Football 
Tennis 
Horse Racing NCAA Basketball Saturday Best Bets: Embrace the Madness
NCAA BASKETBALL January MADNESS BEST BETS: SATURDAY, January 21st
It’s time to embrace the madness and prepare for a pair of college hoops tips from our resident U.S. basketball expert Ej Garr. It looks like it will be a day when Ej turns to the totals from games out of the Colonial and Missouri Valley Conferences that start at the same time.
In this article:
- Drexel Dragons vs Delaware Blue Hens Preview
- Drexel Dragons vs Delaware Blue Hens Best Bet
- Missouri State Bears vs Southern Illinois Salukis Preview
- Missouri State Bears vs Southern Illinois Salukis Best Bet
Drexel Dragons vs Delaware Blue Hens Preview
January 21, 19:00 (UK time)
The Drexel Dragons will play host to the Delaware Blue Hens at 2 p.m. ET, and my other game today will also tip off simultaneously. The Dragons are 8 – 2 hosting teams at the Daskalakis Athletic Center his season although both programs have similar records at 11 – 9 and 11 – 8 overall.
I will tell you that when I saw the 130.5 being offered on this total I knew I wanted to look into this game a little more because I expect points to be scored. Both teams shot the ball tremendously well last time on the floor, as Drexel put up 79 points on Hampton, and Delaware dumped 80 points on William & Mary.
The Dragons certainly have the inside presence that Delaware does not, and those rebounding numbers tell all about that story. Delaware ranks outside the top 300 in both offensive and defensive rebounding, and the Drexel defense is my greatest concern playing this total to topple over the number.
This is another reason that the rankings can be misleading. Even though Drexel ranks 301st in scoring putting up 67.6 points a night, Despite early struggles with free throw shooting for both teams, those numbers are starting to move in the right direction of late. Drexel plays so much better at home than they do on the road (That can be said about many a program), but I just envision them dropping 75 points on Delaware tonight and when I see 130.5 I know Delaware can do their part to get us there.
Make no mistake that I notice how often both of these squads have held teams in the 50s this year, but this just one be one of those afternoons. I believe you should jump all over the Drexel team total, and it will be the main reason this total goes over for the Dragon’s 4th straight game. Also note that a lot of the Delaware totals that are staying under have 140+ numbers posted, and we don’t even need to get there to cash this ticket
Amari Williams posted his sixth double-double of the campaign in the win over Hampton last time out, and I predict that he will have an 18 – 12 type of game against Delaware. He will undoubtedly have success on the glass, and that will help him in the paint doing damage all afternoon.
Drexel Dragons vs Delaware Blue Hens Best Bet
Drexel 75 – Delaware 68… Now, I see Drexel at -4.5 on the handicap, but I don’t feel like laying chalk when I see Drexel being just fine to produce a big home win to improve to 9 – 2 in this building.
- Selection: Over 130.5
- Best odds: 1.93 (Pinnacle)
- Stakes 4/10
More Drexel Dragons vs Delaware Blue Hens Tips
Missouri State Bears vs Southern Illinois Salukis Preview
January 21, 19:00 (UK time)
The 15 – 5 Salukis have the best record in the Missouri Valley Conference, and they are tied at the top of the table with Belmont at 7 – 2 within Conference action.
The Tigers have had the Salukis’ number lately having won 5 straight games head-to-head, and the line setters think home-court advantage will increase that number to 6 – 0. The Bears are favored by -3 at Great Southern Bank Arena this Saturday, as they will try to better their record in this building of 6 – 2 for the campaign.
I will tell you right now that the dog in me wants to bark at the Salukis and jump on them to win this game outright, but then the total came out. 122? Does that say 122? Okay, my mind went let me find out why this is the case and see where the action should go.
Do you know why this total is set so low? I do, and it’s because these offenses can be so lethargic at times that it hurts to watch. We will see spurts of 5 minutes go by without a bucket, and that is why this total is set that low. Not to mention these defenses can certainly hold their own too. The rankings show us that, and the eye test says the same, as the Bears have hit 12 unders from 18 matches played this campaign.
I am playing this line because I think the line setters are tipping their hand a bit in this spot. I expected to see closer to 128 or 130, and when that number popped up I knew then and there which way to go.
SIU ranks 18th in the Nation allowing barely over 60 points a game, and every 3-point shot they take will make you laugh if you watch this game. Clink, Clang, Boink! Another miss and more time rolling off of that clock.
The next hysterical stat is the Bears’ free-throw shooting numbers. You would think that they are shooting from behind the arc and not at a charity stripe with no one in your face. When you see 61.7% from the line, you know someone forgot to make his kids practice the easiest free points you can find. That will come in handy late when those moments of pressure come to us under bettors for this game. Just make the bet, you’ll be okay!
Missouri State Bears vs Southern Illinois Salukis Best Bet
Salukis 58 – Bears 52… The upset is coming and this total will fall 10 points shy of the number.
- Selection: Under 122
- Best odds: 1.95 (Bet365)
- Stakes 4/10
More Missouri State Bears vs Southern Illinois Salukis Tips
Odds as of 9:00 am January 21, 2023. Odds may now differ.
LATEST COMMENTS
