College Hoops Picks: Top 25 Quick Picks—Jan. 14, 2009

South Florida Bulls @ No. 1 Pittsburgh Panthers
7:00 PM EST

Line: Pitt -20.5

	Record	ATS	RPI	SOS	PF	PA
South Florida	6-9	8-6	181	75	62.3	63.3
Pittsburgh	15-0	7-3	1	7	78.2	58.5

 
Prediction: The best team in the country (and thus the Big East) takes on the worst team in the Big East. The outcome of this game is not really in question—it's whether Pitt can pull off the W by 21 points.

The Bulls have two players averaging double-digit points and are very guard heavy—not a great attribute in a conference known for its big men. The Panthers are going to need to be very active on the boards, something that shouldn't be an issue for them at all, and avoid having DeJuan Blair get into foul trouble.

Pitt is coming off a 23-point win over St. John's and a 16-point win over Georgetown. South Florida is coming off a 22-point win over DePaul and a 14-point loss to Louisville.

While it shouldn't be a very close contest, South Florida should have enough in them to keep it within 20. I'd take South Florida +20.5.

No. 2 Wake Forest Demon Deacons @ Boston College
9:00 PM EST

Line: Wake Forest -3.5

	Record	ATS	RPI	SOS	PF	PA
Wake Forest	14-0	6-3	16	141	85.7	65.9
Boston College	13-4	5-6	63	105	77.5	68.1

 
Prediction: BC stunned the nation when they upset UNC by seven points in North Carolina, and then stunned everyone again when they subsequently lost to Harvard and Miami (FL).

Wake Forest, on the other hand, still has hopes of a perfect season and has also defeated UNC along the way.

So which Tar Heel killer is going to step it up tonight?

Wake's Jeff Teague has turned on the afterburners in the last two games and is now averaging 20.6 PPG and is shooting .541 from beyond the arc.

Tyrese Rice, BC's top scorer with 17.3 PPG, has been crucial this season. When he hasn't had a great game, neither have the Eagles.

I think Wake is going to get it done and cover the spread.

No. 3 Duke Blue Devils @ Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
7:00 PM EST

Line: Duke -11.0

	Record	ATS	RPI	SOS	PF	PA
Duke	14-1	6-5	2	2	81.5	60.5
Georgia Tech	9-6	4-7	159	200	74.1	67.3

 
Prediction: The Blue Devils are coming off of a terrible performance against Florida State, where they only managed 19 points in the first half (don't worry—it was terrible basketball, so they were up by five).

Georgia Tech, on the other hand, has not been playing well recently and has gone 2-4 in their last six. They do not have a deep bench, so any sort of foul trouble leaves them helpless.

The Blue Devils have plenty of depth and players that are potential weapons. I like Duke -11.0.

No. 7 Michigan State Spartans @ Penn State Nittany Lions
6:30 PM EST

Line: Michigan State -4.5

	Record	ATS	RPI	SOS	PF	PA
Michigan St.	13-2	7-4	5	16	77.6	66.1
Penn St.	13-4	6-3	83	180	70.7	61.8

 
Prediction: It's amazing that the spread is as tight as it, being that the Spartans are ranked in the top 10 and have defeated the three Big Ten teams they have faced by as many as 19 and as few as 11 (two of these teams have been in the Top 25 this season—Minnesota and Ohio State).

The Nittany Lions have a 2-2 Big Ten record, losing to Minnesota by 20 and Wisconsin by four, and defeating Northwestern by four and Purdue by three.

Michigan State has been too strong this season to ignore—they are much better than the teams Penn State has faced so far (aside from Purdue, maybe). I like Michigan State -4.5.

No. 8 Syracuse Orange @ No. 13 Georgetown Hoyas
7:30 PM EST

Line: Georgetown -6.5

	Record	ATS	RPI	SOS	PF	PA
Syracuse	16-1	7-6	13	45	81.3	66.9
Georgetown	11-3	5-4	11	2	74.1	59.8

 
Prediction: Get your boxing gloves ready—this one's going to be an all-out brawl between two Big East teams looking to make separate statements.

After embarrassing Connecticut in the Big East opener, Georgetown fell to the next two ranked teams they faced (Pitt and Notre Dame). They need to make a statement that this year should not, in fact, be considered a rebuilding year and that they stand a legitimate chance of making a run for the Big East season title.

Syracuse has surprised everyone with how well they've played. Jonny Flynn has been on fire in his sophomore season, and the Orange have taken down three ranked teams so far. While they sit 4-0 in Big East conference play, they have faced the bottom of the Big East so far (the four teams they have faced combine for a 1-14 Big East record).

With Georgetown looking to make a statement at home to the rest of the Big East, I like them to cover the spread. I'd take Georgetown -6.5.

No. 21 Baylor Bears @ Texas A&M Aggies
9:30 PM EST

Line: Baylor -1.0

	Record	ATS	RPI	SOS	PF	PA
Baylor	13-2	3-3-1	46	112	82.8	65.1
Texas A&M	14-2	4-5	44	181	70.5	61.9

 
Prediction: These are two very evenly matched Big 12 teams—their RPIs surround 45, both have two losses, and both are looking to make statements in this game.

Baylor has been on everyone's radar since defeating Arizona State at the end of November—and then losing to Wake Forest the next day. After that loss, though, they put together a six-game win streak, which was snapped by their one-point loss to South Carolina.

Texas A&M hasn't faced the same level of competition that Baylor has, but they have looked equally as impressive. They lost their Big 12 opener to Oklahoma State, so they will be looking to rebound with a great performance in their conference play home opener. This will also be preparation for Oklahoma, who they face on Saturday.

I like Texas A&M +1.0.

No. 25 Michigan Wolverines @ Illinois Fighting Illini
8:30 PM EST

Line: Illinois -6.5

	Record	ATS	RPI	SOS	PF	PA
Michigan	13-3	5-2	30	29	73.0	62.4
Illinois	14-2	8-5	26	69	71.2	57.0

 
Prediction: Illinois is looking for redemption. After losing at Michigan by 10 points 10 days ago, the Illini took their frustration out on Indiana, defeating them by 31 points, and have spent the rest of the time preparing for this game.

Michigan has faced only one other team twice so far this season—Duke—and they split their games. In that contest, though, Michigan won at home and lost on a neutral court, and Ann Arbor is one of the toughest places to play any sport.

I think that the story is going to be similar here. The Wolverines have a lot of home court advantage, a characteristic that does not have enough emphasis placed on it at times. Being that this game is at Illinois, though, and that the Illini are looking for redemption, I like the home team to cover the spread. I like Illinois -6.5.

*All of the stats from this article have come from statsheet.com*