NCAAB Chat

Take the Heels even if Ryan is sidelined; they defeated Arkansas in his absence. Given how poorly Love shot the ball the previous season, they have more depth than they did last year, and his loss isn't that great.

The Aggies will dominate in second-chance scoring and don't mind playing slowly at all. They have a strong enough defense to contain the Cavaliers. Virginia shouldn't be a threat to Texas A&M at the free-throw line either.

In contrast to Ohio State, which has covered the spread in three of its previous four games, Central Michigan has only covered the spread in two of its last seven games. The two games in which the Buckeyes have failed to cover the spread had significant double-digit spreads.

Buffalo has one of the worst defenses in the country, while the Dukes boast one of the best offenses. Buffalo is also terrible on the defensive end of the court, and JMU is weak in that regard as well.

Saint Joseph's has had a great start to the season, mostly due to their impressive outside shooting, as they currently rank seventh in the country with 11 three-pointers made per game. Though they rank 14th in two-point defense (41.8%), the Wildcats have struggled defensively on the perimeter despite their strength inside the arc.

The Northeastern Huskies have shown promise lately, finishing 2-2 overall and winning on the road against East Carolina. After starting the season with four victories, dropping its next two games, and losing to Iowa and USC, Seton Hall has become more passive.

The Vikings have triumphed in their last six games overall, including the last two in a row. They are scoring over 70 points a game, demonstrating excellent offensive performance. They will have plenty of opportunities to score more points against the Penguins since they are very active on the offensive glass.

What's the lock today?

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The Badgers' poor defensive performance—they allow over 73 points per game—means that it will be difficult for them to contain the Cavaliers in this contest. In their first four games, the Badgers were tied. Their attacking play has been excellent.

Gonzaga is a formidable squad every year, and this one is probably going to be no different. It helped to have transfers like Ike and Nembhard to collaborate with Watson and Hickman.

Even though they played poorly against UConn, the Hoosiers are still the more skilled and disciplined team going into Monday's consolation match versus Louisville.

The Indiana Hoosiers are ranked 270th in college basketball with 70.5 points per game, a sign of their offensive struggles early in the season. Coach Mike Woodson's defense has been a pillar of the team; they allow 63.5 points per game, ranking 82nd in the country.

The Paladins have a 5-1 advantage in the head-to-head series. Furman prevailed 61-58 in the pair's 2016 matchup. With some different techniques, this matchup is actually fairly good.

The Cowboys are shooting effectively from outside, and St. Bonaventure has had trouble finishing possessions. Eventually, the extra opportunities will help them cover the spread.