Tonight's Picks

Georgetown (+6) over Syracuse -This age-old rivalry returns to the Carrier Dome, where the Syracuse Orange are 12-1 on the year. Jim Boeheim has a deep squad he works with this year, with nine players averaging over 10 MPG with six of them averaging 10 PPG.  With future lottery pick Wesley Johnson leading the way, the Orange are big, athletic and explosive. On the opposing side is Georgetown, with their big three of Austin Freeman, Greg Monroe, and Chris Wright each averaging 15PPG and forming one of the best threesomes in college basketball. Add to that the signature in-your-shorts defense and you've got your 15-3 Hoyas. While Georgetown's pressure D has been their strength, Syracuse's Achilles heel has been turnovers averaging a league-leading 16 times per game. Like so many have in the past, expect this one to be a barn-burner.

Kansas (-12) over Missouri - Both teams average over 80 PPG, and tonight will be no different. Missouri has played poorly on the road this season (1-3) and it won't get any easier tonight against the #3 Jayhawks. Look for Kansas to run through Cole Aldrich all night, exploiting Missouri's lack of even the resemblance of a low-post presence. Missouri could stay in the game one of two ways. 1) They torch the nets from three-point land. 2) Aldrich gets in foul trouble. If neither of those two things happen, Kansas will run away with it.

Saint Joseph's (-5) over Pennsylvania - Two of the more disappointing teams in Division I year meet in what  is usually a very entertaining Big Five tilt. Pennsylvania has been riddled with injury all season long. You know its a down year when the most interesting thing about the team is bench player Malcolm Williams, son of Denzel, who averages 1.3 PPG. St. Joe's' problem has been losing streaks, recording six, three and two consecutive losses during the season. The goal tonight is to extend their current two game winning streak. They will do just that against a downright horrendous bunch of Quakers.