Media by Associated Press – North Carolina guard R.J. Davis (4) brings the ball up court against Notre Dame during an NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
There are plenty of fun college basketball matchups Tuesday night. What makes this part of the schedule enjoyable is that many of the early-season in-conference matchups set the path for how teams will earn their spots in the NCAA Tournament. Getting off to a poor start in conference games will lead to a giant ladder to climb.
Here’s a look at some games worth betting for Tuesday night.
Michigan State Spartans at Wisconsin Badgers (-104)
Wisconsin and Michigan State are set to meet for what should be an interesting battle in Madison. The No. 14 Badgers had a six-game winning streak snapped last Saturday when Wisconsin lost on the road to unranked Illinois. Wisconsin plays at a deliberate pace.
The Badgers averaged 68.5 points per game but are efficient shooters from the 3-point line, knocking down 37.3 percent of their attempts. Defensively, Wisconsin has been stout throughout the season. The Badgers have held their opponents to 62.4 points per game, which ranks 35th nationally.
Michigan State, which has struggled with injuries this season, has run off six straight wins since dropping a pair of games against Notre Dame and Northwestern. The Spartans have covered the last three games against the spread but are 1-1 in true road games straight up.
Michigan State is a good 3-point shooting team that also relies on its defense. Wisconsin will win an ugly game at home.
Illinois Fighting Illini (-3) at Nebraska Cornhuskers
The Illini have had a difficult time since Big Ten play started. One of Illinois’ top recruits, Skyy Clark, left the program for personal reasons. Illinois has also taken some tough losses to Penn State, Northwestern, and Missouri to fall out of the top 25.
However, the Illini were able to score a big win over No. 14 Wisconsin last Saturday. The Cornhuskers are off to a 2-3 start in Big Ten play and have picked up a solid home win over Iowa. Nebraska isn’t a good 3-point shooting team and is still struggling to find consistent scoring on offense.
The Cornhuskers are 6-10 against the spread. Illinois is 8-7. The Illini will win this one and cover as short road favorites.
North Carolina Tar Heels (+4.5) at Virginia Cavaliers
North Carolina has bounced back from a two-point road loss to Pitt by collecting wins over Wake Forest and Notre Dame. The Tar Heels, who are 23rd nationally by scoring 81.4 points per game, are still trying to find the right mix for their offense. UNC’s struggles to keep the ball moving have resulted in some uneven performances.
The Tar Heels are 5-10-1 against the spread. Virginia also has had its struggles with being consistent.
The Cavaliers are 11-3 straight up and 4-10 against the spread. Virginia has the 15th-best scoring defense nationally, only allowing 59.6 points per game. The Cavaliers only shoot 40.4 percent from the field, which ranks 57th.
North Carolina has all the pieces to challenge Virginia’s defense and will keep this game close.
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