College basketball schedule today has 14 games
Monday brings us a new week and new opportunities in the college basketball betting world. It is also Super Bowl week, so make sure you check out our coverage of the Big Game as our writers and personalities add some of their favorite bets to our best bets file. We’re also broadcasting some of our shows live from Radio Row in Glendale. It is a huge week for us and we’re thankful to have each and every one of you along for the ride.
I’m thankful to have you here for a survey of my favorite picks out of today’s 14 games and hopefully we’ll get back on the right side of variance after some close losses recently with Niagara and Merrimack. The tracking sheet is here.
Before I get into the 2/6 card, a reminder that Jonathan Von Tobel has NBA best bets today and Andy MacNeil is back on the grind with daily NHL picks now that the All-Star Break has come and gone.
Here are some thoughts on the February 6 card (odds from DraftKings):
Lafayette Leopards (-2.5, 126.5) at Holy Cross Crusaders
I think this is my least favorite CBB card that we’ve had since exam weeks back in December, but Lafayette is attractive to me as a road favorite tonight against Holy Cross. The Leopards won the first meeting 62-48 back on Jan. 14, holding the Crusaders to just .764 points per possession.
The obvious concern here with Lafayette is that they are shooting a 3 on 47.1% of their shot attempts in Patriot League play, so they can be a volatile team that goes as their 3-point shooting goes. They were 10-of-28 in the first game, but also got to the rim 18 times against a Holy Cross defense that ranks 363rd in shot share against on Close Twos as defined by Bart Torvik. Lafayette typically doesn’t drive a ton, but I think they are capable of making that adjustment against a Holy Cross defense that is dead last in the country in terms of dunk, tip-in and layup attempts.
Lafayette is really stepping down in class here after facing Colgate, Navy and Lehigh, as Holy Cross ranks 328th per Torvik and 333rd per KenPom. Some positive regression on offense should come here after shooting 21% from 3 over those three losses. Lafayette is also the conference’s No. 1 team by adjusted defensive efficiency.
The hope here is that Lafayette scores by easy 2s and makes some 3s, while Holy Cross struggles against the conference’s top defensive unit.
Pick: Lafayette -2.5
