College Basketball Gambling Primer Presented By PointsBet: January 25, Rat Lines Everywhere

If you are in New Jersey and looking for a book to bet with this season, check out PointsBet.com. If you're in NJ, sign up with code BARSTOOL put a $1 bet and get a $100 worth of bonus bets.

YTD: 84-85-5 (finally had a winning day again on Wednesday. Need that to happen again) 

Picks

Over 147.5 Iowa State/Auburn (W)

Illinois +4 (W)

Memphis -4.5

Providence +2 (L)

Alabama -8.5

(I'll update the blog as PointsBet updates the later games. For some reason the later games aren't updating as early as normal. I'll have later plays too) 

So two teams that want to play super fast, an Auburn team that wants to shoot a ton of threes, an Iowa State team that is terrible at defending the three? I mean there's only one play for me here. I trust Tyrese Haliburton from Iowa State to get to the rim and more importantly handle Auburn's turnover-prone defense. Breaking it down gives them easier looks with a star in Halibrton while Auburn is just a force on offense. 

Pick: Over 147.5

Illinois is quietly the hottest team in the Big 10. They finally got shit figured out and even without Alan Griffin for the game, I still trust them. Why? Michigan's post defense is horrendous. Juwan Howard wants to single the post and Illinois has two of the best bigs in Giorgi and Kofi Cockburn. There's a chance Isaiah Livers comes back for Michigan, which would be massive. We're also avoiding the Big 10 home thing here because Illinois is coming off wins at Purdue and Wisconsin. 

Pick: Illinois +4

Pretty simple here. This is bounce back city for Memphis. They are coming off a 40 point loss to Tulsa. You don't think Penny ripped them a new asshole? You don't think coming back home knowing they need to beat SMU is in their mind? It's that simple. There's no other logic here besides bounce back time. 

Pick: Memphis -4.5

Does this line feel low? Yep. Do I love taking home teams in this scenario? Even more of a yep. Providence lost two in a row, but they were 4 at Creighton and 9 at Seton Hall. They honestly probably should have or at least should have had a chance to win both games. Nova has been on fire lately in terms of winning games, but they've looked lost at times - had to come back against UConn/hold on against DePaul, etc. Plus, the Dunk is traditionally a nightmare for Nova. Give me the points. 

Pick: Providence +2

I know in Alabama it's football first, second and third, but this hoops team is starting to figure shit out. You have Kansas State coming off the fight against Kansas and I have no idea where they are at a mental standpoint right now. I do know that Alabama is going to control tempo, get up and down the court and Kira Lewis is a damn good lead guard. We'll take the home team.

Pick: Alabama -8.5