Plenty of tickets were punched this weekend, but there’s even more action on tap for the week ahead.
The mid-major conferences get some spotlight early in the week.
You know I love the mid-majors, so let’s dive into my college basketball predictions and mid-major picks for the NCAAB games on Monday, March 9.
Furman vs East Tennessee State Picks
| Furman Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -110 | 138.5 -110o / -110u | +110 |
| East Tennessee State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -110 | 138.5 -110o / -110u | -130 |
Welcome to the title game in the SoCon here on Monday night.
Furman is seeded lower, but the betting markets had it as one of the three favorites. East Tennessee State was consistently the best team in the conference during the regular season.
The Bucs ranked first in the league in defensive efficiency. East Tennessee shot 78.7% from the free-throw line in league play, too, and that helped it win some close games.
Furman has won a lot of games under Bob Richey. The Paladins seemed destined for a disappointing season with a slow start to the season, but they have rounded into form and are playing their best basketball at the right time.
Furman ranks second in the Southern Conference in defensive efficiency.
East Tennessee State won both regular-season meetings. Have you ever heard the expression that it's hard to beat a team three times? I’ll get so tired of hearing that this week, but I’m not going to take either side in this one.
I’m going to take the under. The mid-major title games have trended heavily toward the under. This is win-or-go-home, and it's a massive opportunity for these teams. They are likely to slow the pace down a bit. The defensive intensity should be high.
Pick: Under 139.5
Towson vs Hofstra Picks
| Towson Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4 -110 | 130.5 -110o / -110u | +155 |
| Hofstra Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4 -110 | 130.5 -110o / -110u | -185 |
The Towson Tigers were the preseason favorites in the CAA, but they underachieved during the regular season.
It didn't help that Tyler Tejada shot the ball poorly throughout the season after being named the CAA Preseason Player of the Year. He still has a very high upside, but he hasn’t consistently brought his best this season.
However, Tejada has shown up in a big way in the first two games of this tournament. He hung 35 points on Stony Brook and followed it up with 30 points against Charleston. He’s 14-of-14 from the free-throw line in the CAA Tournament.
Hofstra has been very good this season, and it’s hard to say much bad about it. The Pride are pretty reliant on the 3-point jumper, though, and Towson ranks 33rd nationally in 3-point defense.
Towson is always solid on the glass, and it could get second-chance points against Hofstra.
The pace of this game should be extremely slow. Both of these teams are in the bottom 50 nationally in tempo.
With a game played at this pace and so much on the line, I think five points is too many for Hofstra to be laying against a talented Towson team.
Pick: Towson +4.5
Santa Clara vs Saint Mary's Picks
| Santa Clara Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5 -110 | 147.5 -110o / -110u | +180 |
| Saint Mary's Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5 -110 | 147.5 -110o / -110u | -220 |
Santa Clara is on the right side of most bracketology projections, but it's definitely a bubble team. The Broncos' length and ability to turn teams over make them a difficult matchup.
Of course, I want to see Santa Clara in the NCAA Tournament, so I’ll be rooting for them in this one. Saint Mary’s is one of my favorite teams, too, but it's already safely in the field.
Herb Sendek vs. Randy Bennett is a fantastic coaching matchup. Santa Clara wants to run and get out in transition, while Saint Mary’s wants to slow things down.
I’m not going to have a pregame position here, but if the Gaels get out to a lead, I’ll be keeping an eye out for a potential live under. SMC is exceptional at taking the air out of the ball with a lead.
Watch for a chance to take a live under, but I want a total in the 150s and Saint Mary’s needs to have a clear lead.
Pick: Watch for Live Under
