Admittedly, Thursday’s college basketball schedule is lacking when it comes to heavyweight matchups. But even though there is just one ranked team in action, there are plenty of compelling mid-major games on the slate. Now that March is just a few weeks away, it’s time to start getting more acquainted with those mid-major teams that could make some noise in March. That’s one reason why you’ll want to check out our favorite betting picks for Thursday’s college basketball schedule.
#18 Maryland (17-5) at Ohio State (13-9)
Maryland is among the hottest teams in the Big Ten right now, winning six of its last seven games. The only game the Terps lost during that stretch was a two-point road loss to Northwestern. They’re also one point away from being 3-0 against the spread as an underdog this season. Plus, with recent road wins over Illinois and Indiana, this is a team that can tolerate any road environment. On the other side, Ohio State has been frustratingly inconsistent this season despite some bright moments. Somehow, the Buckeyes have been better on the road than at home this season. They’ve lost three of their four home games since the start of January despite being favored in all four games. That trend makes it easy to take a chance on Maryland as a slight road underdog in this game, especially since the Terps are the better team anyway.
Pick: Maryland +3.
Youngstown State (14-10) at Oakland (10-14)
The Horizon League is one of the deepest mid-major conferences in the country. At the moment, Youngstown State and Oakland are middle of the pack, although both are capable of beating anyone. Oakland’s 10-14 record is a little misleading because the Grizzlies played a treacherous non-conference schedule that handed them losses to the likes of Illinois, Kansas, Michigan State, and Arkansas. But that schedule has helped prepare them for the Horizon League, winning five of their last seven games. As for the Penguins, they got off to a fast start in conference play, including a 66-50 home win over Oakland. But Youngstown State is also 2-4 straight up and 0-5-1 against the spread in its last six conference games. In both wins during that stretch, the Penguins had to come from behind against lesser teams. They aren’t a reliable team right now, which is why Oakland is a safe pick.
Pick: Oakland -4.5.
Western Kentucky (14-8) at Kennesaw State (13-9)
There is no shortage of solid teams in Conference USA jostling for position, and these are two of them. Western Kentucky has built up some momentum with three straight wins, a streak that’s coincided with leading scorer Don McHenry scoring at least 20 points in four straight games. Meanwhile, Kennesaw State has been tripped up against some of the better teams in C-USA with recent losses to UTEP and Liberty. The Hilltoppers also got the better of the Owls in an 85-69 win earlier this season. Despite that result, Kennesaw State is a slight home favorite on Thursday. But the Owls are a poor shooting team that’s also turnover-prone, which doesn’t make them a good candidate to turn around a double-digit loss against the Hilltoppers, which is why Western Kentucky’s moneyline as a slight underdog is the best play in this game.
Pick: Western Kentucky ML.
Saint Mary’s (20-3) at San Francisco (18-6)
Pollsters should be ashamed that a 20-3 Saint Mary’s team that’s won 10 in a row and fresh off a win over Gonzaga isn’t in the top 25. The Gaels have established themselves as the best team in the West Coast Conference while going 4-1 against the spread as road favorites during their 10-game winning streak. They also crushed San Francisco by 20 points at home last month. However, that’s one of the few blemishes on San Francisco’s season thus far. The Dons, despite some struggles on the road, have been dominant at home since the start of conference play. They are fresh off a 24-point win over Washington State, so they clearly weren’t looking ahead to this rematch with Saint Mary’s, even without leading scorer Malik Thomas. They’re ready to go toe-to-toe with the Gaels and at least keep things close.
Pick: San Francisco +6.
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