College Basketball Parlays

One of the marquee games in college basketball this weekend comes in the Big 12, where a showdown between a couple of future top-5 NBA Draft picks will take place at Phog Allen Fieldhouse between the BYU Cougars and Kansas Jayhawks. All eyes will be on this game from basketball fans across the country, especially from those who are hoping to get a look at Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa in a matchup that pits these superstar freshmen against each other. Both of these teams are certainly capable of making a deep postseason run, and there are compelling reasons to look at each side heading into this one. However, given the hype and expectations surrounding Saturday’s contest, there is no way I’m going to fade Kansas at the Phog, especially since the Jayhawks are laying a relatively short number at home compared to projections.

First off, it’s important to consider that Peterson will likely not be 100% healthy heading into this game, as the freshman phenom has been recovering from a sprained ankle he suffered against Colorado back on January 20. The latest injury is just one in a series of ailments for Peterson this season, as hamstring and calf issues have limited him to just 10 games played to this point. Despite all of that, when Peterson does play, he clearly looks like the best player in the nation and a guard that is capable of leading Kansas to the Final Four. Bill Self’s team has also consistently improved over the course of the season, as the supporting cast has proven itself to be very capable with, or without Peterson. Melvin Council Jr. has done a nice job of running an offense that is on the rise, while Flory Bidunga and Tre White anchor a defense that is 11th in defensive efficiency and ranks 3rd in 2-point defense allowed over the past month (Barttorvik).

Conversely, BYU has been pretty up-and-down over the past 3 weeks. In fact, the Cougars are just 44th at Barttorvik since January 8 and we’ve seen some real cracks in the armor for BYU, particularly on defense. That doesn’t bode well in an extremely hostile environment against a Kansas offense that has been trending up (13th in adjusted efficiency since January 13), especially at home. The Cougars defense doesn’t force turnovers and they have been very poor at defending the 3-point arc (280th in 3-point percentage defense) in January. With BYU’s recent struggles in mind, along with factoring in the improved play of the Jayhawks and their prowess at home, it’s hard to ignore the signs with Kansas in this one. I’ll lay the points and take my chances with the hosts.

BYU vs Kansas prediction: Kansas -3.5 available at time of publishing. Playable to Kansas -4.5

If you’re looking for a new sportsbook for the Super Bowl, we recommend checking out Fanatics Sportsbook. New users can get $100 FanCash bet matches on their first 10 wagers! Join Fanatics Sportsbook, where you can bet on our BYU vs Kansas predictions.

After an embarrassing 83-52 road loss at Duke, the Louisville Cardinals will return home to the KFC Yum! Center to take on the SMU Mustangs on Saturday afternoon. Despite Mikel Brown’s return to the lineup, the Cardinals were abysmal on the offensive end at Cameron Indoor, scoring just 0.80 points per possession while connecting on only 25% of two-point attempts, 32% of three-point attempts and 69% of free throws. They were also crushed on the glass 47-28 and gave up 1.28 points per possession to the Blue Devils.

Despite being the home team, it’s not going to get any easier for Louisville on Saturday. This SMU team is feisty, coming into this game having won 3 of its last 4, while sporting a top-20 adjusted offensive efficiency per KenPom. They have 3 conference losses – Clemson, Duke, Virginia – but all of them are admirable, and none of them were by more than double digits. Working in the Mustangs’ favor is the fact that they have not played since Saturday, so they will benefit from a couple extra days of preparation and rest ahead of this big ACC showdown – which is ideal when you consider this is somewhat of a revenge angle for them after Louisville embarrassed the Mustangs on their home floor last year. In the era of the transfer portal, these teams hardly look like they did last year, but SMU’s 3 best players in Boopie Miller, BJ Edwards and Samet Yigitoglu will remember that game.

This figures to be a high-scoring game with plenty of pace, but instead of taking the over, I’m going to take the points with SMU. In addition to the extra prep time, SMU has shown more consistency than Louisville, and the Mustangs have played much better in faster-paced games than they have in games against more methodical offenses. Moreover, Louisville has been one of the worst power-conference teams in the country when stepping up against quality opponents – highlighted by Evan Miya’s Opponent Adjust metric. I see Wednesday’s game against Notre Dame as Louisville’s get-right game, but this game figures to be more of a battle.

SMU vs Louisville prediction: SMU Mustangs +9.5 (-110) at the time of publishing. Playable to +9.

Bet like a Caesar with this AMAZING new customer offer from Caesars Sportsbook. If you bet just $1, you’ll receive DOUBLE YOUR WINNINGS on your next 20 bets! Become a Caesars member 👥 using the Caesars promo code PWCONTENT20X, where you can bet on our SMU vs Louisville picks.

It’s a Mountain West battle as San Diego State looks to hold onto first place in the conference, while Utah State sits right behind them in second, aiming to pull even at the top. The Aztecs are coming off a dominant 23-point win over Colorado State, shooting 54% from the floor while holding the Rams to just 33.3%. Utah State is rolling as well, fresh off a 32-point blowout against Wyoming in which the Aggies shot 55% and held Wyoming to 35% shooting. 

Both teams bring a strong defensive presence into this matchup. The Aggies are led by guard MJ Collins Jr., who is averaging 19 points per game, along with efficient rebounding and scoring from Mason Falslev, who chips in 16.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Drake Allen adds another dimension with his elite playmaking ability and willingness to facilitate when needed.  The Aztecs also have a balanced offense with three players averaging double digits: Dixon-Waters (11.5 PPG, Miles Byrd (11.0 PPG, and BJ Davis (10.9 PPG). These teams are evenly matched on both ends of the floor, setting up a game that should stay competitive for the full 40 minutes. The Aztecs have also shown they’re comfortable away from home, posting a 4-1 road record this season. This line seems a little too big for the Aggies to cover, even on their home court, and the Aztecs have plenty of offensive talent and a strong defense to keep this game close. Look for San Diego State to cover the spread, making them my best bet of the day. 

San Diego State vs Utah State prediction: San Diego State +5.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

Bet like a Caesar with this AMAZING new customer offer from Caesars Sportsbook. If you bet just $1, you’ll receive DOUBLE YOUR WINNINGS on your next 20 bets! Become a Caesars member 👥 using the Caesars promo code PWCONTENT20X, where you can bet on our San Diego State vs Utah State picks.