There were no ranked teams in action on Monday in college hoops, but that changes significantly on Tuesday. Not only are there 11 ranked teams in action on Tuesday, but two ranked teams go head-to-head in ACC action, and there is also Big East action on the night. There are also a pair of neutral site contests, with Florida facing Oklahoma in Charlotte and Mississippi State playing Drake in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Let’s take a look at a few of the games to bet on for Tuesday.
Media from the Associated Press. Virginia guard Kihei Clark and the Cavaliers bench are among our best NCAA picks for Tuesday, December 20th.
Marquette -1
Marquette got off to a great start in the Big East with a home win over previously ranked Creighton on Friday. The Golden Eagles (9-4) are now ranked as they head to Providence (9-3), favored by a point. The Friars are 6-6 ATS this season, but they are 7-0 at home, and the home team has won five straight games in this series, covering all but one of those.
Marquette ranks 35th in the nation, scoring at 81.1 ppg,, while Providence is 60th at 79.5. Both teams shoot over 48% from the field, while Providence averages 40 rebounds per game to 34.5 for Marquette.
The Friars average 40.7 ppg in the paint and will try to use their size against the more athletic Golden Eagles. Bryce Higgins scored 24 points in the win over Seton Hall this weekend, leading the Friars with 15.7 ppg and 8.6 rpg this season. Kam Jones and Olivier-Mxence Prosper both average more than 15.0 ppg for Marquette.
This one should be tight throughout, and while Providence is a home, Marquette has the better team and the more balanced squad. Look for the Golden Eagles to win by more than two and cover.
Oklahoma +2
Florida and Oklahoma have struggled away from home this season, with 3-2 overall marks in games outside the campus. They will meet in Charlotte at the Jumpman Invitational on Tuesday night. Both teams are 5-6 ATS, and the Gators are -2.
Florida is 2-3 against big school opponents with neutral site losses to Xavier by 7, West Virginia by 29, and a home loss to UConn by 21. Oklahoma is 3-2 against the top conferences with a 4-point loss at Villanova and a 10-point neutral loss to Arkansas. The Sooners have knocked off Ole Miss, Seton Hall, and Nebraska, while Florida has wins against Florida State and Oregon State.
Dating back to last year, Florida is 1-8 ATS against teams with winning records and 1-6 in a neutral site. Their defense gives up 36% shooting from 3-point range and nearly 70 points per game, while Oklahoma ranks 19th in the nation, shooting 40% from deep and fourth at 52% overall. Look for Oklahoma to win this one going away over the Gators and cover the +2.
Virginia -2
The Top 25 matchup of the day features No. 6 Virginia traveling to No. 22 Miami for an ACC showdown. Miami is 11-1 overall with a 2-0 ACC record, while UVA is 8-1 and 1-0 in conference play. Virginia is favored by two as they head on the road looking to bounce back from an 8-point home loss to Houston over the weekend.
UVA hasn’t covered in their last five games, but they were favored by at least 12.5 in three of those contests. The Cavaliers rank 15th in the nation defensively, allowing just 59.1 ppg, and they are 25th, allowing just 27.2 rpg. Virginia shoots 38% from 3-point range, but they make just 7.1 per game.
Miami struggles to rebound, ranking 211th in the nation at 32.0 per game, and they allow nearly 30 per contest. They are 176th defensively, allowing 68.3 ppg, and give up 7.0 treys per game. Miami is shooting 34% from deep but still ranks 62nd in scoring at 79.0 ppg.
Miami has lost its last six games against Virginia, dating back to an overtime win in 2017. Virginia has covered in all those games except one while holding Miami to 58 points or less in six of the last seven meetings. Look for Virginia to keep that trend going as they cover on the road Tuesday night.
You can find more NCAA basketball picks here.