NCAAB · 1 year ago

5 Best Bets for College Basketball Saturday: Gaels to Prevail?

David Connelly

Host · Writer

Saint Mary's (+4.5) @ Gonzaga
It was a real bumpy start to the 2023-24 campaign for the Gaels, but they have right the ship in a big way. They are back on the at-large radar after snatching 14 wins out of their previous 15 games. A rivalry is set to be renewed in Spokane on Saturday night, and this feels like the Gaels' best chance in a long time to get their first road win over the Zags since 2018. Randy Bennett has his guys playing their best basketball right now, and the Bulldogs are still trying to piece things together with a roster that isn't showing a lot of depth. We'll roll with the Gaels and the points.
Wichita State (+10.5) @ Memphis
This is a complete fade of Memphis rather than a backing of Wichita State. The Tigers are in a total tailspin right now, dropping their previous four games, with the most recent being a disastrous home defeat to cellar-dweller Rice. It feels like Penny Hardaway is losing this team's focus at the worst time, and we're more than happy to scoop up double-digit points against a team that has shown zero fight over the past few weeks.
Bradley (-6.5) @ Illinois State
With how good both Drake and Indiana State have been in the Missouri Valley this season, this one is going to confuse some people: Bradley has been the best team from the MVC over the past five weeks. Since league play began on January 3rd, the Braves are 13th in the country via barttorvik.com's T-Rank. Head coach Brian Wardle has them playing like one of the best teams in the nation when it's counted, and we don't expect that to change in a road trip to Normal, where Illinois State has won just one of their previous four home matchups.
Clemson (-4.5) vs. Virginia
Virginia's home/road splits have been stark all season long. The Cavaliers have shown zero ability to pick up meaningful victories on the road this season, and it's a major reason why they are on the outside looking for the NCAA Tournament right now. Littlejohn Coliseum is far from an easy place to waltz in and pick up a win, and we don't anticipate that happening on Saturday. The Tigers need to stop the bleeding, with plenty of recent losses wrecking their resumé. We'll back Clemson to find a way to cover this shorter number against a Virginia team that feels lackluster away from Charlottesville.
Washington State (+0.5) @ Washington
Similar to Bradley, there just aren't many teams playing basketball at the level of Washington State in the country right now. Since pulling off a statement home victory over Arizona on January 10th, Wazzu ranks tenth nationally in T-Rank, ahead of teams like Kansas, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. The Cougars are putting things together at just the right time and they have looked miles ahead of their in-state rival Huskies. Even on the road, this is a great time to be backing Washington State as the far superior team entering February.
Saint Mary's (+4.5) @ Gonzaga
It was a real bumpy start to the 2023-24 campaign for the Gaels, but they have right the ship in a big way. They are back on the at-large radar after snatching 14 wins out of their previous 15 games. A rivalry is set to be renewed in Spokane on Saturday night, and this feels like the Gaels' best chance in a long time to get their first road win over the Zags since 2018. Randy Bennett has his guys playing their best basketball right now, and the Bulldogs are still trying to piece things together with a roster that isn't showing a lot of depth. We'll roll with the Gaels and the points.
Wichita State (+10.5) @ Memphis
This is a complete fade of Memphis rather than a backing of Wichita State. The Tigers are in a total tailspin right now, dropping their previous four games, with the most recent being a disastrous home defeat to cellar-dweller Rice. It feels like Penny Hardaway is losing this team's focus at the worst time, and we're more than happy to scoop up double-digit points against a team that has shown zero fight over the past few weeks.