NCAAB Games To Avoid Betting On For Saturday 2/26
With the season coming to a close and march madness approaching, some teams are in desperation mode. This can create absolute chaos and stun those betting on NCAAB. Some teams are so desperate that they should be avoided in all betting situations because of the unpredictability.
Wagner @ Bryant (1:00 PM ET)
Wagner is at the top of the Northeast, and they’ve even received a vote in this week’s edition of the AP Poll. But Bryant is one of the other capable teams in this conference. Both teams are 9-1 in their last 10 games, and Bryant is 10-1 at home this year.
Wagner is playing to separate themselves from the rest while Bryant is playing to reach the top of the conference as their chances run out. Stay away from this game when it comes to betting, but if you have the ability, try and catch a few minutes of this game because these two are the favorites to receive the automatic bid and possibly create an NCAA Tournament Cinderella moment.
#20 Texas @ West Virginia (2:00 PM ET)
Texas is one of those teams where you never really know what you’re going to get. This is especially true with their 3-6 road record and West Virginia’s 11-4 record in Morgantown.
But West Virginia is 1-9 in their last 10, and have played in a lot of close games. Sometimes though, they just fall apart within minutes, leading to a blowout.
You may be tempted to capitalize on West Virginia’s poor form, but don’t think it’s easy money because they are still a good team with some great talent. You also might think Texas is in line to lose another game away, but they won their last away game in Norman against rivals Oklahoma. The two-point win versus Oklahoma is a similar game to this West Virginia matchup, which proves that it isn’t a game worth the risk of betting on it.
Iowa State @ Kansas State (2:00 PM ET)
Iowa State is desperate to prove to the country that their early-season successes weren’t a fluke. They need more Big 12 wins to cement their position in the tournament.
On the other hand, Kansas State just needs more wins to impress the committee. The Wildcats pulled off some great upsets, but have kind of tailored off since.
Iowa State is terrible on the road, while Kansas State is very solid at home; however, Iowa State is starting to play really well again. It’s a game where trends don’t tell the whole story and a game that should be completely avoided.
Iowa State’s lack of consistency this year makes it tough for anyone betting on this game, meaning it may be best to steer clear.
Cleveland State @ Oakland (3:00 PM ET)
This contest is similar to the Wagner-Bryant tussle. Cleveland State is at the top of the Horizon League while Oakland pursues one of the top seeds in the conference tournament.
The Horizon League is a jumble, with seven teams really having a legitimate shot at winning an automatic bid. Additionally, this conference has as many teams that can win a game or two late into March.
The most intriguing statistic is these two teams’ free throw percentages. Oakland shoots it at an 80% clip, while Cleveland State, shoots 66.5% at the line, which is absurd considering their success this season. Though Oakland hasn’t been playing great as of late, they are a different team at home, and they match up pretty well against Cleveland State. There isn’t a way to be confident betting on this game, so just stay away, and be sure to catch the Horizon League’s conference tournament next month.
Virginia Tech @ Miami (FL) (3:00 PM ET)
Talk about inconsistent, these two teams are hard to judge in ACC play. Virginia Tech has a ton of talent, but until recently they haven’t been playing like any tournament-bound team. Meanwhile, Miami has been unable to capitalize on some great chances to convince the country of their legitimacy, namely twice against Virginia and at home versus Notre Dame.
The last time these two teams played, Virginia Tech hit a ton of threes, which is probably unsustainable, but Charlie Moore won the game for the Hurricanes with a half-court buzzer-beater shot that banked in off the glass.
Miami tends to play close games, earning them the nickname from their fanbase the ‘Cardiac ‘Canes’. This is a game between two teams on either side of the bubble who are both playing for a lot right now, but it’s going to be impossible to predict.
Longwood @ Campbell (4:30 PM ET)
The Longwood Lancers have been one of the quietest surprises this year. They’ve actually never won the Big South since they joined in 2012, and they’ve never finished better than fourth. In a conference recently dominated by teams like Radford and Winthrop, Longwood’s only stain on their record in conference play is a loss at North Carolina A&T in Greensboro.
But Campbell is no joke either. They have a fantastic home record and they already lost to this Lancers team once. This is the last game of the regular season for both, so these teams are going to both come out firing. Longwood may have nothing really to play for while Campbell tries to gain momentum going into a conference tournament they can definitely steal. With so much uncertainty surrounding the game, we don’t recommend betting on this game either.
Loyola (IL) @ Northern Iowa (6:00 PM ET)
This game is going to be a slow one, as all Rambler games tend to be this season. Being the last game of the season for both teams, this one may be for all the marbles atop the Missouri Valley Conference.
Loyola blew out UNI at home earlier this season, but since then the Panthers have been a whole different team. This is a really important game for Loyola to show the country that if they slip up in their conference tournament, they still deserve an at-large bid.
It’s really a toss-up in Cedar Falls, Iowa, more than you would think with the Ramblers’ recent success in conference play. There’s a reason Northern Iowa is at the top of the standings, and they’re playing some of their best basketball in years as a program. It’s going to be a very hard-fought game that is a must-watch, but we do not recommend betting on this one.
#15 Wisconsin @ Rutgers (6:00 PM ET)
Rutgers has come on HOT over the last couple of weeks. At home, they’re one of the best teams in the Big 10, and honestly one of the best in the country at times. Wisconsin is also playing very good ball though recently.
Rutgers is going to try and just impose their size and strength on the Wisconsin bigs, but Wisconsin has one of the best game-breakers in the country in Wooden Award candidate, guard Johnny Davis. Wisconsin has also been pretty good in away games this year so it’s not a weakness for them. This should be a fun one, and it could go either way and by however many points, so just enjoy one of the best remaining battles the Big 10 has in this year’s regular season.
Youngstown State @ Northern Kentucky (7:00 PM ET)
Another Horizon League battle to stay away from. Both of these teams are in serious contention for winning the automatic bid and both will be in their last games of the season playing for momentum and seeding as they enter the postseason.
Both teams have been playing very well as of the last couple of weeks as a whole and it will be a tight battle. Northern Kentucky won the reverse game in Youngstown in a one-point thriller.
I wouldn’t be shocked if a similarly tight game is in store once again. It’s a complete coin flip bet, so unless that’s what you’re looking for, forget about it.
