College Basketball Picks Today:

Expert college basketball handicapper Greg Peterson shares his top college basketball picks today for Wednesday, March 18.

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6:40 PM Eastern

Prairie View Panthers vs. Lehigh Mountain Hawks

Prairie View ranks 20th in the nation in possessions per game and is 350th defensively in free throw attempts allowed per field goal attempt. Second and third chances to score should be plentiful in this matchup, as Lehigh ranks 290th in defensive rebound percentage while Prairie View ranks 344th, with 33.6% of opponents’ missed shots becoming offensive rebounds.

Pick: Prairie View vs. Lehigh Over 142.5 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 151.5)

7:00 PM Eastern

Navy Midshipmen vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Navy’s defense has traveled well, ranking fourth in the country in points per possession allowed in road or neutral settings. Wake Forest has struggled on the interior, ranking 283rd in opponent two-point shooting percentage and 307th in defensive rebound percentage, with opponents grabbing 31.5% of their missed shots as offensive rebounds. Navy ranks 46th in that category.

Picks: Navy +12.5 and Under 148.5 (Greg’s Handicap Navy +7 and Total 145)

8:00 PM Eastern

Kent State Golden Flashes vs. Illinois State Redbirds

Kent State plays at one of the fastest tempos in the nation, ranking 13th in possessions per game, and they generate second chances by rebounding 34% of their missed shots as offensive rebounds in road games, ranking 25th nationally. However, Illinois State ranks 12th in defensive rebound percentage, allowing just 23.2% of opponents’ misses to become offensive rebounds. They are also sixth in the nation in points per possession allowed at home, while Kent State ranks 207th in points per possession allowed and 241st in opponent three-point shooting percentage at 34.9%.

Picks: Illinois State -5.5 and Over 153.5 (Greg’s Handicap Illinois -9.5 and Total 155.5)

George Washington Revolutionaries vs. Utah Valley Wolverines

George Washington ranks 19th in the nation in points per possession away from home but also ranks 261st in points per possession allowed away from home. This benefits a Utah Valley team whose biggest weakness is turnovers, ranking 350th in turnovers per possession on offense, but they still rank 130th in points per possession due to strong interior play. Utah Valley ranks 32nd in two-point shooting percentage on offense and 38th in opponent two-point shooting percentage on defense, and they compensate for turnovers by ranking ninth in turnovers forced on defense.

Picks: Utah Valley -1.5 and Over 156.5 (Greg’s Handicap Utah Valley -2.5 and Total 158.5)

9:00 PM Eastern

Dayton Flyers vs. Bradley Braves

Both teams share similar strengths and weaknesses. Dayton ranks seventh in turnovers forced on defense while Bradley ranks 37th. However, both teams struggle defending the perimeter, with Bradley ranking 318th in opponent three-point shooting percentage at 36.3% and Dayton 289th at 35.6%. This benefits a Bradley offense that ranks just 278th in two-point shooting percentage but 70th in three-point shooting at 35.8%.

Pick: Dayton vs. Bradley Over 142.5 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 146.5)

Sam Houston State Bearkats vs. New Mexico Lobos

New Mexico has been strong defending the perimeter, ranking 13th in opponent three-point shooting percentage at 30.3%, and they generate turnovers at a solid rate, ranking 43rd. This creates challenges for a Sam Houston State offense that ranks 26th in three-point shooting percentage at 37.3%. However, Sam Houston has an edge on the glass, ranking 36th in rebound percentage compared to New Mexico at 111th. New Mexico also ranks just 119th in two-point shooting percentage on offense.

Pick: Sam Houston vs. New Mexico Under 165 (Greg’s Handicapped Total 156)

9:10 PM Eastern

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Miami OH Redhawks vs. SMU Mustangs

SMU ranks 175th in points per possession allowed and is dealing with an injury to steals leader and third-leading scorer BJ Edwards, who is expected to play but is unlikely to be at full strength. Miami (OH) ranks eighth in points per possession in games played away from home and will play this game in their home state of Ohio.

Pick: Miami OH +7 (Greg’s Handicap Miami OH -1)

10:00 PM Eastern

Murray State Racers vs. Nevada Wolfpack

Murray State limits opponents’ three-point attempts, allowing just 27.3% of field goal attempts from beyond the arc, the second-lowest percentage in the nation. This is problematic for a Nevada offense that ranks 46th in three-point shooting percentage at 36.2% but just 324th in two-point shooting percentage. Murray State also plays at a controlled pace, ranking 245th in possessions per game.

Picks: Murray State +8.5 and Under 163.5 (Greg’s Handicap Murray State +6.5 and Total 156.5)

11:00 PM Eastern

St. Joseph’s Hawks vs. Colorado State Rams

Colorado State plays at a very slow pace, ranking 361st in possessions per game, but is efficient offensively, ranking 39th in points per possession while shooting 39.1% from three-point range, which ranks seventh in the nation. St. Joseph’s ranks 325th in three-point shooting percentage at 30.8% and may struggle to fully capitalize on a Colorado State defense that ranks 276th in points per possession allowed. While St. Joseph’s ranks 63rd in points per possession allowed on defense, they may not exploit Colorado State’s turnover issues, as the Rams rank 309th in turnovers per possession while St. Joseph’s ranks 275th in turnovers forced.

Picks: Colorado State -5.5 and Over 144.5 (Greg’s Handicap Colorado State -7.5 and Total 147.5)

Illinois Chicago Flames vs. California Golden Bears

California has been strong in the fundamentals, ranking 57th in turnovers per possession and 25th in free throw shooting percentage at 77.4%. Illinois Chicago allows too many second chances, with 30.8% of opponents’ missed shots becoming offensive rebounds, ranking 286th nationally. They are also at a disadvantage in the backcourt, ranking 239th in turnovers per possession on offense. California shoots 36.3% from three-point range, which ranks 45th in the nation.

Pick: California -4.5 (Greg’s Handicap California -9)

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