A week from now, we will have the first Conference Tournament brackets in front of us as the best three weeks of the season for college hoops fans get underway.
The bigger conferences still have some regular-season ball left to play over the next couple of weeks.
There are quite a few fun battles at the top of conferences across the country. Let’s jump into some college basketball predictions and NCAAB confidence rating picks for Tuesday, Feb. 24.
Marshall ranks first in the Sun Belt in offensive efficiency, averaging 1.156 points per possession in conference play.
Meanwhile, Old Dominion ranks third in the Sun Belt in overall tempo. The Monarchs are willing to run with the Herd.
Marshall’s offense has riddled opponents' defenses on numerous occasions in Huntington. The Herd scored 88 points against an Appalachian State defense that has easily been the best defense in the Sun Belt. Marshall scored 84 points on South Alabama, and the Jaguars' zone defense has given many offenses fits.
Marshall beat Old Dominion 81-79 on the road two weeks ago. The Thundering Herd only had four offensive rebounds in that game, but Old Dominion is typically poor on the defensive glass.
Old Dominion just played an 81-possession game with Southern Miss, so the Monarchs aren’t shy about running.
Marshall is averaging exactly 83.5 points per game at home this season. Old Dominion is a subpar defense that should let Marshall’s transition offense get going.
Pick: Marshall TT Over 83.5 (-115, DraftKings)
Confidence Rating: C
The Air Force has been bad the whole season on the defensive end, but the bottom has completely fallen out lately. The Falcons have allowed 79 or more points in 10 straight games and 91 or more in four straight. Opponents have scored 1.25 PPP or more in five straight contests.
San Jose State’s offense has shown signs of breaking out in recent weeks. The Spartans have scored 1.21 points per possession in three of their past five games.
The Spartans now face the clear worst defense in the Mountain West.
There isn’t a whole lot on the line in this game either, which I think supports a higher-scoring matchup.
Instead of taking the Over, I’m looking to isolate the San Jose State team total.
San Jose State doesn’t turn the ball over much and should have plenty of open looks.
Pick: San Jose State TT Over 74.5 (-110, DraftKings)
Confidence Rating: A-
The SEC is full of teams that like to push the pace.
In fact, the SEC is the fourth-fastest conference nationally (31 total). The SEC is also second in the nation in offensive efficiency.
Tennessee ranks second in SEC play in defensive efficiency. Rick Barnes’ team is always stronger on the defensive end. The Volunteers rank 14th nationally in defensive efficiency.
Tennessee has been peaking on defense of late. The Vols just held a great Vanderbilt offense to 65 points on the road. They also held Mississippi State to 64 points and LSU to 63 points in recent games.
Missouri ranks 13th in the SEC in overall tempo. The Tigers have been slowing the pace down in conference action. Meanwhile, Tennessee ranks 15th in the SEC in pace.
This game should play to a slower pace than the average game for these two teams, as both have finally found another team in the SEC willing to play in the halfcourt with them.
Pick: Under 144.5 (-112, DraftKings)
Confidence Rating: B-
