There’s no better time to bet on college basketball than in March, and that isn’t just about the NCAA Tournament.
It’s also about the myriad conference tournaments underway early in the month – with Wednesday marking the start of the first round for some of the highest-profile leagues in the country.
There are 36 games scheduled to tip off across 12 hours on Wednesday, though we’ve got our eyes on two matchups in particular featuring teams that have been clear fades against the spread all year long.
Here are our favorite bets for Wednesday’s night of hoops, with odds courtesy of FanDuel:
College basketball Wednesday odds, picks
(via FanDuel)
- Washington State -13.5 vs. California
- Villanova -11.5 vs. Georgetown
Washington State vs. California prediction and analysis
(5:30 p.m. ET)
Barring an absolute miracle, California’s season will come to an end on Wednesday.
And I’m not about to miss out on the opportunity to fade this team one last time.
The Golden Bears (13-18 ATS) have been absolutely atrocious this season, losing 28 of 31 games with the second-worst average scoring margin (-11.6) of any team in a major conference.
They’ve been especially bad since losing top scorer Devin Askew (15.5 PPG), who has missed almost the entirety of his team’s current 15-game losing streak.
That spiral began with a 15-point loss at Washington State on Jan. 11, one of the Cougars’ 10 wins in their last 15 games.
They’ve won six straight games – tied for their longest conference win streak in 30 years – and need a few more wins to sneak into the NCAA Tournament, and I’m expecting that run to start here in dominant fashion.
Washington State vs. California pick
- Washington State -13.5 (FanDuel)
Betting on College Basketball?
- Check out the best College Basketball betting sites
- Read our guide on how to bet on College Basketball
- Get the latest NCAA Championship Winner odds
Villanova vs. Georgetown prediction and analysis
(8 p.m. ET)
Just like the matchup above, this is another “one last fade” situation with Georgetown, which has earned its reputation as the worst team in the Big East.
The Hoyas rank among the nation’s worst teams in effective field-goal percentage on offense (47.4%) and defense (53.4%), so it’s no surprise that this team has lost 19 of its last 21 games entering Wednesday.
Their last two losses came by a combined 60 points, which should indicate how much gas Patrick Ewing’s players have left in the tank.
It’s the opposite case for Villanova, which swept Georgetown in the regular season and ripped off a 6-2 run to close the year.
Keep an eye on senior guard Justin Moore: he was instrumental in last year’s Big East tourney title and eventual Final Four run, and his return on Jan. 29 helped turn the Wildcats’ season around. If he’s hot on Wednesday, that’ll be a wrap.
Villanova vs. Georgetown pick
- Villanova -11.5 (FanDuel)