Newsletter

<p>At 10:30 ET, the Lakers (-178) will host the Nuggets (+149) in a Western Conference matchup. The Lakers are favored by 4.5 points, and the over/under line is set at 233.</p>

<p>This game will be played at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and can be seen on NBA TV. The Lakers are currently 10-5 and sit 4th in the Western Conference, while the Nuggets are 8-6 and 6th in the West.</p><h3>DENVER NUGGETS VS LOS ANGELES LAKERS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Los Angeles Lakers -4.5</p><p>This game will be played at Crypto.com Arena at 10:30 ET on Saturday, November 23rd.</p><h3>WHY BET THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 123-106 in favor of the Lakers.</li><li>Our projections have Anthony Davis finishing with 26 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists.</li><li>From the field, we have the Lakers finishing with a field goal percentage of 48.4% and knocking down 13 threes.</li></ul><h3>Will Denver Win on the Road?</h3><p>The Nuggets fell to 8-6 on the season after a 123-120 home loss to the Mavericks on Friday. Denver, favored by 5 points, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The game’s total of 243 points exceeded the O/U line of 229.</p> <p>After a rough 2nd quarter where they were outscored 40-22, Denver went on a 13-0 run to close the gap. They outscored Dallas 36-22 in the 3rd quarter and entered the 4th down 95-89 but couldn’t complete the comeback, despite outscoring the Mavs 31-28 in the final period.</p><p>In their 123-120 loss to the Mavericks, the Nuggets hit 15 threes, shooting 51.7% from deep, though their overall field goal percentage was 47.8%. Nikola Jokic led the way with 33 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists, shooting 59.1% from the field and hitting both of his three-point attempts.</p> <p>Michael Porter Jr. and Christian Braun each added 17 points, with Braun shooting 66.7% from the field and hitting 2 threes. Russell Westbrook contributed 16 points, with 9 coming in the 4th quarter, while Peyton Watson added 7 of his 15 points in the final period.</p><p>The Nuggets struggled defensively in the 2nd quarter, giving up 40 points, which contributed to their 123-120 loss to the Mavericks. Overall, they allowed Dallas to shoot 50% from the field. Denver did manage to limit the Mavericks' three-point shooting, holding them to 10 made threes on 37% shooting.</p> <p>Denver sent Dallas to the free-throw line 27 times, where the Mavericks converted 21 attempts. The Nuggets gave up 12 offensive rebounds while recording 4 steals and 7 blocks.</p><h3>Can the Lakers Lock in a Home Win?</h3><p>The Lakers fell to 10-5 on the season after a 119-118 loss to the Magic on Thursday. Despite being favored by 5.5 points, L.A. couldn’t cover the spread, and the game’s total points of 237.5 exceeded the O/U line of 216.5.</p> <p>After leading 67-60 at halftime, the Lakers were outscored 29-21 in the 3rd quarter. They entered the 4th quarter down 89-88 and played the Magic evenly in the final period, with both teams scoring 30 points.</p><p>Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 39 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 63.6% from the field in their 119-118 loss to the Magic. LeBron James added 31 points, 10 rebounds, and hit 5 threes at a 55.6% clip, scoring 14 points in the 4th quarter.</p> <p>The Lakers shot 50.6% overall and connected on 13 threes, shooting 41.9% from deep. Dalton Knecht contributed 17 points, making 3 threes in the game.</p><p>The Lakers gave up 119 points to the Magic on Thursday, including 36 in the 1st quarter and 30 in the 4th, despite a strong defensive effort in the 2nd quarter where they allowed just 24 points. Overall, Orlando shot 47% from the field.</p> <p>From beyond the arc, the Magic hit 15 threes at a 37% clip. The Lakers sent Orlando to the line 21 times, where they made 18 free throws. Los Angeles allowed 15 offensive rebounds while recording 4 steals and 6 blocks.</p>

Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers Betting Pick & Prediction 11/23/24

BetDSI

Bookmaker

Bet US

BetOnline

Bovada

<p>Betting on today's Oilers and Blues game? Catch the action at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, MO, as the Blues hosts this showdown at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. The Oilers are favored by -1.5 in a Western conference showdown. The game's over/under is currently at 6.5 goals.</p><h3>EDMONTON OILERS VS ST. LOUIS BLUES BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: St. Louis Blues +1.5</p><p>This game will be played at Enterprise Center at 8:00 ET on Thursday, February 15th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE ST. LOUIS BLUES:</h3><ul><li>Even though they are considered 1.5-goal underdogs, our projection points to a 4-2 win for the Blues.</li><li>We like the Blues on the moneyline (+160)</li><li>The Blues are also our pick on the spread at +1.5</li></ul><h3>Will Edmonton Pull Through as the Favored Road Team?</h3><p><p>With a record of 31-17-1, the Oilers are in 6th place in the Western Conference and 3rd in the Pacific Division. On the road, Edmonton is 14-11-0 this season. Over their last ten games, the Oilers have gone 8-2.</p>

<p>So far this season, Edmonton has been favored in 41 of their 49 games, going 28-12-1 as the favorite. In their last three games, the Oilers are 2-1, and they have gone 3-2 over their last five games.</p></p><p>On the year, the Oilers have a puck line record of 25-24 and have gone 2-1 vs. the puck line in their last three games. So far, Edmonton has 23 wins by multiple goals and has gone 22-19 vs. the puck line when favored.</p>

<p>Edmonton has an average scoring margin of +.7 goals per game, and their average scoring margin on the road is +.2 goals per game. In their last ten road games, the Oilers have gone 5-5 vs. the puck line.</p> <p>This season, Edmonton's games are averaging 6.4 goals per game. Their average over/under line is 6.7. The Oilers currently have an over/under record of 20-26-3.</p><p>Through their last three road games, Edmonton has an puck line record of just 1-2. However, their overall record was 1-2 while averaging 2 goals per game.</p><p>The Oilers come into the game scoring an average of 3.5 goals per game, putting them 10th in the NHL. Regarding shots targeted at the goal per game, they are 12th in the league. Coming into the game, the Oilers have a 20-10 record when they have more shots on goal than their opponent. When they have fewer shots on goal, they are 11-6.</p><p>Edmonton's current leading scorer is Zach Hyman. This season, he has 32 goals, which puts him 6th in the NHL. Hyman also comes into the game with 17 assists.</p><p>St. Louis defense takes on the Oilers ranked 10th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are averaging 31.6 shots per game against St. Louis. They also are 18th in shutouts, with 3 shutouts.</p><p>Goalie Stuart Skinner comes into the game having made 36 starts this season. So far, his record is 24-11 and he has a save percentage of 0.885%.</p><h3>Can St. Louis Pull Out the Win as Home Underdogs?</h3><p><p>At home this season, the Blues have gone 15-9-1 and are 21-14-2 as the underdog. In the Western Conference, St. Louis is in 8th place and 4th in the Central Division. Overall, the Blues have a record of 28-22-2 and have gone 7-3 in their last ten games.</p>

<p>Over their last five games, St. Louis has gone 3-2 and 2-1 in their last three. In the conference, the Blues have gone 16-14 and have been the underdog in 37 of their 52 games this season.</p></p><p>St. Louis enters the game with an average scoring differential of -.2 goals per game, and they have gone 30-22 against the puck line this season. So far, the Blues have gone 24-13 against the puck line as the underdog.</p>

<p>Overall, the team has 16 wins by more than one goal, and they have dropped 20 games by multiple goals. In their last ten games at home, the team has gone 7-3 against the puck line.</p> <p>The average goal total for St. Louis' games is sitting at 6. The average over/under line for the season is 6.3. The Blues come in with an over/under record of 21-26-5.</p><p>Although Edmonton has a straight up record of 1-2 in their last three road games, they have not held up as well vs the puck line going 1-2. The team averaged 2 goals per game in these games.</p><p>In terms of their offensive performance, the Blues are averaging 2.9 goals per game this season, putting them in the 25th spot in the NHL. When it comes to shots on goal per game, they are ranked 26th in the league. In terms of the Blues' offense during power plays, they are 23rd in power play goals and 3rd in shorthanded goals.</p><p>St. Louis will be looking for a good game from Jake Neighbours who leads the team in scoring with 18 goals, ranking 62nd in the NHL. Neighbours also comes into the game with 5 assists.</p><p>The Blues defense is currently 10th in goals allowed. Opponents are averaging 31.6 shots per game against St. Louis. In terms of shutouts, they come into the game ranked 18th with 3 shutouts.</p><p>Goalie Jordan Binnington gets the start and has made 35 starts this season. His record at this point is 18-14, and his save percentage is 0.942%.</p>

Edmonton Oilers vs St. Louis Blues Betting Pick & Prediction 2/15/24

<p>Today's matinee at Citi Field features an interleague matchup between the Detroit Tigers and the New York Mets. First pitch is set for 12:10 PM ET, and you can catch the action on BSDET. The Mets come in as slight favorites with a money line of -130 compared to the Tigers' +109.</p>

<p>Casey Mize will be on the mound for the Tigers, while the Mets will counter with Adrian Houser. The over/under line is set at 7.5 runs, with the over paying out at -106 compared to -117 for the under.</p><h3>NEW YORK METS VS DETROIT TIGERS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: New York Mets Moneyline -130</p><p>This game will be played at Citi Field at 12:10 ET on Thursday, April 4th.</p><h3>HOW TO BET THE TIGERS VS METS:</h3><ul><li>We have the Mets winning by a score of 5 to 4</li><li>However, if you're looking for a run line pick, we like the Tigers to cover</li><li>As for an over/under pick, we have this game finishing with 9 runs and like the over</li></ul><p>The Tigers and Mets needed extra innings to decide the previous game of this series, with the Tigers coming out on top by a score of 5-0. Heading into the game, the Tigers were the underdog at +118 on the money line.</p>

<p>Neither team scored in regulation, but the Tigers exploded for five runs in the 10th inning. Detroit's only home run came from Carson Kelly, who drove in three runs. Starling Marte had a two-hit game for the Mets, but he didn't score or drive in a run.</p>

<p>Jason Foley picked up the win for the Tigers, while Michael Tonkin took the loss for the Mets. Reese Olson got the start for Detroit and didn't give up a run in 5 2/3 innings of work, while Sean Manaea went six innings and gave up just one hit for the Mets.</p><h3>Tigers Records & Stats</h3><p>Casey Mize takes the mound for the Tigers in today's game versus the Mets. It's his opportunity to start the season on the right foot, as this will be his first outing of the year.</p><p>For the Tigers, we like Spencer Torkelson to have a big game at the plate. He has the highest home run projection on the team and the 4th highest in the league today. Kerry Carpenter is 2nd on the team in terms of total hits and home run projections, with his home run projection being 5th best in the league. Riley Greene has the highest total hits projection on the team.</p><h3>Mets Records & Stats</h3><p>Adrian Houser is coming off a season in which he made 21 starts and went 8-5. His ERA for the season was 4.12, and he finished the year with six quality starts. Houser's WHIP for the season was 1.39, and he allowed a batting average of .271. In terms of power, Houser gave up 13 home runs and finished the season with an OPS allowed of .724. For the season, Houser averaged 7.76 strikeouts per nine innings and 2.75 walks per nine.</p><p>For the Mets, Pete Alonso is not only projected to have the most hits on the team, but he also has the best odds to hit a home run out of any player in today's games. Brandon Nimmo has the 9th best odds to hit a home run in the league today. Jeff McNeil is 2nd on the team in terms of total hits, while Francisco Alvarez has the 2nd best odds to hit a home run for the Mets.</p>

Detroit Tigers vs New York Mets Betting Pick & Prediction 4/4/24

College football is one of the most popular betting options in the United States, and it’s also a sport that is enjoyed by many as well. College football begins in the early part of September, and a national champion is crowned in January every single year.

When it comes to college football, there are three different divisions that are played. It’s the teams that play at the highest level that attracts the most attention, and that’s also where you see most of the betting options.

There are just four teams that make it to the College Football Playoff each year, but that number is going to be expanding soon. There are other major bowl games that take place throughout the year, and those teams are chosen based on how they perform during the regular season.

This article will not only give you the best college football betting sites &amp; sportsbooks, but it will also give you tips so you know how to bet on college football.
<h2 id="h-where-to-bet-college-football" class="wp-block-heading">WHERE TO BET COLLEGE FOOTBALL</h2>
Knowing how to bet on college football is going to be an important step, but you also need to know where you should be wagering. Choosing the right sportsbook is going to be a huge part in sports betting, especially during the college football season.

Here are six of the best college football sportsbooks to use the next time that you are wanting to wager on the sport.

Best College Football Betting Sites & Sportsbooks

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

College Football

Troy Trojans vs Louisiana Ragin Cajuns Betting Pick & Prediction 11/23/24

Marshall Thundering Herd vs Old Dominion Monarchs Betting Pick & Prediction 11/23/24

Colorado State Rams vs Fresno State Bulldogs Betting Pick & Prediction 11/23/24

Boise State Broncos vs Wyoming Cowboys Betting Pick & Prediction 11/23/24

South Alabama Jaguars vs Southern Miss Golden Eagles Betting Pick & Prediction 11/23/24

Air Force Falcons vs Nevada Wolf Pack Betting Pick & Prediction 11/23/24

UL Monroe Warhawks vs Arkansas State Red Wolves Betting Pick & Prediction 11/23/24

James Madison Dukes vs Appalachian State Mountaineers Betting Pick & Prediction 11/23/24

Sam Houston Bearkats vs Jacksonville State Gamecocks Betting Pick & Prediction 11/23/24

New Mexico State Aggies vs Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Betting Pick & Prediction 11/23/24

<p>Betting on today's Canucks and Senators game? Catch the action at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, as the Senators hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The odds for this non-conference game currently have the Senators as the -1.5 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 6 goals.</p><h3>VANCOUVER CANUCKS VS OTTAWA SENATORS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Ottawa Senators -1.5</p><p>This game will be played at Canadian Tire Centre at 7:00 ET on Saturday, November 23rd.</p><h3>WHY BET THE OTTAWA SENATORS:</h3><ul><li>The Senators enter this game as 1.5-goal favorites and in our projections and we anticipate them winning by a score of 4-3.</li><li>Take the Senators on the moneyline</li><li>On the spread, we like Canucks (+1.5)</li></ul><h3>Does Vancouver Stand a Chance on the Road?</h3><p>With a 3-2 win over the Sharks, the Canucks moved to 9-6-3 this season. Vancouver was favored on the puck line, but didn’t cover. The pre-game total was set at 6.5 goals, and the teams combined for 5.</p> 

<p>San Jose scored first, but the Canucks responded with three goals, including the game-winner from Pius Suter with just 26 seconds left. Suter had two goals in the game.</p><p>Pius Suter led the way for the Canucks with two goals, bringing his season total to four. He found the net for the first time at 14:41 in the second period and again with just 26 seconds left in the game. Jake DeBrusk added his first goal of the season at 15:38 in the third period.</p> <p>Vancouver took 27 shots on goal and recorded 25 giveaways. The Canucks were held scoreless in the first period before Suter’s initial goal tied the game at 1-1.</p><p>Vancouver's defense gave up the first goal at 2:37 into the 2nd period and another at 18:43 in the 3rd, but they held on for a 3-2 win over San Jose. Kevin Lankinen made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, while the Canucks' defense added 5 takeaways and 24 hits.</p><h3>Will Ottawa Win at Home?</h3><p>With a 3-0 win over the Kraken, the Senators improved to 8-10-1. Ottawa covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 3 fell short of that mark.</p> 

<p>All three of Ottawa’s goals came from different players. Adam Gaudette opened the scoring in the first period, followed by a goal from Brady Tkachuk in the second. Tim Stützle added an empty-netter in the third to seal the victory.</p><p>Ottawa’s offense netted three goals in their latest game, with Tim Stützle scoring his 6th of the season on an empty net. Adam Gaudette and Brady Tkachuk each added their 7th goals, with Gaudette opening the scoring at 14:32 in the first period.</p> <p>The Senators took 23 shots on goal and recorded 11 giveaways. None of their goals came on the power play, and they finished with a total of 5 assists.</p><p>On the defensive side, the Senators will look to build on their previous performance, where they shut out the Kraken 3-0. Anton Forsberg made 22 saves with a perfect 100% save percentage. The defense also contributed 2 takeaways and 25 hits.</p>

Vancouver Canucks vs Ottawa Senators Betting Pick & Prediction 11/23/24

<p>The forecast for Tuesday's matchup between the Royals and Nationals calls for cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid to upper 60s. This one is getting started at 6:45 PM ET from Nationals Park in Washington, DC. MASN is carrying this game on TV.</p>

<p>The Nationals are the home underdog on the money line (+146), while the Royals have odds of -172. The over/under line is currently at 8 runs, and Cole Ragans is starting for the Royals, while Mitchell Parker goes for the Nationals. Kansas City is 7-0 in their last seven games, and the Nationals are 4th in the NL East with a record of 69-87.</p><h3>KANSAS CITY ROYALS VS WASHINGTON NATIONALS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Kansas City Royals Moneyline -172</p><p>This game will be played at Nationals Park at 6:45 ET on Tuesday, September 24th.</p><h3>HOW TO BET THE ROYALS VS NATIONALS:</h3><ul><li>We have the Royals winning by a score of 5 to 4</li><li>However, if you're looking for a run line pick, we like the Nationals to cover</li><li>As for an over/under pick, we have this game finishing with 9 runs and like the over</li></ul><h3>Royals Records & Stats</h3><p>To close out their series vs. the Giants, the Royals fell by a score of 2-0. This was especially tough, as they held the lead in the series going into the game. Kansas City was the -110 favorite at home. It was the Giants scoring two runs in the 2nd inning that made the difference, and the Royals couldn't come back, as their offense didn't score a run.</p>

<p>Seth Lugo put together a good start for the Royals, going seven innings and giving up just two earned runs, and picking up five K's. However, he took the loss, as the Royals didn't score a run. Kansas City's offense wasted a good performance from Lugo, as they didn't have a single hit with runners in scoring position.</p><p>Kansas City is 82-74 overall and trails the Guardians by 7.5 games in the AL Central. The Royals have dropped seven straight games, and this losing streak comes after going 33-19 against other teams in the division. At home, the Royals are 45-36 this year, and they are just under .500 at 37-38 on the road.</p>

<p>As the favorite, the Royals are 47-31 this season, and they are 35-43 as the underdog. So far, they have been good as the road favorite, going 17-9. Kansas City's overall series record is 22-26-2, and they lost two straight series.</p><p>The Royals have been a solid bet on the run line this season, going 85-71 overall. They have been especially good on the road, where they are 42-33 on the run line. They have covered the run line in five straight games and are 46-32 on the run line as an underdog. Their average run margin for the season is +0.6 runs per game.</p><p>The Kansas City Royals are on the road today against the Washington Nationals. The over/under line for the game is set at 8 runs. The Royals have played 151 games this season, with an average combined run total of 8.7. Their over/under record is 68-83, and their average over/under line is 8 runs. When the over/under line is set at 8 runs, the Royals' record is 16-17-3. So far this season, 59.6% of their games have had over/under lines set at over 8 runs.</p><p>Cole Ragans is looking to bounce back from his last outing, where he gave up just one earned run in seven innings of work. In that outing, he finished with a no-decision. Looking back further, Ragans has turned in a quality start in three of his last four outings. For the season, he has a record of 11-9, an ERA of 3.24, and WHIP of 1.15. Ragans has a total of 20 quality starts and one complete game this year. His ERA at home is 5.05 compared to 3.17 on the road.</p><p>So far this season, the Royals are averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 12th in the league. They have been an above-average offense at home, averaging 4.8 runs per game. As a team, they are batting .250, which is 7th in the league, and are also near the top of the league in terms of avoiding strikeouts. Kansas City's team on-base percentage of .308 is 14th in the MLB, and they are also 12th in slugging percentage.</p>

<p>Bobby Witt Jr. has been one of the league's top power hitters this season, as his 32 homers are 9th in the league. He is also batting .334 for the season and has gone 11/31 in his last nine games. Witt Jr. is also on a four-game hitting streak. Salvador Perez is also a power threat in the lineup, as he has 27 homers and 103 RBIs this season.</p><h3>Nationals Records & Stats</h3><p>The Nationals will be looking to get back on track after closing out their series vs. the Cubs with a 5-0 loss. Washington was the +176 underdog on the money line going into this road game. Things started off well for the Nationals, as they got on the board with a run in the 1st inning but gave up the lead right away as the Cubs scored twice in the bottom of the first.</p>

<p>Washington started Jake Irvin, and he took the loss, going only four innings and giving up five earned runs on four hits. Offensively, the Nationals had eight hits but didn't score a run. James Wood and Jose Tena each had two hits and scored a run.</p><p>With an overall record of 69-87, the Nationals are 4th in the NL East, trailing the Phillies by 23.5 games. So far, they have gone 23-26 in divisional matchups. Washington will host the Royals today with an overall home record of 36-39, and they are 33-48 on the road.</p>

<p>As the underdog, the Nationals have gone 54-74 this season, and they are 15-13 when favored. Washington heads into today's game with a three-game winning streak at home, and their overall series record is 19-25-6. They dropped their most recent series, going 1-3 vs. the Cubs.</p><p>Washington has been a solid run line bet this season, going 86-70 overall. They have been especially profitable on the road, going 46-35 against the run line. They have been a better bet as the underdog, going 73-55 against the run line. Their average run differential this season is -0.7 runs per game.</p><p>Washington's games have averaged 8.9 runs per game this season, and the over/under record is 73-77. When the over/under line is set at 8 runs, the record is 10-11-1. The over/under line for today's game is set at 8 runs, and the under has hit in three straight games.</p><p>Washington is sending left-hander Mitchell Parker to the mound today vs. the Royals. He has made 28 starts this season and has a record of 7-10 with a 4.44 ERA. Parker's WHIP for the season is 1.30, and he has turned in 11 quality starts. In his last outing, Parker took the loss, going 3 2/3 innings vs. the Mets and giving up five earned runs. Before that, he had gone 6 1/3 innings without giving up an earned run. Parker has given up at least one homer in each of his last four outings.</p><p>Washington's offense has been one of the worst in the league this season, averaging just 4.1 runs per game, which is 24th in the MLB. They are also near the bottom of the league in home runs and have a team batting average of just .243. However, they do have two players with good batting averages, as CJ Abrams is hitting .246 and Luis Garcia Jr. is batting .281 this season. Abrams and Garcia Jr. are also the Nationals' top home run hitters, with 20 and 16 homers, respectively.</p>

<p>Joey Gallo and Jose Tena have been swinging the bat well of late, with Gallo going 4/11 in his last four games with two homers and Tena going 7/19 in his last five games. Lane Thomas and Darren Baker are both on three-game hitting streaks.</p>

Kansas City Royals vs Washington Nationals Betting Pick & Prediction 9/24/24

A thrilling first day of Madness is in the books and we get to do it all over again today. Our spotlight game was a winner with Houston covering the -20. Things were a little dicey with the alternative ways to play the game, as Houston first half didn’t come through and the team total for Cleveland State fell right around the number.

Hopefully you had a good first day and let’s see if we can find a good bet here for Saturday as games run all day from noon until midnight. Like yesterday, I’ll try to find a late game on the card that I really like and I think I’ve found one in Game 791/792 between Maryland and UConn. The Huskies are -3 with five cents extra of juice at <a href="http://bangthebook.com/sportsbooks/bookmaker"><strong>Bookmaker Sportsbook</strong></a> with a total of 130.
<h3><strong><u>Maryland</u></strong><strong><u> Terrapins</u></strong></h3>
Friday was not a banner day for the Big Ten. Neither was Thursday. With nine bids in the NCAA Tournament, the Big Ten has gone 3-3 thus far. Illinois, Rutgers, and Wisconsin advanced to the second round, while Michigan State, Ohio State, and Purdue did not. Ohio State and Purdue were big favorites.

That leaves us wondering a little bit about the strength of the conference and many have been wondering about the strength of this Maryland team since the brackets were announced on Selection Sunday. Maryland, like Michigan State, seemed to get in on the strength of a handful of wins and a spot in the Big Ten. The Terps beat Illinois, Wisconsin, and Rutgers on the road and also beat Purdue at home. Those were the four Quad 1 wins for Mark Turgeon’s team.

Seemingly, it was enough to get Maryland into the Big Dance. The Terrapins were just 9-11 in Big Ten play in the regular season and split two games in the Big Ten Tournament. In the non-conference, Maryland lost to Clemson to go along with beating Old Dominion, Navy, Mount St. Mary’s, Saint Peter’s, La Salle, and Wingate. It sure looks like a lackluster resume for the guys from College Park.

Statistically, Maryland has a top-25 squad in adjusted defensive efficiency. The Terrapins didn’t force a lot of turnovers and struggled to defend the three-point line, but the Big Ten’s strength relative to other conferences and the imbalanced schedule gave a lot of those teams a bump in their adjusted metrics.

On the offensive side, Maryland was one of the worst offensive rebounding teams in the nation. They took good care of the basketball, like most Big Ten teams did, and they shot well on two-pointers. This is a slow-paced team that ranked in the bottom 50 in adjusted tempo.
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bangthebook.com/s/bookmaker"><span class="td_btn td_btn_lg td_3D_btn" style="color: #ffffff; background-color: #808000;">CLAIM YOUR WELCOME BONUS AT BOOKMAKER SPORTSBOOK</span></a></p>

<h3><strong><u>UConn Huskies</u></strong></h3>
The big question that we have coming into the NCAA Tournament about UConn is about how good the Huskies truly are. The metrics love them. Despite being a 15-7 team with six Big East losses in 17 games, UConn is one of just a handful of teams that ranks in the top 25 in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency. The Huskies were 13th offensively and boast one of the highest ORB% in the country at 36.9%. They’re 27th in eFG% defense coming into this one.

On the other hand, UConn was 8-0 against Quad 3 and 4 teams and just 7-7 against teams that were Quad 2 or higher. UConn lost to Creighton three times, lost its only meeting with Villanova, and really only had one signature win that came way back on December 3 against USC on a neutral court. While the Huskies largely took care of inferior teams, and you can argue whether or not Maryland is an inferior team, you wonder about the ceiling and the upside of this team.

This is a poor shooting team. UConn shot 49% on twos and 33.6% on threes. The 2P% was outside the top 200 and the three-point percentage was right around the national average. At least UConn made up for it at the free throw line at 73.1% and those aforementioned offensive rebounds were certainly a huge help.

Defensively, UConn put opponents on the line a lot, but a lot of that had to do with trailing in those key games. Otherwise, this is a team that kept the opposition to 45.6% on twos and 31.6% on threes. One thing that could get dicey as this game goes along is that only four of UConn’s games were decided by six or fewer points, so they aren’t exactly battle-tested in close, late-game situations. Maryland had eight such games.
<h3><strong><u>Pick &amp; Analysis</u></strong></h3>
Maryland has a shaky NCAA Tournament resume at best. UConn seems a little bit overseeded as a #7, given the lack of quality wins, but the metrics do really like this Huskies team and who am I to argue with the metrics? Only Gonzaga, Illinois, Michigan, Houston, and UConn rank in the top 25 of both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency according to Ken Pomeroy. That is some extremely good company.

With the short price here at -3 and a little extra juice, UConn looks like the side, particularly with how Big Ten teams have struggled a bit in the early going. Maryland is also a team that played poorly away from home and that has been the case more often than not.
<h4><strong>Pick: UConn -3</strong></h4>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #808000;"><a style="color: #808000;" href="http://bangthebook.com/s/bookmaker"><strong>GET A 100% DEPOSIT MATCH BONUS FROM BOOKMAKER SPORTSBOOK</strong></a></span></h2>

Maryland vs. UConn College Basketball Free Pick and Preview 3/20/21

BetDSI

Bookmaker

Bet US

BetOnline

Bovada