Quick Picks with Coach Rick Bowe, CBB Picks, CBB Free Picks, CBB Predictions 1/8/25

Quick Picks with Coach Rick Bowe, CBB Picks, CBB Free Picks, CBB Predictions 1/8/25

UCONN @ VILLANOVA (UCONN -1, 147)

UCONN OVER 72.5 POINTS

UConn is on a roll. The Huskies have won 8 straight games since that early season spell when they dropped three in a row. UConn has scored 76 or more points in each of the 8 consecutive wins. Keep that in mind.

In the last 10 games in this series between the two Big East rivals, both Villanova and UConn have averaged in the high 60s. There has been some slower-paced games. Villanova is one of the slower-paced teams in the country. The Wildcats rank 358th in the nation in possessions per game. Still, they average over 80 points per game. That's because they shoot a ton of threes.

Like Villanova, UConn also shoots a ton of threes and they also average over 80 points per game. In fact, UConn ranks 28th in the nation with an average of 83.9 points per game. The difference in tonight's game will be Villanova's three-point defense. It's one of the worst in the country.

The Wildcats ranks No. 305 out of 364 teams in Division I college basketball. Opponents shoot nearly 36 percent from behind the arc against Villanova. In 15 games this season, UConn has gone Over this prop line 13 times.

VIRGINIA @ CALIFORNIA (CAL -4.5, 130.5)

CALIFORNIA -4.5

Virginia makes the long trip to California to take on the Bears. Cal has lost three in a row. They Bears lost two ACC games to Pitt and Clemson, both by 12 points. They did, however, cover the spread in both games.

Virginia has one of the worst offenses in the nation. The Cavaliers average just 61.4 points per game. That ranks 360th in the country. Virginia has scored at least 70 points just once in its last eight games.

The Cavaliers are known for their defense and they will try to put the clamps on Cal tonight. Virginia typically slows games down to a snail's pace. The Cavs tried to do exactly that in their only two other true road games this season. At Florida and at SMU, Virginia didn't fare so well and lost both games by double digits. Cal isn't either of those teams, but they've won 8 of their last 10 home games.

Ylose expert Coach Rick Bowe delivers his daily Quick Picks. The Coach continues to roll up big wins in MLB, college football, the NFL, 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.