NCAA basketball heads into March with a full betting card of matchups for Saturday. The tournament is right around the corner with teams looking to make it in or lock up a good seed.
Our expert NCAAB handicappers take a look at some matchups and give their free comp picks and predictions with a short analysis for Saturday, March 2, 2019.
Click on a handicapper’s name to view their page with more plays, predictions, subscriptions, handicapping records and more.
Dave Price
Iowa State Cyclones vs. Texas Longhorns
Sat, March 2 ’19, 2:00 PM ET
This is a very favorable spot for the Iowa State Cyclones tonight. The Texas Longhorns are playing without their best player in Kerwin Roach II due to suspension. He averages 14.4 PPG and is irreplaceable for this team.
The Longhorns were also without their 3rd-leading scorer and leading rebounder in Dylan Osetkowki (10.2 PPG, 7.7 RPG) in their last game due to having the flu, and he’s questionable to play Saturday.
They just played on Wednesday and lost in overtime at Baylor, so they are working on short rest. And they shot 15-of-27 from 3-point range and still lost that game. They’re unlikely to shoot that well again against the Cyclones.
Iowa State last played on Monday and has 4 days to get ready for Texas. The Longhorns are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games against a team with a winning road record. Texas is 0-6 ATS after a game where it made at least 50% of its 3-point shots over the last 3 seasons.
Pick: Iowa State -1 (-111) at Pinnacle
Kyle Hunter
Ball State Cardinals vs. Western Michigan Broncos
Sat, March 2 ’19, 4:30 PM ET
The Ball State Cardinals have been pushing the pace to the extreme of late. They haven’t been efficient on offense, but I think playing against a very weak defense like Western Michigan will help.
Western Michigan is last in the MAC in defensive efficiency. The Broncos aren’t blocking hardly any shots. They aren’t getting many steals at all. They also give up a high percentage on 2 and 3 point field goal attempts. In 10 of their last 14 games, they have allowed at least 79 points.
Western Michigan does play quicker and score more efficiently at home though. That has led to a massive run of overs at home.
The over is 30-9 in Western Michigan’s last 39 home games with a total of 156 or lower.
Pick: OVER 146.5 -109 at 5Dimes
Stephen Nover
Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Sat, March 2 ’19, 5:00 PM ET
Rutgers has covered five in a row and is not outclassed here like this point spread may indicate. Iowa is 1-2 in its last three games. The Hawkeyes lost to Maryland, 66-65, at home, got past Indiana, 76-70, in overtime at home and was blown out on the road by Ohio State, 90-70, in its last game.
Hawkeyes coach Fran McCaffery was suspended two games following that loss to the Buckeyes for cursing out one of the officials after the game. The Scarlet Knights have made strides this season.
No, they can’t hang with the big boys of the Big Ten. But they are good enough to stay around the middle tier teams of the conference such as Iowa. They proved that in the first meeting on Feb. 16. It took a desperation 3-point basket at the buzzer for the Hawkeyes to escape with a 71-69 victory.
So Rutgers is in revenge mode and is playing well. The Scarlet Knights have been good in this role covering nine of the last 13 times versus opponents sporting a winning home mark. They have covered in four of their last five road games.
Iowa is 2-6 ATS the past eight times it has hosted sub .500 road teams. This has been a ‘dog series, too, with the favorite failing to cover the last five times.
Pick: Rutgers +8.5 (-108) at Pinnacle
Jack Jones
Arizona Wildcats vs. Oregon Ducks
Sat, March 2 ’19, 10:00 PM ET
The Oregon Ducks have one of the best home-court advantages in the Pac-12. They are 12-4 at home this season and outscoring opponents by 13.0 points per game. They have really played well at home of late, going 4-0 SU & 3-1 ATS in their last four home games, beating ASU by 28, Stanford by 23, Cal by 11 and Washington State by 20.
Oregon didn’t even need home court to beat Arizona in their first meeting this season. The Ducks beat the Wildcats 59-54 as 5-point road underdogs. And I think they complete the season sweep here and cover this 4.55-point spread at home in the rematch as well. They have no problem kicking the Wildcats while they’re down.
Arizona head coach Sean Miller is in hot water, and it has clearly been a distraction for this team. The Wildcats have gone 3-7 SU & 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games overall. They will be playing their 2nd road game in 3 days now after winning a 74-72 thriller at Oregon State on Thursday. They won’t be so fortunate against Oregon, which was able to rest its starters late in the 28-point home win over ASU on Thursday.
Arizona is 2-8 ATS as an underdog this season. The Wildcats are 0-8 ATS after two straight games making 78% or more of their free throws over the last two seasons. Arizona is 0-7 ATS after covering three of its last four against the spread over the last two years.
Oregon is 11-0 ATS in home games off a conference home win over the last three seasons. It is winning by 22.0 points per game on average in this spot.
The Wildcats are 1-5 ATS in their last six road games. The Ducks are 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings. Bet Oregon Saturday.
Pick: Oregon -4.5 (-110) at Bookmaker
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