I love college hoops. It’s the best. While its detractors may cite that the regular season doesn’t matter since everything comes down to a massive tournament where 68 teams get a shot, I would contend that the daily jockeying for position, seeding, bubble-watching, and sheer number of quality teams makes the short season even more compelling. I would also point out that the fact that teams DO get a chance to improve, test themselves, stumble and grow and learn, without the single-loss ending all hope of a chance to contend for a title means that we, the fans, get SO MANY great games along the way to enjoy.

In a few weeks, in the middle of the season, Kentucky and Kansas are going to get together to play a game that counts. You think Alabama is going to lace up the spikes to visit Oklahoma before the Iron Bowl, ya know, just to see where they are at?

The single games might not have the same do-or-die stakes, but there is just so much great action to watch, even when you least expect it. And don’t tell these kids the games don’t matter – just look at last night’s dust-up between Iona and Monmouth. There is a REALLY good chance you didn’t see that game, but you missed out on some awesome hoops. Monmouth scored a ridiculous 1.47 points per possession in the second half en route to a 110-102 win at Iona. Iona’s pro prospect AJ English, and possibly the best mid major player in the country dropped 46 points on just 25 shots, but the Gaels still fell at home. If you are looking for some early sleeper March candidates, you got to see two last night on ESPN. And to top things off, they got into a nice shoving match post-game that culminated with Monmouth coach King Rice blowing a kiss to the vanquished Iona crowd. Great stuff. And these two play one more, and probably twice with the conference tournament (and the ticket to the Dance) looming.

Today is no exception – there are some interesting games around the clock. Here are my three favorite plays from a wagering perspective.

Good luck – let’s have a great Saturday!

 

Indiana Hoosiers -9.5 at Minnesota Golden Gophers

Things aren’t going well for Richard Pitino. His offseason began with having to answer questions about his father’s culpability in one of the larger organized sex scandals in college athletics.   That’s gotta be fun, “does your Dad knowingly provide hookers for 18 year old men?” Especially on the heels of his father’s own dalliance’s (VERY publicly) just half a decade earlier that prompted Wildcat fans to wear shirts that said “at least our coach only cheated ON the court” in one of the more hilarious ‘brags’ ever.

I digress. The point is, as BAD as THAT has to be, it pales in comparison to the question he reasonably gets asked now, “do you worry about your job security after inheriting a competitive program and now fielding the worst power conference team in the nation?” The Goph’s are winless in Big Ten play, and in their five conference tilts, their closest game was an eight-point home loss to Michigan State without Valentine. Their average margin of defeat in conference play is 16.4 points, highlighted by their last two outings, a pair of 25 point losses to Northwestern and Nebraska.

Enter the Hoosiers. No one was more critical of Indiana than I was on this very site. And all the criticism was deserved. But they have righted the ship and are now a respectable 14-3, and two of their losses, to Wake close and a blowout at Duke, are respectable. They are getting votes in the polls, and frankly, if perception weren’t so damaged from the way they failed to compete in Maui, this is a Top 20 team. They still have three of the better players in college basketball, and have a nice compliment of shooters to compliment the playmaking abilities of Yogi Ferrell – a top 25 player in the country, despite some maligning media.

Indiana is perfect in Big Ten play, and that should continue easily today. Minnesota isn’t even competing. Look for IU to roll in and hammer them this afternoon. Laying ten on the road feels ambitious, but when you look at the recent results for Minnesota against pretty mediocre competition, it seems more than fair.

Today’s Pick: Indiana Hoosiers -10

 

 

Texas A&M Aggies -1.5 at Georgia Bulldogs

Over the last six weeks, not many teams have been as quietly impressive as the Aggies. They are 4-0 in SEC play and have won seven straight games. They don’t have the marquee win like a Kentucky to grab headlines, but they have beaten Florida, Arkansas, Baylor and Kansas State (and UCSB) at home and gone on the road in conference and won at Tennessee and Mississippi State. The two roadie at MSU was closer than expected, but taking that game aside, their average margin is 13 points. This is a solid basketball team with a real chance to win the SEC. But in order to do so, they need to win games like today; road games against teams they are better than – a task easier said than done in modern college hoops.

Georgia enters at 9-5 and 2-2 in conference play. They have won both their home games, however, I expect A&M to be a much sterner test than Tennessee or the Missouri Bye Weeks. Interestingly enough, A&M has never beaten the Georgia Bulldogs in conference play, so I think they’ll have a little extra motivation this afternoon in Athens. This is their chance, as they enter red-hot and clearly the better basketball team.

Look for Jalen Jones and Danuel House to come up big on the road. The duo combines for 34 points a night and has been one of the conference’s best 1-2 punches all season long.

Today’s Pick: Texas A&M -1.5

 

Baylor Bears -2 at Texas Tech Red Raiders

We’ve seen this story before, right? Big-12 team rips through the non-conference slate, enters conference play on a high note and getting some votes in the polls… only to meet the gauntlet of conference play and quickly fade into that good night. It happens seemingly every year with the TCU’s and Texas Tech’s of the world, and this year appears to be no exception. Texas Tech went 11-1 in the non-con, capped off by handing solid mid-major Little Rock their first (and only) loss of the season. They had a couple decent wins mixed in; Richmond, South Dakota State, and even opened with a home win over Texas. Then things got REAL. They enter today with three straight losses; to Iowa State, Kansas and Kansas State. By a combined 30 points.

Baylor enters today blazing. They had some bobbles in the non-con, a fell off the radar as a Big 12 contender, well behind Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa State and surging West Virginia. But there is still a fifth big time team in this league, and Baylor has shown it lately with a win @ Iowa State and a pair of destructions over Oklahoma State and TCU. I think another one might be in order today against the overmatched Raiders.

Baylor has big time talent and that is something that can’t be overlooked in college basketball. More than a few teams that took early hits are in the same boat, and are on my list of dangerous foes; Indiana, Duke, Baylor – teams with NBA dudes on the roster. Taurean Prince is a 16/6/3 guy who can score inside and out. Rico Gathers is averaging a double-double and shooting 57%.

This is three road favorites today, but this is another line to slim to pass up. Take the far superior team against the team with the inflated record who is crashing back to earth.

Today’s Pick: Baylor Bears -2

 

That’s my three favorite plays on the board. I considered Clemson getting 4.5 at home against Miami. After all, they’ve won back to back home games over Duke and Louisville, but just can’t pull the trigger on a team that got blown out by UMass and Minnesota recently. I also thought about West Virginia getting 7.5 at Oklahoma. I think their press could frustrate their guards a bit, but I’ve decided that game will be great just to watch neutrally and enjoy the greatness of college hoops.

Have a great Saturday – let’s aim for some winners!