After a crazy sports weekend, it might be a good idea to take things a little easy on Monday before things ramp up again later this week. Nevertheless, there are some college basketball games on Monday night that might not leap off the page but are definitely worth checking out. I’ve picked out my favorite bets of the night, along with a player prop bet that you should know about.
Yale (4-4) at Rhode Island (7-0) -3.5
While the Rams are off to a 7-0 start, Rhode Island’s most impressive win thus far is against Charleston. Also, their last two games against Detroit Mercy and UT Arlington have both been decided by six points or less. The Rams boast a talented starting lineup with five double-digit scorers, but their depth beyond that is questionable. Yale, on the other hand, has gone toe-to-toe with the likes of Purdue and Minnesota, keeping both games close despite being a double-digit underdog. In fact, the Bulldogs are 5-2 against the spread thus far and feature John Poulakidas, who is averaging over 20 points per game and is one of the top players in the Ivy League. While Rhode Island is potent offensively, Yale is averaging nearly 85 points per game against a much harder schedule. The Bulldogs have nearly twice as many assists as turnovers while shooting over 50% from the field and 40% from three-point range. This game going over 156.5 total points might be the best bet, but we’ll also favor Yale to make this a close game and possibly get a win.
Pick: Yale +3.5
Pacific (5-4) at Colorado (5-2) -16
This is Colorado’s first game since coming home from Maui, where the Buffaloes got stomped by both Michigan State and Iowa State. On the bright side, the Buffs knocked off UConn - but then again, so did everyone else in Maui. The other thing worth noting is that Colorado is 3-1 against the spread as a double-digit favorite this season. Thus far, the Buffs have been driven by their frontcourt, although point guard Julian Hammond is coming on strong after some strong performances during the Maui Invitational. Meanwhile, Pacific has suffered lopsided losses against Arkansas and Missouri, as the Tigers have failed to match up against power-conference opponents. Despite having a pair of 17-point-per-game scorers with Elijah Fisher and Elias Ralph, the Tigers only have three players averaging over seven points per game. They are also shooting less than 30% from the perimeter and less than 70% from the free-throw line. Those are strong indicators that Pacific will struggle to keep up with Colorado for 40 minutes.
Pick: Colorado -16
Washington State (6-2) at Nevada (6-1) -11.5
Outside of a close loss to Vanderbilt, the Wolf Pack has been close to perfect. Nevada is 6-1 overall and 6-1 against the spread. With wins over Washington, VCU, and Oklahoma State, it’s not as if Nevada has loaded up on cupcakes. Both Nick Davidson and Kobe Sanders are capable of scoring 20 points on any given night, as they are two of several members of the Nevada rotation who are shooting a high percentage from the perimeter. Meanwhile, the Cougars are coming off a 17-point loss to SMU. They also have a 10-point loss to Iowa on their resume despite taking care of business against lesser opponents. Washington State certainly has balance with six double-digit scorers. However, turnovers have been a problem for them. The Cougars have also failed to beat the spread in both of their games as an underdog this season. It’s hard to trust that they can stay within striking distance of such a talented Nevada team.
Pick: Nevada -11.5
Kobe Sanders (Nevada) Under 18.5 Points vs. Washington State
Sanders is fresh off a 27-point performance against Oklahoma State at the Charleston Classic on Sunday, although that game has been an outlier. He scored 13 points or less in five straight games before that, so he’s bound to come back down to earth a little, especially since he only averages 16.7 points per game. Sanders needed to make three three-pointers and earn 13 free throws in that game to score 27 points. That will be tough to replicate, especially against a solid Washington State team. Even if he helps Nevada to a win, Sanders is a player to fade on Monday.
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