Tuesday College Basketball Betting: Siena vs. St. Bonaventure, UMass vs. Northeastern

College basketball action heats up as we enter the second official week of the 2019-2020 season.

Tuesday, we take a closer look at the Siena Saints who had a coaching change for the second consecutive season. Carmen Maciariello takes the reins of his alma mater and has promised a more uptempo pace.

The second game will examine an intrastate rivalry between the Northeastern Huskies and Massachusetts Minutemen.

Tuesday College Basketball Betting

Odds as of Tuesday morning and via PointsBet, where Action Network users can access an exclusive promotion to get a 200% deposit match (deposit $50, bet with $150).No strings attached. No rollover required.

St. Bonaventure at Siena Odds 

• Spread: St. Bonaventure -1
• Over/Under: 133
• Time: 7 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN+

Siena (1-1) returns home after a valiant effort at No. 19 Xavier. The Saints lost 81-63 on the road after shooting a woeful 4 of 19 from beyond the arc. However, they return home to Times Union Center where they shot a blistering 52.4% (11 of 21) in their 96-80 home-opening win over American.

The Saints are led by 6-foot-4 sophomore Jalen Pickett (15.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.0 spg). As a freshman, Pickett earned first-team All-MAAC honors en route being named the league's Rookie of the Year. He is joined in the backcourt by 6-foot-5 sophomore Donald Carey, who is eligible after transferring from Mount St. Mary's two years ago. Carey is averaging 14 points per game and is shooting 42.9% from 3P. 

St. Bonaventure (0-2) has again struggled to start the season. Last year, the Bonnies started 1-5 after suffering a rash of injuries. This season, they have again suffered a key personnel setback.

Sophomore 6-foot-10 center Osun Osunniyi (7.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.6 bpg) suffered a bone bruise in the Bonnies' 65-53 home-opening loss to Ohio. He is out for a month and limits an already short bench.

With Osunniyi out, the Bonnies will need to greatly improve their perimeter shooting. St. Bonaventure is a combined 7 of 46 (15.2%) from beyond the arc.

Siena already has eight players averaging 10 or more minutes per game, and Pickett is off to a fast start averaging 20 points in the first two contests.

St. Bonaventure won the Franciscan Cup by 40 points last year at home, and has won the past three meetings.

But look for the Saints to earn payback behind a big game from Pickett and an up-tempo pace that the shorthanded Bonnie will not be able to maintain.

The Pick: Siena +1 [In New Jersey? Bet now at PointsBet]

Northeastern at UMass

• Spread: Northeastern -1.5
• Over/Under: 139
• Time: 7 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN+

One of the most underrated coaches in the country is Northeastern's Bill Coen. He led the Huskies to a 23-11 season that ended with another NCAA Tournament berth in 2018-19.

Northeastern will be looking to finish off the intrastate sweep after defeating Boston University and Harvard to start the season.

Senior guard Jordan Roland has started the season on fire, averaging 40.5 points per game while shooting a blistering 66.7% (6 of 9) from 3P. He is joined in the backcourt by freshman Tyson Walker, who has averages of 13 points and two steals per game.

Senior guard Bolden Brace is the quintessential "glue guy," averaging 5.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.1 steals on the season.

Meanwhile, UMass is still in rebuilding mode in head coach Matt McCall's third season. The Minutemen lost four of their top five scorers including Luwane Pipkins (16.1 ppg) to Providence. This leaves junior Carl Pierre (11.8 ppg, 38.1% 3P) to shoulder the scoring load. Pierre was a streaky scorer who finished third in the A10 in 3-point percentage.

Massachusetts is 2-0, but its unimpressive wins have come over UMass-Lowell and Fairfield. This game against the preseason CAA-favorite Huskies is a big jump in class.

I'll take the red hot shooting of Northeastern against a UMass team that ranked 265th in adjusted defensive efficiency last season.

The Pick: Northeastern -1.5 [In New Jersey? Bet now at PointsBet]