With March Madness and baseball right around the corner, as well as hockey and the NBA cruising towards the postseason, I decided it was a perfect time to dust off “From the Betting Window.” As always, whether you fade or follow, best of luck tonight.
College Hoops
609 Virginia Tech at 610 Florida State, 6:00 p.m. CT
Spread: Seminoles -4
Over/Under: 136
Public Betting: Seminoles 69%
Public Money: Seminoles 71%
Florida State can nab full possession of fourth place in the ACC with a victory over Virginia Tech tonight. The Seminoles have won 10 of their last 11 games and two straight following a win over N.C. State on Saturday. That said, the Hokies have showed some grit without senior point guard Justin Robinson, who has missed their last eight games due to a foot injury. Junior forward Kerry Blackshear Jr. has stepped up in Robinson’s absence, averaging 24.3 points and 11.5 rebounds per game over his last four outings (he also has double-doubles in each of his past three games). This is a battled-tested Virginia Tech team coming off an upset win over Duke and a week of rest. Even if the Hokies need the first half to knock off some rust, I love getting four points in a coin-flip matchup. The underdog is 4-1 against the number in the previous five games between these two teams and I see plenty of value in VA Tech tonight.
Prediction: Virginia Tech +4 (1.1 units to win 1.0)
NBA
521 Portland Trail Blazers at 522 Memphis Grizzlies, 7:00 p.m. CT
Spread: Trail Blazers -5.5
Over/Under: 215.5
Public Betting: Trail Blazers 60%
Public Money: Trail Blazers 60%
The Trail Blazers have been outstanding of late, winning six of their last seven games. Their lone loss during that span? A respectable 119-117 defeat at the hands of the Raptors in Toronto as a 4.5-point underdog. Portland has covered the spread in seven straight games and has posted upset wins over the Celtics, 76ers and Warriors over the past month. That said, tonight they’re also playing the final game of a seven-game road trip against an opponent in Memphis that is 25-40 on the year. This is a natural letdown spot for the Blazers, who have struggled against the Grizzlies’ defense this season. In their previous two games against the Grizzlies (one home, one away), the Trail Blazers averaged 91 points per game, which is 22 points below their season average. Finally, Portland returns home on Thursday night to take on the Thunder, so not only is tonight a natural letdown spot for the Blazers, but it’s a look-ahead situation as well.
Prediction: Grizzlies +5.5 (1.1 units to win 1.0)