TSR 3/7/20 CBB Picks w/ Fans of the Blog

As the college basketball regular season comes to a close, we wanted to thank our loyal readers at TSR for their support. This has been an exciting first year of college basketball coverage for us, and we have continued to learn and grow as a team throughout the entire year. Although we have another fantastic guest picker lined up for Sunday, and we will continue to provide coverage throughout the entirety of the postseason, we wanted to do something special to thank our readers. We reached out to ten of our readers, and decided that they would tag-team the guest picking on Saturday. Each reader would be assigned a game, and they would give their thoughts on the winner. They each were also given the opportunity to share a fun fact, basketball related or not, with our other fellow readers.

Below are the "Fans of the Blog" that will be joining us today.

Ben C. in Jacksonville, FL. A huge Badgers fan, Ben's favorite college player is Sam Dekker. He chose Dekker because he came in with a lot of hype (5-star recruit), and his performance in the tournament his final year was what Wisconsin fans always hoped he would be, especially the step-back in the Elite 8 against Arizona. Also, he would like to shoutout Keaton Nankivil for being the stereotypical Wisconsin big guy.

Blake S. in Auburn Hills, MI. A Michigan State graduate, he worked at the Breslin Center throughout his time in college. His favorite player is Gabe Brown, who he has been predicting will be an elite player since he saw him practice early on in his freshman year.

Donald E. in Omaha, NE. A Creighton graduate, he has been a big fan of players such as Kyle Korver, Doug McDermott and Ty-Shon Alexander in their time as Bluejays.

Hunter J. (@Hunter_D_J) in Washington, KS. Although he played against Dean Wade in high school, this graduate of Kansas State says his favorite player growing up was Kansas State's Jacob Pullen (EMAW and Fear the Beard). Currently, he would say that he finds Payton Pritchard to be his favorite to watch in college hoops.

Jake S. in Schaumburg, IL. A graduate of Michigan State, his favorite game at the Breslin Center was last year's regular season finale, when the Spartans took down Michigan to win the Big Ten regular season title and the #1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. He camped out with our Nick Tuori for nearly 13 hours before tipoff of that game to ensure that he had front row seats behind MSU's bench. 

Keegan M. (@Keegs525) in Caledonia, MI. Keegan's fun fact is that he received a college golf scholarship despite never playing high school golf. His favorite college basketball players of all-time are Dee Brown (Illinois) and Trey Burke (Michigan).

Logan A. (@RealLoganAustin) in Caledonia, MI. Logan would like to take this space to put out a big GO BLUE on the Tuori platform, because he will be in attendance this weekend when Michigan "win's its first-round series" against Michigan State! A Michigan grad, he also would claim Trey Burke (Michigan) to be his favorite college basketball player.

Nick G. (@Ngrygs) in Richmond, VA. He is an avid Michigan basketball fan as he was a leader of the Maize Rage in his time in Ann Arbor. Nick says that Mo Wagner is his favorite player, as he was a blast to watch and "he owned" Michigan State.

Peyton W. in Champaign, IL. A masters student at Illinois, Peyton also enjoys following the UCF basketball program and the Missouri Valley Conference. His favorite player ever is Doug McDermott from Creighton.

Taylor C. in Milwaukee, WI. A graduate of Southern Utah, his favorite players would be the big time scorers Markus Howard, TJ Haws and Jimmer Fredette. Taylor is also a huge New England sports fan, cheering for the Patriots, Bruins, Celtics and Red Sox.

SATURDAY'S PICKS

1. Notre Dame vs Virginia Tech (2:00, ACC)

Nick G: Virginia Tech- As a new resident of Richmond, I will back the Hokies. I have made many friends that are Virginia Tech fans, so I gotta pick them for my boys.

Nick: Notre Dame- This team has had it’s ups and downs this season, and that was perhaps best on display in their buzzer-beating defeat at the hands of Florida State earlier this week. On John Mooney’s Senior Day, I think they have the offensive firepower to take down the Hokies, unless Virginia Tech pulls out their 48.2% three-point shooting from that upset of Michigan State...

Sam: Notre Dame- I’m not sure I’ll ever get over Michigan State losing to Virginia Tech in Maui earlier this year anytime soon...

Zach: Notre Dame- The Irish let one get away the other day against Florida State. Big bounce back game to end a disappointing season

2. Indiana vs Wisconsin (12:00, ESPN)

Ben: Wisconsin- The Badgers haven’t been shooting as well lately, and Assembly Hall will be rocking for the last game of the year, but they still find a way to squeak this out one. They have a lot to play for, and that motivation carries them to a share of the Big Ten title and the #1 seed in the B1G Tournament next week.

Nick: Indiana- The Hoosiers are on the NCAA Tournament bubble, and a win over the Big Ten’s first place team would go a long way to helping them secure a bid. Perhaps it’s my disbelief of the fact that Wisconsin is one win away from the #1 seed in the B1G Tournament, but I just feel that the Hoosiers are due to have an offensive explosion. There will never be a better time than on Senior Day against Wisconsin.

Sam: Wisconsin- The Badgers have been playing so well of late, and I don’t see them losing at IU. The shooting will be hot for Wisconsin, and they become the first team to clinch its share of the B1G.

Zach: Indiana- This is a must win if IU wants to have a chance at making the tournament. They will win this game because it is at home and Assembly Hall gets up for big games like no one else. I can’t believe that with a Wisconsin win the Badgers win the league.

3. St. John’s vs Marquette (12:00)

Taylor: Marquette- Markus Howard will carry this team into the postseason. He is playing his best basketball of the season the past few weeks, playing as if he is afraid that his senior season is slipping away. I think St. John’s comes at a perfect time for Marquette, as this will be the game to get the rest of the team back on track and playing with confidence.

Nick: Marquette- I really don’t believe in this team at all. As Taylor pointed out, the supporting cast has struggled tremendously around Markus Howard, and they will have a short run in the postseason if that trend continues. I think Howard alone can deliver the victory on Saturday.

Sam: St. John’s- Marquette is notorious for limping its way into the tournament, and this season is no exception. The struggle continues in another upset defeat.

Zach: Marquette- Blowout in the first meeting, close game here. Markus Howard wins again

4. Texas Tech vs Kansas (2:00, ESPN)

Hunter: Kansas- Marcus Garrett and Devon Dotson will be able to slow down Jahmi’us Ramsey and Davide Moretti, while Texas Tech will have no answer for Doke down low. Tech is playing too selfish lately, and KU will continue to show why they are the best team in the country (as much as that hurts for me to say).

Nick: Kansas- The Jayhawks are a great basketball team, and I think they will win this game with ease. Chris Beard’s bunch showed some real signs of life earlier this season, causing me to believe in them as a sleeper in the tournament, but they have played poorly as of late, losing three straight games. The streak extends to four with a tough home loss to the B12 champs.

Sam: Kansas- I really just am not that impressed with Texas Tech, and they have no answer for Doke in the paint.

Zach: Kansas- Another outright Big 12 title is on the line for Kansas. This could be a challenge in Udoka Azubuike is limited. Either way, the Jayhawks are still the better team and should find a way to win

5. Purdue vs Rutgers

Jake: Purdue- I like Purdue in this matchup, 83-71. The Boilermakers are one of the best teams in the B1G when they get to play in front of the raucous crowd at Mackey Arena. It’s also Senior Day for Evan Bordeaux, so look for him to lead the way for Purdue in a double digit victory.

Nick: Purdue- I think Purdue has the talent to be an NCAA Tournament team, and the metrics agree with that analysis (NET: 32, KenPom: 22, BPI: 18). At 16-14, they just need the wins to boost their case as an at-large contender. This is a game that is a huge opportunity for both teams, as Rutgers looks to improve on their abysmal 1-8 road record (thanks Nebraska!). Purdue inches closer to the tournament, while Rutgers’ bid continues to sit in hot water.

Sam: Purdue- I still don’t think Rutgers is firmly in the tournament, but they did themselves a favor by taking down Maryland this week. That being said, the Scarlet Knights are miserable on the road. Purdue with a huge win.

Zach: Purdue- A win for the Scarlet Knights might get them in the tournament, whether it is here or in the Big Ten tournament. I don’t see them winning this game, and team that took them to the end at The RAC

6.  Creighton vs Seton Hall (2:30, FOX)

Donald: Creighton- The arena will be rocking tomorrow, and I don’t know how the team could possibly let this crowd down. This is the biggest regular season home game since we were in the same situation in 2012-13 against our bitter rival Wichita State. We won that game and the MVC title thanks to a 41-point game from legend Doug McDermott. Today, we are going to see another big performance, but this time it’ll be from Ty-Shon Alexander, my pick for Big East Player of the Year. He proves his worth for this award by outperforming Myles Powell in this game.

Nick: Creighton- This is a fantastic basketball game. Seton Hall and Creighton have both played like they are Elite 8/Final 4 caliber teams at times, as they both have a plethora of offensive weapons. The backcourt battle of Marcus Zegarowski and Ty-Shon Alexander against Myles Powell and Myles Cale will be huge, but I think x-factors like Denzel Mahoney and Mitch Ballock will make the difference at home. The crowd should be electric in Omaha as well, in the biggest regular season game since they joined the Big East!

Sam: THE GAME OF THE DAY! If Creighton can win, it’ll earn it’s first share of the Big East title. How about that? A round of applause for Coach McDermott this season. I think their ability to go small with Denzel Mahoney at the 5 is critical, and it helps them earn the season sweep of Seton Hall and the league title.

Zach: Creighton- Last game of the regular season, the winner gets the league crown. That is the way it should be. Creighton won the matchup at Seton Hall and so I’ll take them to win at their own place

7. Virginia vs Louisville (4:00, ESPN)

Keegan: Virginia- I will take the Cavs in an upset. Louisville has not won in Charlottesville since joining the ACC, and they only have one player averaging double digits this year. Nwora will still get his usual against one of the nation’s best defenses, but he won’t get the help he needs. UVA has been playing it’s best basketball as of late, and with senior day and the emotions running high, I’ll take the Cavs by five.

Nick: Virginia- Tony Bennett’s bunch is rounding into shape, and they will surely be a threat in the ACC and NCAA Tournaments, and they may very well get a share of the regular season crown. This team struggles offensively more than Virginia teams of the past, but their defense is historically great. If this game was at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, I would take the Cards, but the Cavs won’t lose at JPJ on Senior Day.

Sam: Virginia- Virginia Basketball. A thing of beauty. The Cavs will do what they do best in this one, slow the game down and play exceptional defense. The emergence of Jay Huff has been huge for UVA’s turnaround.

Zach: Louisville- The Cards can claim their first ACC title since joining the league with a win. As great as a turnaround Coach Bennett has had his team perform, they have had close game after close game lately and they let this one get away

8. Northwestern vs Penn State (4:00, BTN)

Blake: Penn State- Northwestern lacks crowd noise, and their shooting and playmaking abilities don’t make the Nittany Lions sweat during this game. Big bounce back win for PSU after the recent collapse.

Nick: Penn State- Northwestern can beat one team in this league, and that’s Nebraska. The season sweep of the Cornhuskers is nothing to hang their hat on, but the good news is that they will be the 13 seed in the conference tournament as a result of the tiebreaker! The bad news is that their season has two games left, both surely going to be large defeats.

Sam: Penn State- I’m fairly worried about Pat Chambers’ squad as we head into tournament time, but come on, Northwestern is awful.

Zach: Penn State- This is a no brainer for any person that has a sense of basketball knowledge. Even at Welsh Ryan, Penn State will probably still have more fans than the home team

9. Duke vs North Carolina (6:00, ESPN)

Logan: Duke- UNC had their shot at the Blue Devils in February and blew it in epic fashion. The Tar Heels will be desperate to leave one positive mark on an otherwise disappointing season, but desperation to beat a hated rival only goes so far (see: my Michigan Wolverines losing to Ohio State basically every year since the Clinton administration). They may hang around for a half or so, but Duke is simply the better basketball team and will win comfortably on Senior Day at Cameron.

Nick: Duke- I really want to pick UNC, as they have looked so strong in their three straight victories. However, I think the youth and inexperience in a hostile environment like Cameron factors in here. Also, Coach K’s team hasn’t exactly dominated like he expects lately, and with the ACC Championship on the line, I can’t imagine he lets that slide.

Sam: Duke- The Tar Heels have been playing much better lately, but this team isn’t ready to go into Cameron and come out with a victory.

Zach: Duke- UNC choked this game away last time, and that was their chance to win. They won’t have nearly any chance in this one. 

10. MVC Semifinal--Drake vs Bradley (3:35, CBSSN)

Peyton: Bradley- Arch Madness was incredible on Friday, with upsets like we have never seen in the tournament’s history. The Madness cannot last however, so as much as I want to pick Drake, the Bulldogs are bound to suffer from an adrenaline dump after the epic upset of their rival. This trio of Darrell Brown, Nate Kennell and Koch Bar came in together as freshmen, and they will leave this weekend as MVC Champions once again! Bradley advances to the finals with a 77-61 win over Drake.

Nick: Bradley- The Braves were the cinderella last season, winning the championship as the #5 seed. This year, they moved up just one seed line, but they have become the favorite to win it all as they enter the semifinals with the 6, 7 and 8 seeds. With Darrell Brown and company back from a team that nearly upset Michigan State last season, they advance to the title game with relative ease against the Bulldogs.

Sam: Bradley- Northern Iowa’s loss really helps Bradley in this tournament. This team is two wins away from back-to-back Arch Madness titles and March Madness bids.

Zach: Bradley- Drake won’t have nearly the success shooting the ball as they did against UNI, and Bradley wins handily to advance to the finals.