Ricky Dimon
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Saturday marks one of the biggest days during the 2021 college football season, but don’t forget about action on the hardwood. It has already been a busy week in college basketball, including Duke’s upset of Gonzaga last night. Among the teams taking the court on Saturday are UCLA, Arizona, BYU, Utah, St. Bonaventure, LSU, Wake Forest, and Texas Tech.
St. Bonaventure -11.5 (-110)
UCLA -13.5 alternate spread (+138)
Louisiana Tech ML (+165)
Parlay odds: +1104
For this parlay we are going with two favorites against the spread (one on an alternate spread) and one underdog on the money line. Let’s break down each of the three legs one by one.
St. Bonaventure -11.5 over Northern Iowa (-110)
The 16th-ranked Bonnies have started the season 5-0 with wins over Marquette, Clemson, and Boise State. St. Bonaventure easily handled Marquette 70-54 on Sunday to secure the Charleston Classic championship. Senior forward Osun Osunniyi was a huge presence in the middle in that one, finishing with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Northern Iowa has struggled to start this season — losing to Nicholls State, Vermont, and Arkansas. Former Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year AJ Green has not been the same player since his hip surgery in the offseason. He is currently averaging 11.0 ppg and shooting just 27.5 percent from the field. He will need to get back to his old self if Northern Iowa wants a chance beating good teams and winning the MVC title. Northern Iowa was a preseason dark horse team for many, but it has not played well so far with its lone win coming against Dubuque. St. Bonaventure is a veteran team that showed in the Charleston Classic that it belongs in the top 25. Take the Bonnies to win and cover.
Check out our Northern Iowa vs St. Bonaventure preview
UCLA -13.5 alternate spread over UNLV (+138)
This is the first game for the Bruins since they got hammered by Gonzaga. A loss to the Zags was not unexpected, but the second-ranked team in the country was not even competitive. This is a veteran group though so it should respond the next time out, especially after being called soft by head coach Mick Cronin. Against Gonzaga, the Bruins made only 2 three-pointers. Gonzaga is getting lots of accolades for improved defense this season, but UCLA has to be able to shoot better than that — and will. UNLV has a new coach this season and lots of new players, so this is a team that should get better as the season progresses. The Rebels are 4-2 SU but only 1-4 ATS. UCLA is by far the best team they will have played this season. That combination might make for a slow start. UNLV is not a terrible team, but it is an opponent that UCLA should be able to beat with ease.
Check out our UCLA vs UNLV preview
Louisiana Tech ML over NC State (+165)
Both LT and NSCU are 4-1 on the season, but neither has defeated a Power 5 opponent. The Bulldogs are winners of four in a row after dropping their season opener to Alabama. They are led by Kenneth Lofton Jr., who come March may be the Conference USA Player of the Year. Lofton Jr. leads the Bulldogs with 14 points and 10 rebounds a game and does his damage around the rim, making 70.8% of his shots at the rim per Hoop-Math. The Wolfpack are also pretty good down low but struggle with the three-pointer (29.8% from deep, which is the 3rd-worst in the ACC). NC State is 0-5 ATS this season and it wouldn’t be surprising if it loses outright on Saturday.
Check out all our college basketball previews and picks for Saturday
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