College Basketball Betting – Weekend Picks
The college basketball season shifts into high gear as the conference portion of the 2010-2011 campaign begins in earnest. We’re just beginning to learn about the nation’s top 25 teams, and we’ll see how vulnerable they are as they make the transition from non-conference opponents to very familiar foes.
NCAA basketball betting enthusiasts don’t have a lot of marquee games to choose from, but one of the few highlights on the Saturday slate is the matchup between the Connecticut Huskies and the Texas Longhorns. Connecticut whipped Texas last year in New England, part of the Longhorns’ massive collapse after a 17-0 start and a No. 1 national ranking. Texas lost nine of its last 16 games and got bounced in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. This year, the Longhorns look a little more resilient and have the feel of a blue-collar team that won’t wilt quite so readily. Connecticut started fast by winning the Maui Invitational in Hawaii back in late November, but the Huskies have struggled away from home in recent weeks and will be asked to win in Austin, Texas. Take the Longhorns in that contest.
Pick: Texas over Connecticut
Online betting gurus have another interesting game to mull over in Stillwater, Oklahoma. On Saturday afternoon, Oklahoma State welcomes Kansas State to Gallagher-Iba Arena in what will be a very intriguing Big 12 battle. Kansas State will carry a No. 17 ranking into the contest, but the visiting Wildcats will be without big man Curtis Kelly, who is still serving a suspension after taking improper benefits. Kansas State will have sharpshooter Jacob Pullen, but without Kelly, the Cats will be shorthanded on the glass, making life easier for Oklahoma State forward Marshall Moses. The game is a toss-up with Kelly’s absence. Oklahoma State will smell its big chance for an upset and pounce on KSU.
Pick: Oklahoma State over Kansas State
All the fervor of a Super Bowl betting competition won’t quite exist in Washington, D.C., but the Big East game between West Virginia and Georgetown could take some interesting twists. West Virginia made the Final Four last season but has struggled immensely this season. The Mountaineers lost at home to St. John’s and nearly lost to DePaul this past week. Coach Bob Huggins is surely riding his players and demanding that they get better as quickly as possible. Now, this West Virginia squad must go on the road to take on the Georgetown Hoyas, another team that’s smarting from a recent loss. Georgetown dropped a 61-58 decision to St. John’s this past Monday, a worrisome sign for a team that is extremely volatile. No one knows that to expect from the Hoyas, but at home, the chances are good that they’ll be able to thwart West Virginia in a game that starts at 11:05 a.m. local time. Betting enthusiasts will have to realize that Georgetown’s Austin Freeman – who wasn’t able to let loose at the very end of the St. John’s loss – will be motivated to play at a very high level on Saturday.
Pick: Georgetown over West Virginia
