Free Expert College Basketball Picks: February 28th 2008
Jacksonville State +4.0 (-110)
Thu February 28 ’08 8:15p
This game between the Jacksonville State Gamecocks and the Eastern Illinois Panthers may feature the two worst teams in Division IA, but that does not mean we cannot profit from this stinker of a contest.
First of all, the 5-22 Panthers are getting outscored by an average of -6.8 points per game overall, which is actually worse than the 6-21 Gamecocks’ average of -5.2 points. That fact alone means that Eastern Illinois is a terrible favorite vs. any opponent, and furthermore, they are just 3-8 straight up and a dismal 2-7-1 against the spread at home. This is the first time that the Panthers have been favored all season, but they have been in three Pick’em games and they lost all three times vs. Rice, Tennessee-Martin and Eastern Kentucky, with the smallest losing margin in those games being six points.
Now, Jacksonville State is 0-11 SU on the road, but they have managed to go 4-4 ATS in their lined road contests. In fact, they are 3-1 ATS in their last four games overall, and their last road contest was their best of the season, as they lost just 87-85 in overtime at Tennessee Tech as 13-point underdogs.
We feel that the Gamecocks get over the road hump tonight with the outright upset.
CBB Free Pick: Jacksonville State +4
USC +5.0 (-110)
Thu February 28 ’08 9:00p
Road teams have fared well in the Pac 10 this season and the USC Trojans fit nicely into that profile tonight at Arizona. The Trojans, who have covered eight of their past 11 games, are 16-7 ATS in their last 23 games as an underdog. Meanwhile, Arizona has only brought home the money once in its past six games against a team with a winning record. On the injury front, USC guard Daniel Hackett (back) practiced Wednesday and could see action against the Wildcats. Arizona will continue to be without the services of guard Nic Wise who is out due to injury. The underdog has covered the past five games in this series and I look for the Trojans to make it an even half-dozen tonight.
