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In this article every week, we'll be reviewing some of the top college basketball games of the day to see how we can beat Vegas. Today's slate of games includes a myriad of midmajor opportunities and late conference races.
Wednesday's 1-4 record was less than ideal. We've had a difficult couple of weeks, and trust me I'm feeling it betting all these games with you. We are due for some positive regression that looks to start today.
Here are some of the top college basketball expert betting picks for Saturday, February 8. Let me know your thoughts, and follow me on Twitter @fredetterline. All game times below are Eastern Standard Time.
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Robert Morris @ Sacred Heart - 3:00 pm
The Robert Morris Colonials have been led by Coach Andy Toole for the past decade, which will go down as the best decade in program history. Having led the Colonials to multiple NIT wins, including a memorable win over Kentucky, and a play-in game win over North Florida in the 2015 NCAA tournament. The Colonials are currently 9-2 in the conference only behind Merrimack, the new team on the block. A key to Robert Morris' success has been a balanced rotation, as the team plays eight players with balanced minutes and plenty of interchangeable guards. The key will be getting another strong performance from junior forward AJ Bramah, who had 18 points and 20 rebounds in his earlier game against the Colonials.
The Sacred Heart Pioneers returned much of their production from last year, but have not quite met up to the high expectations that followed last year's upstart team that was one win away from an NCAA tournament appearance. Coach Anthony Latina's team is anchored defensively by senior center Jare'l Spellman, who averaged 3 blocks per game last year. The Pioneers dropped the matchup between these two teams in Moon by double digits, and have shown continued inconsistency in conference play.
Pick: Robert Morris +4
North Carolina Central @ Coppin State - 4:00 pm
The North Carolina Central Eagles have been playing at a high level of late, with seven wins in their last nine games. When it comes to big-time games, Coach LeVelle Moton among historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Coach Moton has led the Eagles to four of the last six NCAA tournaments as the MEAC representative, and his Eagles are catching fire at the exact right time. February and March are usually a bad time to bet against Coach Moton.
The Coppin State Eagles, hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, are in the midst of a rebuild. Juan Dixon, who won a national championship as a player at Maryland and produced a productive NBA career, is in his 2nd season as the head coach and is still trying to establish the team's identity. Before the season, Coach Dixon hyped up freshman guard Nigel Marshall as "Baby LeBron," but Marshall played sparingly in November and subsequently got shelved for a redshirt season. Without the services of "Baby LeBron" and with leading scorer Kamar McKnight out indefinitely, it is unclear where Coppin State will find the scoring to keep up with their MEAC opponent.
Pick: NC Central +1
William & Mary @ North Carolina-Wilmington (UNCW) - 7:00 pm
The William & Mary Tribe underwent some significant changes over the offseason and expectations were relatively low entering the 2019-2020 season. First, the team saw three starters depart and returned only 39% of the minutes played from the prior year. Then, Coach Tony Shaver, who had been at the helm for 16 seasons, was fired in March and replaced by 40-year old Dane Fischer. Fischer got a huge recruiting boost when he kept all-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) forward Nathan Knight to return for his senior season. Knight has played otherworldly this season, averaging 20.6 points per game (ppg) and 10.9 rebounds per game on 53% shooting from the floor. Combining Knight with the Wisconsin transfer 7-foot Belgian stretch forward Any Van Vliet has provided the Tribe with a dangerous force that is nearly unguardable.
Coach CB McGrath entered the season with high hopes, as his returning sophomore point guard Kai Toews ranked second in the nation in assists last year and showed poise beyond his years. Toews made the surprising decision midseason to depart for his home nation of Japan to pursue a career of professional basketball and the Seahawks have been reeling. Having been swept in the season series by lowly Elon, and losing to William & Mary by 16 in their early January matchup, it is time to continue to fade UNCW.
Pick: William & Mary -5.5
Sacramento State @ Idaho State - 9:00 pm
The Sacramento State Hornets are led by Head Coach Brian Katz, who is in his 12th year in charge. Senior guard Izayah Mauriohooho-Le'afa hails from New Zealand and has arguably a top-5 name in college basketball. Despite returning four seniors and 77% of minutes played from last season, the Hornets have endured a difficult year. Luckily, they get an opportunity against one of the few teams that have struggled more than them.
The Idaho State Bengals basketball program has been in a funk for years. This season, the Bengals lost by 19 points at Sacramento State, and are currently in the midst of a seven-game losing streak. Coach Ryan Looney inherited a barren roster and brought in five players from one junior college alone. Expecting players who were backups at the College of Southern Idaho to contribute the following season at Division I level probably isn't a plan that will work long-term. Freshman guard Nico Aguirre is a member of the Chilean basketball team.
Pick: Sacramento State -1.5
California-Riverside @ California State Northridge (CSUN) - 10:00 pm
The California-Riverside Highlanders sit in a cluster of teams stuck in the middle of the Big West Conference at 4-4. Coach David Patrick, best known as the godfather of Ben Simmons and the lead recruiter to get Simmons to LSU, has plenty of interesting pieces in a competitive conference. Sophomore Callum McRae of New Zealand lost 40 pounds this offseason and has emerged as the most consistent contributor on this year's team. The biggest fault for the Highlanders is that they seem to forget how to play when they go on the road, with a 4-8 road record opposite their impressive 10-2 home record.
CSUN got one of the biggest boosts at the season's midway point when star sophomore forward Lamine Diane rejoined the team after missing the first semester due to being academically ineligible. Joining Diane with electric diminutive guard Terrell Gomez makes the Matadors an extremely potent offense. Diane and Gomez log heavy minutes, contribute over 60% of the team's scoring and are probably the two most difficult players to stop in the Big West. The Matadors have only lost one home game since Diane's return.
Pick: CSUN -4
Thanks for reading, and remember to gamble responsibly.
