Top NCAAB Betting Picks of the Week – January 14th Edition

The top four men’s college basketball teams in the nation — Duke, Tennessee, Michigan and Virginia — continue to roll on, while the next tier of basketball teams are still trying to sort things out, 12 of the 15 teams ranked between #11 and #25 suffered at least one loss last week. Some pleasant surprises have included Ole Miss, picked to finish at the bottom of the SEC but who instead have started 3-0 in conference play in Kermit Davis’ first season, including a 15-point win over Auburn at home. Another high point has been Markus Howard, the Marquette phenom who poured in 53 points, a Big East record, in the Golden Eagles’ overtime win at Creighton. Texas Tech has a 4-0 Big 12 record, the only unbeaten team in the conference, after beating Oklahoma and Texas this week. It’s their defense — permitting an adjusted 82.8 points per 100 possessions, almost three full points better than Virginia’s top-ranked defense a year ago — that has them winning. What games should attract your NCAAB betting attention this week? We have three picks for you.

Top NCAAB Betting Picks of the Week – January 14th Edition

The AP and Coaches polls will update shortly. Here’s the already updated @CBSSports Top 25 And 1 college basketball rankings. 1. Tennessee 2. Duke 3. Virginia 4. Michigan 5. Gonzaga 6. Kansas 7. Michigan State 8. Texas Tech 9. Virginia Tech 10. Nevada …https://t.co/pRUZhCk8CL

— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) January 14, 2019

Monday, January 14

Texas at Kansas (9:00pm ET, ESPN)

Texas opened Big 12 play with a pair of wins over Kansas State and West Virginia, but then they lost at Oklahoma State and at home to Texas Tech. It was the first time the Longhorns had lost at home to Texas Tech since 1996, and it looked like the Longhorns might win early, as they went into the locker room at halftime up 30-26. The Texas defense clamped down on Red Raiders’ leading scorer Jordan Culver, who only put up 14 points, but they could not stop all of tech’s weapons. Kerwin Roach II led Texas with 17 points — but had just four in the second half. It has been poor three-point shooting that has left Texas high and dry in the last two games. Now the Longhorns head to Kansas to take on the conference’s signature program. The Jayhawks bounced back from a loss to Iowa State by beating TCU and then Baylor, although that five-point win over the Bears saw a furious Baylor comeback. Lagerald Vick scored 18 points, making six three-pointers. However, he had two turnovers in the final minute as Baylor went on an 8-0 run down the stretch. The Jayhawks led by 23 with 6:30 left on the clock but only won by five — part of a trend of struggling to hold onto big wins. Can they finish better against a tough Texas defense? NCAAB Betting Prediction: Kansas 77, Texas 69

Tuesday, January 15

Virginia Tech at Virginia (8:00pm ET, ACC ESPN Network)

Virginia Tech has raced out to a 3-0 start in ACC play with wins over Notre Dame, Boston College and Georgia Tech. Now they face their biggest test so far in conference play as they head to their in-state rivals. Virginia Tech was only able to put up 52 points at Georgia Tech but still won by three. They are the second-best shooting team from downtown in the nation, but they only made 18.5 percent of their three-pointers in this game. Ahmed Hill had 15 points, and Kerry Blackshear Jr. put up 14 points and 10 boards. Winning that kind of game when the offense fades out shows the kind of character that will serve the Hokies well in ACC play. Virginia has knocked Florida State, Boston College and Clemson so far in ACC play, knocking off the Tigers by a 63-43 score on the road on Saturday. In that game, Kyle Guy put up 13 points, and De’Andre Hunter added a dozen. Ty Jerome only had eight points, but he had two three-pointers during the Cavaliers’ big run in the second half. Can the Hokies break through the Cavaliers’ vaunted defense? NCAAB Betting Prediction: Virginia 61, Virginia Tech 54

Notre Dame at North Carolina (9:00pm ET, ESPN)

Notre Dame is currently 1-2 in ACC play, losing to Virginia Tech and Syracuse before knocking off Boston College on Saturday. The Fighting Irish beat BC without leading scorer T.J. Gibbs, who was suffering from a migraine. John Mooney put up 27 points and 12 boards, and Prentiss Hubb, who started in place of Gibbs, put up a career-best 16 points and made two clutch free throws with 2.6 seconds left in regulation to seal the win. Hubb also nailed three three-pointers in the first half to help the Irish go into the locker room up six at the break. North Carolina opened ACC play with wins at Pitt and North Carolina State, but then they returned home to suffer the worst home loss the program has suffered in 16 seasons under Roy Williams as head coach. The Cardinals came out with more energy and rolled to a 43-34 halftime lead and then turned the game into a laugher in the second half. The Tar Heels shot just 35 percent from the floor, including a 3-for-22 performance on three-point shots, and turned the ball over 11 times in the second half. Can the Tar Heels rebound? Their history says that they can. NCAAB Betting Prediction: North Carolina 81, Notre Dame 71