch UConn or Purdue off a loss and on their home court.
Rutgers doesn’t have a player in the top 25 in effective field goal percentage. Not nationally but in their own conference. Rutgers plays exceptional defense of their own, but can they keep this game close enough to cover?
This game was a 68-60 Purdue win at Rutgers not too long ago. I’m staking that this game creeps over the total, as free throws will be a prominent storyline in this one. Purdue gives up the most fouls in the Big 10, and then you have to factor for Edey on his own court.
The Pick: Over 138.5
Washington State at Arizona (-12.5) (O/U 150.5)
Another revenge game angle on the slate tonight. The Wildcats return home to take on the Cougars. Washington State has caught fire with seven straight wins, including three straight on the road in conference play in the middle of it. Arizona is matching their momentum with six straight of their own after the Oregon State buzzer-beater served them their last loss.
We have to look at the outlook in the PAC 12. Washington State is just a half of a game back for the conference lead behind the Wildcats. It’s a tall task to beat Arizona on their home court. Wildcats stand at 13-0 this season at McKale.
Arizona is 17-8 ATS this season. They are best in the PAC 12, considering the amount of respect they get from the sports books. That number is 10-3 at home. The 45-point win against Arizona State certainly didn’t hurt anything.
Washington State’s path to keeping this game close is to shoot the three. Not many teams find success inside against Ballo and the Wildcats, but Arizona doesn’t close out as well on the arc.
Those threes will have to start dropping for the Cougars. However, not only do the Cougars not take many threes, but also they don’t make a high percentage of them. I am sticking with the Wildcats at home, although the first-half spread and Arizona team totals may be better looks.
The Pick: Arizona -12.5
