College Basketball Betting - Bulldogs, Sooners get season underway with Ws
Sportsbook players always get excited for March Madness odds, but you have to start somewhere, and this weekend kicks off the road to the Final Four as college basketball betting begins. On Saturday, a pair of mid-major heavyweights go at it at Butler, as Davidson is missing last year’s star, while Mount St. Mary’s won’t have much luck ending their woes.
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Davidson vs Butler Odds – Saturday, 2:00 PM ET
The Wildcats (0-0, 0-0) are no longer the Southern Conference favorites now that Stephen Curry is gone to the NBA, but all is not lost for the cousin of North Carolina and Duke. Davidson’s recent success allowed them to recruit better, and the Wildcats still have lots of senior experience in players like Bryant Barr and Steve Rossiter. A bigger problem is the loss of Andrew Lovedale, who was the Wildcats’ inside presence and a big factor in their online betting odds.
The Bulldogs (0-0, 0-0) come into the season with a No.10 preseason ranking, and last year marked their third straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament, although they’ve regressed in their results at the Big Dance. Butler is in a great position to repeat as Horizon League champions as their entire team from last year is back, and many have them among their sleeper picks of the season. The forward duo of Matt Howard and Gordon Hayward would get more publicity with a bigger school, and guard Shelvin Mack is counted on for big things.
These two met at Davidson in a matchup of the nation’s biggest mid-majors, and the Bulldogs came away with a 75-63 win as they harassed Curry into missing 11 of his 13 three-point attempts and seven turnovers. The Bulldogs should be the college basketball betting favorite at home on Saturday, and the Wildcats will have to get used to not having their star player on the squad. Butler’s players are all used to each other, and this will prove to be a good test as a part of a competitive non-conference schedule featuring Ohio State, Xavier and Georgetown.
Pick: Butler
Mount St. Mary’s vs Oklahoma Odds – Saturday, 2:00 PM ET
The Mountaineers (0-0, 0-0) won the Northeastern Conference, and then went on to win their first-ever NCAA Tournament game over Coppin State. This visit to Oklahoma is the beginning of a brutal start for Mount St. Mary’s, as 12 of their first 15 are on the road. Five of their top six scorers from last year are back, including guards Jean Cajou and Jeremy Goode. Oklahoma (0-0, 0-0) is dealing with the loss of Blake Griffin, as well as his brother Taylor, which means the Sooners may be more guard-oriented than last year. Willie Warren had a great freshman year, and Tony Crocker can get hot in a hurry. The Sooners, ranked No.17 in the preseason, are hoping that freshman forward Tiny Gallon can fill at least some of the void in the post.
The last time these two met was in 1999, when the Sooners won by 53. Mount St. Mary’s may put up a valiant effort, but their 1-13 record against ranked teams won’t help their college basketball betting chances. They are also 1-17 in road season openers, usually coming against a big school. This should be pretty simple for the Sooners, who should try to get Gallon going. If they can have a legit post threat, that opens up the floor for Warren.
Pick: Oklahoma
For more sports betting picks and tips during the college basketball season, bookmark Washington in the Betting Edge at betonline.com, and don’t forget about our stats section for more information as well.
