NCAAB Best Bets for December 6: One Road ‘Dog & An ‘Over’
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Willie Bee
- December 6, 2024
Top NCAAB Pick: Illinois-Northwestern Over 143½ (-115) at Bookmaker (visit our Bookmaker Review)
There will be a dearth of Friday night top-notch college basketball matchups in less than a month, so let’s take advantage of what we have now and seek out the value plays for a Big 12/Big East Challenge, plus a Big Ten battle that is being renewed for the 189th time.
Georgetown Hoyas vs. West Virginia Mountaineers
Friday, December 06, 2024 – 07:00 PM ET at WVU Coliseum
Considering Georgetown was picked ninth in the Big East and West Virginia 13th in the Big 12, we can’t help but be a little suspect of their starts so far as they’ve combined for a 12-3 record in advance of their interconference challenge on Thursday.
The Mountaineers are showing up as double-digit favorites at some shops, with most selling them at -9½ on the NCAAB odds and 144 or so for the total.
Hoyas Facing Tough Slate Before Christmas
The Hoyas (7-1 SU, 4-4 ATS) begin a difficult 4-game stretch with this clash, the first two of those contests against former conference rivals and the following two serving as their first Big East action of the season.
It will be difficult for Ed Cooley and his staff to keep Georgetown players from having next week’s matchup with Syracuse on their minds somewhere, even if that game is eight days away.
KenPom had Georgetown No. 358 (of 364) in the Strength of Schedule column earlier this week, and the Hoyas could only hang with Notre Dame for about 4½ minutes three weeks ago before falling 83-64 as short 3-point home underdogs at top sportsbooks.
WVU Exceeding Expectations
Considering the roster turnover Darian DeVries was working with in his first season at West Virginia (5-2 SU, 4-3 ATS), he should be among the early contenders for NCAA Coach of the Year.
A 70/1 longshot in the Big 12 on the preseason odds, the Mountaineers hold the title of Giant Killers after three overtime matchups in the Bahamas that included wins over Gonzaga and Arizona. The Arizona triumph sets up an interesting dynamic when the teams meet as Big 12 rivals a month from now.
Chalk & ‘Dogs Split Last 10 Meetings
We are one day shy of exactly four years since Georgetown and West Virginia last got together, an 80-71 Mountaineers win in DC as 11-point chalk. They were Big East foes from 1995-2012, and the Hoyas hold a slim 27-26 edge in the series.
I’m looking for a similar result as the last time they met, and am always a fool for Georgetown and the points.
NCAAB Pick: Georgetown +9½ (-105) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Northwestern Wildcats
Friday, December 06, 2024 – 09:00 PM ET at Welsh-Ryan Arena
Illinois becomes the final ranked team in the Big Ten to get a taste of conference play, and the Fighting Illini can’t afford to look past their in-state rival Northwestern with the Wildcats looking to take out some of their frustration following a tough loss to begin league play.
Ranked No. 18 on the latest AP poll, Illinois is 3½-point chalk with 143½-144 for the scoreboard target. The Fighting Illini are 14th according to KenPom while Northwestern sits 62nd.
NW Has Won Last 2 at Home vs. Illinois
Turnovers directly led to Illinois losing at Alabama nearly three weeks ago, not to mention the Fighting Illini allowed the Crimson Tide to control the paint on both ends of the floor. Illinois also left points at the free-throw line, but that has been an issue all season.
Brad Underwood’s gang looked much, much better against another ranked SEC squad the last time out, posting a 90-77 decision in Kansas City against Arkansas. Lined as 4-point chalk at BetOnline, Illinois got off to an 11-0 start, built the lead to 15 at the break, and enjoyed a solid night behind the arc hitting 15-of-31 (48%).
Northwestern’s three losses this season have been by a combined 8 points, two of those taking place on the road at Dayton and Iowa. No doubt that the one to the Hawkeyes just three days ago stung the most.
The Wildcats trailed by as many as 17, but clawed back thanks in large part to a 15-1 run in the second half. Free throws put Northwestern ahead in the closing seconds before Iowa’s Josh Dix canned a deep 3-pointer with under a second left for the 80-78 final. The Wildcats closed as 5-point underdogs.
Illini Have Won 9 of Last 11 Meetings
These old foes split a pair of high-scoring affairs roughly three weeks apart last January, the home side winning and covering each contest. Illinois was favored in both, and this matchup extends the Fighting Illini’s streak to 13 straight carrying chalk in the rivalry.
Don’t get me wrong, I do love the ‘under.’ But too many people aren’t going to really dive into the competition Illinois (allowed just 34 to Little Rock) and Northwestern (Lehigh scored 46 and Pepperdine scored 50) have faced. Make the ‘over’ your pick.
NCAAB Pick: Over 143½ (-115) 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.
