Teams to Fall in (or Out) of Love with across College Basketball

Posted on by
Reply

From makeups to break-ups, my relationships with certain college basketball teams remained volatile this Valentineโ€™s Day week.ย  Here are teams that are either dressing sexy for the tournament committee, or about to get dumped. ย 

BY MATTY D.

“The One Night Stand”

They had zero idea what the future would bring, but things got hot and heavy for James and Madison one November evening in East Lansing. The James Madison Dukes defeated Michigan State in overtime at their house. They snagged a hottie as the semester started. Their dating profile jumped to the top of the feed. James Madison was actually listed in the AP Top 25.

However, after sliding into the DMs of the AP writers, the Dukes’ chances for more action went radio silent. Three losses in the Sun Belt Conference have this team out in the cold and not even in the bubble conversation.

Make Ups to Break Ups

This team is nothing but trouble. After losses to LSU, and winnable games slipping away against Ole Miss and Arkansas, confidence was still growing in our relationship with Texas A&M basketball. After a rocky January, it was time for some make ups sessions. That came in a big explosion in a 16 point victory against 6th ranked Tennessee. But those make ups went to break ups when they were caught messing around at Vanderbilt. The Aggies used their cheat card against a 1-9 team in the SEC.

Hanging You Out to Dry

There’s a lot of hype about these two coaches. Like elementary school children the night of February 13th, college basketball writers nationally waste a lot ink on these two guys. Will they be the man their fans have held out hope for? Or, will they leave their fan base high and dry?

Close-up shot of two red Valentines cards hanging on twine, isolated on white background

Of course, I’m talking about Memphis coach Penny Hardaway and St. John’s coach Rick Pitino. Hardaway has had a long-term relationship with Memphis, though his coaching chapter in that love novel has had some major ups and downs. As a former Memphis Tiger star himself, Hardaway has committed to his hometown city to grow roots and build a future together. After an amazing start to the season with multiple top 25 wins, the team is starting to revert back to playing like an AAU team (Hardaway’s prior coaching experience). This would be a major disappointment if this team failed to tie the knot with a tournament seed on Selection Sunday.

We won’t get into Pitino’s relationship history. As for his new relationship with the St. John’s Red Storm, it too has seen better days. After quality non-conference wins earlier this season against Utah and at West Virginia, it seems St. John’s has hit a ceiling in its own conference. Marquette and UCONN looked superior to them in their most recent matchups. And there’s a stockpile of so-so Big East teams floating around the bubble (Providence, Seton Hall, Villanova). At least two or three of these teams will have to perform best in the speed-dating equivalent of college basketball’s dating scene. They will have to win the Big East Tournament to make March Madness.

Suspect Spreads Saturday Record Against the Spread 2024 NCAAB

Posted on by
Reply

College basketball blogger Matty D. of collegebasketballeyetest.com reveals his record against the spread picking Saturday college basketball games.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MY FAVORITE LONG-SHOT FUTURES

Picks went 7-12 on Saturday, March 2nd bringing the season record to 20-24-1.

These college basketball picks went 4-5 starting a shaky day for yours truly.
These picks finished the day 3-7 for a poor start in March.

Picks went 6-3-2 on February 10th for a season record of 13-12-1.

Follow CBBEyeTest on Twitter for Saturday picks and ongoing debate.โ€‚

Picks went 2-5 on January 27th for a total record of 7-9-1.

Picks went 5-4-1 on January 6th to start the season barely above .500.โ€‚

Fun Sports Parlays Riding with One City, State, or Region

Posted on by
Reply

Here are some insane sports parlays that offer a huge payout while representing one city or region.โ€‚We are approaching the Super Bowl matchup as each week passes while college basketball heats up.โ€‚This is the perfect time to play with a few insane combos that could pair an underdog college basketball team with a possible Super Bowl or conference champion.โ€‚โ€‚

BY MATTY D.

Here are my top 4 fun futures for pairing a football winner with a college basketball team from that same city (or region).โ€‚

4.โ€‚Detroit Lions and Michigan State

After the Wolverines won the College Football Championship, sports fans from the state of Michigan must be feeling really good right now.โ€‚The Detroit Lions just made the NFL’s Elite 8 with a dramatic win over the Rams.โ€‚An insane sports parlay would be to see Detroit see this though to a Super Bowl win, paired with Sparty getting hot in its favorite season.โ€‚

The Lions have been perhaps America’s most loveable underdog since coach Dan Campbell took the position with an play-angry mentality made famous in this “introductory press conference.”

Michigan State Basketball Mid-season recap

Tom Izzo’s clubs has had an average season so far, but their own standards.โ€‚The Spartans reached 10-7 before having a winnable stretch of games in late January and all of February.โ€‚After its upset loss in overtime to James Madison, most of Michigan State’s losses can be understood.โ€‚They have losses to Duke and Arizona before racking up conference losses.โ€‚They lost to Wisconsin, Nebraska, Illinois and Northwestern in the Big 10.โ€‚However, during that stretch they gained a valuable resume boosting win against #6 ranked Baylor.โ€‚That win might age well over time.โ€‚Experts see them as a bubble team mid-season.โ€‚ESPN’s bracketologist Joe Lunardi has them predicted as a 9 seed on January 17th while CBS bracketologist Jerry Palm had them out.โ€‚Needless to say, if Michigan State gets into the tournament they are always dangerous with coach Tom Izzo.โ€‚

A futures ticket that has the Detroit Lions winning the Super Bowl paired with Michigan State reaching basketball’s Final Four currently pays 142-1 odds.โ€ƒ

3.โ€‚Green Bay Packers and Wisconsin Badgers

Staying in the NFC North and in the BIG 10, folks in Wisconsin could have a surprisingly good winter with two teams jockeying for unlikely position.โ€‚The Packers went into Jerry’s World and beat the Dallas Cowboys in unexpected fashion.โ€‚Meanwhile, the Wisconsin Badgers have played their way into the Top 25 and the conversation about a top 5 seed. Although the Badgers just lost to Penn State in conference, they have a lot of resume building wins in conference and great wins against Virginia and Marquette out-of-conference.โ€‚

Green Bay fans, this one will win you a lot of cheese, literally.
A futures ticket that combines the Wisconsin Badgers winning the NCAA Basketball Championship combined with the Green Bay Packers winning the Super Bowl pays 712-1.โ€‚

*That means that a $5 dollar bet would return $3,565.00.โ€‚

2.โ€‚Houston Texans and Houston Cougars

CJ Stroud has become the overwhelming rookie of the year this NFL season.โ€‚The stock for this young Houston Texans team has skyrocketed this season.โ€‚At one point this season, this team was around 150-1 to win the Super Bowl.โ€‚Right now you’d be hard pressed to find them at 10-1.โ€‚Conversely, this decade the Houston Cougars program has played its way from underdog to one of America’s odds-on favorites.โ€‚Houston has started the season around 10-1 or 12-1 to win it all, depending on where you are looking.โ€‚Houston now plays in the Big 12 and has no shortage of opportunities to showcase its dominance.โ€‚Coach Kelvin Sampson has developed this program into a perennial defensive powerhouse.โ€‚In football, a great defense can win on the road.โ€‚In March Madness, the same might be true for this Cougar’s bunch in a field that will have no one dominant team.โ€‚

A ticket that has the Texas winning the AFC Championship combined with the Houston Cougars winning the National Championship currently pays 131-1.โ€‚

  1. Kansas City Chiefs and KU Basketball

    A futures ticket that seemingly retains value each respective season is a Kansas Jayhawks basketball and/or a Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl bet.โ€‚This combined parlay would pay out a generous sum.โ€‚This ticket could be a popular pick for Kansas sports fans driving up and down K10.โ€‚Many sports betters nationally might find it intriguing to pair Patrick Mahomes with Bill Self.โ€‚Both Kansas area icons could have a dynasty as part of their legacy.

    A futures ticket with the Kansas Jayhawks winning the national championship (16-1) combined with a Super Bowl victory for the Kansas City Chiefs (7-1) pays 135-1 odds.โ€‚

    Editor’s note:
    The featured image is a dedication in memoriam to the 2023 Philadelphia Eagles season.โ€‚

Problem with Gambling?โ€‚Help is available.โ€‚
Contact the National Problem Gambling Hotline at 1-800-GAMBLER or seek similar resources.
This article is intended for fun only with maybe some beer or pizza money at stake.โ€‚Please play responsibly.โ€‚

College Basketball Teams on the Bubble – Ice Cold in January

Posted on by
Reply

These major college basketball programs are getting ice cold at the wrong time and jeopardizing their seed line or even their tournament berth.โ€‚That includes one Mid-Major whose Cinderella slipper may be falling off before the ball.โ€‚

BY MATTY D.

Matty D. of CollegeBasketballEyeTest.com identifies top teams going ice cold in January

Sons of NBA Players in College Basketball 2024

Posted on by
Reply

The list of sons of NBA players hooping in college basketball seems to grow each year and here’s a look at the long list for the 2023-2024 season.

BY MATTY D.

  1. Bronny James

    LeBron James’ son Bronny has to be the most well recognized son of an NBA star in today’s college basketball landscape.โ€‚After suffering cardiac arrest in the preseason, Bronny James made his USC debut after missing several games.โ€‚

    He was ranked by ESPN.com as the number 19th best basketball recruit coming out of high school.โ€‚USC lists the freshman at 6-4 and 210 pounds.โ€‚

2.โ€‚DJ Rodman

Although USC has the son of a sure-fire Hall of Fame player, USC has the son of another current Hall of Fame player.โ€‚And that’s Dennis Rodman.โ€‚Rodman’s son DJ Rodman had a stellar collegiate career at Washington State.โ€‚Now he gets to chase an NCAA Final Four as a member of the USC Trojans.โ€‚Similar to his father, DJ has a knack for rebounding.โ€‚Of course, no one is the rebounder that Dennis Rodman is.โ€‚However, DJ has a smooth shooting stroke and range that his father rarely showcased.โ€‚

3.โ€‚Augustas Marciulionis

This guy often doesn’t make these lists, but Augustas Marciulionis has been starring at St. Mary’s for years now.โ€‚The Gaels are a perennial March Madness participant, and this guard is a big reason why.

Do you like old school hoops from the 80s and 90s?โ€‚Do yourself a favor and watch a sample of ล arลซnas Marฤiulionis Career Highlights.โ€‚

4.โ€‚Jamal Mashburn Jr.

Jamal Mashburn Jr. has been a best-kept-secret in the second generation category because of his teams inability to make the NCAA Tournament.โ€‚Mashburn Jr. started his collegiate career with Minnesota and then transferred to the New Mexico State Lobos.โ€‚Unlike his father Jamal Mashburn who starred at Kentucky and in Final Fours, junior has not been able to crack the bracket yet.โ€‚The last time the Gophers made the tournament was 2019.โ€‚The last time the Lobos made the tournament was 2014.โ€‚ Hopefully, the sharpshooting Mashburn Jr. will re-introduce the family name to a national audience come March of 2024.โ€‚

5.โ€‚Jaelen House

Mashburn Jr. isn’t the only Lobo with a familiar last name listed on New Mexico’s roster.โ€‚Jaelen House is another sharpshooting guard who is following in his father’s footsteps.โ€‚Eddie House played for the Celtics, Suns and Heat in addition to also playing for the Arizona State Sun Devils (where Jaelen started his collegiate jounrey.โ€‚

6.โ€‚Jace Howard

Juwan Howard has now had many sons come through the NCAA Division 1 ranks.โ€ƒCurrently, Juwan senior’s number 25 isn’t retired from this alma mater Michigan.โ€‚However, the number is in good hands with his son Jace.โ€‚

7.โ€‚Jabri Abdur-Rahim 

Jabri Abdur-Rahim is the son of former lottery pick and Grizzlies great, Shareef Adbur-Rahim.

8-9.โ€‚Ashton and Jayden Hardaway

Penny Hardaway is actually coaching two of his sons with the Memphis Tigers. Jayden Hardaway has earned his minutes over the years and is now a regular rotation player with the Tigers.โ€‚Ashton Hardaway is a freshman and has had his own share of bright moments this season.โ€‚

10.โ€‚James Keefe

Former Atlanta Hawks forward Adam Keefe’s son James has seemingly played for Stanford for the last decade.โ€‚The graduate student is a forward from Los Angeles.โ€‚

11.โ€‚Jameer Nelson Jr.

After playing for the Delaware Hens in the Colonial Athletic League for several years, point guard Jameer Nelson Jr. has made the leap to Big 12 Basketball as he joins the TCU Horned Frogs.

12. Ryan Mutumbo

The son of one of the best-ever shot blockers, Dikembe Mutumbo, makes this list without much fanfare.โ€‚Ryan Mutumbo has stuck it out during a rocky tenure with Georgetown.โ€‚He has seen the thrill of coach Patrick Ewing leading his team to an unlikely tournament berth as a 12 seed after winning the 2021 Big East Championship.โ€‚And, he’s seen that same coach fired for a new era with Ed Cooley.โ€‚

The 7 foot 2 junior plays sparingly for the Hoyas.โ€‚At last check, he had played 7 of 22 games averaging just 4 minutes per.โ€‚However, Mutumbo does have 28 blocks over his college career!โ€‚Mutumbo’s cameo on this list bolsters the presence of second generation talent from the 1994-1996 NBA All Star game…

Follow College Basketball Eye Test on Twitter (or X) to join the chat!

13.โ€‚D.J. Wagner

Fans of NBA basketball from the early 2000s might remember Dajuan Wagner.โ€‚But, then again, then might have forgotten him.โ€‚After one of the best high school basketball careers ever, Dajuan Wagner was drafted 6th overall by the Cleveland Cavs in 2002.โ€‚A medical condition held him back from ever having an NBA career materialize.โ€‚However, Google searches for “What happened to Dajuan Wagner” are morphing into “How high is D.J. Wagner’s draft stock?”โ€‚That’s because his son D.J. Wagner is starring for a Kentucky Wildcats team that’s been consistently ranked in the top 25 this year.โ€‚

In recent years, Dajuan Wagner was interviewed by fellow past NBA players, Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles.โ€‚

More:โ€‚Mike Miller, Larry Hughes Jr.

See previous year’s rosters of 2nd generation NCAAB/NBA Talent:

2022-2023
2021-2022

NCAAB Futures – Best Future Values for 2023-2024 College Basketball Season

Posted on by
Reply

BY MATTY D. LAST UPDATED FEBRUARY 28, 2024

Check out 5 fantastic values when it comes to investing in underdogs to win March Madness. At last check, these teams were selling for at least 30-1 or better odds (i.e. more favorable to the bettor).

These values indicate the odds for each team to win an NCAA Championship.โ€‚
This same report resulted in two Final Four teams last year!โ€‚See here.โ€‚

  1. BYU Cougars – NCAAB Futures 40-1

    I was buying into the BYU Cougars at 60-1 around year’s end. And after beating Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse to close out February, BYU’s stock is only going up. This team is historically older and more mature than its competition.  Spencer Johnson is a saucy point forward who epitomizes this with his court awareness.  Jaxson Robinson is an electric wing at 6-7 he offers a matchup problem for most teams.  Power forward Fousseyni Traore has returned from injury a few weeks ago and has contributed multiple 20 plus point performances. Not many teams ever win as a road team against Kansas. This could be a sign that there’s a special season on tap in Provo.


  2. South Florida Bulls – NCAAB Futures 300-1

    Amir Abdur-Rahim has done it again. Many people didn’t realize that he did it a first time. The first year head coach at South Florida has his team cracking the AP 25 and on its way to the Men’s College Basketball Tournament as we enter March. He did the same for little-known Kennesaw State last year. Abdur-Rahim is a rising star in the coaching realm. He brings senior guards Chris Youngblood and Brandon Stroud over from his Kennesaw success. The Bulls have beaten American Athletic Conference heavyweights such as FAU, SMU and Memphis this season. They actually finish February on a 13 game winning streak. It makes no sense that a team on such a roll is listed at 250 or even 300-to-1. However, you can find that value on popular apps such as FanDuel and DraftKings.

  3. Auburn Tigers – NCAAB Futures 30-1

    Bruce Pearl’s team returns a talented and postseason tested nucleus.โ€‚NBA top pick Jabari Smith has been replaced by freshman Aden Holloway in terms of underclassman scoring punch.ย ย This team is loaded with veteran players who value the ball late in games and patiently wait for the best shot. There are mutiple point guards with experience and toughness. Johni Brome looks more and more like Chris Bosh each year. You might have difficulty finding Auburn at 40-1 depending on when you’re reading this. However, they would still be worth it at 22-1 or 25-1.

  4. Seton Hall – NCAAB Futures 200-1

    The Seton Hall Pirates were spotted on DraftKings Sportsbook app the weekend of Christmas at 200-1 odds to win a college basketball championship.โ€‚They remained in that range even after beating fellow bubble teams Xavier, Butler and St. John’s in late February. If Shaheen Holloway can lead the St. Peters Peacocks to the Elite 8, I think he has a chance of winning the Big East tournament.  The Pirates also beat top 5 teams UCONN and Marquette this season, so itโ€™s not out of the question that they carve out a tournament worthy resume.  


  5. College of Charleston – NCAAB Futures 350-1

    Both of these long-shot odd choices are more about coaching. College of Charleston coach Pat Kelsey always has his team well conditioned and prepared to run a track meet and play above its weight class in tournament play. This team hasn’t had an earth-shattering season, but they are still among the favorites to win their conference and have a high upside.

This video below might haunt me scarier than the Ghost of Christmas Past. I made the argument to invest in Memphis, among some other dogs. Check out the archive:

NBA Draft Grades: Best Non-Lottery Picks from the NCAA

Posted on by
Reply

General managers from the National Basketball Association continue to show that they’re not watching college basketball closely enough as major talent dropped out of the top 10. Here’s my top 5 steals. These are proven players from college basketball who slipped further than they should have.

Kansas State Forward Keyontae Johnson Picked in the Second Round

It’s fitting that a sleepy good team from tornado alley, appropriately named the Thunder, kept Keyontae Johnson from slipping off the radar. Oklahoma City is slowly putting together a respectable program. They just missed the play-in tournament during the 2023 campaign after playing well down the stretch. Johnson will add a big and experienced basketball body and mind. Keyontae’s collapse on the court while a Florida Gator is well documented. He made his return to basketball to help lead the Kansas State Wildcats to the Elite 8. Johnson is big, strong, and should fit in perfectly with a hungry Oklahoma City club.

Houston Rockets Refuel on Explosive Talent

The Houston Rockets already had a back-log of 21, 22, and 23 year-olds ready to prove their high ceiling possibilities in the NBA. Now they’ve added probably the best teenager in the 2023 NBA Draft after Victor Wembanyama.

Cam Whitmore of the Houston Rockets becomes the steal of the NBA Draft

Those who closely watch college basketball couldn’t believe that Cam Whitmore dropped to the 20th overall pick. Sure, he missed some time at Villanova with injury. However, during the second half of the season he was virtually un-guardable. It’s hard to believe he is only 18 years old. He looks like Minnesota Timberwolves star guard Anthony Edwards, already. Watch for his shooting stroke to catch up with that profile.

Sweet 16 Predictions for 2023 March Madness

Posted on by
Reply

After a handful of upsets in the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, many high value underdogs remain in the bracket. Here is some analysis and sports betting lines to consider.

BY MATTY D.

Princeton Tigers Remain a Live Dog +10 Against Creighton

It might seem counterintuitive, but Creighton has struggled at times this season to defend the post, and Princeton is rolling right now as it exposes the paint against other bigger teams. It will be interesting to watch whether 6-8 Ivy League Player of the Year Tosan Evbouomwan gets matched up against Ryan Kalkbrenner, or some of the smaller but very skilled defensive wings for the Creighton Bluejays. Either way, taking 10 points with Princeton feels like the best value based on what we’ve seen.

Follow CBBEyeTest on Twitter for more spirited debate.

Arkansas Razorbacks +4 Against UCONN is a Slam Dunk

This is where we start to follow the trail that led us here. What teams have these teams beaten to get here? Arkansas handled Illinois, another evenly ranked team. Then, they knocked off the #1 seeded defending champion Kansas Jayhawks in dramatic fashion mounting a comeback in the final minutes.

Arkansas was one of my top 5 future values heading into the tournament.

On the flip side, the UCONN Huskies beat an Iona team that had its coach clearly on the way out (see Rick Pitino). Then, they beat a St. Mary’s team that was probably the most vulnerable top 25 team in terms of its propensity for serious droughts on offense.

Taking Texas on the moneyline against Xavier

If you haven’t caught the trend, I don’t think that more than one team from the Big East will make the Elite 8. Texas put out the fire on a red hot Penn State team and looked superior doing it. Xavier struggled at times against 14 seed Kennesaw State and then again against 11 seed Pittsburgh on its third game in five days. Sure, Xavier won by several possessions, but if you watched the game you noticed that Pitt hung around. Senior (Graduate) starting guard Souley Boum struggled on offense and was held scoreless for a majority of the game. I think you’re starting to see the liabilities for Xavier and its lack of depth with Zach Freemantle unavailable for the tournament. It’s awesome to see coach Sean Miller back on the basketball sidelines, but I just don’t see him in the Elite 8.

Best NCAAB Futures Values for the Sweet 16

Posted on by
Reply

The Sweet Sixteen of the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament still offers a variety of heavy underdogs and great value in the futures sports betting market.

BY MATTY D.

In world where Princeton and either Florida Atlantic or Farleigh Dickinson will be in the Sweet Sixteen, you still haven’t missed the boat to buy into some great underdogs during March Madness.

As the tournament began, I published an article here ranking my 5 favorite future odds to win the title. Two of those teams will be in the Sweet Sixteen with Arkansas and San Diego State. Florida Atlantic was another team listed on that rankings.

So many giants have fallen, that the price for a ticket on any top team has increased. Houston and Alabama are now in the 4-1 or 5-1 territory with Arizona, Purdue and Duke all already eliminated.

Best NCAAB Future Values Remaining for March Madness – Sweet 16 Edition

Photo Courtesy Sideline Photos/ GoPrincetonTigers.com

Princeton Tigers 200-1 to Win Championship, 40-1 for Final Four

As miraculous as Princeton’s Sweet 16 run has looked, we have seen this movie before. The Tigers didn’t only beat Missouri in the round of 32, they dominated them. Ever since Princeton put on the gas pedal and blew past Arizona in the 15-2 matchup, the Tigers have had major swagger. This team is looking like the Dunk City Florida Gulf Coast team that shocked the world as a 15 seed. This type of upset is also becoming an annual tradition with 15 seed St. Peter’s going on an Elite 8 run just last season.

Florida Atlantic 50-1 to win NCAA Basketball Championship

This is the bizarre situation where an underdog actually becomes the heavy favorite. Depending on which sportsbook you visit, Florida Atlantic became anywhere between a 12 to 15 point favorite to beat Farleigh Dickinson in the round of 32.

Creighton 10-1 to win NCAA Championshop

The Bluejays competed last year in the Sweet 16 against eventual champion Kansas and this year they thoroughly routed another Big 12 team, in Baylor. Creighton’s odds to win it all have surged from 25-1 to 10-1, but could still be a great value for a team that has all the ingredients.

Click here to buy a Creighton futures ticket on PropSwap now

Tips to Win Betting March Madness on a Budget – Live from Las Vegas!

Posted on by
1

BY MATTY D.

The chaos of March Madness doesn’t have to swallow you, or your modest sports betting budget, whole. Check out my top 5 tips to enjoy sports betting March Madness with some moderation.

Tip #1: Bet the Futures

Betting the futures is a great way to prolong your enjoyment of March Madness.

Tip #2: Shop around

If you like an udnerdog to actually win the entire tournament, shop around for the best price. You might be surprised to see the wide discrepancy. For example, an 8 seed that I like to win the National Championship is 75-1 at one casino, but 125-1 at a casino right across the street. Even on a five dollar bet, that can cost you $250!

Watch the other 3 tips in the video below:

๐Ÿ”Ž๐Ÿ”Ž Looking for great underdogs for 2023? ๐Ÿ’ต ๐Ÿ’ต
Click here to see my top 5 NCAAB future values for March Madness ๐Ÿ’ต ๐Ÿ’ต