NCAA Basketball: Picks for Day 26 of 2023-24 season

Preseason Final Four contenders Kansas and UConn face off to headline Friday’s NCAA Basketball slate. Who has the edge in that and other matchups?

Does everyone remember when Florida Atlantic was overrated because they lost a single game against Bryant?  It was a night where nothing went right for the Owls, and they couldn’t put the ball in the basket. Those nights happen and it showed it was just a blip as Florida Atlantic is back in a big way.  They have won every game since then beating three power schools and a great mid major in that time frame. Liberty was the latest victim of the Owls last night.

Last night was almost upset free until a game that I didn’t even pick happened. Montana State lost at home to NAIA power Rocky Mountain College. UCLA head coach Mick Cronin was sidelined with Covid and as a result his Bruins needed a buzzer beater to beat Riverside in Westwood. That would have been a huge story line if Riverside could have pulled off the upset.

Yesterday I went 16-6 in my picks. That gives me a 25 day total of 834-290 overall. December kicks off with a huge slate of games featuring a lot of games between power five schools. Big Ten conference play begins. The Field of 68 Tip-Off continues. The Big 12/Big East battle continues. Two top five teams meet up in the battle today as well. It is going to be a great primer for the first huge Saturday in College Hoops. Picks for day 26 December 1, 2023, are below.

Western Michigan over St Thomas

Liberty over Charleston

Houston over Xavier

Indiana over Maryland

Georgia over Mercer

Rider over Siena

Niagara over Saint Peter’s

Manhattan over Mount St. Mary’s

Fairfield over Iona

Canisius over Quinnipiac

South Carolina over George Washington

Brown over Bryant

VCU over Norfolk State

Bethune over Incarnate Word

West Virginia over St. John’s

Little Rock over Arkansas State

UAB over Southern Miss

South Dakota State over Towson

Troy over SIU Edwardsville

Iowa State over DePaul

Purdue over Northwestern

Kansas over UConn

BYU over Fresno State

Fullerton over North Dakota

Portland over Wyoming

San Diego State over UC San Diego

Saint Mary’s over Boise State

There is one game that stands out above the rest today and that is Kansas and UConn in Allen Fieldhouse. That game is going to be fantastic, and I cannot wait to watch it. Maryland and Indiana is another good game. The best mid major games on this Friday are Liberty over Charleston. Fullerton over North Dakota has the potential to be a good game against two teams who should compete near he tops of their leagues. Enjoy the games and see you tomorrow.