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College Basketball Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Tuesday (3/7)

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Seven teams have already punched their tickets to the NCAA tournament, and four more will do so tonight as the Horizon, CAA, WCC, and Summit League championships all tip-off tonight. And while the NEC championship also takes place between Fairleigh Dickinson and Merrimack, the Knights have already secured an NCAA tournament berth as the Warriors are ineligible for postseason play.

Here are our best bets for Tuesday’s college basketball action.

  • YTD (as of 1/21): 43-34

Also, take a look at our other best bets for Tuesday:

View 5-star bets and historical prop performance by players with our Prop Bet Analyzer >>

Best College Basketball Bets for Tuesday

(Odds courtesy of DraftKings)

Louisville vs. Boston College Spread

In many ways, Boston College has endured yet another disappointing Men’s Basketball season, being relegated to one of the four teams playing on the first day of the ACC tournament. However, there is plenty for the Eagles to build upon, like the fact that they won nine ACC games for the first time since 2011. In addition, the Eagles beat three ranked teams at home this year, the biggest being a 15-point home win over Virginia when they held the Cavaliers to a season-low 48 points. 

Louisville has only won four games this year, and not a single one cam away from home, so the Cardinals are likely playing out the string today. Louisville ranks last among all ACC teams in turnover rate (22%) and should cough the ball over plenty to an Eagles defense that forces turnovers at the league’s fourth-highest rate (17.4%). In addition, Boston College should dominate the points in the paint, as the Eagles get the highest percentage of their points among all ACC teams from inside the arc, and face a Cardinals defense that has been a sieve inside (ACC-worst 54.2% 2-point shooting allowed).

Boston College is just 1-8 as favorites this season, but seven of those non-covers came as home favorites, and we expect a better result with a more reasonable point spread at a neutral site.

Bet: Boston College -6 (-110 at DraftKings)

Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Merrimack ML

You may think the rule is blasphemous, but Merrimack knew what it was signing up for when it changed from Division II to D-I, as the NCAA declares those teams ineligible for postseason play for the first four years after the transition. However, we would still rather side with a Warriors team that has clearly played with a chip on their shoulder all year and is looking to double down on a regular season conference championship.

Not only does FDU need to overcome the mental hurdle of preparing for a game that does not affect its postseason chances, but there could be complacency, having already beaten Merrimack twice in the regular season. However, the Warriors’ only loss since January 17 is to FDU (they are 12-1 in that span), and the NEC’s top defense in adjusted defensive efficiency, turnover rate (26.1%), and 3-point percentage allowed (31.5%) should grind out a victory on its home floor. FDU is likely headed to the First Four win or lose, so its biggest goal is likely to get out of the game without suffering any major injuries.

Bet: Merrimack ML (-155 at DraftKings)

Florida State vs. Georgia Tech Spread

Florida State was under .500 for the first time in ACC play since 2016. But the Seminoles still won their first-round ACC tournament game that year, and veteran head coach Leonard Hamilton will have his team ready to play regardless of how poorly the regular season went. 

FSU won its only regular-season meeting against Georgia Tech by 11 points in Tallahassee. After the Yellow Jackets raced out to a 16-7 early lead, the Seminoles scored 67 of the following 102 points. FSU shredded the Yellow Jackets’ multiple defensive looks, assisting on 23 of 30 made field goals. The Seminoles are led by a four guard attack, and all four players average in double figures, giving them more versatility on offense than the Yellow Jackets possess. And Georgia Tech is the worst free-throw shooting team in ACC play (68.1%), which could haunt them in a game that projects to be close.

The Seminoles are 0-4 ATS at neutral sites this year, but Georgia Tech’s failure to cover three of its previous four ACC tournament games has us encouraged that Florida State will cover the spread.

Bet: Florida State +2.5 (-115 at DraftKings)

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Mike Spector is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeSpector01.