Quick Picks with Coach Rick Bowe, CBB Picks, CBB Free Picks, CBB Predictions 4/5/25
- rbowe7447
- 22 hours ago
- 2 min read
NCAA TOURNAMENT
FINAL FOUR
AUBURN vs. FLORIDA (FLA -2.5, 160)
UNDER 160
This is it. Final Four. Two games tonight and a national championship game on Monday night. Then, we call it a season. It's been a good one. The tournament season has been especially good for Coach Rick and those of you who have played his tourney best bets. At 42-21 (67%), the Coach has put some green in your pocket this college basketball tournament season.
Tonight, the first game of the Final Four pits Auburn against Florida. The two SEC rivals met back on Feb. 8. The Gators won 90-81 on the road. The game featured two outstanding offenses combining for 171 points. Tonight, I don't think a repeat of that is in the cards.
Tonight's game total opened at 162.5. It's now down to 160 (and even 159.5 at some sportsbooks). That is your first clue. Then, you add in two really good defenses and you can see where we're headed.
th Auburn and Florida have elite 3PT defenses. They both rank in the top 15 in the country. Auburn holds teams to 29.7 percent from behind the arc. Florida is just a hair better at 29.6 percent. Bruce Pearl and Auburn are known for being strong on defense. The Gators, I think, are underrated on defense because they are so good on offense.
The magnitude of this game is going to play a part in tonight's outcome. The winner, of course, gets to play for a national title. The loser goes home. In games like this, things seem to tighten up. Every possession matters. While both teams rank in the top 150 in possessions per game, I would think both come in under their average number of possessions.
Then, you add in this. Since the 1985 expansion of the NCAA tournament, there have been 15 times in the Final Four or national championship game when the total has closed at 160 or higher. The Under is 10-5 in those games. I think we'll see a much different game than the one on Feb. 8
Coach Rick Day Pass $49
MUST PROFIT OR REST OF MARCH MADNESS FOR FREE
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.