Quick Picks with Coach Rick Bowe, CBB Picks, CBB Free Picks, CBB Predictions 1/30/25

Quick Picks with Coach Rick Bowe, CBB Picks, CBB Free Picks, CBB Predictions 1/30/25

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

OHIO STATE @ PENN STATE (PSU -2.5, 148.5)

PENN STATE -2.5

Ohio State is coming off of two huge wins over Purdue and Iowa. The Buckeyes beat the Boilermakers on the road 73-70. Other than that win, Ohio State has not been all that great on the road. They've struggled away from home and you can see that in games like a 14-point loss to Texas A&M and a 34-point blowout loss to Maryland.

Penn State has been struggling lately as well. The Nittany Lions are just 1-6 SU in their last seven games. Five of those seven were on the road and, like most Big Ten teams, Penn State would much rather play at home than on the road.

Defensively, Penn State forces a ton of turnovers. That's typical of a Mike Rhoades coached team. Ohio State, it just so happens, is the worst team in the Big Ten when it comes to turning the ball over. That combined with Penn State's performance at home this season points me in the Nittany Lions direction. PSU is 5-0 ATS in its last five and I like them at home tonight.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

BRYANT @ UMBC (BRY -4.5, 168.5)

BRYANT -4.5

We played Bryant last week and picked up a win. If you remember, I introduced you to the Bulldogs offense. They play extremely fast. Bryant ranks No. 9 in possessions per game. It just so happens that UMBC plays pretty fast too. They rank 42nd in possessions per game and average 82.2 ppg, one point less than Bryant (83.2).

The difference tonight will be the size and athleticism of Bryant. All five Bulldogs' starters are 6-5 to 6-11. They can all run and defend. Their transition defense is outstanding, allowing fewer than 1.00 point per possession. They block a lot of shots too - 38 in their last 4 games. That will come in handy against an up-tempo team like UMBC.

Bryant is 6-0 in conference play and 5-1 ATS. The only non-cover was in their last game. The Bulldogs beat Binghamton by 14 points as 15-point favorites. There will come a time this season when it will be right to fade Bryant. Tonight is not that night.

Ylose expert Coach Rick Bowe delivers his daily Quick Picks. The Coach continues to roll up big wins in college basketball, college football, the NFL, MLB and much more. Coach Rick offers a unique perspective to handicapping. Check out his daily free picks right here and jump on his daily Best Bets, which you can find right here at Ylose.com/coach.