CBB weekly betting preview: Big Ten takes center stage
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Here's a betting breakdown of the week's top college basketball matchups.
Stats and rankings are as of Tuesday, Feb. 4
Ohio State at Michigan (-2.5, 136)
Once considered locks to make the NCAA Tournament, both teams have struggled in conference play and can't afford another loss Tuesday night. Michigan has won two straight after dropping four in a row but has struggled against top competition, going just 1-7-1 against the spread in its last nine games against teams with a winning record.
Ohio State has also won two in a row after a miserable stretch during which it went 1-6 straight-up and 0-7 ATS. Ohio State is still seen as a strong team by oddsmakers, though, as it sits at a respectable 25-1 to win it all. The Buckeyes are one of only eight schools ranked by KenPom in the top 25 in both offensive and defensive efficiency heading into Tuesday.
The home team has dominated this series recently, going 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings. The lean here is to the under, which has cashed in five of Michigan's last six home games.
Rutgers at No. 9 Maryland (-7.5, 131)
Maryland enters Tuesday's game against Rutgers as the winner of four straight, both SU and ATS. The Terps are unbeaten at home this season, covering eight of 12. Maryland has also been profitable on its home court as a favorite, covering four in a row when laying points.
Rutgers has been the surprise of the Big Ten thanks to its defense that ranks 12th in efficiency. The Scarlet Knights are coming off a loss to Michigan but are 6-0-1 ATS in their last seven versus teams with a winning percentage above .600. Rutgers will likely have an edge on the boards as one of the top rebounding teams in the country - it averages 40.9 per game.
The under at 131 is worth a look. These are two of the top-12 ranked teams in defensive efficiency and the under is 4-1 in Rutgers' last five games as an underdog.
No. 22 Penn State at No. 16 Michigan State (-8.5, 144)
Michigan State returns home Tuesday as it tries to rebound from a tough one-point loss at Wisconsin. The Spartans' inconsistency on offense has led to them dropping three of their last six games. In those three losses, they averaged just 56 points.
Penn State is riding a four-game winning streak both SU and ATS. The Nittany Lions remain one of the most undervalued teams in the country, cashing 10 of their last 12 as underdogs. Penn State's defense could cause problems for a Michigan State squad struggling to score points. The Nittany Lions rank eighth in opposing 2-point field-goal percentage.
Michigan State is 10-1 at home, but this is too many points to give a quality Penn State squad. Look for the Nittany Lions' profitable run as underdogs to continue as they stay within 8.5 on the road.
Thomas Casale is theScore's supervising editor of sports betting. He's been following the sports betting industry for almost 30 years. A devoted fan of the wishbone offense, Thomas bets on all sports but specializes in college football, NFL, and college basketball. Find him on Twitter @TheTomCasale.