These are not Sportspicks "Recommended Picks"

2/28/23 Results

• 6-7 ATS

• 7-1 ML's Parlay Lost - Thanks Wake Forest!!

• 0-2 "Longshots"

• No "Game of the Night" Pick

Game of the Night

#9 Texas vs #22 TCU

Location: Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena - Fort Worth, Texas

Tip-Off: 9:00 PM EST

Line: TCU -3 O/U = 149.5

Tale of the Tape

TCU / Texas

• FGA - 60.6 pg / 60.6 pg

• FG% - 46.5% / 47.5%

• % FGA in Paint - 47.5% / 32.5%

• 2P% - 53.6% / 54.5%

• 3P% - 29.1% / 34.7%

• FTA - 21.0 pg / 19.0 pg

• FT% - 69.9% / 74.5%

• EFG% - 50.7% / 53.6%

• DReb% - 69.3% / 70.8%

• OReb% - 32.5% / 29.0%

• TO's - 12.1 pg / 12.0 pg

• Fouls - 15.9 pg / 18.2 pg

• Adj. Off Eff - 113.2 (49) / 117.9 (15)

• Adj. Def Eff - 94.8 (20) / 95.5 (27)

• PPG - 76.1 / 79.2

• PAG - 67.6 / 68.8

Overview

• As we all know, the Big 12 is the BEST Conference in College Basketball. There are no two ways about it. The "worst" team in the league, Oklahoma, has three double-digit wins over ranked opponents, including a 93-69 drubbing of #2 Alabama. This conference SHOULD get more teams in the NCAA Tournament field than any other conference. In my opinion, there are 3 teams in this league that could legitimately cut the nets down in Houston. However, we're still a good ways away from all that. We're still not even sure who will be the #1 seed in the Big 12 Tournament. All that could be on the line when the Kansas Jayhawks travel to play the Texas Longhorns on Saturday, but before any of that matters, Texas will have to find a way to win at TCU on Wednesday Night. In what should be a BIG TIME Top-25 matchup.

Match-Up

• TCU has been on downhill slide lately, losing 5 of their last 7 games, but are coming off a HUGE road victory at surging Texas Tech. A large part of their struggles have been due to the absence of star Junior Guard Mike Miles Jr. (18.0 ppg , 1.2 spg) because of injuries. Miles is back in the lineup now, and had 24 points in the win over Texas Tech on Saturday. He isn't the only playmaker for the Horned Frogs though. Senior's Emanuel Miller(12.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 43.9 3P%) and Damion Baugh (12.6 ppg , 6.0 apg , 4.3 rpg , 1.8 spg) have helped keep TCU's heads above water in Miles' absence. Head Coach Jamie Dixon has several KEY "Role Players" throughout his bench, and has five other guy's averaging 6+ points per game. However, where the Horned Frogs lack, is in their ability to shoot it from long range. TCU shoots just 29.1%, as a team, from 3-Point Land. It's great to be able to control the interior, which they do very well, but to compete with the top teams in the country you have to be able to dial it in from 3 at some point. Otherwise, there will come a time that you find yourself in a hole that you can't climb out of against the more ELITE offenses in College Basketball.
• Texas is coming into this one off of a tough road loss to a very good Baylor team. In a game, the Longhorns have to feel they kind of let slip away. The Bears, playing most of the game without star Freshman Keyonte George who exited early with an ankle injury, climbed out of a BIG early hole to defeat Texas 81-72. It was a tough pill to swallow for a Longhorns squad who has already experienced the firing of their Head Coach Chris Beard earlier this season due to an off-the-court incident. However, most of their pre-season goals are still in tact. Senior Guard Marcus Carr (16.8 ppg , 4.1 apg , 1.6 spg) is one of the leaders for interim-HC Rodney Terry's team, and helps keep things flowing smoothly. Senior Forward Dylan Disu (7.5 ppg , 3.6 rpg , 1.4 bpg) can be a force at times down low, and had a season high 24 points in the loss at Baylor on Saturday. Senior Forward Timmy Allen (10.9 ppg , 5.6 rpg , 3.4 apg) and Sophomore Guard Tyrese Hunter (10.0 ppg , 2.6 apg) both average double-digits in scoring for the Longhorns and are vital pieces for Texas to make a deep run in March. New Mexico State-transfer Sir'Jabari Rice, comes off the bench, but is Texas' second-leading scorer (12.1 ppg , 37.8 3P%) and could be "6th Man of the Year" in College Basketball this season. The Longhorn's have the skill and experience to match up with anyone in the country, but much like their counterparts tonight, have a tendency to struggle shooting the ball from deep at times. However, this veteran-laden squad doesn't usually beat themselves and they shoot it well from the free-throw line (74.5%). They know how to play in close games, and have experience playing in hostile road environments. Like I said, the majority of their pre-season goals are still in tact, but a loss in Fort Worth on Wednesday evening would put an abrupt end to some of those.

Prediction

• Both of these teams are going to make the NCAA Tournament field, but tonight's contest could have A LOT to do with where they end up seeded in the Big Dance. The return of Mike Miles for TCU is a HUGE spark for this team, and really elevates them offensively. However, their struggles shooting the ball from deep, as a team, have been well-documented and could prove to be their "Achille's Heel". I really like this Texas team, and they're one of my early "Final 4" picks currently. They haven't lost back to back games all season, but 6 of their 7 losses this year have come on the road/neutral site. Schollmaier Arena will be ROCKIN' on Wednesday, and the Horned Frogs won't make it easy for Texas. TCU would love nothing more than to play spoiler to their in-state foe's regular-season conference title hopes. However, I DO NOT believe Jamie Dixon's squad will be able to get the job done tonight. I look for the Longhorn's advantage in 3-Point shooting and Team Free-Throw percentage, to be the difference on this night. Look for this one to be a back-and-forth battle ALL NIGHT and most likely come down to the wire, but Texas' EXPERIENCE gets the job done in the end!! Setting up a MONSTER SHOWDOWN vs Kansas on Saturday for "All the Marbles" in Big 12 Country!!

My Pick: Texas +3

Final Score: Texas 77 TCU 73

Crick's Picks: 3/1/23

• Providence -3.5 vs Xavier 6:30 PM EST

• Alabama -10 vs Auburn 7:00 PM EST

• Kentucky -10 vs Vanderbilt 7:00 PM EST

• Notre Dame +3.5 vs Pittsburgh 7:00 PM EST

• South Florida -14.5 vs Tulsa 7:00 PM EST

• George Washington +8 @ Davidson 7:00 PM EST

• George Mason -4 vs Fordham 7:00 PM EST

• Oklahoma +8 @ Kansas State 8:00 PM EST

• Northwestern -4.5 vs Penn State 9:00 PM EST

• Rhode Island +4.5 @ Loyola Chicago 9:00 PM EST

No "Longshot" Pick Tonight

Free ML Parlay (4 Picks)

• Ohio State -110

• Texas +125

• Missouri -185

• UNLV +115

Total Odds Boost = +1322

10.00 to win 132.27

100.00 to win 1,322.00

Enjoy Tonight's Slate.. Gonna be a Good One!!

Good Luck EVERYONE!!!!

-Crickett