NCAA Basketball: Picks for Day 58 of 2024-25 season featuring Kentucky vs Florida

It was a pretty good Friday for a lot of teams. Wisconsin set all kinds of records in their dismantling of Iowa. The Badgers made 21 threes, scored 116 points, and won by 31 points. The Badgers were in desperate need of a Big Ten win and they came into the game 0-2 in the Big Ten and finally got their win to put them right back into the mix. Michigan State beat Ohio State in Columbus. The Spartans are very good and are the only 3-0 team in the Big Ten.

In the Big East, Marquette beat Creighton. It took awhile but Marquette eventually forced their will on the game getting turnovers and easy baskets. Creighton looked a lot better on the road this time but they are going to have to start winning those games. Georgetown moved to 3-0 in the Big East. The Hoyas are much improved this year. The Ed Cooley effect is turning the Hoyas program around. Xavier is the team that lost to Georgetown and is not nearly as good as everyone thought. The Musketeers have struggled in conference play.

The most notable result of the night, though, comes from the NEC. Chicago State, who came into the game 0-15 on the season, got their first conference win in the NEC. It is the first win for the Cougars of the year, and it is their first-ever win in the NEC in their first-ever game. We all make fun of the Chicago State program for being terrible, but over the last few seasons, that program has turned itself around, and the NEC is going to be very good for that program. 

It is another loaded Saturday of college basketball. It is good for me, considering there is a snowstorm rolling in, and I will be stranded at the house. The day kicks off with a top-10 matchup to open up SEC play. There are huge games in the Big Ten with one team trying to prove themselves at home. Two undefeated teams have very tough games on the road. Finally, a Big West team hopes to break a huge conference losing streak. There is a lot to like about today. Picks for day 58 January 4, 2025, are below.

Where do we begin with the slate of games today? It all starts off with a top 10 matchup in Lexington, where Kentucky and Florida kick off SEC play. Those two teams play as fast as possible and can light up the scoreboard. That one will be a lot of fun to watch. Is Nebraska for real?  Are they really as good as they have shown?  They are going to be in prove-it mode against UCLA in Lincoln. The Vault is sold out, there is a snow storm in Lincoln, and Nebraska has a 19 game home winning streak. It is almost one year ago today that the Huskers beat Purdue in Lincoln.

Tennessee plays Arkansas, who is good enough to beat them. Alabama hosts Oklahoma, who is also undefeated. Could all three undefeated teams fall today?  It is possible and probable that two will lose today. Last but most certainly not least Hawaii plays Cal Poly on the Island. That game is significant for one reason. If Cal Poly loses they will have lost 40 straight Big West games. Enjoy the hoops.