It’s a big Pac-12 day here on The Action Network.
Three of our team’s top four college basketball bets for the day come from the Pac-12 and another choice comes from the Big 12.
It all starts with Cal vs. Utah at 6 p.m. Eastern Time, followed by Iowa State vs. Kansas and Colorado vs. Stanford at 7 p.m. To finish, BJ Cunningham analyzes USC vs. Washington at 10 pm
Check out the full reviews and choices for each game below and feel free to navigate to any game using the table below.
College Basketball Odds and Choices
All listed odds were updated on Thursday morning. Specific betting recommendations at the end of each match detail come from sports bets that offer preferred odds on Thursday morning.
Always buy the best price using our NCAAB Odds page, which automatically shows the best lines for each game.
Cal vs. Utah
In Stuckey
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This is a potentially sleepy spot for Utah, after consecutive wins over Arizona and Colorado in a game in which the Buffaloes led by 19 points with eight minutes to go.
Meanwhile, Cal lost six consecutive games against teams in the top half of the conference, but three were at least competitive until the end. The Golden Bears’ last win came against the same Utah team on the road. It was a game they won without their best player, Matt Bradley, who has since returned and looked healthier with each game.
Utah is also unlikely to take advantage of Cal’s nonexistent transition defense. And while your defense in the middle of the court is almost as bad, you have to think that you will get some 3 point losses eventually with the opponents of the conference shooting more than 40% of the bottom of the league game.
At the end of the day, I think that line is very high after Utah’s recent big wins. Don’t forget, this is the same Utes team that lost in Washington before those two wins. I am selling expensive and calculating the value with the domestic dog based on my power ratings.
To choose: Cal +5
Iowa State vs. Kansas
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Supporting the state of Iowa requires an iron stomach, especially on the road in a game that will count against the record for the first quadrant.
Even though Allen Fieldhouse is only allowing 2,000 fans to enter, it is still a difficult task to win a road conference game. Iowa has only 2 to 12 in the season, but a closer look shows that players are still competing a lot for coach Steve Prohm.
The Cyclones covered three consecutive games and settled four consecutive balances against the total.
In the last seven trips from Iowa to Allen Fieldhouse, the Cyclones have covered six times. Recent history and cash scores suggest that this will be a competitive game.
The big question is how the state of Iowa was able to maintain double digit point spreads as underdogs so close to a total turnaround.
Rasir Bolton was a big part of the resurgence, recording the most minutes for the Cyclones and scoring double-digit points in all games this season, with the exception of a win against Jackson State. Bolton had 13 of 13 in the charity streak in a loss to TCU last weekend, while shooting 5 of 8 from a long distance in a loss to Oklahoma a week ago.
The state of Iowa forms the best team in the Big 12 when it comes to perimeter defense, allowing opponents to shoot just 29.8%.
Kansas has an advantage in many categories, but this will be a game that must be won in painting. The Jayhawks were unable to protect the perimeter from a defensive aspect, ranking eighth on the Big 12 as a percentage of their opponent’s 3-point shot.
Wait for Iowa to continue to harass Kansas defensively around the archway to accompany your host during Bolton’s stellar game.
To choose: Iowa State +15
Colorado vs. Stanford
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The Colorado Buffaloes intend to complete the season against Stanford Cardinal tonight.
These teams last faced each other on January 16, in a game that Colorado dominated from the beginning, towards a 13 point victory. The Buffaloes led by 22 points at the start of that game, which was against a Stanford team in full strength.
In this match, the cardinal can play without Daejon Davis and Ziaire Williams for unspecified reasons. Although both are likely, your minutes could potentially be reduced.
Williams has an average of 12.5 points and 5.7 rebounds in his 13 games. In the first match, he finished with 17 points and five rebounds.
Obviously, this production will be sorely missed. Stanford, Williams, Oscar da Silva and Jaiden Delaire’s Big 3 scored 52 of Stanford’s 64 points in the first game.
The rest of the cardinal combined to hit 3 of 16 kicks off the field, which represented a dismal 18.8% and just 12 points. Without Williams, it will be up to the rest of Stanford’s team to make up for that slack, which is a feat that does not seem viable.
Colorado holds first place in the Pac-12 offensive efficiency ranking, which is good for ninth place in the country, according to KenPom.
The Buffaloes pitch the highest effective percentage of field-goal in the conference, in addition to being ranked second in terms of turnover percentage. In contrast, Stanford turns the ball more than any team at a conference other than Washington State.
That said, I believe the cardinal is overvalued in this position after his two victories over Cal. Although they need a victory, due to the fact that they are one of the current teams in the NCAA tournament bubble, I think they will have a hard time keeping up with the Buffaloes’ extremely efficient attack.
To choose: Colorado Pick’em
USC vs. Washington
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Trojans are starting to take shape not only as one of the best teams in Pac 12, but also as one of the best in the country.
They have been dominant at both ends of the track, especially on the inside with super-talented five-star freshman Evan Mobley. He has dominated everyone in Pac-12, averaging 16.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.
The presence of Mobley in the painting allowed the Trojans to be one of the best teams in the country from the inside, since they shoot 61.6% in attempts to throw in the rim, for Hoop-Math. Trojans also have the highest offensive rebound rate in the Pac-12, well above 35%, which will be a major problem for Washington in this case.
The Huskies zone 2-3 defense was destroyed during the conference game, allowing an incredible 1.16 points for possession. The main problem is the fact that they are allowing a lot of second chance points, as their opponents have a 39.6% offensive rebound rate against the zone.
In the first confrontation between the two sides, the USC touched the area by 1.32 points for possession and caught 16 rebounds in the process.
Washington’s attack is also not up to par, averaging 1.00 points for possession in a conference game. The Huskies seem to be unable to do anything right, sitting near the bottom of the Pac-12 in almost all offensive metrics.
In my opinion, the only way for them to get along with USC is to hit a ton of 3s. Washington shoots from the bottom in 41.1% of goal attempts, hitting more than 35% of attempts from 3 points.
The problem is that the USC boasts one of the best 3-point defenses in the conference, allowing only 31.9% depth. It is also one of the tallest teams in the country. Therefore, Huskies will have a hard time trying to get decent shooting opportunities.
I think the USC will beat Washington just like it did in the first fight when they beat the Huskies 95-68.
I have Trojans designed as favorites at -14.51, so I think there’s a lot of value at -10.5.
To choose: USC -10.5