| 2014 | 61-44-0 (+32.00 units) |
| 2015 | 63-56-0 (+18.00) |
| 2016 | 102-91-0 (+23.00) |
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#725 Western Michigan +10½ -106 over SOUTH CAROLINA
8:00 PM EST. The best time to bet on college basketball is now or in the first 5-10 games of the season because that is when we’re going to get the best lines on undervalued teams or against overvalued teams. There are 351 Division I schools and it is therefore unreasonable to believe that the lines are going to be a as tight now as they will be in a month from now. We trust we have found one such opportunity here.
South Carolina went on a headline grabbing, historic run in last year’s main event. The Gamecocks made it all the way to the Final Four and sent an entire region into a frenzy in the process. It was a great story but you’ll now pay a little extra to get behind this team that likely won’t even sniff the NCAA’s this year. Tonight, the Gamecocks will raise their Final Four banner prior to tip-off, reminding everyone of last year’s historic achievement but also of what little is left from that team. The 2017-18 version of USC is a collection of new faces. The new guys scored 26 of Carolina’s 33 first-half points en route to a 72-53 win over Wofford. South Carolina was a 6-point favorite in that game so the final score looks very pretty indeed but the Terriers hit a measly 37% from the field while the Gamecocks hit 11 out of 23 shots (48%) from beyond the arc.
Western Michigan was picked by the league’s coaches to win the Mid-American Conference. The Broncos have won eight MAC West Division titles under Steve Hawkins in his 15-year tenure. Guard Thomas Wilder, a preseason All-MAC selection, tested the NBA waters last summer before returning to the Broncos for his senior year. He averaged over 19 points a game last season and NBA scouts love his leadership, talent and his commitment to being the best that he can be. Western Michigan has won 20 or more games three consecutive seasons. WMU finished last year tied atop the balanced MAC West with an 11-7 record. Their 16-16 overall record kept them out of any postseason tournament but this should be the year the Broncos were looking forward to. With all but one of their regular contributors returning, WMU has a great shot at reaching their first NCAA Tournament since 2014 while the Gamecocks will be hard-pressed to finish 10th or higher in the SEC. So, not only will one pay very early in the year to back South Carolina for its success last year but one will also pay for an SEC team playing a MAC team. These are inflated points and we’re on it.
#729 Charlotte +14½ -110 over OKLAHOMA ST
8:00 PM EST. Early in the season, we want to go after Power-5 conference teams that overachieved last year and that are in line for big regression. The expectations were pretty low for Oklahoma State last season but the Cowboys got on a roll early and played well under first year head coach Brad Underwood. The Cowboys ended up being one of six Big-12 teams to make the NCAA Tournament. The Big 12 was statistically rated as the strong conference, per multiple mainstream advance analytic services, last season. The conference is set up to be fairly good again, and could send six once more but the Pokes will not be in that group. Mike Boynton takes over after his former boss, Brad Underwood, left for Illinois. Boynton's been trying to keep the ship steady after his chief assistant, Lamont Evans, was arrested in the FBI's investigation into bribery and fraud in college hoops recruiting. OSU also lost Jawun Evans, who was an NBA pick. Evans averaged a team high 19.2 points and was a great floor leader who basically carried this team to the NCAA Tournament. That loss stings, but fellow starters Phil Forte III and Leyton Hammonds have run out of eligibility. Forte was the team’s most prolific shooter, making 85 three-pointers. Throughout his collegiate career, Forte was one of the best pure shooters in the Big 12. Hammonds, a 6-8 forward, averaged 8.1 points and 4.9 rebounds. Without Evans, Forte and Hammonds, there are too many holes to fill and therefore covering big lines like this will also be difficult. That OSU won its opener by 39 points (78-49 over Pepperdine) only inflates its stock more for this one.
Coming off of a 13-17 (C-USA 7-11) season filled with high offensive triumphs, defensive struggles and a first round exit from the Conference USA tournament, the 49ers stock is low coming into this season. However, last season was the year Coach Mark Price was able to truly begin to mold the program in his image and this year he seeks to reap the benefits. Last season, the 49ers averaged 76.5 points per game, placing fourth overall in C-USA basketball in terms of scoring, second overall in terms of three point percentage as well as free throw shooting. With three of those major contributing pieces returning to the program, Mark Price and his coaching staff have a strong foundation to build off of.
For those of you that don’t know Mark Price, allow us to bring you up to speed. He was one of the best guards of his time, playing for the Cavs from 1986 to 1995 before finishing up his last three seasons for three different teams. He’s said to have a basketball IQ that is off the charts. Steve Kerr was quoted as saying that Mark Price “revolutionized the game”. Mark Price didn’t schedule this game in Oklahoma by coincidence. Price was born in Oklahoma and the city of Enid, Oklahoma, renamed the basketball arena Mark Price Arena, as a tribute to his accomplishments. Mark Price was also the coach of these 49ers last season but didn’t schedule a game back home. Why this year and not last? Mark Price knew his team wasn’t ready last year. He did not want to go back home and be embarrassed. If he trusts his team is ready this year to put up a big-time fight in his home state, we trust that too. With high hopes and even higher spirits, the 49ers look to be in good condition to bring this one in well under the number.
Both bets are TO WIN 2 units
