College basketball is back, baby!!! Best part about this year you ask? The answer is simple. It’s Coach K’s final season!!!!!!!!!!
But on to the good stuff….Droppin Dimes is back for more free picks. First we’ll, naturally, go to the Champions Classic.
Kansas (-4.5, 140) vs Michigan State
I expected this line to open around 7/7.5, but with Jalen Wilson being suspended I can see that making a 3 point difference. Still not enough that Kansas doesn’t cover. They have too much returning firepower and now with a PG (Remy Martin) who teams can’t collapse in the lane and take away driving lanes. Ochai Agbaji is going to love the extra spacing this year and Christian Braun will be closer to his freshman season percentages than last year. There’s a reason Kansas is a title favorite. Michigan State, on the other hand, is a roster full of “this guy is going to be good” type of players. Problem is, time is up for those guys. No one thought Marcus Bingham or Gabe Brown would ever be Seniors, but here we are. Joey Hauser is also coming off what has to be the most disappointing season of any college player last year. There’s nowhere for him to go but up, and don’t get me wrong, he has the potential to go WAY up. Just not against Kansas. Take Kansas -4.5 and for Michigan State fans, just fast forward and prepare for the directional schools coming up.
Duke (-3, 148.5) vs Kentucky
Another year, and another wave of look at how loaded this team is with their unproven players. Fuck Duke. This also isn’t your typical Kentucky type of shuffle in shuffle out rosters. CJ Fredrick and Oscar Tshiebwe are both Juniors who have started every game of their college careers. Kellan Grady is a proven 20 PPG guy that also has over 100 starts under his belt. TyTy Washington is the prize of Kentucky’s class, but don’t forget about Sahvir Wheeler, who was one of the most sought after PGs when he elected to leave Georgia. I really like Kentucky as a Final Four contender, and they will prove that tonight. Not only is the line wrong, but they didn’t even get the right favorite. Kentucky by at least 5. Also taking under 148.5.
Few other plays for opening day
Citadel/Pitt o155 – Staying true the system that has raked it in the past few years – Any time the Citadel is under 165…Take it. Plus, Hayden Brown, my pick for Conference Player of the Year, is back for his super senior season.
Pepperdine +7.5 – Gone are the days of Colbey Ross and Kessler Edwards. As good as they were, I think taking their knack to play hero ball out of the equation allows Lorenzo Romar to show why I’ve always thought he was one of the most under appreciated coaches in the country.
St Thomas -6.5 & St. Johns -44.5 – Don’t really have a breakdown of these two other than they play Mississippi Valley St and Chicago St. Those two teams, along with Kansas football, fall under the system of IDGAFWTSIAFT. In other words….I don’t give a fuck what the spread is, always fade them.
