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NCAA Basketball Tuesday Best Bets: Tuesday, March 28th
We’re headed to Las Vegas, baby! Sin City will play host to the NIT Semifinals on Tuesday night and the finals will be contested on Thursday but there can only be one trophy holder! Our resident college hoops expert Ej Garr is covering both of the semifinal affairs today, as the Badgers take on the Mean Green in the first game while UAB and Utah Valley will take the Orleans Arena floor approximately a half hour afterward.
It may not be the NCAA Men’s title at stake but make no mistake that these four programs want to be hoisting the NIT Championship hardware on Thursday night. Let’s take it to the court and break out the best bets to make for both of the semifinal matches.
In this article:
- Wisconsin Badgers vs North Texas Mean Green Preview
- Wisconsin Badgers vs North Texas Mean Green Best Bet
- UAB Blazers vs Utah Valley Wolverines Preview
- UAB Blazers vs Utah Valley Wolverines Best Bet
Wisconsin Badgers vs North Texas Mean Green Preview
March 29, 00:05 (UK time)
I assume that the most recognizable program among these four teams comes in the form of the Wisconsin Badgers. I might even understand some folks asking why the Badgers would want an NIT trophy in their showcase but let’s make one thing very clear. Wisconsin has no banners hanging in their gym other than appearance awards in the NCAA and NIT tournaments dating back to 1917.
Whilst yes, Wisconsin officially won three Helms National Championships from 1911 – 1916 but that’s so long ago that it barely holds any weight in today’s society. The Badgers haven’t made an appearance in the secondary basketball tournament known as the NIT since the 1995-96 campaign.
The Badgers have appeared in four NIT tournaments and had never gotten past the second round until this year, so any hardware would be quite the accomplishment and Wisconsin isn’t even favoured to win this whole shabang. UAB and Wisoconsin’s opponent tonight, North Texas, are each listed with 3.10 odds to win the NIT Championship, while the Badgers sit back at 3.60 ahead of Utah Valley at 5.00.
North Texas is favoured to win this game by -1.5 points at most major books, but we know that you can shift the line and buy handicap points as well. Some people might move that line to +2 with Wisconsin to have that bucket in their pockets but the price for even buying the half-point is steep. I see 1.75 out there for that ugly +2, so that is a hard pass for me.
Anyone who likes Wisconsin out there should bypass the spread and grab the 2.05 Moneyline offer that most books are carrying. There is no home-court advantage for either of these teams, but Wisconsin fans will travel and show up here to support their school.
Wisconsin has been favoured by 1 point, 3 points, and 4 points in their 3 NIT wins thus far, so this is their first listing as the underdog and that also suits my fancy. And do you see this total? That 115.5 number is pretty small and anyone who is watching this tournament to this point knows why the line setters have it so low. Defense much?
North Texas hasn’t even given up 60 points to either of their three opponents to reach the NIT Final Four, but this team has a lot of good post-season history to look back on. North Texas hoisted the 2018 CBI trophy, and this team advanced to the second round of the NIT last season before reaching this year’s NIT Final Four for the first time in the history of the Mean Green program. Also, keep in mind that North Texas reached the second round of the NCAA Men’s Tournament in 2021 before getting thumped by Villanova.
All of that is still post-season experience to look back on and that bodes well in the buildup to a possible title run in Vegas.
Wisconsin Badgers vs North Texas Mean Green Best Bet
I don’t think North Texas should be favoured in this spot and I am on the side of Badgers and that 2.05 Moneyline offer. Sure, the Mean Green defense has carried them to this point of the tournament and their post-season experience could be helpful but it won’t be enough.
- Selection: Badgers Moneyline
- Best odds: 2.05 (Pinnacle)
- Stakes: 4/10
More Wisconsin Badgers vs North Texas Mean Green Tips
UAB Blazers vs Utah Valley Wolverines Preview
March 29, 02:35 Approx (UK time)
This is quite an interesting game between two programs that don’t meet very often either, as they have played each other once back in 2019. Utah Valley took the win from that meeting, 66 – 55, but no one on this court
UAB is competing in the NIT for the 13th time since 1980, but they have yet to get past this stage of any appearance they’ve made. The Blazers reached the semifinals in both 1989 and 1993 but were unable to win either of those affairs ending their shot for their first major trophy. UAB has no banners hanging in its rafters and an NIT trophy would be an overwhelming result for this program.
The Blazers are favoured by 3 points to win this game on the handicap, and this total is up there at 151.5. The line setters expect two entirely different games to take place on Tuesday night in Vegas, but the Blazers’ defense has been outstanding helping them reach the semifinals at the NIT.
UAB has also not allowed more than 60 points to any of their first three opponents in this tournament, and they have been the favourite in every game to this point. After leaving Ole Miss after the 2018 campaign, Blazers Head Coach Andy Kennedy has produced three impressive seasons since taking over in Birmingham. Should UAB lose either this game or the finals if they get to that match, it would be the first time that Kennedy has lost 10 games since taking over this program. A 22 – 7 record followed up last year’s 27 – 8 showing that landed them in the NCAA Men’s Tournament, although that appearance was short-lived.
The Blazers got pounded by the Houston Cougars a year ago in the big dance, so as much of a disappointment it might be to only be in the NIT, UAB has two games to win to put anything in their showcase. It’s empty!
There is, however, big bark in this dog called the Wolverines. The fact that I am about to go underdog in two semifinal games at the NIT makes me smile more than you know. It is never the wrong way to go, and we will see an upset, or hopefully two, in las Vegas, so I am taking these points and rolling with the Wolverines. This is only the second time that Utah Valley has played in the NIT, their first showing coming in 2014. What impresses me a bit is their opponents thus far to get here, taking down New Mexico, Colorado, and most recently Cincinnati on their home court. That was a fun game to watch, as the green men group were rattling the stands which gave them tremendous support in their house. They only had one home game and had to beat both New Mexico and Colorado on the road, so being away from home is no big deal to me.
I will tell you right now that the Wolverine faithful will be in full throat for this game with plenty of fans cheering them on. It will feel like a home game for them! I think they will dominate the stands and it will help them to move on and play either Wisconsin or North Texas in the NIT finals.
UAB Blazers vs Utah Valley Wolverines Best Bet
We are barking with the Wolverines to hopefully find the wi but at least cover that handicap of +3 in Las Vegas. This should be a fantastic Final Four so be sure to tune in if you are a night owl across the Ocean!
- Selection: Utah Valley +3.0
- Best odds: 1.91 (Pinnacle)
- Stakes: 4/10
Odds as of 9:00 am March 28th, 2023. Odds may now differ.
More UAB Blazers vs Utah Valley Wolverines Tips
