In a season when there really isn’t a dominant team in the NCAA men’s basketball conferences, finding some reliable bets can be frustrating, to say the least (come on, there’s no way you picked Wisconsin to win at Maryland, right?). However, there are some teams who are at least a little more likely than others to pay off, either because you bet on them or you run away. Let’s take a look at what teams may or may not offer any value to college basketball betting fans this week.
Weekly Best Bet on and Bet Against NCAAB Teams
Bet on the Kentucky Wildcats
Even when their coach, John Calipari, gets ejected a few minutes after tip off, the team still is firing on all cylinders right now (A prove of that is the 82-48 pounding over Georgia last week). They rolled over a very good South Carolina team on the road this Saturday, and it looks like they are peaking at just the right time. Even if you don’t like their point spreads you’re seeing, the “over” play is another possibility because of the high octane in their offense.
Bet against the SMU Mustangs
Yes, they’re still the #21 team in the land. But they don’t have anything to play for, except for pride now. They can still win the AAC title for the regular season, but they’ve already given up winnable games to Temple and Houston on the road — and now Tulsa at home. They have a bear of a game this week at Connecticut, a team that throttled Tulsa this weekend after Tulsa beat SMU. It’s a shame that probation has taken away SMU’s postseason chances, and you can see it in the decreased discipline and motivation of their play.
Coming Games: Thu, Feb 18 @ Connecticut (7:00 PM) Sun, Feb 21 vs East Carolina (2:00 PM)
Bet against the Louisville Cardinals
This team has taken on water faster than the Titanic ever since the school announced a self-imposed postseason ban on itself in an attempt to appease the NCAA in its investigation for the team’s glorified prostitution ring for recruits. This week they have to take on a resurgent Syracuse team and a Duke team that has clambered back into the AP Top 25. Yes, the Cardinals get both of those games at home, but they are playing with more doubt and hesitancy in the last week, and I don’t like them in either of their matchups this week.
Coming Games: Wed, Feb 17 vs Syracuse (7:00 PM) Sat, Feb 20 vs Duke (12:00 PM)
Bet on the Kansas Jayhawks
The Jayhawks have calmly taken on all comers this season, even as Oklahoma starts to flag. The NCAA basketball season is a grueling marathon, and while Oklahoma may be in a bit of decline, Kansas keeps rolling. They get to take on in-state rival Kansas State on Saturday, and I like Kansas to pick up that road game with no difficulty.
