O'Sullivan's Wednesday College Basketball Picks: Boston College v URI, Marist v Princeton, Tulane v FSU, more
Well, Yale got my Ivy League picks off to a nice start, but Virginia and North Carolina, from the vaunted ACC, handed me a nice garbage sandwich as a welcoming gift. From the two teams I got it both ways: UVa never had a chance, while UNC stormed back to win the game…and fail to cover the spread by less than a bucket. I will never forget how you ruined my opening night, guys. Never.
Seattle O’Sullivan 2021-2022 ACC season so far: 0-2, -$22
Seattle O’Sullivan 2021-2022 Ivy League season so far: 1-0, +$11
(Standing Caveat: The universe is chaotic. Life is unpredictable. Things happen. Like injuries. In following Seattle O’Sullivan’s betting advice, be advised that you should always monitor your bets during the day to make certain unforeseen things have not occurred which might change your wagering opinion. Thank you.)
Boston College Eagles at Rhode Island Rams, 6 pm Eastern
The Pick: Boston College +6.5 (-120), bet $12 to win $10
The steep vig here should give a clue - you have to pay extra to get 6.5 points, which means the books think that’s a high spread. Both Boston College (3-0) and Rhode Island (2-0) are undefeated, but none of the victories are all that impressive. To me the statistic that persuades me is field goal percentage. Even against lackluster competition, Rhode Island is shooting less than 50% (49.5) to B.C.’s 53.2%. The Eagles also give up 4.3 fewer points per game. It’s certainly early, but neither of these teams have a high-powered offense, which means it should stay close.
Marist Red Foxes at Princeton Tigers, 7 pm Eastern
Tulane Green Wave at Florida State Seminoles, 8 pm Eastern
The Pick: Teaser - Princeton -1.5 w/Florida State -11.5, -125, bet $18.75
I know, I know - how will I ever keep track of my bankroll between my ACC picks and my Ivy League picks if I make “cross-conference, quasi-Frankenstein exotic” plays like this? That’s my problem to solve. Your problem is what to do with your winnings. Florida State is coming off a tough loss to cross-state rival Florida on Sunday. I think they take it out on Tulane tonight. The Seminoles are 29th in Pomeroy’s rankings. Tulane is 148th and just lost to Southern, a much, much worse loss. As for Princeton, they face Marist after beating a solid South Carolina team and losing in double-overtime to Minnesota, both games in Asheville, NC. Princeton is not a bad team at all. Marist has beaten a horrible Columbia team (whom I can’t wait to pick against) and lost to a mediocre American University team. The Tigers should get by the Foxes in their home opener.
Moneyline Parlay: Princeton Tigers (-360) w/Harvard Crimson (-255) w/Binghamton Bearcats (-118), true price +228, bet $2.50 to win $5.72
Here’s where I pick against Columbia, who plays Binghamton. The Lions have opened the season 0-2, and are giving up 79.5 points per game, so Binghamton should be able to score against them. Also, the Bearcats average 8.5 more rebounds per game, so it’s more than an even matchup. Pairing them with Princeton and Harvard, who are solid favorites, makes for a nice value bet, and is thus worth a little play.