The college hoops season isn’t quite done yet. We still have the actual Final Four, the NIT Final Four, and the College Basketball Crown before college hoops goes away for seven months. We may not have a lot of basketball left, but we do still have a few chances to put a hurt on the books. There are at least three games that the books have mispriced for the next two days, and we’ve got a few college basketball picks you’ll want to lock up before tip-off. Let’s get into it.
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College Basketball Preview, Picks, and Best Bets for April 1st & 2nd
Matt Dewoskin ATS College Basketball Picks Record (Est 11/3/2025)
All Selections: 224-182-5
Perfect 3-0 Cards: 22-114
Baylor vs Minnesota
Date and Time: April 1st, 10:30 PM EST
This is a matchup in the quarterfinals of the College Basketball Crown and will be played at a neutral site in Las Vegas.
Baylor comes into this game with a 16-16 overall record and a 14-17 overall mark against the spread. Minnesota enters this matchup with a 15-17 overall record and a 14-18 mark ATS.
There haven’t been any opt-outs announced for this game.
Baylor was uncharacteristically poor defensively this year, but the Bears have firepower on offense. Minnesota struggled through a loaded Big Ten in head coach Nico Medved’s first year. The Golden Gophers can defend, but aren’t a very good team on the offensive end.
Baylor brings 56th best shooting percentage in the nation into the College Basketball Crown. The metrics love the Bears’ efficiency, and they’re potent in the paint. Minnesota can defend, but lacks the high-end athletes that Baylor can throw at them.
Neither team has a clear advantage on boards or in the turnover game. However, Baylor has a deeper roster, a better shooting team, and they’ve had two weeks off to figure out their defense. Baylor is the better team, and they’ve struggled through a tough year. The Bears have a proud program, and they wouldn’t have taken the invite to this tournament if they weren’t going to show up. Let’s lock up Baylor and lay the 3.5 points.
Best Bet: Baylor -3.5
New Mexico (1) vs Tulsa (1)
Date and Time: April 2nd, 7:00 PM EST
This is a matchup in the semifinals of the NIT and will be played at a neutral site in Indianapolis.
New Mexico comes into this game with a 26-10 overall record and a 21-14 mark overall ATS. Tulsa enters this matchup with a 29-7 overall record and a 17-17 mark overall ATS this year.
New Mexico has won and covered as a heavy favorite against Sam Houston State, George Washington, and St. Joe’s to reach the NIT Final Four. Tulsa beat Stephen F. Austin, UNLV, and Wichita State to get this far in the NIT. The Golden Hurricane missed covering by the hook twice, but did manage to cover against UNLV.
These teams are surprisingly similar. Both teams can defend in the paint and around the perimeter. Both of these teams can also shoot from three-point range. They also both play at tempo and can generate turnovers.
New Mexico has better athletes, but we’ve seen Tulsa hang with UNLV and SFA. Tulsa has an advantage at the free-throw line, and that may play a pivotal role in what could be a one- or two-possession game. Let’s lock up Tulsa as a short underdog.
Best Bet: Tulsa +4
Rutgers at Creighton
Date and Time: April 2nd, 10:30 PM EST
This is a matchup in the quarterfinals of the College Basketball Crown and will be played at a neutral site in Las Vegas.
Rutgers comes into this matchup with a 14-19 overall record and a 17-16 overall mark ATS. Creighton enters this game with a 15-17 overall record and a 10-22 mark overall ATS.
There haven’t been any opt-outs announced for this game.
This is one of the few College Basketball Crown games that comes with a built-in narrative. Creighton head coach Greg McDermott will step down after the CBC, and assistant Alan Huss will take over. This has the ‘win one for a long-tenured coach’ storyline, and it’s not worth fading here.
Both teams have struggled, but somehow, Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell will return next year. This team has been a punching bag in the Big Ten this year, and this team lacked an identity. The Scarlet Knights don’t really score and don’t really defend. Rutgers has a slight edge on the boards, and they generally take care of the ball, but Creighton has a clear advantage just about everywhere else on the floor.
Also, the Creighton Bluejays should be as close to full health as they’ve been all year. Forward Jackson McAndrew has been out since November with a foot injury and won’t play, but everyone else should be good to go in a ‘win one for coach’ spot. Let’s lock up Creighton to win and cover in this matchup.
Best Bet: Creighton -4
The College Basketball Experience
For more analysis of every college basketball game in the 2025-26 season, tune in to The College Basketball Experience. Colby Dant, Moneyline Mac, and Noah Bieniek talk about each game on the entire slate. Listen for input on ATS and moneyline college basketball picks every night!
