College Basketball Picks - November 27 (Happy Thanksgiving)

Orlando (nee Old Spice) Classic

Tennessee -5.5 v. Santa Clara.  This REEKS of the kind of upset you often see at these Turkey Day tournaments - feisty mid/low major versus mediocre major.  But it's a West Coast team flying East and I still kind of like Tennessee.
Covered by a point and a half.  Not a great look for Tennessee but the game that matters is tomorrow.  1-0.
Kansas -8 v. Rhode Island.  Look, the Rams will magically turn in to a pumpkin on a neutral floor.  Actually have no faith in this because I have no faith in Kansas.
Free money (that I didn't make) part 1.  2-0.
Michigan State -15 v. Rider.  Thought this would be a higher number.
Free money pt 2.  3-0.
Marquette +4.5 v. Georgia Tech.  They're winning this.
Correct!  4-0.

Wooden Legacy

UTEP -7.5 v. Princeton.  My grandfather's a Princeton grad.  It's sad that he has to see his school reduced to this.
They actually covered by a point and a half!  That's actually disappointing from UTEP but like Tennessee it won't matter an iota if they can take down X tomorrow.  4-1.
Xavier -10 v. San Diego.  Maybe I'll have to get him to jump on the X bandwagon with me.
Covered by a point.  The X magic continues!  82 more for that offense which might be one of the best in the country - it certainly has been thus far.  5-1.
Long Beach State -3 v. Western Michigan.  WMU might win this straight up, that's a suspiciously low number so this might be Vegas daring LBSU bets or something but I gotta go with the Beach close to home.
If that's what Vegas was doing than it messed up bigtime.  18 point win for the 49ERS.  Not that it means much but best Thanksgiving performance by a 49ERS outfit.  6-1.
Washington -12 v. San Jose State.  San Jose State.
7-1.

Battle 4 Atlantis

Oklahoma -3.5 v. Butler.  TaShawn Thomas should be able to prevent 29 offensive rebounds, yes?
He did!  Ugly but convincing win for the Sooners.  They can announce themselves as a player on the national stage with a win tomorrow against the BADGERS.  8-1.
Georgetown +9.5 v. Wisconsin.  SOMEBODY'S gotta push them eventually, right?  Right?
Right.  9-1.
North Carolina -4.5 v. UCLA.  Most high profile loser's bracket game of all time?
DOMINANT performance from UNC.  Classic Paige performance especially.  Just when you start doubting that he can pretty much single handedly dominate a game he does that.  Just like I'm dominating these picks for no money.  10-1.
Florida -14 v. UAB.  I always feel bad for the one school who's completely overmatched in one of these.  Usually it's Chaminade or whatever MAAC team is at the Orlando Classic.  A few years back it was Utah.  Remember when Harvard beat Utah like 72-47?  That was hilarious.
Yeah, the time to be talking about Florida as a potential bubble team is drawing nearer and nearer.  It can draw a lot nearer if UNC pastes them like they did UCLA.  10-2.

That Other Vegas Tournament

Brown -5 v. Austin Peay.  Austin Peay.
Oh dear.  Oh Brown.  Oh why did I ever....just whatever.  10-3.
Indiana State +13.5 v. Illinois.  God, I'm rooting so hard for them to cover.
No such luck.  10-4.
Stephen F. Austin -13 v. Prairie View A&M.  It's like Vegas thinks it's Christmas instead of Thanksgiving with this free money it's giving away.
Holy fuck they didn't cover by a point.  Officially time to start asking some serious questions about SFA.  Not that they'll get an at large or anything but they may not even be Southland favorites if we're paying attention.  10-5.

USC Upstate Classic

Florida International +8 @ USC Upstate.  USC Upstate just lost to UCF.
Isiah Thompson'd myself.  10-6.
Cal State Fullerton +6.5 v. Wright State.  I want the points here too.
Straight up win by 5.  In the bookmaker's favor, how the hell was this line supposed to be right?  Fullerton lost to USC and beat San Jose State by four.  Bad teams on a neutral floor, especially mid/low majors, is basically just tossing dice.  11-6.

Stony Brook -8.5 v. Long Island.  Seawolves are good, but not good enough for this to be a higher number.  So that's nice.
Won by 19.  I mean, Julian Boyd ain't walking through the door.  12-6.

Western Kentucky +1 v. Saint Joseph's.  Saint Joseph's is an ongoing catastrophe.
Only lost by 3!  Catastrophe showing signs of improving?!  13-6.

Great Alaska Shootout

Mercer -6.5 v. Rice.  Rice.
Juuuuust missed an OT cover.  13-7.

Baylor -3.5 v. Memphis.  Memphis lost to a D2 school.
Yes.  Yes they did.  14-7.
UC Santa Barbara -7 v. Washington State.  Poor Washington State.  If it hadn't been a *good* low major I'd have taken them.
It should literally be impossible for any Big West school to beat any Pac-12 school 71-43.  Given the dynamics of California recruiting and money in college athletics, that just seems like a thing that just flat out should not be possible.  But when you're a groundbreaking level of bad, anything is possible.  15-7.