This article is part of our College Hoops Best Bets series.
We are at the point of the year again where your average sports fan is finally over their Super Bowl hangover. They are finally sitting up on the edge of their bed, rubbing their eyes clear from the fog of another grueling football season and realizing "Oh my God, it is almost March." This is when people begin scrambling to their computers and furiously start looking up everything they can about college ball because they refuse to be last their office pool... again.
As we all know, March is the one month in the year when college basketball takes the spotlight and becomes the main event in the sports world. Everyone has their own memories that stick out from the first few days of the tournament. Whether it is T.J. Sorrentine hitting shots from the parking lot or R.J. Hunter hitting a game winner from even deeper, the first weekend of the tournament provides some of the best moments in sports. And the only things that makes these moments even better is having a little winning action on the game, and that is where I'll try to help. For the last month and half of the season, my colleague John Cox and I will provide our opinions on who we like and hopefully make some money doing it. Unfortunately, John is on a business trip to Vegas this week and didn't have time to help with any of the break down, so I will be riding solo this time.
Southern
We are at the point of the year again where your average sports fan is finally over their Super Bowl hangover. They are finally sitting up on the edge of their bed, rubbing their eyes clear from the fog of another grueling football season and realizing "Oh my God, it is almost March." This is when people begin scrambling to their computers and furiously start looking up everything they can about college ball because they refuse to be last their office pool... again.
As we all know, March is the one month in the year when college basketball takes the spotlight and becomes the main event in the sports world. Everyone has their own memories that stick out from the first few days of the tournament. Whether it is T.J. Sorrentine hitting shots from the parking lot or R.J. Hunter hitting a game winner from even deeper, the first weekend of the tournament provides some of the best moments in sports. And the only things that makes these moments even better is having a little winning action on the game, and that is where I'll try to help. For the last month and half of the season, my colleague John Cox and I will provide our opinions on who we like and hopefully make some money doing it. Unfortunately, John is on a business trip to Vegas this week and didn't have time to help with any of the break down, so I will be riding solo this time.
Southern Illinois at Illinois State (-5)
This is a big game for the Redbirds, who are coming off a nine-point road loss to Northern Iowa. That loss caused them to fall back to being tied with Evansville for the second seed in the MVC tournament, and in order to stay in the hunt for a bye, they need this game. Earlier in the season they lost at SIU after leading late, and they will be seeking revenge in a series that has been home-court dominated over the last 3 seasons.
Pick: Illinois St. (-5), two units
Wichita State (-12) at Loyola-Chicago
Staying in the MVC, I like the Shockers to roll on Loyola-Chicago. Losing at home for the first time since 2013 has lit a fire under this highly talented team and I don't see this train stopping tonight. Since losing to NIU, the Shockers have rattled off wins of 30, 31 and 33 points. They beat this team by 26 earlier in the season and the Ramblers don't exactly protect home court, as they are 8-6 at the Gentile Arena. They lost to Cleveland St. and Bradley, who were ranked below 300 on Kenpom earlier in the season, while Wichita State is 10th.
Pick: Wichita State (-12), two units
Villanova at Xavier (-1)
In the marquee game of the night, the No. 1 ranked Villanova Wildcats head into the hostile environment that is the Cintas Center to take on the No. 5 Xavier Musketeers. Both teams boast records of 24-3, which just happens to be the best in the NCAA. However, they only have one win vs. a Kenpom top-25 team combined, and that was when Nova blew the doors off Xavier by 31 earlier in the season. Although I can't see Xavier laying an egg like that at home, I think Nova continues its dominance in the Big East and comes away with a W. Villanova is an experienced team, starting two juniors and two seniors, and knows how to win on the road. There isn't too much more to break down except I think the Wildcats are just the better team.
Pick: Villanova (+1), one unit
All lines were taken from VegasInsider
