*CBB(1.5u): Villanova -4.5(-110) @ Marquette–9 PM CT
Marquette has been a huge surprise this season; before Sunday’s loss at Providence, the Golden Eagles had won their past 7 games. Just 2 weeks ago, Marquette went on the road as 13.5 point underdogs and beat this Villanova team outright. In that game, Marquette hit 13 3-pointers while Villanova shot just 25% from behind the arc and 38% from the floor. I think Marquette can continue to excel against most of the Big East, but this Villanova team is a cut above the rest. Jay Wright’s squad ranks 6th in offensive efficiency, while Marquette has fallen to 68th in that same department. Villanova is a legitimate title contender and solid team, so for this line to come down 9 points from the prior matchup is egregious in my mind. I think there is a lot of value on ‘Nova tonight, making this my best bet.
*CBB(1u): Wake Forest -12.5(-110) vs Pittsburgh–6 PM CT
Pittsburgh is a straight “bet against” team for me, so when you add in that this is their second straight road game, this becomes a pretty easy play for me to go with. Wake Forest has dominated ACC teams that struggle on the offensive end of the floor; they beat Florida State by 22, Georgia Tech by 16, and Boston College by 30. Given that Pitt ranks just 252nd in offensive efficiency, I expect a top 50 defense in Wake Forest to get plenty of stops tonight. This should be a 20+ point blowout win for the Demon Deacons.
*CBB(1u): Arkansas/Georgia OVER 151(-110)–6 PM CT
The public seems to love this Under, and I can’t quite figure out why. Arkansas runs at the 17th fastest pace in CBB, is averaging nearly 80 PPG this season, and will face a Georgia defense that ranks just 299th in defensive efficiency. Georgia has improved on the offensive end of the floor throughout SEC play and also runs at a Top 100 pace in CBB. I think this eclipses the posted total no matter the margin of victory for Arkansas.
*NBA(1u): Thunder +12(-110) @ Mavericks–7:40 PM CT
These teams squared off twice in the month of January, with Dallas winning both matchups. However, Oklahoma City lost their last meeting in Dallas by just 2 points and were also competitive in the prior 9 point loss. Oklahoma City enters this game off of a 17 point home win against the Trail Blazers, and they lost their prior 2 games against the Bulls and Pacers by a combined 4 points. Dallas is without Kristaps Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr right now, and given their slower-paced style, I don’t think they’re a team built to consistently cover double-digit spreads. Call me crazy, but I love the Thunder catching 12 tonight.
