Quick Picks with Coach Rick Bowe, CBB Picks, CBB Free Picks, CBB Predictions 3/5/25

Quick Picks with Coach Rick Bowe, CBB Picks, CBB Free Picks, CBB Predictions 3/5/25

PITT @ NC STATE (PITT -2.5 141.5)

NC STATE +2.5

After a Final Four appearance last year, NC State is just trying to get this season over with. The Wolfpack are 11-18 overall and 4-14 in ACC play. They've lost 3 of their last 4 games, but all 3 losses were on the road. NC State has been horrible on the road this year - 0-10 SU - but they are a different team at home.

NC State is 11-6 SU in home games this season. The Wolfpack have not packed it in just yet. If there is an ACC team that has packed it in, it's Pitt. Some thought the Panthers might be the 3rd-best team in the conference this season. Since Jan. 1, the Panthers have been far from that.

Since the turn of the New Year, Pitt is 6-11 SU and 4-13 ATS. The Panthers have lost 3 straight and each of their last 5 road games. The offense has taken a nosedive since beginning ACC play. They face a pretty decent Wolfpack defense that ranks 6th in the conference in points allowed per game. Fade the Panthers on the road tonight.

NEC TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINAL

WAGNER @ ST. FRANCIS (PA) (STF -2.5, 124.5)

ST. FRANCIS (PA) ML

Wagner won both regular season games against the Red Flash. Both games were close. The first one went to double overtime. Wagner won that game 70-68. In the second game played at St. Francis, the game was again close and the Seahawks won again 68-66. It was another Wagner win over the Red Flash. The Seahawks have actually won 9 of the last 10 against St. Francis.

Despite that, I do like my almost hometown Red Flash. It's hard enough to beat a team twice in the same season let alone three times. Plus, this is a do-or-die game. The loser is done for the season.

St. Francis closed the regular season with three straight wins and 5 in their final 7 games. The last two of those games were both at home. Yes, the final three did go to overtime, but the Flash came through. Wagner lost its last two games of the regular season.

The Seahawks will try to suck the life out of this game. It's the only way they can win. Their offense is horrible - 359th in the nation, 62.7 ppg. What they are good at is defense. They rank 4th in the nation in scoring defense holding opponents to 60.7 ppg. Where St. Francis has the edge is in efficiency. The Red Flash rank over 150 places higher than Wagner in Offensive Efficiency averaging nearly one point per possession. The Red Flash get it done at home where they went 5-3 SU in conference play this season.

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.