Top 5 Under Bets in College Basketball
By Thomas COvill
Whether it’s due to defensive prowess, offensive futility, an uneven schedule or overrating on the part of handicappers, there are several teams in college basketball that have consistently hit the under this season.
Texas Longhorns (5-12 over/under)
The Longhorns have been a smart bettor’s best friend this season, going 14-4-0 ATS while posting a 5-12-0 over/under mark, including 0-6-0 on the road.
Texas has gone under in five straight and seven of eight thanks to its defense, which ranks third in the nation in defensive field goal percentage, limiting opponents to 36.5 shooting and 60.0 points per game.
While the Longhorns average 76.4 points per game and have an otherwise solid offense, their poor shooting percentage from the charity stripe (64.7) can ruin an over bettor’s night.
Seton Hall Pirates (6-15)
The Pirates are lacking offensive punch with star guard Jeremy Hazell sitting on the bench due injury. Of course, Hazell’s 39.6 percent shooting isn’t doing much to help Seton Hall’s overall mark of 40.7 percent, which ranks 301st in the nation.
The Pirates are even worse from beyond the arc, knocking down just 28.7 percent of their 3-pointers - 337th in the NCAA. That shooting combined with a solid defense that holds opponents to 65.2 points per game should continue to keep the total down, like the 56-44 loss at West Virginia on Feb. 2 and the 61-59 home loss to Connecticut last Saturday.
The under has cashed in 11 of Seton Hall’s last 14 games.
Gonzaga Bulldogs (6-14)
The Zags have been living on reputation for most of the season but will need to win its conference tournament to get to the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs are a solid scoring team and aren’t great on defense - probably the reason for their struggles. But oddsmakers have set Gonzaga’s over/under line at 140 or higher in all but three of its games.
The Bulldogs are an under bettor’s dream in non-conference games (2-10 outside the WCC) but post a 4-4-0 mark against conference foes. The Zags end the season with six of their final seven against WCC teams, giving them a chance to even that O/U mark a bit.
LSU Tigers (4-14)
Just like Seton Hall, the Tigers do a fine job of combining an anemic offense with an above-average defense. Louisiana State ranks 307th in scoring average at 62.9 points per game and shoots just 39.7 percent from the floor - 319th in the NCAA.
Their defense, which holds opponents to 64.4 points, keeps the Tigers in games. The under is 9-0 in LSU’s last nine games despite consist low total lines.
Kansas State Wildcats (5-13)
K-State is one of the most disappointing teams in the nation. The Wildcats, who began the season ranked in the Top 5 nationally, aren’t even in the Top 5 of the Big 12 now.
The preseason hype set lofty standards for the team, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Like Texas, Kansas State also drops free points every game at the line, converting just 61.5 percent of its free throws - 335th in the nation.