21+ to wager. Please Gamble Responsibly. Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS, NV), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI). Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY) Call 1-800-327-5050 (MA).
Wednesday’s schedule of college basketball games features seven ranked teams in action across the SEC, Big Ten, and Mountain West along with three Big East teams including a matchup between 13th-ranked Xavier and the #23 Providence Friars.
Marquette, the number 16 program in the land, hosts a Villanova team that is under .500 during the first year of the Kyle Neptune era in the other Big East matchup. In the SEC, Tennessee travels to Gainesville to play the Florida Gators.
Georgia and Auburn square off on the Tigers’ home court. Finally, the 25th-ranked New Mexico Lobos host Utah State and #1 Purdue welcomes the Penn State Nittany Lions to town as 10-point favorites.
There are dozens of other games to choose from in this midweek slate, and we’d like to present our best bets for player props across the nation in tonight’s college basketball action.
The former transfer from Siena is having one of the best all-around seasons in the country during his second year in Happy Valley. Pickett is averaging 17.6 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists per game on 51% shooting and has been named to the list of 20 players being considered for the Wooden Award this season.
The fifth-year senior has averaged 21 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 8 assists per game in three career matchups with Purdue as a Nittany Lion, including 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists
in a January 8th game with the Boilermakers in Philadelphia.
Purdue is a solid defensive team, allowing just 40% field goal percentage to opposing teams, but will not be able to contain all three aspects of Pickett’s well-rounded game on Wednesday night.
Locke’s scoring average this year has settled in right around this number, but his scoring volatility has been high. In his last 10 games, Locke has scored 17 or more points three times and eight or fewer points six times.
He’s taken double-digit shot attempts in six of those 10 games but totaled just nine in Providence’s last two wins against Butler and Villanova.
Given his variance, we expect a reversal for Locke’s shooting and scoring volume tonight and will play the over on his points against a Xavier team that is 271st in Division 1 in opponent shooting percentage.
The senior forward who surprised some by returning for a fourth season in Chapel Hill has continued his dominance for the Tar Heels. Over his last five full games played, the IMG product has hauled in 71 rebounds (14.2 per game) in just over 31 minutes per game.
Bacot has averaged over 10 rebounds per game in five career matchups against the Panthers and we expect him to extend his ACC-leading 11.4 rebounds per game with another evening of 12+ boards at home.
In 10 home games this season he is averaging 33 minutes, 4.8 offensive rebounds, and 12.7 total rebounds per game. That's enough for us to jump on the Over!
Nicholas Berault is a proud Penn State alum whose past work has been featured on FantasyPros. He is an avid golfer and a collector of pin flags and sneakers. As a senior writer at EatWatchBet, Nicholas serves as an NFL, CFB, and NBA betting analyst.
Share this Article:
21+ to wager. Please Gamble Responsibly. Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS, NV), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI). Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY) Call 1-800-327-5050 (MA).
