The first-ever College Basketball Crown is set to get underway on Monday. 16 teams from seven different conferences will battle in Las Vegas, with cash and bragging rights on the line. Among the matchups to watch, hoops fans will need to tune in for DePaul vs. Cincinnati. Despite failing to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, the Bearcats finished 18-15 in the top-heavy Big 12. DePaul made major strides this season, improving their record from 3-29 to 14-19 under new head coach Chris Holtmann.
Cincinnati enters this contest as 9.5-point favorites, with the over/under set at 140.5 points. Below is my college basketball pick on DraftKings Sportsbook for Monday’s College Basketball Crown showdown.
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DePaul vs. Cincinnati (3:00 EST)
It’s been a remarkable turnaround for DePaul, a team that has been in shambles for years. Holtmann, former Ohio State head coach, brought in a slew of transfers to Chicago this summer. The results were as good as can be expected for a rebuilding program. Upperclassmen gards CJ Gunn (12.8 PPG) and Isaiah Rivera (10.7 PPG) have led the way for the Blue Demons.
DePaul lives and dies on the three-point shot, making the nation’s 49th-most shots per game (9.4) from deep. Worth noting: when this squad last played, they took NCAA Tournament-bound Creighton to overtime in the Big East Tournament. In that contest, the Blue Demons made 12 of their 30 shots (40.0%) from beyond the arc.
On the other side, Cincinnati enters the College Basketball Crown as one of the teams to beat. The Bearcats make their mark on defense, allowing the 26th-fewest points per game in the nation (65.7). Per KenPom, the school ranks 22nd in adjusted defensive efficiency. On offense, most of the scoring burden lies with guards Jizzle James (12.8 PPG) and Simas Lukosius (10.3 PPG). However, five different players on the roster are averaging more than nine points per game.
On paper, Cincinnati deserves to be near-double digit favorites in this one. However, these are two groups heading in opposite directions. The Blue Demons won three of their last four, while the Bearcats lost four of their last five. If DePaul can make its shots, they should find a way to keep things close on Monday.
College Basketball Pick: DePaul +9.5 (1 Unit)
