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Nick's picks, bets, and analysis for February 3 in NCAA College Basketball. Nick identifies some high-profile matchups and various spots to bet on during Saturday's college basketball slate.
Saturday of the best regular season college basketball slates these eyes have ever seen. Between three top-10 matchups, conference tournament battles, and get-right spots, there will be excitement all day long.
In this article, I preview a Big 12 matchup between Houston and Kansas along with a a few other spots I'm looking for.
I will also give out my favorite betting angle for each matchup. Let's get into the pick!
Houston at Kansas
Allen Fieldhouse (4.00 p.m.)
Houston has arrived in the Big 12 and barely missed a step, starting 6-2 in conference play and earning a #4 AP/Coaches poll ranking and the #1 overall spot on KenPom. Going into Lawrence will be their toughest test yet as they face a Kansas team that's shown they can compete with the best in the nation.
The Spot
The Kansas Jayhawks don't lose at home. I understand, I get it. But they do have two weak spots I believe Kelvin Sampson and the Cougars can take advantage of. First, in Kansas' losses to Marquette and UCF, they turned the ball over at an alarming rate: 18 turnovers in each matchup well above their season average. It just so happens that Houston is one of the best in the country at forcing turnovers, entering this matchup with the 3rd highest defensive turnover rate. Dujuan Harris Jr. has been loose with the rock while backup guard Elmarko Jackson has been susceptible to turnovers all season.
Second, Kansas is a decent rebounding team but struggles when they can't dominate the glass. Cincinnati had the Jayhawks on the ropes last week in Allen Fieldhouse and, you guessed it, the Cougars slam the offensive glass. J'wan Roberts and Ja'Vier Francis crash the glass like no other and force you to work for 40 minutes with the fear of second-chance points. This benefits Houston because it is an extremely tough road environment. In the event of an off-shooting night, they'll be fighting for offensive boards and second-chance points.
Player to player, Kansas' best player Kevin McCullar Jr. missed the last game with a knee injury so it's hard to predict if he's 100% in this matchup. Conversely, Jamal Shead is playing at a whole other level.
Go Cougs (-2 or better)
Other Games To Watch:
- Tennessee at Kentucky (+1.5): Lexington is going to be bananas for this top-10 matchup. Kentucky may have figured something out with their post-defense and Onyenso in the paint in their last loss. Will their young guards step up on the defensive end and can Antonio Reeves slow down Dalton Knecht? I'm interested in the Cats catching points here.
- Iowa St. at Baylor (-2.5): Another good spot for Baylor. They should be able to take care of the rock and take advantage of the outside. I'm not looking to lay the points but am searching for the Bears live at even money.
- Connecticut at St. John's (+5.5): MSG will be rocking as the overall #1 UConn comes to town. The Huskies are playing at the highest level in the country, taking souls with each stop.
Meanwhile, St. John's badly needs another quad 1 win and a get-right game. You won't find a better spot than this, although 5.5 points feel short based on recent play. There's a chance we're rocking Red on Saturday.
- Drake at Indiana State: Despite several top-10 matchups, this could be the game of the day. Battle for the Missouri Valley lead and path to a #1 tournament seed. I like Drake slightly more long-term, but wouldn't be surprised to see Indiana State come out on fire in this revenge spot. Eyes on for live betting opportunities.
YTD 69-60 +2.39u
Follow me @DrRoddy_ on Twitter/X for all of my official college basketball bets. Best of luck if you tail. Let’s find some winners!
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