Iowa -3 (-110), 1.5 units: I was leaning the Indiana side here today, I just love the way they play for their coach, but it was Indiana who started the Hawkeyes’ recent slump. The Hoosiers beat Iowa convincingly 2 weeks ago, and the Hawkeyes now find themselves losers of 3 of their last 4. Iowa isn’t as good as many people think, but they’re much better than how they’ve played as of late. When a conference foe beats you at home and you expect big things for your season, there is no greater motivation than getting revenge at their home court. The Hoosiers aren’t a team that lays down for anyone, so it won’t be easy, but I think Garza plays with fire and the Hawkeyes get off the schneid. They need to. This line doesn’t scare me either since the way college games are played right now, with 26 fouls at the end of every game, only increases the chance that they’ll cover. Iowa will maintain a second half lead and finish the game at the foul line.
Loyola Chicago -18.5 (-105), 1 unit: Well this bet didn’t work yesterday but I’m going right back to the well and putting another unit on the Ramblers to blow out Evansville. The underdog played admirably and stayed in the game throughout the first and second halves, but Loyola Chicago started to pull away and flex its muscles late in the second half, finishing the game with a convincing 13 point win. I expect them to carry that momentum into this contest and obliterate the Purple Aces. It’s really hard to stay competitive with a great team like Loyola Chicago once. It’s really, really hard to do it twice. I love that I get this game at a reduced price and a reduced number, too. Go Ramblers! If you want to read a deeper analysis of these teams, check out my post on this game yesterday.
Villanova -13.5 (-110), 1 unit: Time for the Wildcats to flex their muscle. Saint Joe’s isn’t the worst team in college basketball, but Villanova’s recent loss to SJU was a wake-up call. The 3rd ranked Wildcats are one of the most consistent teams in the country. Equipped with great coaching and a top 40 defense, Nova may not be able to keep up with Baylor and Gonzaga but they should be one of the final teams to compete in March. Georgetown is a solid enough team when they play well but they should have real issues stopping the 5th best adjusted offense in the nation (according to KenPom) today. I expect the Wildcats to be supremely motivated and prove their standing on top of the Big East Conference. This line is right, but I think it’s a 20 point win for Nova.
