Betting Court, 2/8 Men's Basketball
Saturday’s are exciting enough for college basketball fans, but there is a way to make a fun Saturday even more interesting. Even if your favorite team is not playing, a little wager can make you live and die with every shot. Each week College Sports Madness’ Dan Levine takes a look at the picks of the day heading into the weekend action. Gambling sharps are right roughly 57% of the time and the Betting Court will aim to reach that mark. But we’re not sharps.
I went 2-1 last week after some pretty “sure thing” picks. Iowa did not let me down since they were the better team against Illinois. Michigan State was the real let down. They could not sustain anything against an inferior and unranked Georgetown team. Colorado and Utah were projected to be a close game and it sure was. Colorado covered the 2.5, but they needed overtime to do it. How many more close calls can I have this week?
Virginia (-6) at Georgia Tech
PICK: VIRGINIA
Virginia is really playing good basketball right now. The Cavaliers seem poised to be a top-4 seed in the ACC tournament at the end of the season. They might even be able to make a run. They are one of the hottest teams in the conference, having won six straight. Georgia Tech has not been able to put it together this year. They have a tough time scoring. When they do they generally need at least 70 to win. The problem is their defense lets them down. Virginia has shooters all over the floor and is one of the best defensive teams in the country. They should win this one easily.
TCU (+20.5) at Iowa State
PICK: TCU
This can be as simple as 20.5 points is a whole lot of points. Iowa State is a very good team this year. They will make a play for a top-4 seed in the NCAA tournament. They are clearly better than TCU. However, in conference play, winning by 20 points is rare. I realize TCU is new to the party in the Big 12, but this is still in the thick of conference season. The Horned Frogs are winless in the Big 12, and they have been beaten handily at times this season. They played really well against a ranked Texas team and only lost by five points. This final score might be a wide margin. Over 20 points? That is a lot to ask of Iowa State.
Gonzaga at Memphis (-4.5)
PICK: MEMPHIS
This is going to be a great game. Quite frankly, taking Memphis to cover is probably a bit risky. Gonzaga has the better overall record, but Memphis is a better offensive team. Mind you, it is not by a lot. These two teams can score in a hurry. Memphis is third in the nation in assists. They share the wealth. Joe Jackson and Geron Johnson are both averaging over four assists per game. Gonzaga has a great point guard in their own right in Kevin Pangos, who is also their top scoring option. It is going to be an interesting matchup. With two teams this offensively potent, I like the home team to come out on top and win by seven.
Virginia Commonwealth (-1.5) at St. Joseph’s
PICK: VCU
This spread seems a little tight for VCU. St. Joe’s is getting the benefit of the doubt because they have 15 wins and are playing at home. St. Joe’s has had a tougher time with conference opponents than VCU has. VCU has been battle tested over the years. St. Joe’s has not been relevant for a while. A win against the Rams would go a long way for the Hawks tournament hopes. I just do not think they have the ability to run with Treveon Graham and company.
Boise State at Utah State (-2)
PICK: UTAH STATE
Both of these teams are average at best and slightly subpar at worst. Utah State is good at finding the open man. They are top-10 nationally in assists. The Aggies problem is slowing down Boise State. The Broncos average 77 points per game. However, they have not cracked 70 points in their last two contests, both losses. With the home crowd behind them, Utah State can pull this one out if they can keep it tight and low-scoring.
