Betting Court, 1/25 Men 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.
Last week was another bad week for me, including a gut-wrenching loss in the Clemson game. One more point was all I needed, boys! Auburn played really well against Florida, so unfortunately I had to eat that one. George Mason kept it close with Rhode Island, and that was my winner. If you are keeping track that puts me at 2-5 so far in two weeks. Everything is cyclical. Here are some bounce back games:
Syracuse (-6.5) at Miami
PICK: Syracuse
I love Syracuse in this game. They are one of the three remaining unbeaten teams in the country. They have a lot of great veteran leadership, including second year players that are maturing a lot as the season moves forward. Jerami Grant could end up being a lottery pick after his sophomore season. The play of freshman point guard Tyler Ennis has been spectacular. He looks like a savvy senior patrolling the floor. Miami is a shell of the ACC champion team they were last year. They generally seem overmatched in most games they play. This is no different. The Hurricanes are at home which gives them a slight chance to keep it close.
Oklahoma (+1.5) at Texas Tech
PICK: Oklahoma
The reason this spread is so tight is because they are giving the Red Raiders the benefit of the doubt on their home floor. But it seems a bit disrespectful to Oklahoma who is 15-4 with four conference wins when Texas Tech is merely just 10-9 overall. Tech has trouble rebounding the ball, and Oklahoma is a bit bigger. They can control the glass and control possession. Ryan Spangler, the Gonzaga transfer, is having a heck of a season. He should be able to have a nice game down low for the Sooners. They should win outright.
Wisconsin (-5) at Purdue
PICK: Wisconsin
This could be my dicey pick of the week. Considering my record, they could all be dicey by the end of the day. Wisconsin was one of the hottest teams in the country until they hit the three game losing skid they are currently on. That usually stout defense that Bo Ryan preaches has faltered of late against teams like Minnesota and Michigan. Purdue is better than both of those teams by the way. Why take Wisconsin? Both teams scores right around the same number of points per game. Purdue rebounds better. I just think this is the week Wisconsin rights itself. The three-point shot will help them in a big way. They lead the conference at 39.2 percent.
Virginia Commonwealth at La Salle (+2)
PICK: La Salle
This is a great matchup in the Atlantic 10. VCU and La Salle are tied for second place in the conference with the three wins apiece. VCU has proven to be a tough out in the Shaka Smart era. Just ask Virginia, who they beat on the road earlier this season. They are more offensively gifted than La Salle, which allows them to run with more talented teams. However, La Salle is at home in this matchup. They have an incredible guard in Tyreek Duren, who is one of the best in the conference. La Salle also boasts the best rebounder, Steve Zack. Solid defense can throw VCU off their game a little bit, and Duren can take over. He is great at preserving possessions and finding his shooters. Look for La Salle to pull it off.
