NCAA Men's College Basketball Bets: Seton Hall-UConn, Baylor-Texas Tech
For those disappointed the NFL season has ended, it is now time to turn your focus and your betting bankroll to the action on the NCAA Men’s collegiate hardwood.
Wednesday's slate offers some great betting investment opportunities, highlighted by Seton Hall heading to Storrs to face No. 24 UConn in a Big East showdown and No. 7 Baylor heading to Lubbock to square off with No. 11 Texas Tech in a Big 12 clash.
Let’s dive into the matchups!
Check the Latest NCAA Men's Basketball Lines at SI Sportsbook
Derik Hamilton/AP
Seton Hall (15-8, 6-7 Big East) vs. No. 24 UConn (17-7, 8-5)
Spread: Seton Hall +5.5 (-110) | UConn -5.5 (-118)
Total: 137.5– Over (-118) | Under 137.5 (-110)
Venue: Gampel Pavilion, Storrs, Conn.
Game Info: Wednesday Feb. 16, 2022 | 8:30 p.m. ET | FS1
Editor's Note - Odds are subject to change.
The line has held steady since opening in favor of No. 24 UConn (11-13 against the spread (ATS)) as a 5.5-point home favorite over Seton Hall (11-11 ATS) at SI Sportsbook.
The Pirates, who are a pedestrian 5-5 straight-up (SU) in their last 10 games, find an accompanying 4-6 ATS mark over that stretch. Seton Hall clearly is not the same team without star point guard Bryce Aiken (concussion), who has missed seven consecutive games. In his absence, Kadary Richmond has shouldered more time running the show, but the Pirates are easily stronger when Aiken is leading the offense.
Seton Hall will need seniors Jared Rhoden and Myles Cale to step up and supply solid production from a backcourt missing it’s floor general. In its home win over the Huskies on Jan. 8, Rhoden filled up the stat sheet with 15 points and six rebounds but it was Richmond who shined scoring a game-high 27 points. However, in that matchup, Aiken scored 22 points and dished out seven assists and the Pirates will surely miss that leadership and offense in the rematch Wednesday night.
The Huskies head into the battle with the Pirates having lost three of their last five games. Connecticut has not been profitable for bettors to back over the last six games, posting a 1-5 ATS mark. UConn is led in scoring by senior guard R.J. Cole (16.2 ppg), but he is not getting enough consistent support from his teammates over the last several weeks. UConn needs more reliable production from Isaiah Whaley, Tyler Polley and Tyrese Martin against a Seton Hall club that is solid defensively, only allowing 40.4% field goal shooting to opponents - which ranks 42nd in the country.
Sophomore Adama Sanogo will once again be the key to a Huskie win. Sanogo, who is averaging 14.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, needs to be stronger at the start of the games. The Huskies big man had one of his best games of the season in the first matchup with the Pirates, posting 18 points and 16 rebounds in the team’s 90-87 overtime loss as four-point road underdogs.
Since UConn’s return to the Big East last season, they are 1-2 SU against Seton Hall, but UConn has won seven of the last 10 meetings overall. Both teams will be looking to better position themselves ahead of next month’s Big East Tournament in New York, but the respected money in early wagering believes UConn, who is 10-2 SU at home this season, will avenge the earlier loss.
BET: UConn -5.5 (-118)
Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports
No. 7 Baylor (21-4, 9-3 Big 12) at No. 11 Texas Tech (19-6, 8-4)
Spread: Baylor +2 (-110) | Texas Tech -2 (-118)
Total: 136– Over (-118) | Under 136 (-110)
Venue: United Supermarkets Arena, Lubbock, Texas
Game Info: Wednesday Feb. 16, 2022 | 9 pm ET | ESPN2
Editor's Note - Odds are subject to change.
The line has ticked up a point since opening in favor of No. 11 Texas Tech (17-8 ATS) as a 1-point home favorites over No. 7 Baylor (14-10-1 ATS) at SI Sportsbook.
The defending national champion Bears, who started off the year on a 15-game winning streak before losing to the Red Raiders, have since suffered losses in four of their last 10 games. However, the biggest loss of all occurred last weekend when Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua (knee) was lost for the season.
Baylor trails Kansas for the top spot in the Big 12, and has an uphill battle to overtake the Jayhawks with a brutal final six games of the regular season. The Bears receive balanced scoring production, but uneven play over the last month has burned bettors investing in the Bears as the club is a disappointing 5-5 ATS over their last 10 games.
The Bears are out to avenge a 65-62 loss to Texas Tech in the first matchup last month when they were upset as 11.5-point home favorites. The loss snapped a 21-game win streak dating back to last season but Baylor still holds a one-game lead over Texas Tech for the No. 2 spot in the conference.
Baylor has also played the last five games without leading scorer L.J. Cryer, who is dealing with a foot injury and will be sidelined again Wednesday. Playing without Tchatchoua, the Bears will need to rely on significantly more minutes from Flo Thamba. After the injury, Thamba was thrust into nearly double his normal playing time and responded with his best game of the season, filling up the stat sheet with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks in the 80-63 win over No. 20 Texas.
Texas Tech, who is 7-3 in its last 10 games, has rewarded bettors over that span posting a very lucrative 8-2 ATS mark. The Red Raiders, who trail Kansas by two games for first place in the Big 12 standings, are a perfect 15-0 at home this season.
The respected money in Vegas immediately backed the Red Raiders when this line opened Tuesday afternoon. Playing short-handed, on the road against a Texas Tech squad that is undefeated at home, is simply too much to ask.
BET: Texas Tech Moneyline (-133)
SI NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL BET REVIEW
2021: 7-10 ATS
2020: All SI Betting are hoping to pick right up where we left last season when our NCAA tournament betting plays yielded major financial success, thanks to Alabama (+220), Illinois (+375) and Georgia Tech (+2500) all delivering conference tournament championship victories in the SEC, Big Ten and ACC, respectively, for all members here at SI Betting!
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Frankie Taddeo is a successful high-stakes fantasy football player who created the first-ever DFS program ever offered in a Las Vegas sportsbook. Frankie is SI Betting's Senior Analyst and provides his significant experience and resources in the sports betting scene. You can follow Frankie on Twitter @Frankie_Fantasy for his latest betting and fantasy insights from Las Vegas.
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