NCAAB: WEDNESDAY BETTING FOUR-PACK
Wednesday night in college basketball involves elite teams in elite conferences, with plenty of great betting opportunities.
#7 Wake Forest at Miami-Florida
Wake Forest is favored by 2.5 points and the game is on ESPN2 at 7:30 pm ET.
The Miami Hurricanes were rolling along until they lost three in a row and have the daunting task of facing Wake Forest, Duke and North Carolina consecutively to break their slide. Miami will need guard Jack McClinton to find his shooting eye, as he has converted just 39.6% of attempts in their three game losing streak.
Wake Forest is showing the characteristic of a young team, not being able to play well off a big win in conference play. The Demon Deacons took down #1 Duke and followed that up with a mediocre performance at Georgia Tech in which they were out-rebounded by eight in a 76-74 loss.
The home underdog Canes are 8-3-1 ATS in that role. Wake Forest will look to get back to ball pressure and sagging man-to-man principles, which has held opponents to 36.8% shooting. Wake has covered six of their last seven games against teams with a winning record. Miami is just 9-18 ATS off a road loss.
Power Line- Pick
#19 Minnesota at #13 Michigan State
Michigan State is favored by eight-points and the game is on the Big Ten Network at 8:30 pm ET.
Minnesota has not won in East Lansing since 1991. The Golden Gophers have built some confidence coming in after defeating Illinois last week 59-36, ending a 20-game losing streak to them. Michigan State will be out to avoid their first three-game home losing streak in a dozen years.
Under Tubby Smith, Minnesota’s defense has really improved and they are 7-1 ATS after allowing 30 points or less in the first half in two straight games this season.
The Golden Gophers are 5-1 and 4-2 ATS on the road and could be tied for first with a victory. Michigan State has covered seven of the last nine meetings at home against Minnesota and are 26-6 ATS as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points.
Power Line- Michigan State by 8
#4 Duke at #10 Clemson
Duke is favored by four points and the game is on ESPN at 9 pm ET.
Clemson is 4-2 in the ACC after another easy non-conference schedule. They go up and down the floor with a pressing defense, but are soft in basic defensive principles when the game slows down and they are forced to play man-up. When the Tigers can go end to end, players like Terrence Oglesby, K.C. Rivers and Raymond Sykes really shine.
This ACC encounter should be to Duke’s liking, as they have the athletes to move up and down the court. Gerald Henderson and Nolan Smith should thrive and Jon Scheyer and Kyle Singler will be able take ‘threes’ or drive to the hole. Center Brian Zoubek figures to see fewer minutes if the pace is frantic as expected.
Clemson is 3-8 ATS versus top caliber teams outscoring their opponents by 12 or more points per game with half the regular season over. The Blue Devils are 58-36 ATS off a home blowout win by 20 points or more. Duke is 9-0 (4-4-1 ATS) at Clemson since 1997.
Power Line- Duke by 3
Missouri at #16 Texas
Texas is favored by 4.5 points and the game is on ESPN2 at 9:30 pm ET.
Missouri’s high powered offense has been rolling along averaging 85 PPG, playing at the high speed tempo coach Mike Anderson prefers. Senior forward DeMarre Carroll is Missouri’s most dependable performer and he is at the forefront of the Tigers being one of the leaders in steals in the country. The Tigers are 2-9 ATS in road games against conference opponents over the last two seasons.
Texas, in spite of its fine record, continues to lack quality point guard play. A.J. Abrams is certainly capable of handling the position, but he’s more valuable to Rick Barnes as a scorer. This will be a very good test for the Longhorns as Missouri will try to keep the ball out of Abrams hands and see if others can beat their pressure defense.
Texas is 4-1 ATS off a loss and 9-1 ATS in their last 10 battles with Missouri.
Power Line – Texas by 3
