TBT Basketball Odds and Picks (Wednesday, July 20): Can Florida TNT, Zip 'Em Up, HBCUnited Advance?

TBT Basketball Odds and Picks (Wednesday, July 20): Can Florida TNT, Zip 'Em Up, HBCUnited Advance?

This week, The Basketball Tournament (TBT) kicked off, with the final of this single-elimination competition set for August 2 on ESPN. A few clubs this year are already dominating due to the abundance of former NBA players on their rosters, but others with more TBT experience are lurking around the corner.

Let's examine tonight's schedule in more detail to see how things might pan out.

All Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Fort Wayne Champs vs. Florida TNT Start Time and Where To Watch

Time: 6:00 PM EST

Where to Watch: ESPN

Fort Wayne Champs vs. Florida TNT Prediction

Round two of the Xavier Regional has begun at the Cintas Center, where game one performances by Florida TNT and Zip Em' Up both served as warnings to the league just how good they're capable of being. Florida  TNT thrashed AboutBilions 114-57 on Monday with participation from all but one of their 10-man squad in the box score, handing out one of the largest beatdowns in tournament history.

Nasty Nati was defeated by team Fort Wayne Champs, a TBT staple team, 71-67. It is worth noting, however, that the game was closer than the score would suggest. Look for Florida TNT to dominate Fort Wayne in this game tonight against two legendary TBT squads, but one increasingly mismatched. Kenny Boyton and Brandon Robinson, two of the top players in the game, likely take over the game early.

Fort Wayne Champs vs. Florida TNT Pick

Pick: Florida TNT -8.5 (-110) (Bet $110 to win $100)

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Zip 'Em Up vs. Sideline Cancer Start Time and Where To Watch

Time: 8:00 PM EST

Where to Watch: ESPN

Zip 'Em Up vs. Sideline Cancer Prediction

In this game, Zip 'Em Up will try to build on their 94-point performance from game one's win, one of the most impressive of the 2022 TBT tournament thus far, as the other team to qualify for the Xavier regional will be chosen. Sideline Cancer, which has participated in every TBT competition since it began in 2014, defeated Defeat Diabetes 78-77 to narrowly get past their first-round battle this year.

Sideline  Cancer's reliance in game one on Mike Daum and CJ Miles, who scored a combined 47 points, must change in this one. In game one, the majority of the squad struggled to get going, which is cause for concern ahead of this matchup.

I think Zip 'Em Up will succeed tonight and make it to the Xavier Regional final, as they've already shown more chemistry than their counterpart in this one. 

Zip 'Em Up vs. Sideline Cancer Pick

Pick: Zip ‘Em Up ML (+105) (Bet $100 to win $105)

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HBCUnited vs. Americana for Autism Start Time and Where To Watch

Time: 8:00 PM EST

Where to Watch: ESPN

HBCUnited vs. Americana for Autism Prediction

Tonight on ESPN, the Rucker Park regional will announce a winner as two TBT relative rookie teams move on to the championship round. HBCUnited has won both games thus far by an average margin of 5.5 points, making them the more impressive team of the two so far.

With Delroy Hames leading all scorers with 15.5 points per game, Americana for Autism's second TBT trip has already been more successful than their one-and-done campaign from the previous year.

HBCUnited should have enough to edge out their opponent in this game, one I expect to be a close contest between two of the league's top defensive teams.

HBCUnited vs. Americana for Autism Pick

Pick: HBCUnited ML (+150) (Bet $100 to win $150)