Boston College giveth and Boston College taketh away. The Eagles handed me some easy cash on Tuesday when I backed them against a listless Pittsburgh, but they weren’t done there. They followed by ruining my Wake Forest bet in overtime and then did it to me again when they battled Miami just hard enough to wreck my parlay with Kansas and Iowa. Earl Grant has things going in the right direction in Chestnut Hill…and I’m glad I won’t be seeing the Eagles again this season.
We’re now two days away from Selection Sunday, and that means everyone is trying to learn everything at once. Can’t be done. This is where you stick to the lessons you’ve learned through the season unless you have a good reason not to…and if you do find that good reason, find another game to bet. Here are my best plays for March 11.
TULANE-TEMPLE O136.5, -110
We’ve got an overreaction here to recent results. The number has been pushed down after Temple held South Florida to 47 points, but South Florida’s shooting percentage is 358th out of 358. Tulane isn’t going to have any problem putting up points on the Owls. Both meetings between these teams went over 140 in the regular season, so don’t expect anything different here.
RUTGERS +7.5, -110
Why are we still disrespecting Rutgers? Yes, the metrics say that Iowa is dramatically undervalued, but the Hawkeyes also can’t play much defense and Rutgers was able to keep them in check in the first meeting. Plus, the Scarlet Knights have been playing excellent basketball in recent weeks and need just one win to seal their NCAA spot. I love taking the points with Rutgers coming off a bye.
ARKANSAS -2, -110
I don’t see LSU being able to score with a rested Arkansas. The Razorbacks get up and down the floor too quickly and the Tigers don’t shoot the ball well enough to match them. LSU just played Arkansas tough in Fayetteville, but that was a situation in which the Tigers went in with proper rest. They don’t have that this time, which means this is not likely to work.
WISCONSIN -3, -110
I watched Michigan State’s collapse unfold from press row in Indianapolis. The Spartans are not a team I want to trust, especially against the likes of Wisconsin. The Badgers have been a consistent squad, and Michigan State is riddled with issues. This is not a typical Tom Izzo team, and I want no part of the Spartans.
SAINT PETER’S -7, -110
With no Iona to worry about anymore, the door has been blown wide open for Saint Peter’s to claim the MAAC’s automatic bid. The Peacocks have found their stride again and are back to the team they were when I rode them to four straight cashes, and they’ve already bested Quinnipiac twice this season. I like their chances to get to the conference tournament final and do so comfortably.
