NCAA Basketball Picks: Tennessee/Vanderbilt Purdue/Michigan State

Tuesday boasts some big games in the SEC and Big 10. Both Vandy and Tennessee have 17+ wins while the two Big 10 schools sit at 19 Ws so far this year. These are 4 solid teams, and these games should represent that.

Tennessee Volunteers @ Vanderbilt Commodores (-3) (7:00pm ET, 2-9)

Tennessee has won each of their last 3 and 8 of their last 10 but not many of them have been easy. Their win over Florida was of the one-point nature while LSU gave the Vols all they could handle. South Carolina didn’t pose much of a fight, but then again, Vandy beat them up as well. I think Vandy’s 11-0 mark at home stays clean on Tuesday Night. As I said in my Just Picks Newsletter, the Commodores went to Tennessee and handed the Vols their only home loss of the season, I don’t see why going home and getting the best of Tennessee again isn’t the best bet here. Beating a good team twice is tough, but the high scoring Commodores get the edge here.

Purdue Boilermakers (+3) @ Michigan State Spartans (9:00pm ET, 2-9)

Purdue might not be the best bet to be the first team to oust the Spartans at home, but somebody’s going to have to do it, and why not the clutch bunch from Purdue? The Spartans’ best player, Kalin Lucas, won’t be at full strength though he is expected to play with a dinged up ankle. In the end, I think this game comes down toe the Boilermakers’ front line of E’Twaun Moore, Robbie Hummel, and Jujan Johnson – those three guys have been teaming up and beating up the Big 10 over the last 5 games, and while the Spartans know how to defend their home court, they’re going to slip up sooner or later, why not sooner? A big game from JaJuan Johnson will be just enough to upset the masses.