College Basketball Handicapping Articles

NCAA Basketball Betting 3-Point Play: Three Interesting Opening Lines Saturday
by Alan Matthews - 3/6/2015

It's the final Saturday of the regular season and, as usual, all eyes in the college basketball world will be on Kentucky. The Cats nearly saw their unbeaten dreams end on Tuesday but were able to escape in Athens. On the updated Sportsbook.ag undefeated odds through the Big Dance, UK is now +130 to do so and -165 not to. I'm not a Kentucky fan at all, but the NCAA Tournament will be vastly more interesting if it is unbeaten entering that. The Cats host Florida on Saturday, a team that won in Lexington last season. Here's a look at that game and two others that caught my eye.

College Basketball Betting: Weekly Big East Handicapping Report
by Dave Schwab - 3/4/2015

This week marks the final round of regular-season games in the Big East before the start of the annual conference tournament on Wednesday, March 11, at Madison Square Garden. We already know that the No. 4 Villanova Wildcats will be the top seed when action gets underway after posting a straight up 15-2 mark in conference play with one game to go. There is a logjam from there in the current standings with just a game and a half separating the next four teams.

NCAA Basketball Betting 3-Point Play: Three Interesting Opening Lines Thursday
by Alan Matthews - 3/4/2015

Davidson's basketball program is probably best known as the alma mater of likely 2015 NBA MVP Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors. He led the Wildcats to the regional final of the NCAA Tournament in 2008. Davidson didn't return to the Big Dance until 2012 and was back in '13 but missed out last year. The school has big one at home against Virginia Commonwealth on Thursday night to help boost the Wildcats' at-large chances for this March. Davidson is the type of well-coached club no Power 5 team would want to face in the first round. Here's a look at that game and two others that caught my eye.

NCAA Basketball Betting 3-Point Play: Three Interesting Opening Lines Wednesday
by Alan Matthews - 3/3/2015

I'm going to be leaning mostly home favorites this week because I believe those regular-season home finales -- Senior Night -- are always great value. It's an emotional night, and the players don't want to blow it in their senior teammates' final game at home by losing, especially if it's a game where potential seeding for the conference tournament is involved or, more importantly, to gain the NCAA Tournament selection committee's attention. Two bubble teams play their home finale on Wednesday in UCLA and Tulsa. Here's a look at those and one other matchup that caught my eye.

Virginia Cavaliers Odds to Win the 2015 NCAA Tournament with Picks and Predictions
by George Monroy - 3/3/2015

The Virginia Cavaliers might not be a traditional college basketball powerhouse—they have only two Final Four appearances in the school’s history—yet the current No. 2 team in the nation seems to be building something special this season and beyond. The Cavaliers are coming off a Sweet 16 berth in 2014, and a razor-thin loss to Michigan was all that separated them from going even deeper into the tournament.

College Basketball Betting: Weekly Schedule Spot Fade Picks
by Aaron Smith - 3/3/2015

It's time for the final installment of the schedule spot fade plays weekly article in college basketball for this season. Since this is the final week of the regular season, it's our last chance to find potential spots to fade certain teams. This has been a test, and so far this year the plays haven't worked out well. We hope that readers have still been able to learn something from this article, though.

2015 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Expert Picks and Betting Odds
by Robert Ferringo - 3/2/2015

Arch Madness is, in my mind, the unofficial start of March Madness. With all due respect to the Big South, Atlantic Sun and Patriot League, the Missouri Valley is the first respectable conference to hold their title game and to crown a champion that poses a threat to do some damage in the NCAA Tournament.

2015 West Coast Conference Tournament Expert Picks and WCC Betting Odds
by Robert Ferringo - 3/2/2015

“He’s cut! The Russian’s cut!” The famous line from Rocky IV was apropos for West Coast Conference basketball after BYU’s somewhat shocking upset over Gonzaga last Saturday. The Bulldogs had been 17-0 in league play this year and had won 41 straight home game. They had long ago clinched their third straight regular-season conference title and looked unbeatable by any team in this league. But the Cougars’ upset dealt a significant blown to Gonzaga’s air of invincibility heading into March and the WCC Tournament.

2015 Horizon Conference Tournament Expert Picks and Betting Odds
by Robert Ferringo - 3/2/2015

Unleash The Madness. The Horizon League Tournament begins on Tuesday, March 3, and is one of the first conference tournaments to begin play this month. Like the remaining conference tournaments, the Horizon plays a one-and-done, winner-take-all tournament with the league’s one and only bid to the NCAA Tournament at stake.

NCAA Basketball Betting 3-Point Play: Three Interesting Opening Lines Tuesday
by Alan Matthews - 3/2/2015

It's time for your updated Sportsbook.ag odds on whether Kentucky will run the table through the NCAA Tournament. An impressive win Saturday over ranked Arkansas has “yes” that UK will finish with a zero in the loss column at +150. “No” is -185. Tuesday is a big night because it's Kentucky's final true road game of the season as the Cats visit a good Georgia team. I'd argue this will be UK's toughest game until probably the Sweet 16. Here's a look at that matchup and two others that caught my eye.

Arizona Wildcats Odds to Win the 2015 NCAA Tournament with Picks and Predictions
by George Monroy - 3/2/2015

The Arizona Wildcats seem to have found their stride after slow start to the college basketball season and are now in a position to win the Pac-12 title and grab a No. 1 seed heading into the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats suddenly jumped near the top of the national title odds picture after a surprising loss by Wisconsin and a few lackluster performances from the other top schools in the nation.

NCAA Basketball Betting 3-Point Play: Three Interesting Opening Lines Sunday
by Alan Matthews - 2/28/2015

Can you believe that this Sunday is the second-to-last one of college basketball's regular season? I certainly can't. Only two weeks until Selection Sunday. With Wisconsin's loss earlier this week to Maryland, I think the Badgers' chances of getting a No. 1 seed are all but gone -- barring a collapse down the stretch by Virginia, Duke or Gonzaga. Kentucky will be a No. 1 no matter what. The Badgers can wrap up the Big Ten regular-season title Sunday as they try to avoid their first losing streak of the season. Here's a look at that matchup and two others that caught my eye.

College Basketball Odds and Analysis: Saturday Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 2/27/2015

March is right around the corner, boys and girls, so buckle up and get ready for a 31-day thrill ride that will serve as the final chapter for another college basketball campaign. But before we get to March, February has one more trick up its sleeve: the biggest regular-season college basketball day of the season tips off on Saturday, Feb. 28 and this month has saved its best for last.

NCAA Basketball Betting 3-Point Play: Three Interesting Opening Lines Saturday
by Alan Matthews - 2/27/2015

There were dozens of nice matchups to choose from on a huge Saturday of college basketball action. But as usual I will look at Kentucky's march to history as the Cats face a ranked team for the first time since winning at Louisville in their nonconference finale. UK's unbeaten odds have taken a slight shift since their win Tuesday. The Wildcats are now +180 at Sportsbook.ag to run the table all the way through the Big Dance and -225 not to. Here's a look at that game and two other Top-10 teams potentially on upset alert Saturday.

Wisconsin Badgers Odds to Win the 2015 NCAA Tournament with Picks and Predictions
by George Monroy - 2/26/2015

The Wisconsin Badgers recently stumbled against No. 14 Maryland and suffered their third loss of the season. The blemish could drop the squad in the AP rankings, where it was sitting in the fifth spot, but might not sway the oddsamakers as Wisconsin was already receiving the second-best championship odds in the nation.

Duke Blue Devils Odds to Win the 2015 NCAA Tournament with Picks and Predictions
by George Monroy - 2/26/2015

Jahlil Okafor, the Duke Blue Devil freshman, has been nothing short of dominant this year, even though a recent ankle injury will limit him during the final weeks of the season. Duke is in position to grab a No. 1 seed heading into the NCAA Tournament but still must face North Carolina to end the regular season and may still have to play No. 2 Virginia in the ACC tournament. Coach Mike Krzyzewski, however, believes that the squad can win a national title no matter what position they end up in once the tournament begins.

College Basketball Betting: Weekly Big East Handicapping Report
by Dave Schwab - 2/25/2015

As the month of February comes to a close, the No. 6 Villanova Wildcats continue to build their case for one of the top seeds in next month’s NCAA Tournament with a current nine-game winning streak. Bettors who have gotten on this money train over the past five weeks have cleaned up behind a perfect 9-0 record against the spread as well. Both No. 23 Butler and No. 25 Providence continue to cling to a spot in the current national rankings, but keep an eye on the surging Georgetown Hoyas to possibly make their way into next Monday’s updated AP Top 25.

NCAA Basketball Betting 3-Point Play: Three Interesting Opening Lines Thursday
by Alan Matthews - 2/25/2015

Only four ranked teams in action on Thursday, and all four should have little trouble winning, although I suppose Memphis could knock off visiting No. 21 SMU. Thus, I'm taking a look at three unranked NCAA Tournament bubble teams on Thursday's schedule. All three are at home against teams they should beat -- and they will need to with the regular season coming to a close a week from Sunday. Neither Temple nor Purdue nor Stanford is winning its conference tournament, so only an at-large bid will get them in. Here's a look.

NCAA Basketball Betting 3-Point Play: Three Interesting Opening Lines Wednesday
by Alan Matthews - 2/24/2015

I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that I will include Kentucky in this space anytime the Wildcats take the court because they are far and away the most interesting story of the 2014-15 season. And on your updated Kentucky unbeaten odds (through NCAA Tournament) at Sportsbook.ag, that UK does it is down to +200 and not is -250. UK shouldn't have much trouble on Wednesday at struggling Mississippi State, but it might be a bit of a trap. Here's a look at that matchup and two others that caught my eye.

NCAA Basketball Betting 3-Point Play: Three Interesting Opening Lines Tuesday
by Alan Matthews - 2/23/2015

Did you realize that Notre Dame has never won the NCAA Tournament? I would have thought maybe one of those Digger Phelps clubs had. In fact, the Irish haven't even made the Final Four since 1978, the club's only trip to the national semifinals. That was so long ago that there was still a third-place game then -- Notre Dame lost it to Arkansas. This year's Irish are off to their best 28-game start since the 1973-74 squad was 25-3. Yet they are +6000 long shots to win it all on Sportsbook.ag. Here's a look at their game and two others that caught my eye on Tuesday.