Seton Hall could be the Big East’s best team this season, but the Pirates have lost junior forward Sandro Mamukelashvili for up to two months because of a fractured right wrist. Mamukelashvili is averaging 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 51% from the field and 46% from 3-point range. At least he will be back well before March Madness. Here’s a look at two intriguing early-week College Basketball Betting matchups. Check back for Mybookie NCAAB odds.
Top College Basketball Betting Picks of the Week – December 16th Edition
Florida vs Providence
- When: Tuesday, 7 PM ET
- TV: ESPN2
- Live Stream: WatchESPN
It’s a neutral-site game at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and part of the inaugural Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational. The one-day tripleheader features this game, Temple vs. the University of Miami, and Iona vs. Princeton.
The Gators have recently made a habit of traveling to New York City and the surrounding area for marquee games, but this will be the team’s first time competing in the Brooklyn Nets’ home arena.
“This game provides a tremendous opportunity to play a high-level opponent in a marquee non-conference event. Our guys love playing in New York City, and the great Gator Nation presence there makes us feel right at home,” UF coach Mike White said.
Florida holds a 4-0 record all-time vs. Providence, but this marks the first meeting since Dec. 6, 2006, an 85-67 win in Gainesville.
The Gators were ranked sixth in the country entering the year but have moderately disappointed at 6-3. The Gators’ rotation includes 5 freshmen and 3 sophomores, along with grad transfer Kerry Blackshear Jr. and a pair of junior post reserves. The 212 combined Florida games by this roster entering the season are the fewest since 2007-08. Florida has been outstanding defensively, holding all 8 opponents to this season to 67 or fewer points. The Gators’ defense ranks 25th nationally in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency.
After a 3-for-16 start from 3-point range, Noah Locke has picked up the pace, hitting at .395 (15-for38) over the past 6 games. Over that stretch, he has hit multiple 3-pointers in every game, averaging 2.5 made.
Why Providence should be your College Basketball Betting Pick?
The Friars have registered 1-1 mark all-time at the Barclays Center. In the Friars’ first game ever at the Barclays Center, the team was defeated by the University of Kentucky, 79-65, on December 1, 2013. In the team’s most recent game at the Barclays Center, Providence defeated Miami, 76-62, on December 22, 2014. The Friars are forcing turnovers this season. The team ranks second in the Big East in turnover margin at +4.4. The Friars lead the Big East in steals at 10.3 per game. PC is averaging 14.3 turnovers per game compared to 18.6 by its opponents.Providence senior forward Alpha Diallo is averaging 13.5 points and 8.7 rebounds through 11 games this season. He is tied for the team lead in scoring and he leads the team in rebounding. Diallo has posted a double-double in four of the Friars’ 11 games. Diallo ranks 24th all-time in scoring at Providence.
Utah vs. No. 8 Kentucky
- When: Wednesday, 11 PM ET
- TV: ESPN2
- Live Stream: WatchESPN
This is the Neon Hoops Showcase from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Kentucky stays in Vegas and then plays No. 3 Ohio State in the same building on Saturday in the CBS Sports Classic.
Last year, UK hosted Utah and rolled 88-61. Keldon Johnson scored 24 points, including five 3-pointers in the first half. Tyler Herro scored 17 points, Reid Travis added 16 and Immanuel Quickley chipped in with 10 for the Wildcats. Johnson, Herro and Travis are all gone now. The Wildcats trailed 10-2 just 5 minutes into the game, but Kentucky outscored the Utes 28-9 to push the lead to 30-19. The Wildcats did not trail again.
Both Gach led the Utes with 22 points. Utah lost its eighth straight game to the Wildcats. Kentucky defeated Utah 78-69 in the 1998 NCAA title game in San Antonio. The Wildcats beat Utah six times in the 1990s, including four times in the NCAA Tournament.
Utah is 8-2 this year following a 60-49 victory over Weber State on Saturday. Timmy Allen finished with a game-high 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Riley Battin posted nine points with a career-high 10 rebounds while Brandon Carlson chipped in with nine appoints and eight boards of his own. Mikael Jantunen nearly had his first-career double-double scoring nine points with a season-high nine rebounds on 4-of-5 shooting. With two 7-footers, Matt Van Komen (7-4) and Brandon Carlson (7-0), Utah is tied with ETSU, Florida State, Saint Mary’s, Seton Hall, UT Martin and Washington for the second-most 7-footers on a team. Hawaii, Utah State and Central Arkansas lead the country with a trio of players standing at 7-0 or taller.
Why Utah should be your College Basketball Betting Pick?
Kentucky is 8-1 following a 67-53 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday. Ashton Hagans scored 21 points to lead the way. Hagans scored eight of Kentucky’s first 11 points and led the Wildcats with 11 points in the first half. He finished with seven assists and seven rebounds.UK is 9-0 in his career when he scores at least 14 points. Hagans has at least five assists in six straight games, the best run since De’Aaron Fox dished five or more in seven straight games in November-December 2016.
Immanuel Quickley tied a career high with 16 points, Nick Richards scored 12 and Keion Brooks Jr. contributed 10 points off the bench. John Calipari improved to 18-0 against his former assistants.
Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner was an assistant to Calipari at Memphis and took over there when Calipari was hired at Kentucky in 2009. UK is 77-0 under Calipari when keeping the opponent to 55 points or fewer, including 3-0 this season. UK is 180-7 under Calipari when keeping the opponent to 63 points or less, including 7-0 this season.
