College Basketball Picks, Predictions & Best CBB Betting Odds [Thursday, Jan 5th]

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BetUS NCAAB Predictions Show

TJ Reeves:

Well, hello there and welcome in to a Thursday edition of the BetUS College Basketball Show. We were only briefly delayed in getting on, but we were making sure everything is good and ready with our handicappers, Kyle Hunter and Matt Cox. And look, even if we’re late by a minute or two, that doesn’t mean that we’re not going to be here weekdays at 11:00 AM. We are here at 11:00 AM Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. Boys, how are we feeling? The show did well again yesterday from a handicapping standpoint. Mattie Cox, nice call on Michigan and the win over Penn State. They had to make a bunch of free throws to help you get a cover, but they did. It doesn’t matter how, it just matters, did you? So well done on that. Kudos to mid-major Matt as well who hit all three of his plays with the Georgia Bulldogs outright win as an underdog over Auburn. He also hit a couple of other overplays in a couple of other conferences. So the show four and 0 yesterday, the show nine and two to start the week. We love all of that. And speaking of starting his week with us, Kyle Hunter on the Bet US College Basketball Show. Good to have you back. Happy Thursday. How are you feeling sir?

Kyle Hunter:

Doing well, man. I was pretty excited when I got in the show spreadsheet and saw how the guys have done so far this week, so that’s a great start to the week. Let’s see if we can keep it going.

TJ Reeves:

We have a standard. Mattie Cox, you’ve done well on some sides so far this year. How are things looking? We’ve got some interesting games for a Thursday that we’re going to look at. How are things? How you doing?

Matt Cox:

Yeah, well if it’s working I’m going to stay in that same lane in Big 10 home teams. You’ll see that same theme come up later today.

TJ Reeves:

And we do have some interesting action. Obviously last night we saw a Providence win over Yukon. We mentioned the Georgia upset of Auburn. I saw some of Nevada looking very good against Colorado State last night at the Mountain West. Anything else strike you guys? Kyle, this is the first time you’ve been with us. Anything strike you from Wednesday or from this week that stands out? Obviously we saw Purdue and New Mexico take their first losses earlier in the week. What else Kyle, stands out?

Kyle Hunter:

How about that TCU game last night? TCU, Baylor was a great finish. TCU, I remember back in November where some people were saying, “Man, TCU was badly overrated.” They had that one loss to Northwestern State. They’re looking good since then, TCU looking like a pretty dangerous team.

TJ Reeves:

That last second shot, welcome to conference play there in Baylor. Mattie Cox, anything else off of Wednesday night in particular besides your Michigan cover or something else stand out? Providence, very impressive at home with Yukon. Back to back losses for Yukon in the conference.

Matt Cox:

Duke, not so impressive. My goodness, that was a disaster. It’s been a house of horrors going into Raleigh and playing in NC State for the Devil’s for many years now. So under the John Scheyer era, nothing has changed. It stands.

TJ Reeves:

Yeah, they were down 20 early on in the game and never really challenged, north Carolina did win over Wake Forest. So that’s a lot from last night, but we’re about the future guys. We’re about today, we’re about the present and peeps, thank you for finding us, hit the like button, get some questions and answers ready. You’ll see some of that coming across the bottom of the screen. We will also have time for Q and A after the official picks. Let’s go though. Let’s take a look at the records to this point. As we mentioned four and 0 on the show yesterday, the show now above 500 overall, Mattie Cox working his way up to 500, mid, mid-major Matt, the same. Kyle is already above 500, so we’re ready to go on a Thursday slate. Let’s get to it. And speaking of the Big 10, and speaking of the Purdue loss, they are now in Columbus playing against Ohio State on a Thursday night with the Buckeyes laying a point and a half. The total is 141. Matt Cox, you have been dabbling in the Big 10 some this week and taking some sides in some games. A couple of winners already. You’re going to start us with an official play. What is it, sir?

Matt Cox:

I’m going to say Purdue. The number one team in the land, has certainly not looked like it as of late coming off the home loss to Rutgers, you just kind of extrapolate the last three weeks of their season, starting with the Nebraska loss. That’s when this team looked from, went from invincible to mortal and I think they’re starting to become the playbook of how to guard Zach Edey is disseminating across college basketball. I think when you get into conference play, there’s an especially tight, under the microscope that all these teams get and all these coaches just seem to have better game plans to guard players, certain schemes. The familiarity I think does help this case where they’re going to need to guard an absolute stalwart up front in Zach Edey. On the other hand, the Buckeyes are playing pretty good ball right now. I think they’re in a great spot at home. Their young freshmen have been prone to some letdowns on the road, but I think at home and in a hype home spot, comfy, the friendly confines there. I think they play well tonight. So I’m looking to back the short home favorite here in the Bucks.

TJ Reeves:

Kyle, you are there in Ohio. You lean Ohio State in terms of fandom anyway, interesting Purdue, the road underdog here. Any thoughts if no official play on Purdue at Ohio State this evening in a marquee game?

Kyle Hunter:

Yeah, I think it’s always interesting to see the quote on quote “number one” team as an underdog, especially against an Ohio State team that’s ranked like 24th or something like that I think. So you’re not going to see that type of thing too often. I know a lot of betters do like to back that team, that is the lower rank team laying points. Brice Sensabaugh’s been fantastic, great scorer is a freshman. Bruce Thornton’s a good point guard as well. Buckeyes have a lot of talent. They’re not always as good defensively, offensively, they’re very efficient. I would’ve liked this spot better if Purdue hadn’t lost last game. I kind of wish Purdue had just pulled out the really close win at the end of the game. I did want to say that shot quality suggests that Purdue, three of their wins should have been losses Marquette, West Virginia and Nebraska. So this is a Purdue team that has kind of gotten away with some close wins throughout the course of the season. I think the big key here is can Ohio State at least slow down Zack Edey some. Zed Key is pretty good in there both defensively and offensively. So yeah, I don’t hate taking the Buckeyes here in this one and I kind of like the over, I think both teams can be pretty efficient on offense here.

TJ Reeves:

Again for Ohio State, since the neutral floor loss in New York to North Carolina, they have beaten Maine, Alabama, A&M, and then a Northwestern team as Maddie made quick reference to, they beat them in Evanston decisively, now they’re back home with Purdue and Matt Cox. Mattie Cox says, “Give me Buckeyes here in this instance.” He’ll lay the point and a half in the Thursday night showdown in that matchup. And again, we’ve got a bunch of different games from a bunch of different conferences. You see the official plays on the screen. We’ve got some time for some Q and A. Let’s continue and let’s swing out to the western part of the country. Northern Arizona and Montana shall be discussed next here on our Thursday show. This one has Montana laying two and a half as the road favorite against NAU, total 137 and a half. And Kyle Hunter, I had a sneaking suspicion where we might go, but it’s not necessarily what we think here. What do we think on an official play from Montana, Northern Arizona?

Kyle Hunter:

Man that grizzly and the lumberjack. I love those images right there. Those are fantastic. I’m going to go toward an under, but not exactly the game under here in this one. Montana, if you look at Montana, they’re one of the few teams that actually really play defense in this league. This is a league that’s not known for defense at all. I think Montana prefers to play at a slow pace. And Northern Arizona.

Matt Cox:

TJ Reeves:

Okay, and I’m not sure we’re hearing Mattie there. I don’t know if Mattie’s able to hear us while you were talking there, Kyle or not. We’re having a little technical fun here on the show. So Matt, if you still hear us hang in. We’re hearing you. Kyle, finish up the thought on Northern Arizona and Montana.

Kyle Hunter:

Yeah, just Montana is one of the slower paced teams in the league. The one thing Montana does really poorly is they foul way too much on defense. And the thing that makes this a good matchup for them is Northern Arizona, the last two years has been dead last in the big sky and free throw attempts and it hasn’t even been close. So far this year, they’re tracking about the same. So here we’ve got Northern Arizona, a team that’s probably not going to get to the line very much. They take a lot of contested mid-range jumpers. This is a Northern Arizona team that’s not likely to get to the line a lot. And then it’s a question of whether they’re going to make those contested mid-range jumpers. I don’t really think they will, look at the last four meetings between these two teams. They’ve all finished regulation with a score of 123 or lower. The total is much higher than that. I like Montana to win this game. So I’m going to take Northern Arizona’s team total under the number here.

TJ Reeves:

All right, even though they’re at home, he’s going to go with them, with Northern Arizona’s team total to stay down enough here. Mattie Cox, any thought here on this game or you just want to move on off of Montana, Northern Arizona?

Matt Cox:

No, I love the under here. I think it’s a great angle. I like that Kyle’s specifically targeting one side of the coin, just because there is a little bit of a value erosion with the early money that’s coming on the under it’s moved down three points. So I think he’s on the right scent here.

TJ Reeves:

All right, good enough. Lock him in officially. Kyle says under on the team, total, Lumberjacks, right Kyle? For the Lumberjacks of Northern Arizona in this matchup tonight under 67 and a half. Let’s continue with game number three on the official slate. This one out of conference USA with North Texas and Western Kentucky. These are two traditional top teams. Again, North Texas will move out of this conference to the American Athletic Conference. Western Kentucky is expected to stick around in Conference USA, but they’re both always near the top of this league. North Texas, excuse me, is laying three and a half. The total is 122. Kyle, I’m right back to you. And what is the play on this matchup tonight in Bowling Green, Kentucky, just across the Tennessee Kentucky border. What are the thoughts here on WKU hosting North Texas?

Kyle Hunter:

Yeah, TJ, I think the people who watch this show pretty consistently see North Texas over on the side and I’m on here. They already know what I’m going to take, so I’m taking the under here in this game. Three of the games that North Texas has played so far this year have gone over this total, only three out of 14. This is such a low total. North Texas is very, very good at controlling the game and playing the style they want to play. They’re dead last in the nation in tempo. It’s not really very close either. In conference play, they’re using an average of 21.6 seconds on each possession. That’s insanely slow pace. I mean shooting the ball on average with about eight seconds left on the clock. A fantastic defensive team is going to force you to play their style. Western Kentucky, they do play quicker.

I don’t think they’ll be able to dictate the tempo too much in this one. They scored only 58 points against South Carolina. That’s not really a great defense. 60 on Middle Tennessee State. I think they’ll have a low number here. The only thing that could blow this one up is North Texas making their threes. They shoot a lot of threes, but here they are on the road, in a spot that North Texas offense has not been very efficient throughout the course of the season, I think we see one of those really low scoring games here, so I’ll take the under.

TJ Reeves:

All right, Mattie Cox, an interesting one, the Mean Green. We’ve discussed, we’ve discussed the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers as well. And again, this is usually one of the marquee games in this conference. This is an eight local time, nine Eastern Time game. North Texas is, Kyle mentioned is 11 and three as the road favorite, any thought here if no official play, Mattie?

Matt Cox:

I think you get a pretty good effort from Western Kentucky. A team that’s badly underachieved. I actually kind of lean their way against the spread because they’re a team that likes to play down to their competition, but they tend to rise well up to better teams because they usually have more talent than those teams. The problem is that the coaching disparity here is pretty seismic, so I didn’t bet it, I would lean Western Kentucky and because I lean that way, I think this is a close game and because it’s a close game, I think it could play even slower than what’s priced there in the market, which is already a slow mo pace as Kyle alluded to. So I like the under angle as well.

TJ Reeves:

I love some of these names. The Diddle Arena on WKU’s Campus. Diddle Arena, Western Kentucky, North Texas, tonight CBS Sports Network will televise it at nine Eastern time. Kyle says under, let’s go under a low total, doesn’t phase him, he still says under 122 in this matchup tonight. We continue here on a Thursday. Thank you for finding us. If you’ve just jumped in here, we’re here weekdays at 11:00 AM Eastern time. Hit that like button, we will get some questions and answers going. Another game of interest to the handicappers is UT Martin hanging in against Southeast Missouri State. We go all over the board in college basketball every weekday here and in this case UTM, UT Martin is laying two, the total is 152 and a half. We are back to Kyle Hunter, but do I sense a swerve? You’ve gone three handicaps in a row. Might there be a swerve on the Kyle philosophy here? What about it?

Kyle Hunter:

Yeah, and I see core 1024 put this one game over in the chat, talking about wanting to know about this total, says he likes the over in this game. I like the over in this game as well. I’ll tell you why I like the over, I think the Southeast Missouri State games have been speeding up drastically here of late. I mean they’re playing extremely fast. Look at their last nine games, six of them with 78 possessions or faster. I mean that’s just a blistering pace. They’re 358th in the country defending without fouling. So a lot of reaching going on from them. Tennessee Martin is 329th in that same category, expect a parade to the free throw line in a game like this. That certainly helps your case if you like an over, Tennessee Martin is 45th in tempo. So you’ve got a SEMO state team who’s been playing extremely fast here of late.

You’ve got Tennessee Martin 45th in tempo. I think this is going to be a heter skelter back and forth game. I think it should be a close game. You could see one of those foul fests late and we know how that can put up 20 points in the last minute or so in some of these games. So I like this one to go over the total. Obviously there’s a potential core 1024 says the offensive efficiency scares him a little bit. Neither of his teams are great on offense, but they’re not very good on defense either. So I’m counting on the offenses to make a few more shots in this one and I don’t think they have to shoot a great percentage to get this one over the total because of the tempo. We’ll see.

TJ Reeves:

All right, interesting. And again, Kyle is referencing our live chat where they’re going back and forth with a bunch of different games. We’ll get to some of those questions or comments in a little bit and the guys do a good job of also typing in some answered responses. Mattie Cox, any thought here on this one or do you want to move along on UT Martin and Southeast Missouri State? A bit obscure here, Kyle has his reasons. Anything from you or you want to move on?

Matt Cox:

I think there’s a few more feathers in his cap here. The main one is the fact that SEMO’s healthier. They got some key guys back in the line for the last couple of games that just increases their depth. Israel Barnes is a notable guy, just recently returned. Great offensive player just to get another additional source of edge as you kind of piece together those little increments of edges that gets you value at this game and at this point it’s been bet up to 155, but I still think there’s value at the current price.

TJ Reeves:

All right. Kyle Hunter doesn’t often come in here on the bet US College Basketball Show and say “Points, points, points.” As I like to say. He is saying that though about Southeast Missouri State and UT Martin score, score, and score some more over the total of 152 and a half in that matchup at eight local time, nine Eastern time. All right, one game to go before we get to your questions and answers. And I know we’ve got a USC, UCLA game that’s going to come up out west. We’ve already talked about Montana, Northern Arizona. Now we’re going to go a little obscure here with Utah Tech and Cal Baptist making the official show on Bet US for a Thursday. Cal Baptist laying six at home with Utah Tech. The total in this one is 136 and Mattie Cox has the official play and something that you have zeroed in on. I am interested, what’s up?

Matt Cox:

I don’t like to take first halves typically because they often burn me if I bet first half, my team likes to make a second half run and vice versa. When I bet full game, it seems like they win the first half by 10 and lose the second half by 10. But we’re going to try and buck that trend tonight with the Cal Bap Lancers hosting what I think is an overrated Utah Tech team, the artist formerly owned as Dixie State. They played well above their expectations pre-season, at least by my standards and I probably disrespected them to start the year. But even after some sharp adjustments I made in my numbers, I still had this line too low at the current number, especially when you compound the fact that starting point guard Cam Gooden could miss tonight’s game. He was out last game for Utah Tech.

I don’t have the official prognosis on his status tonight, but even if he does return, we expect a little bit of rust after missing last game. He’s a key piece for this team. Without him, I think they lack some back court dynamism, if you will. And I think the Cal Bap Lancers have a substantial edge on the perimeter if in fact he is out or not at a hundred percent. So take CBU, great home court down there in the Riverside area and SoCal, we’re going to take first half though to chop that six and a half in half and hopefully they get a good start.

TJ Reeves:

All right, interesting that you went first have, do you play, you said you don’t do a lot of first half plays, but typically are you looking for a home team, like in this case that maybe is good offensively and so did that lean you maybe here or guide you maybe here? Home team in their first half total for that reason?

Matt Cox:

Yeah, there’s no rhyme or reason for me. The only thing that really prompts me to go from full game to first half is if I miss a good or key number on the full game price. And so I just then revert to a first half that usually you can’t bet as much on first halves, but I’m fine taking a worst number on the first half if it means I can avoid a bad number on the full game, if that makes sense.

TJ Reeves:

I understand. Our buddy Corby Craig, by the way is commenting on Kyle’s hat collection there. I don’t know if you saw that Kyle down below. He’s very impressed with all of that. You keep the good lids rolling on the show. All right, do you have any thought here, Kyle on Utah Tech and Cal Baptist? I mean we are in the weeds on this game. Any thought here or you want to move along your questions and answers?

Kyle Hunter:

Oh, I love getting in the weeds on these games. Utah Tech I do think is probably a bit overrated. Cal Baptist, Taran Armstrong’s a really good player. I think he’s one of the more underrated players in the country. I think he could have a big game in one like this and Cal Baptist’s defense is pretty good this year. They’ve really upped the ante on defense so far this year. If you look at Cal Baptist this year, they’ve lost a ton of close games, a lot of really close games, two overtime losses on neutrals against Minnesota and Southern Illinois, which are really not bad losses. They just lost two in a row on the road to Grand Canyon, which is a really tough place to play. And then at Seattle, they come home, this is probably a good circle the wagon spot. So yeah, I would tend to agree with this one as well.

TJ Reeves:

All right, let’s lock him in. Mattie Cox is on his side. He’s on Cal Baptist, but it’s a first half line that he likes, not the full game line. He likes the first half line for them to be up by at least four at halftime with Utah Tech. All right, there we go with official plays, get the questions and answers rolling. I can tell that the live audience has grown by over a hundred of you and continues to grow since the show began. So keep cranking, keep hitting the like button. Make sure that you’re subscribing. We keep rising in subscribers. I want to see that subtotal get up to 3,500. I think we can do that with your help by the end of January, maybe even earlier. It only happens with you guys. Hit subscribe, share the show out. That helps us as well.

So thank you for being in here as we’re in here on a Thursday, Monday through Friday at 11:00 AM all the way through March, all the way through the Final Four, but you can help us out as well as you get handicapping on a bunch of different games and we’re about to demonstrate how even if they’re not on our official schedule that you see up and down on the list, we talk about a bunch of them live here on the show. To that end, let’s go. Tim is watching. We’re going to stay obscure. Tim, thank you for watching. He says, “Thoughts on Omaha and Western Illinois?” Guys, you may have that line in front of you in the bevy of games. I don’t have Omaha and Western Illinois in front of me, either one of you with a thought?

Matt Cox:

Minus four.

TJ Reeves:

Minus four. Mattie, do you have a thought on that at all? A lean?

Matt Cox:

I do lean toward the Leathernecks, even though Omaha has been playing better, I tend to just decide with the home team when in doubt in these summit games, travel’s usually a bear that basically covers over half the country out there in the Big Sky region. Also, a one and two in conference. I think they’re desperate after losing two straight. I would lean WIU.

TJ Reeves:

Kyle Hunter. Any thought on this one? Western Illinois, Omaha?

Kyle Hunter:

Leatherneck’s a fantastic name, I love that. The over would be my lean in this game. I think neither team plays very good defense there. I would think that over the total would be a good look.

TJ Reeves:

All right, I am going down the list of what they have here so far in the live chat. Hayden is watching Big Pac-12 matchup in Boulder, Oregon and Colorado. We will talk USC, UCLA in just a second. Oregon, Colorado. Hayden is interested in. Kyle Hunter, anything from that one for tonight?

Kyle Hunter:

Yeah, I’m trying to see the current line on this one. I know it’s moved around a little bit.

Matt Cox:

Colorado, two and a half I think.

TJ Reeves:

Thank you sir.

Kyle Hunter:

Okay. Yeah, I think I lean Colorado. I don’t know that I trust either one of these two teams a lot though, so I don’t think this is a game that I’d be excited to bet. I think Oregon will be better by the end of the season. Altman always has his teams playing good in March. Right now, I don’t know that I trust them that much, but my slight lean would be Colorado.

TJ Reeves:

All right, that matchup on ESPN 2. Seven, local time, nine Eastern Time. Mattie Cox, any thought, Oregon at eight and six coming in as the two and a half point underdog on the road?

Matt Cox:

Yeah, if you could bet any Pac-12 game, especially game featuring these two, I don’t understand where you’re getting your confidence from. This is one of the bigger stay aways for me. In general, Pac-12 games often result in crap shoots. Just a league that’s fairly parody ridden and as Kyle mentioned, these are two of the more unknown feaster fam and Jekyll and Hyde squads in the league.

TJ Reeves:

All right, so there’s a little conversation on that. Bob is watching us. Bob Bogden. He says “Give me something on USC, UCLA.” Several people are asking about that. The matchup is at Polly Pavilion. UCLA favored by 11, Bruins have won what, 10 in a row or 11 in a row. They swept the two Washington teams on the road this past weekend. Had a narrow escape against Washington State, won decisively against Washington. Thoughts Mattie Cox on Bruins, Trojans here early January Pac-12 showdown?

Matt Cox:

Yeah, the line opened way too high, opened at two touchdowns, which in my opinion, as good as UCLA has been playing, which is like a bonafide national title contender, USC is no pushover and they’ve been competitive lately. They got size, they have talent that’s a cross town trip. Not exactly making the cross-country flights. I agree with the money that’s pushed this down all the way to 11. So one of the bigger moves we’ve seen today. I don’t think I can endorse this as 11. I think I just respect UCLA too much in what they’ve done and the trajectory that they are on. So no play at the current price.

TJ Reeves:

Tiger Campbell at the point guard, Kyle Hunter, Jaime Jaquez. A couple pieces from that Final Four team, that run they had a couple of years ago in the Covid crazy tournament of 2021 that they played all in around Indiana and Greater Indianapolis. The USC 11 and four, they split in the two Washington games, beating Washington and losing to Washington State. Any thought Kyle on USC, UCLA?

Kyle Hunter:

I would’ve wanted to bet an under, but the unders moved down three and a half points too, so we’ve seen a correlated move with USC getting Bet and then the under getting bet. Those would’ve been both my leans, but now the numbers worse than what it was. So nothing too strong there.

TJ Reeves:

All right, good enough. Arbone is watching us. He’s asking about a game coming up at one Eastern time, Fairleigh Dickinson and St. Francis of Brooklyn. Again, we go obscure sometimes. This is a day game where St. Francis is favored by two and a half. Kyle Hunter, any quick thought?

Kyle Hunter:

I think there’s been like four people bring up this game in the chat. So the peeps love those day games for sure, understandable, day basketball’s always fun. I think Tobin Anderson’s a good coach for Fairleigh Dickinson. I think his team will improve. That would be my look is looking toward Fairleigh Dickinson as a team that’s kind of on the right trajectory there in that one. So nothing strong there for me. But I do think Fairleigh Dickinson has kind of been improving here over the last five or six games.

TJ Reeves:

Mattie Cox, any thoughts on that or you want to move on? On Fairleigh Dickinson and St. Francis of Brooklyn.

Matt Cox:

I do lean toward Fairleigh Dickinson as well. But man, this conference, akin to the Pac-12, you have no idea who’s… All these teams are actually really bad. So the variants in a sense is almost higher. So complete coin flip for me, I would stay away, honestly.

TJ Reeves:

Savages, keep the questions coming. Let me stick in here from me. Houston SMU. That is a six local time, seven Eastern Time game at the Fertitta Center. Houston now 14 and one, they’ve won their first couple of American Conference games. SMU at six and eight. They played well in the tournament in Hawaii. Big line here, Houston favored by 20. Any thoughts? Mattie Cox, any thoughts on Houston, the number two team in the country, real quick?

Matt Cox:

I agree with the money that’s coming on SMU at open 22 down to 20. It’s just a massive spread for a game that’s going to play pretty slow, totals 130. Conference game, SMU looked pretty competitive over in the island at the Diamond Head classic. However, there might be a little bit of an island hangover. I know it’s been a while back now, but I just tend to think teams that play really well over there, I’m looking to fade coming back to the mainland. So Houston’s not a fun team to fade either.

TJ Reeves:

No. Good luck. Kyle Hunter, since the loss to Alabama, they have wins over North Carolina, A&T. They won at Virginia, outright road win. Huge win for them against a really good team, they beaten McNeese. They clobbered Tulsa in a conference game and a good UCF team they beat as well at home. Kyle, any thought on Houston hosting SMU. This is old Southwest conference. It is now currently American Athletic Conference and then Houston’s going to move on to the Big 12 and move out of the conference. But any quick thought here, because these two programs used to play each other a bunch in the seventies and the eighties in the old Southwest conference. Any thought here? Big, big spread for Houston tonight.

Kyle Hunter:

Yeah, it’s a big spread. Houston has covered a lot of big spreads in the past. They’re a team that blows out a lot of teams. I was trying to look this one up on the fly here. If I find the stat here on Houston as a big favorite, I’ll drop it in the chat here in a minute, but Kelvin Samson’s team, I don’t want to fade them. I think Houston’s very good. Do I really want to lay 20 points? I’m not excited to do that. SMU was the team that got beat right at the buzzer by Hawaii, correct?

TJ Reeves:

Correct.

Matt Cox:

Yes.

TJ Reeves:

Correct.

Kyle Hunter:

Yeah, so I mean I don’t know if this is a great spot for SMU and like Matt said, it’s not exciting going against Houston. So nothing too strong for me, but I kind of lean toward Houston, honestly.

TJ Reeves:

Couple more minutes, couple more of you in the chat with questions. We have not talked Indiana, Iowa. Mark says, “Hey Indiana, Iowa, what do we have here?” We know Fran McCaffrey’s son has taken a leave right now because of anxiety issues, they’ve had injuries, they’ve got that. What about Iowa and Indiana tonight in the Big 10? Mattie, you’ve been focusing on the Big 10 for a lot of your official plays this week and a lot of your interest. Any thought on that game, if no official play?

Matt Cox:

Man, two teams that I think are going in the wrong direction right now. So if you look at that current form as being negated on both sides, I tend to side with the home team, similar to my Ohio State take tonight and my Michigan bet last night.

TJ Reeves:

Interesting that Iowa’s still favored by a point and a half. Kyle, is that just chalked up to home floor, even with the McCaffrey announcement?

Kyle Hunter:

Yeah, I was looking at this one earlier. Iowa’s 96 and 58 against the spread at home, since 2012, I believe it was. 96 and 58, what a run in the last 154 games. I don’t want to bet against Iowa at home. I think this is kind of a circle the wagons type game for Iowa. So I think that line is justified.

TJ Reeves:

Indiana blown away by Kansas a couple of games ago. They’ve beaten Elon and Kennesaw State the last two times out, now they’re back in Big 10 play, excuse me. Playing at Iowa in the matchup tonight. Couple of more on the questions and answers Yukon Rob, quickly, Nicholls laying four against Texas A&M Commerce were obscure again. Quickly, Kyle Hunter, thought on Nicholls, Texas A&M Commerce?

Kyle Hunter:

I like Nicholl’s overs. They really pushed the tempo really well. I think they can control the pace in a game like this, play from the lead. So my look would be betting an over there in that one.

TJ Reeves:

Mattie Cox, anything on that one or you want to move on?

Matt Cox:

I like the Nicholls side, I think A&M Commerce had a few decent games to start the year, but I think they’re starting to sort of find their level, which really isn’t a D1 caliber team. I think they could end up as one of the worst teams in college basketball actually by year end.

TJ Reeves:

Peeps, great stuff and the live audience is still growing. We’ll sit here for a couple more minutes with all of this. Let me get the name. Thank you, Austin who’s watching us. Thoughts on Drexel and Towson, Mattie Cox? Anything on that one? I don’t have the line in front of me. It’s at Towson.

Matt Cox:

Yeah, it’s been bet up to Towson minus seven and a half, up from six. I actually lean Drexel at the current number. I think they’ve been pretty solid. Deceptively solid where Towson had been really struggling until they got that big OT win against Charleston at home. They were just overdue for a good game. I’m not convinced that they’re like all of a sudden solved and I think we see a little bit of a regression, a little bit of a sleep walk at home tonight against the Dragons.

TJ Reeves:

Kyle, any quick thought? Drexel, Towson.

Kyle Hunter:

125 and a half is really low. I would want to bet the under, but I think that’s probably a bit too low to bet the under. So I don’t really have anything on that one.

TJ Reeves:

Rutgers off the big win. Easy baby, 1988. We’re back to easy baby wants to know about Maryland and Rutgers. Let down for Rutgers maybe at home after the upset of Purdue. Any thought, Kyle, quickly?

Kyle Hunter:

I don’t want to bet against Rutgers at the rack. Maryland should show up here better. I mean remember last game against Michigan, it was 65 to 27 in that game and then 81 46 final. But do I want to trust Maryland on the road against Rutgers? I certainly don’t. So somebody else wants to take Maryland, they can do it, but my lean would definitely be Rutgers on that

Matt Cox:

It’s being bet back up here. So if you’re looking to take Maryland, you should, now might be your time to hop in. So fun little tug of war in the market people are betting Rutgers and Maryland pretty convincingly on both sides.

TJ Reeves:

Interesting. Again, honor of Corby Craig, who will be here tomorrow, one of the games of the night, even though it’s not got top 25 numbers beside the names, Florida Atlantic UAB. This one in Boca Raton, FAU favored in the FAU arena by a point and a half. UAB comes in 12 and two. One of the leading scorers in the country, Jordan “Jelly” Walker. Thoughts? Mattie Cox, thought on this one, if no play?

Matt Cox:

Man, a lot of money coming on UAB open, minus four down to minus two. I kind of like the Owls, the current price. I’m just all in on this Florida Atlantic team. They are super legit, complete, deep, talented, experienced.

TJ Reeves:

The argument can be made, Mattie Cox, they’re the best team in the state of Florida. Gators took another loss last night to Texas A&M.

Matt Cox:

I co-sign that take. I co-sign that take.

TJ Reeves:

FAU beat Florida at Florida. They’re 12 and one right now. Kyle Hunter, any thought on UAB and Florida Atlantic at seven Eastern tonight?

Kyle Hunter:

Man, a Florida Atlantic with a win on the road at Florida. They won at North Texas. They’ve had a bit of a break here. They didn’t play last Saturday. They’ve played the tougher schedule than has UAB by a decent amount. I think UAB’s a really good team, so definitely not dissing them. And I’d like to hear Corby’s thoughts too on this one. I assume he would like UAB, but this is one where the over might make some sense based on the tempo that this game will be played at. But I kind of think Florida Atlantic is a good look based on the line move here.

TJ Reeves:

And it would be criminal if we got out of here and don’t talk Gonzaga, San Francisco. That is at San Francisco. Two of the best teams in Western basketball, guys, any quick thoughts on that? I was looking at that a moment ago and it may have actually had some line movement, but right now Gonzaga is still favored by nine and a half, road favorite at San Francisco at the War Memorial Sobrato Center as they now call it. Used to be the War Memorial Auditorium in San Francisco. Little small, 3,500 seat arena. Surprised at the line guys. Mattie Cox, any quick thoughts? Gonzaga by nine and a half in that one.

Matt Cox:

Yeah, a little surprised. But San Francisco has been struggling more than I anticipated as of lates. Now the Dons have played Zags close historically. They’ve also been blow out. But typically under Todd Golden, where Chris Gerlufsen, the current head coach was an assistant, they always had a pretty good game plan to make these games competitive. I just don’t know if they have the horses this year that they had last year, the talent that they had last year. So I worry that this game gets to like 7, 10, 12. Do they have the fight to keep it close and really play up that true home dog spot? A little bit nervous to back the Dons, but I would lean their way.

TJ Reeves:

Am I remembering correctly? Didn’t they beat Gonzaga at the end of last year? They upset them at home, I think. Different rosters, I understand that year to year, but I think that’s correct.

Matt Cox:

I don’t think… They played them close. I don’t think they actually beat them, did they?

TJ Reeves:

They played them close, but didn’t beat them?

Matt Cox:

Right, correct. Yeah.

TJ Reeves:

We have to look into that. It was a good game. And Kyle, to Mattie’s point, back to back losses for San Francisco in the conference to Santa Clara and San Diego that justifies that line. What do I know? A little more of Gonzaga by nine and a half. Any quick thought Kyle before we get out of here?

Kyle Hunter:

Yeah, I mean I think the previous game by San Francisco is even worse than it looks on the surface because San Diego came and beat them without Eric Williams or Jaiden Delaire. So pretty bad loss there for San Francisco. I don’t know. I mean I’m not excited to lay a bunch of points at War Memorial because that’s a good home court.

TJ Reeves:

Ask Bobby Hurley, by the way, because San Francisco destroyed them and Arizona State is good at home. Exact point that you’re making. You’re coming into their place, that tiny gym, maybe they bow up and give some kind of performance like that tonight to at least keep it close.

Kyle Hunter:

I think it’s at least possible and I think a pretty high scoring game here. I would probably lean to the over.

TJ Reeves:

All right, good enough. Let’s get to your best bets, peeps. Let’s take a look at what… Peeps take a look at this, this is what Kyle and Mattie Cox have for this evening. I won’t go over all of it word by word here. Interesting, Kyle has a team total under. Mattie Cox has a first half under in his plays. Mattie also going back to the Big 10 as well with another side. He’s had a lot of success with that. Again, I repeat nine and two is the show’s record to this point in the week. Guys, let’s keep it up. That’s a full show for a Thursday. Anything else that we did not cover before we’re gone that you want to share anything else about? I know number two, Arizona is at home in a Pac-12 game and we probably had a couple other games, didn’t cover, anything else? Mattie Cox, anything before we’re gone?

Matt Cox:

Man, I wouldn’t back Arizona. It’s a big spread to be honest. But no, a lot of games tonight and an even bigger card on Saturday. So get ready, dig in, 150 I think, by my tally. So that’ll be a busy, busy Friday day tomorrow.

TJ Reeves:

Kyle Hunter, any final thought or comment? I’m just looking and scanning. It’s Arizona and Washington and Arizona’s favorite by 18 and a half on the Bet US line. Wow, Kyle, any final thought for a Thursday?

Kyle Hunter:

I think the chat was great today. There were a lot of people there in the chat, bouncing ideas, even off each other, so I love to see that. You guys made the show a lot of fun, so appreciate everybody tuning in.

TJ Reeves:

Great stuff. Hit that like button if you’ve not done so already. Again, share the show out, make sure you’re subscribed and visit our sportsbook website. We’re here weekdays at 11:00 AM. Good stuff, Kyle Hunter. Good stuff, Mattie Cox. Thank you guys for hanging in there with us on a Thursday on a live show. And again, you can watch us anytime, but join us live Monday through Friday at 11:00 AM. Kevin, Alejandro, everybody at Bet US, thank you. Great job as well. I’m TJ Reeves. Enjoy all the hoops on the Bet US College Basketball Show.