Three Best Bets For Thursday's Conference Tournament Action
Conference tournaments are starting to heat up around the country and we take a look at a few of the best bets you should consider backing among Thursday night’s action. With just over 72 hours until Selection Sunday, it’s mayhem across the country as teams are looking to keep their seasons alive and win their league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Let’s take a dive into a few matchups we believe hold some value.
Rice vs. North Texas Preview
Moneyline: Rice +550 | North Texas -820
Spread: Rice +11.5 (-110) | North Texas -11.5 (-110)
Total: 125.5 Over -110 | Under -110
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Rice vs. North Texas Analysis
North Texas is one of the best teams you haven’t watched yet this season. The Mean Green are eager to get back to the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season and make some more noise following their first-round upset over Purdue last March. They have a top-20 ranked defense in the country and held Rice to 87 points across two games in their regular-season meeting this year. They’ll be quick out of the gate to make a statement following a brutal loss to UTEP in their regular-season finale that swiped away any at-large hopes. Expect the Conference USA Tournament favorites to get a dominant victory in the quarterfinals.
The Play: North Texas -11.5 (-110)
Virginia Tech vs. Notre Dame Preview
Moneyline: Virginia Tech -126 | Notre Dame +105
Spread: Virginia Tech -1.5 (-110) | Notre Dame +1.5 (-110)
Total: 130.5 Over -110 | Under -110
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Virginia Tech vs. Notre Dame Analysis
The Notre Dame disrespect continues despite being the #2 seed at this year’s ACC Tournament. The Fighting Irish have wins over Miami, Kentucky, and North Carolina yet they are still considered underdogs against Virginia Tech on a neutral court. A shaky early-season loss to Boston College and a recent defeat to Florida State is concerning, but they were gamely and alive for almost all of their four-point loss to Virginia Tech in January. As for the Hokies, their effort against Clemson was certainly not their best. It took a Darius Maddox buzzer-beating three for them to be in this spot and I’m not buying that they should be favored here. Back the Irish at plus-money tonight.
The Play: Notre Dame ML (+105)
Oregon vs. Colorado Preview
Moneyline: Oregon -118 | Colorado -102
Spread: Oregon -1 (-110) | Colorado +1 (-110)
Total: 138 Over -110 | Under -110
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Oregon vs. Colorado Analysis
It’s a #4 vs. #5 matchup to keep an eye on out West as both teams have become popular dark horse picks to be potential bid-stealers in the Pac-12 Tournament. I can see it for Colorado following their dominance over Arizona in Boulder, but Oregon lost its luster without star guard Will Richardson for the conference tournament. The team’s leading scorer will be absent due to a non-COVID illness which is a crucial blow to how the Ducks run their offense. They rely heavily on their strong guard play and with him out, the offense could seriously struggle in Las Vegas. As for Colorado, seven wins in their last eight has them as one of the hotter teams in the country and guard Jabari Walker should feast in a similar way to his 24-point performance in their win over Oregon in Eugene back in January. Between a streaking Colorado team and a huge loss for the Ducks, I’ll take my chances with the Buffaloes.
The Play: Colorado ML (-102)