Sign In $
College Basketball

Thursday’s Tip Sheet

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
3 minute read
Two of this Thursday’s top college basketball betting matchups are rematches of a previous head-to-head meeting last December.

Starting things off, the Maryland Terrapins go on the road to face the Seton Hall Pirates. Later that night, NC State will square off against the Auburn Tigers in Auburn Arena.

No. 7 Maryland at Seton Hall (FOX Sports 1, 7:00 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Maryland -3, Total 142.5

Betting Matchup

Maryland took a step backwards in the national rankings with last Wednesday’s 76-69 road loss to Penn State as a two-point underdog. This was the Big Ten’s Terrapins’ first straight-up loss of the season against 10 wins. They closed as heavy favorites in those first 10 games. Maryland is 5-6 against the spread and the total has stayed UNDER in three of its last four games. The team is averaging 77.1 points per game while holding opposing teams to 62.2 PPG. Senior guard Anthony Cowan Jr. leads the way with 16.5 points a game while shooting 42.7% from the field.

Saturday’s 68-48 loss to Rutgers as slight 1 ½-point road favorites was the Big East’s Pirates’ third SU loss in their last five games. They also lost to Oregon and Iowa State as slight underdogs. Seton Hall is 6-4 both SU and ATS. The total stayed UNDER 141 points in Saturday’s loss and it has stayed UNDER or ended as a PUSH in five of the team’s last six outings. Shooting sensation Myles Powell is out indefinitely after suffering a head injury against Rutgers. The senior guard is sixth in the nation in scoring with 21.2 PPG.

Betting Trends

-- The Terrapins are 13-3 SU in their last 16 December games and the total has stayed UNDER in four of their last five games against the Big East.

-- The Pirates have failed to cover in five of their last six games played in December and the total has stayed UNDER in 12 of their last 18 games against a team from the Big Ten.

-- These two met last December with Seton Hall coming away with a 78-74 victory as a 7 ½-point road underdog. The total went OVER 140 points.

N.C. State at No. 12 Auburn (ESPN2, 9:00 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Auburn -8, Total 151.5

Betting Matchup

Following a season opening ACC loss to Georgia Tech, the Wolfpack have strung together eight SU wins in their last nine games. The other loss came against Memphis on Nov. 28. They have been able to cover ATS in four of their last five games following a 2-3 start against the closing number. The total has gone OVER in five of NC State’s last seven contests. This is one of the higher scoring teams in the country with an average of 82.5 PPG. Senior guard CJ Bryce is the leading scorer with 15.9 points and he has exceeded that average in three of his last five games.

The SEC’s Tigers have climbed the national ranks with a perfect SU 9-0 start. They closed as favorites in every game while going 5-4 ATS. The total has stayed UNDER in three of Auburn’s last four games. J’ Von McCormick scored 20 points in a recent victory against St. Louis in the Mike Slive Invitational. Senior guard Samir Doughty is the team’s leading scorer with 17.3 PPG. He was held to eight points in that game while shooting a dismal 16.7 percent from the field. Auburn is averaging 83.0 points while pulling down 43.0 rebounds a game.

Betting Trends

-- The Wolfpack have won six of their last seven SEC games SU with the total going OVER in five of their last six games played on Thursdays.

-- The Tigers are 14-1 SU in their last 15 games in December. The total has stayed UNDER in six of their last seven games against a team from the ACC.

-- NC State upended Auburn 78-71 last December closing as a slight 1 ½-point home underdog. The total stayed UNDER the 156 ½-point total line.

College Basketball News

VegasInsider Staff

VegasInsider Staff

More from VegasInsider Staff
•