Daily Underdog Picks: Oregon State will be a tough test for Tennessee

The ‘dogs were barking last week as Oklahoma State upended Baylor in the Big 12 semifinals, while Oregon State secured its spot in the 2021 NCAA Tournament with an improbable Pac-12 conference championship that few anticipated.

Can the Beavers maintain their momentum when they take on Tennessee today?

Oregon State vs. Tennessee

The Beavers were one of the best teams in college basketball this season against the spread, with a 19-9 record. That includes a trio of wins as underdogs against UCLA, Oregon, and Colorado to close out the Pac-12 tournament and punch their ticket to March Madness. 

Meanwhile, Tennessee has been hot and cold against the spread in 2021. The Volunteers have also been inconsistent going into the tournament with losses in four of their last eight games.

The Volunteers are entering the tournament after a loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship last weekend, but it's worth noting they are 3-0-1 against the spread in their last four games following a straight-up loss.

The Beavers are playing their best basketball of the season as they enter the tournament, and pushing within two points of being a double-digit underdog will surely be a motivating factor for the surprising Pac-12 champs.

Pick: Oregon State Beavers (+8.5)

Georgia Tech vs. Loyola Chicago

Georgia Tech won the ACC Championship last weekend, but getting through the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament could be tricky due to the absence of their best player, Moses Wright.

Wright was averaging just over 17 points and eight rebounds per game, and was a catalyst for the Yellow Jackets as they rattled off eight consecutive wins prior to the tournament, including a five-point victory over Florida State to win the conference title. 

His absence will leave a sizeable void that Georgia Tech must find a way to fill in time for Friday’s game, especially as the Yellow Jackets look to contain Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Cameron Krutwig.

Despite the loss of their big man, the Yellow Jackets should still be able to keep this game close right to the end. Just don't expect them to win any style points. 

Pick: Georgia Tech (+5.5)

Georgetown vs. Colorado

The Hoyas have been on a mission of late, winning the Big East Conference title in convincing fashion by knocking off Villanova and crushing Creighton by 25 points.

The Hoyas now enter the 2021 NCAA Tournament as a 12-seed and will take on the Colorado Buffaloes on Saturday. Georgetown was, as of Friday, a six-point underdog, despite their recent run of success.

Despite a sluggish start to the season for the Hoyas, they have won eight of their last 10 games. The Buffaloes also had a nice run going before they were upset in the Pac-12 title game by Oregon State. 

Still, it’s difficult to look past what Georgetown has done to get into this tournament. The Hoyas were firing on all cylinders by the end of the Big East tournament, and knocked off teams that have their sights set on making a deep run this month. 

Now, as six-point underdogs, the Hoyas feel too good to pass up. 

Pick: Georgetown (+6)