Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

College basketball by the odds: Picking the biggest games of the day

Malik Monk

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kentucky guard Malik Monk (5) reacts after the buzzer during an NCAA basketball game against Georgia , Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, in Athens, Ga. Kentucky won 82-77.

Handicapping eyes are wandering toward the college hardwood.

As March Madness approaches, college basketball betting handle is on the rise at casinos. The final few Saturdays of the regular season, where the vast majority of teams are in action, draw packed crowds not unlike the ones that occupy sports books during the fall weekends for football.

Everyone wants in on the action, especially when it comes to the premier matchups. Talking Points is here to help by looking at the biggest game of the day in each of the five power conferences.

Read below, find something you like and head to the betting window.

North Carolina minus-8.5 at Pittsburgh, 9 a.m. on ACC Network

North Carolina is one of the most up-tempo teams in the ACC; Pittsburgh is one of the most deliberate. The Panthers’ preferred pace won out in the teams’ first meeting, as the Tar Heels played a season-low 60 possessions to barely eke out an 80-78 victory as 19-point favorites. That was in Chapel Hill, N.C., where the Tar Heels are 10-4 against the spread this season as opposed to 2-7 versus the number on the road. While they have a seemingly comfortable two-game lead at the top of the ACC standings after beating Louisville Wednesday, the Panthers desperate to pick up a marquee victory to revive fading NCAA Tournament hopes.

Pick: Pittsburgh plus-8.5

Florida plus-4 at Kentucky, 11 a.m. on CBS

Florida’s Mike White is a national coach of the year candidate after taking a decent roster — the Gators were 12-to-1 to win the SEC before the season — and turning it into a powerhouse. Going into Rupp Arena on a nine-game winning streak — during which they’ve gone 7-2 against the spread — the Gators have continued to improve all season. In other words, White has directed progress that Kentucky coach John Calipari has failed to find. The Wildcats were one of the nation’s best bets — and teams, for the matter — early in the season before failing to cover the spread in 10 of their last 13 games including an 88-66 obliteration at Florida as 1.5-point underdogs. Kentucky fell into an offensive lull in Gainesville, Fla., and in several other games lately, by settling for mediocre looks and shooting poorly. But they’re too talented for the slide to last forever.

Pick: Kentucky minus-4

Baylor plus-2 at Iowa State, 1 p.m. on ESPN

Many had written Baylor into the tournament’s No. 1 seed line for most of the season. Let’s hope they used pencil. The Bears have succumbed to a mediocre month, going 3-4 straight-up and against the spread to slip down power ratings. Meanwhile, the Cyclones have swirled up by going 5-1 straight-up and against the spread including a hard-to-come-by win at Kansas, which has already clinched the Big 12 title. Their guard-heavy rotation bombs away from the 3-point line, but Baylor defends the arc exceptionally well. The Bears also have length and size to bother the Cyclones. Recent results aside, this looks like a tough matchup for the home team.

Pick: Baylor plus-2

Purdue pick’em at Michigan, 1 p.m. on ESPN2

Click to enlarge photo

Purdue forward Caleb Swanigan (50) drives on Rutgers forward Candido Sa (21) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in West Lafayette, Ind., Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017.

The Big Ten focus has stayed on Northwestern’s quest to break its reputation as the only power conference team to never the tournament, but there’s another possibility for a rare achievement at the top of the standings. Purdue is in position to win its first outright Big Ten championship since 1996. The Boilermakers have done it on the shoulders of sophomore Caleb Swanigan, who’s averaging nearly 19 points and 13 rebounds per game. But even more important to their success has been a consistently smothering defense. Michigan struggled on that end earlier in the season but has noticeably improved during a current stretch where it’s won four of five.

Pick: Under 140.5 points

UCLA plus-1.5 at Arizona, 5:15 p.m. on ESPN

NBA scouts and sports bettors are likeminded when it comes to UCLA superstar freshman Lonzo Ball. They’re both mesmerized. Ever since Ball separated himself as a likely top two pick in June’s NBA Draft early in the season, bettors have backed the Bruins religiously. He hasn’t answered many prayers in the last couple months, as UCLA is 4-11 against the spread in Pac-12 play. UCLA’s offense is still a sight to behold, but conference-leading Arizona has been just as efficient lately behind its own freshman lottery pick, Lauri Markkanen.

Pick: Arizona minus-1.5

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy