Betting Court, 3/1 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.
Okay so I was way off on Texas last week. I did not see that one coming. Texas had not been playing badly up until that point. Kansas put their talent on display. They could be in the mix for a Final Four run if they stay consistent. Wisconsin won outright and Richmond won handily. I will try to keep the winning record going with these games.
Pittsburgh (-3.5) at Notre Dame
PICK: Pittsburgh
It should be noted Notre Dame always plays better at home than they do on the road. The Irish just are not a great team this year. Pittsburgh, once ranked, is more solid fundamentally. They played Syracuse tough in two games, and they already have 20 wins. Plus, Notre Dame does not have a star like the Panthers do in Lamar Patterson. Pittsburgh ended their three-game losing streak against Boston College. I believe they continue to win in South Bend.
Colorado at Utah (-7)
PICK: Colorado
I picked this game a few weeks ago. It was close, but it was a great game. Expect similar results here. Utah is holding teams to 64 points per game. They rely on their defense to help them win. Colorado can score, but this game is at the Huntsman Center. They are going to make the Utes work for the victory. They work the boards as well as anybody. I like Utah to win but in another close game. I would not be surprised to see this one go into overtime again.
Georgia at Arkansas (-8.5)
PICK: Arkansas
Arkansas is coming off of a huge win in Lexington Thursday night. Under John Calipari, the Wildcats had only lost three games at home prior to Thursday’s game. The Razorbacks pushed it to overtime and eventually wore down Calipari’s young squad. They will be riding high, and Georgia is an average team. The Bulldogs have a hard time setting up offense and finding good shots. They are hot right now, winning six of their last seven. That may be working against the Razorbacks. Not to be outdone, Arkansas is on the same sort of streak. Their emotional high should carry them through.
Cincinnati at Connecticut (-5)
PICK: Cincinnati
The AAC is a very good conference, at least at the top. These are two good teams that are going to vie for the conference tournament title. Cincinnati only has four losses on the season. They are not a spectacular college basketball team; they just happen to play some of the best defense in country. They hold their opponents to 57.4 points per game. Justin Jackson blocks everything in his zip code. It is tough to find your offensive rhythm against the Bearcats. Uconn is at home, which should help their chances. I expect a barnburner here. I think Cincinnati wins outright – but not by a lot.
