College Basketball Picks Today:

Expert college basketball handicapper Greg Peterson shares his top college basketball picks today for Sunday, February 15.

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12:00 PM Eastern

Utah Utes vs. Cincinnati Bearcats 

Cincinnati is 262nd in points per possession. At home, they only shoot 32% from 3-point range, but they’ve heated up, shooting 49.3% from 3-point range in the past three games. Utah has struggled on defense, ranking 301st in points per possession allowed, with their inability to generate turnovers hurting them, ranking 338th in turnovers per possession generated. That helps a sloppy Cincinnati offense that ranks 243rd in turnovers per possession on offense. Utah will look to win the battle along the perimeter with an offense that makes 38% of their 3-point shots away from home, which ranks 27th in the nation.

Picks: Utah +11.5 and Over 141.5 (Greg’s Handicap Utah +8.5 and Total 144.5)

1:00 PM Eastern

Indiana Hoosiers vs. Illinois Fighting Illini 

Neither team is playing at a fast pace. Illinois ranks 298th in possessions per game, while Indiana is 197th. Indiana does not give themselves second chances to score, ranking 337th in offensive rebound percentage away from home with just 21.5% of their missed shots becoming an offensive rebound. Both teams are defending the interior well, with Illinois 21st in opponent 2-point shooting percentage while Indiana is 35th. Illinois leads the country in fewest free throw attempts allowed to opponents, both per possession and overall per game.

Pick: Indiana vs. Illinois Under 152 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 147)

Denver Pioneers vs. Omaha Mavericks 

Denver leads the country in percentage of their games that have gone Over the total, playing only four Unders this season (perhaps five, depending on which closing number you grade by). This team is efficient on offense, ranking 64th in points per possession on offense and 38th in 3-point shooting percentage at 37.1%. On defense, they are 358th in points per possession allowed and do not put opponents under pressure, ranking 359th in points per possession allowed. Omaha is 325th in points per possession allowed on defense, but now has Paul Djobet active, after he missed 13 games to begin the season. He has sparked the offense with a team-high 19.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game since joining the rotation.

Pick: Denver vs. Omaha Over 159.5 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 163.5)

2:00 PM Eastern 

South Florida Bulls vs. Florida Atlantic Owls 

While the absence of number two scorer Kanaan Carlyle hurts Florida Atlantic, this is still a strong team in the post, ranking 29th in defensive rebound percentage at home. Opponents grab only 21.9% of their missed shots as an offensive rebound. South Florida relies on offensive rebounds to get their offense going, ranking 25th in offensive rebound percentage with 35.1% of their missed shots becoming an offensive rebound. Florida Atlantic should get good looks from 3-point range against a South Florida defense that is 253rd in opponent 3-point shooting percentage at 35.4%. South Florida leads the country in total possessions per game.

Picks: Florida Atlantic +4.5 and Over 163.5 (Greg’s Handicap Florida Atlantic -1.5 and Total 170.5)

Rider Broncos vs. Sacred Heart Pioneers 

Rider has failed to get their offense out of neutral this season, ranking 350th in points per possession and 364th in 3-point shooting percentage at 27.3%. Their defense ranks 352nd in points per possession allowed away from home and is 345th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage at 37.6%. Sacred Heart attempts 51.7% of their field goal attempts from 3-point range at home, the seventh-highest percentage in the country.

Pick: Sacred Heart -9 (Greg’s Handicap Sacred Heart -14)

Merrimack Warriors vs. Quinnipiac Bobcats 

Merrimack is playing at one of the slowest paces in the nation, ranking 357th in possessions per game. They are not giving opponents clean looks as they are 46th in opponent 2-point shooting percentage and 21st in opponent 3-point shooting percentage in a game that should feature plenty of turnovers. Merrimack ranks 45th in turnovers per possession generated on defense and Quinnipiac is 105th. Quinnipiac has a huge edge on the glass as they are 170th in rebound percentage, while Merrimack is 362nd. Merrimack ranks just 201st in points per possession.

Picks: Quinnipiac -1.5 and Under 140.5 (Greg’s Handicap Quinnipiac -3.5 and Total 135.5)

Siena Saints vs. Marist Red Foxes 

Both teams have been dominant on defense as Marist is ninth in overall points per possession allowed, while Siena is 23rd in points per possession allowed away from home. Both teams love to play at a slow pace. Siena is 358th in total possessions per game and Marist is 306th. If the game is tight and comes down to free throws, Marist is fourth in the nation in free throw shooting percentage at 80.4%, while Siena is 82nd overall at 75.4%, but that drops to 71.2% in road and neutral court games.

Picks: Marist -1.5 and Under 132.5 (Greg’s Handicap Marist -5.5 and Total 127.5)

IU Indy Jaguars vs. Fort Wayne Mastodons 

These teams have a lot of similarities. Both are looking to win the turnover battle as IU Indy is 24th in turnovers per possession generated on defense, while Fort Wayne is 43rd. Both teams are getting destroyed on the glass, with IU Indy 353rd in rebound percentage and Fort Wayne 365th, which means there should be a ton of second chances for both teams to score in this game. IU Indy plays with breakneck pace, ranking 10th in total possessions per game. Both teams are allowing a lot of good looks from 3-point range as Fort Wayne is 356th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage at 38.3%, while IU Indy is 353rd at 38.1%, which goes up to 39% away from home.

Picks: Fort Wayne -9.5 and Over 161 (Greg’s Handicap Fort Wayne -11.5 and Total 166.5)

Fairfield Stags vs. St. Peter’s Peacocks 

St. Peter’s plays at a really slow pace, ranking 320th in total possessions per game and cut down on the amount of scoring opportunities even further by ranking 22nd in turnovers per possession. Fairfield is also playing at a pretty slow pace, ranking 266th in possessions per game. Both teams are subpar with their shooting as St. Peter’s is 340th in 3-point shooting percentage at 29.6% and 334th with their 2-point shooting percentage, while Fairfield is 283rd in 2-point shooting percentage.

Pick: Fairfield vs. St. Peter’s Under 143.5 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 136.5)

3:00 PM Eastern

Drake Bulldogs vs. Northern Iowa Panthers

This game sets up to be a slog as Northern Iowa ranks 360th out of 365 Division I teams in total possessions per game. They do not give themselves second chances to score, ranking 360th in percentage of missed shots that become an offensive rebound. Drake is 275th in points per possession allowed. That improves to 128th away from home. They are 70th in opponent 2-point shooting percentage, while Northern Iowa games don’t involve many made 3-point shots, as the team is shooting just 31.4% from 3-point range at home. On defense, they are fourth in opponent 3-point shooting percentage at 28%.

Picks: Drake +9.5 and Under 136.5 (Greg’s Handicap Drake +6.5 and Total 126.5)

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5:00 PM Eastern

Charleston Cougars vs. Campbell Fighting Camels

The Campbell defense has been pretty ghastly. They rank 311th in points per possession allowed. Charleston’s 3-point shooting weakness, ranking 332nd in 3-point shooting percentage at 30.1%, gets mitigated by Campbell shooting only shooting 32.3% from 3-point range, which ranks 257th in the country. Campbell has been weak with their interior defense, ranking 320th in opponent 2-point shooting percentage, while Charleston is 103rd.

Pick: Charleston +1.5 (Greg’s Handicap Charleston -3.5)

6:00 PM Eastern

San Francisco Dons vs. San Diego Toreros 

San Diego has taken a big hit with top scorer Ty-Laur Johnson deciding to step away from the program. He was also leading the team in steals with 2.3 per game for a team that is 25th in turnovers per possession generated at home on defense to try to make up for being just 344th in the country in rebound percentage. San Francisco is 93rd in rebound percentage and has been good at taking care of the ball, ranking 90th in turnovers per possession on offense, while San Diego is 232nd.

Pick: San Francisco -3.5 (Greg’s Handicap San Francisco -6.5)

Seton Hall Pirates vs. Butler Bulldogs 

While Seton Hall has been a dominant defensive team, ranking 13th in the nation in points per possession allowed away from home, the team is one of the worst overall at shooting in the country, ranking 302nd in the 3-point shooting percentage at 31.4% and 293rd in 2-point shooting percentage. Butler shoots 36% from 3-point range at home compared to 31.4% away from home and is one of the best teams at generating second chances on the glass, ranking 50th in offensive rebound percentage with 33.3% of their missed shots becoming an offensive rebound.

Pick: Butler +2.5 (Greg’s Handicap Butler -2.5)

7:00 PM Eastern 

Towson Tigers vs. Monmouth Hawks 

Towson and Monmouth are both playing at a slow pace. Monmouth ranks 235th in possessions per game, while Towson is 350th. Towson is also 363rd in the nation in 3-point shooting percentage at 27.5%, while Monmouth takes 69.7% of their field goal attempts at home from 2-point range, which is the 19th-highest percentage in the nation, but they are just 328th in 2-point shooting percentage at home. Monmouth’s interior defense is strong, ranking 77th in opponent 2-point shooting percentage and 27th in defensive shot block percentage. If the game comes down to free throw shooting, Towson is 313th in free throw shooting percentage at 68.1%.

Pick: Towson vs. Monmouth Under 136.5(Greg’s Handicapped Total 129)

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