Sports Betting
Friday’s Best ESPN BET Bets: St. John’s-UConn, Pitt-North Carolina, Hawks-Jazz
What started out a great day for the Winning Picks turned sideways at night, finishing up 1-2. Pitt was able to cover and win against Wake Forest in a game that was dominated by the ACC refs’ wishy washy calls and no calls. The Penguins were able to come alive last night and ruined the under in their win over the Sharks. My Duquesne Dukes, who I faded against Dayton, won and covered, ruining the Winning Pick. We moved to 200-151-3 on the year.
Speaking of those Dukes, as it stands on ESPN BET, they are +280 to win the A-10 Tournament. This is the furthest Duquesne has made it in the conference tournament since 2009, when the Dukes lost to Temple in the finals. Keith Dambrot has not blinked after dealing with transfers out of the program over the past several seasons and early struggles in conference play this season.
They will have to matchup against Saint Bonaventure in the A-10 semifinals, a team the Dukes swept during the regular season. It would be crazy if Duquesne ended up winning the A-10 Tournament, getting the automatic bid and being one of the reasons that Pitt didn’t get into the Big Dance. That would be more fuel to ignite the City Game again, which shouldn’t have gone away.
Now onto the Winning Picks!
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St. John’s Red Storm vs UConn Huskies (-9.5) O/U 148.5 5:30 PM on FOX
Rick Pitino hasn’t been riding this high since Louisville won the National Championship. The Hall of Fame coach has St. John’s rolling into the Big East semifinals for the first time since 2000. The Red Storm could make their first tournament since 2019. But before that happens, they have to take on defending National Champion UConn.
The Huskies defeated the Red Storm in MSG last month by double digits. UConn was easily able to dispatch Xavier yesterday, but the momentum that St. John’s has, this game could be a lot closer than the spread suggests. I believe the Huskies still cover, but the Red Storm keep it close.
St. John’s Covers +9.5, St. John’s Red Storm 71 UConn Huskies 76
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Pittsburgh Panthers vs North Carolina (-7.5) O/U 147.5 7:00 PM on ESPN
I was at the Petersen Event Center when these two teams hooked up back in January, and it wasn’t pretty for the Panthers in a double digit loss. Pitt really couldn’t score to save their life that night. But that was before Jeff Chapel made changes to the starting lineup, which has led to the Panthers being in position to get a spot in the Big Dance.
North Carolina crushed Florida St yesterday; it wasn’t even that competitive. Pitt knows their season is on the line tonight, a win or loss could be the difference between the NIT or NCAA Tournament. A win would definitely put the Panthers in. I don’t think they will get that far, but I expect Pitt to cover and play well enough to get a spot in the tournament.
Pitt Covers +7.5, Pittsburgh Panther 73 North Carolina Tar Heels 77
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Atlanta Hawks (-3.5) at Utah Jazz O/U 223.5 9:30 PM on NBA TV
There is no Jazz in Utah, and there will be no stars on the court tonight for the Jazz either. Utah will be without their leading scorer Lauri Markkanen as well as Jordan Clarkson. This is not a good mix when you’re hosting a team fighting for their playoff lives in the Atlanta Hawks.
Unless they fall flat the rest of the season, the Hawks should have the last spot in the play-in tournament but there is still time to improve their standing in the east. I like Atlanta to cover tonight in the city and state that has no Jazz to speak of.
Hawks -3.5 Covers, Atlanta Hawks 110 Utah Jazz 102
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