Free Pick | NCAA | Wednesday | Dec. 10

Nelly’s is 6-3 in December college basketball – we’ve had 8 winning college seasons in a row!

Green Sheet Issue #25 goes out today – NFL side went 11-3 in Issue #24 – with Keys 3-0!

#638 VCU -8.5 over New Mexico 6 PM CT

Eric Olen had a fantastic run building UC San Diego into a 30-win Big West champion last season. He takes over at New Mexico and so far, a 7-2 start from taking over a 27-win team has been encouraging. That record includes top 100 wins over Mississippi State and Saturday’s stunning blowout over Santa Clara. That was the third straight game the Lobos scored in the 90s though the first two games in the run were vs. light competition. Saturday’s win feels like an outlier as the Lobos had a massive edge at the free throw line and a Santa Clara squad reliant on 3-point shooting shot just over 22 percent beyond the arc. New Mexico has only played one road game this season and it was a loss to in-state rival New Mexico State. The Lobos split two games in Kansas City in November, but this will be by far the longest trip of the season so far. VCU is in a coaching change season as well with Phil Martelli Jr. taking over after his success at Bryant. VCU won 28 games last season but one of the losses was in Albuquerque last December. Free throws were a big factor in that game as well as New Mexico had 30 attempts at the line. The roster for VCU turned over significantly but Jadrian Tracey is an Oregon transfer while Martelli brough Barry Evans with him from Bryant. The Rams are only 6-3 this season but that record includes two top 100 wins away from home and all three losses were competitive games vs. top 40 teams away from home. This is only the fifth home game for the Rams and while the competition has been favorable in Richmond, VCU’s home wins have come by 29, 17, 43, and 26 points. Both teams play fast as the scoring pace in this game should be elevated and a weak spot for New Mexico has been 3-point shooting and interior defense, which will play to the strengths of VCU.