Best Bets for Saturday’s Early Games: Duke, Kansas and UCLA In the Spotlight! (Archive)
It is another overstuffed Saturday of college basketball. For those of us going over all the NCAAB odds, it is a long Friday night. However, more often than not it is worth it for college basketball picks. Here is a trio of teams (Duke, Kansas and UCLA) with early starts in key games this week.
NCAAB Pick: Arizona +2 (-110) at Bookmaker (visit our Bookmaker Review)
UCLA Bruins vs. Arizona Wildcats
Saturday, January 21, 2023 – 02:00 PM EST at McKale Center
UCLA vs. Arizona Betting Preview
Records aside, these are the two best teams in the Pac-12 when it comes to basketball.
UCLA (17-2, 12-7 ATS) is one of the top teams in the country and they are one of two clubs that has not lost at home or on the road this season (Alabama being the other). Their setbacks to Baylor and Illinois were on neutral courts in November and this squad is much improved since then.
Arizona (16-3, 7-11-1 ATS) is one the finest offensive teams in the country with a lot of scoring options, which has them scoring 84.2 PPG, which is 8th in the country. When the Wildcats' offense is free-flowing and playing all 94 feet, there are only a handful of teams that could beat them.
One problem for the ‘Cats is when they go cold, it seems to be a team problem, not just a player or two. In games in which they score 74 points or fewer, they are 2-3 and 1-4 ATS.
UCLA in Nail-Biter
The Arizona guards can get frustrated, which diminishes their shooting eye and playmaking ability. UCLA coach Mike Cronin knows that and he’ll have his Bruins pick their spots to run and play half-court offense. Players like Tyger Campbell and Jaime Jaquez Jr. have been through it all at Westwood.
Look for both teams to make runs in a see-saw affair, with UCLA making the key stops late.
For today's NCAAB picks, Arizona stays in the whole way to cover the spread and come up just short in the win column.
Score Prediction: UCLA 74 – Arizona 73
NCAAB Pick: Arizona +2 (-110) at Bookmaker
Miami Hurricanes vs. Duke Blue Devils
Saturday, January 21, 2023 – 12:00 PM EST at Cameron Indoor Stadium
Miami vs. Duke Betting Preview
Though Miami (15-3, 10-8 ATS) is in a three-way tie for second place in the ACC, one game behind Clemson (who this week lost their first conference clash), a case could be made this matchup is more important for Duke (13-5, 7-11 ATS) at 4-3.
Let’s face it, replacing the greatest college basketball coach of all time is not ideal for a head coaching job, which is what Jon Scheyer is trying to do at Duke. The ride was expected to be choppy, but three of the Blue Devils' losses have come by 10 or more points which was not anticipated.
Coming off a year where Miami made it to the Elite 8, expectations were still high for coach Jim Larranaga’s squad and they have delivered. This is your typical Hurricanes team under Larranaga, where they maximize possessions, shooting 48.1 percent as a team and they are ranked 30th in the country in offensive efficiency.
Duke Finally Delivers a Big Effort
The Dukies are home favorites and they have more talent if not experience than the Hurricanes. Scheyer and company need a signature win and you know the crowd will do their part.
Look for guard Jeremy Roach to take full control of the offense. Defensively, the Blue Devils have to limit if not contain the Hurricanes' Isaiah Wong.
This feels like a big moment for Duke on their home floor and they generate a working margin late to win and cover. If you're a Canes fan looking to bet on this pivotal game, feel free to check out our guide to the top Florida betting sites.
Score Prediction: Duke 77 – Miami-FL 70
NCAAB Pick: Duke -5 (-110) at Bookmaker
TCU Horned Frogs vs. Kansas Jayhawks
Saturday, January 21, 2023 – 01:00 PM EST at Allen Fieldhouse
TCU vs. Kansas Betting Preview
The Big 12 Conference is a lot like the NCAA Tournament, without the one-and-done aspect. If you look at games on an individual basis as far as covering spreads, that is not a great barometer. Though important to those of us betting on basketball, for the teams and coaches, it is surviving and advancing.
A case in point is TCU (14-4, 11-7 ATS), who after losing winnable contests at home to Iowa State and at Texas, came home and whipped a very good Kansas State by 14, which was over 20 points most of the second half.
Next was a trip to West Virginia where they could not handle the physical style of the Mountaineers and committed 19 turnovers in losing 74-65.
Kansas (16-2, 7-11 ATS) knew a trip to Manhattan would be no picnic and after a slow start, they played state rival Kansas State on even terms, just losing in OT 83-82.
This means somebody Saturday afternoon will be saddled with a second straight setback. Who will it be?
Kansas Puts Loss Behind Them
Though Kansas is only 3-7 ATS at Allen Fieldhouse (10-0 SU), this is a good matchup for them.
TCU likes to get on the open floor and run off of turnovers and missed shots. Choosing to play that style with Kansas in Lawrence is not the ideal location for that. Nobody runs the floor better in the fastbreak and secondary break than the Jayhawks.
Teams can play even with Kansas for 30 minutes some more, yet, it is those 2-3 window moments when they have 6-0 or 10-2 runs that open up games. Look for that to happen Saturday.
Score Prediction: Kansas 78 – TCU 66
NCAAB Pick: Kansas -7.5 (-105) at Bookmaker
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.