Multiple times each week, The Gaming Juice’s resident action seeker, Brad Evans, will attempt to blast the ‘books with his favorite selections on sides, totals, props, teasers or parlays. As always, fade or follow Brad’s picks — fading is encouraged — but that’s up to you.
Sledgehammer Special — SGP: Creighton +7.5, Game OVER 139.5 (+102, DK)
Omaha is known for Warren Buffet, the College World Series, Peyton Manning audibles and beef. So much beef.
Tuesday inside CHI Health Center, no A.1. accompaniment is needed. The matchup is Grade A, a perfectly cooked medium rare slab that should melt in viewers’ mouths. Donovan Clingan vs. Ryan Kalkbrenner. Tristen Newton vs. Steven Ashworth. No. 2 vs. No. 13 (KenPom).
Tuck in that bib. Grab a knife and fork. And dig in. It’s sure to be a dandy.
Or will it?
There was buzz around UConn’s matchup against then-No. 4 Marquette on Saturday, but the hype quickly dulled after the tip. The Huskies swarmed the Golden Eagles with criminal zeal. In the 81-53 mauling, Connecticut converted 11 triples, scored 1.27 points per possession and held Marquette, which entered the day No. 1 in eFG offense over the prior 30 days, to a downright lousy 0.87 points per possession. Not to be overlooked, the Huskies commanded the glass by tallying a laughable 45-27 rebound edge.
Bettors who thought Marquette +7.5 was an incredible value promptly consulted Gentleman Jack. What a massacre.
Danny Hurley’s team very easily could repeat as national champions. UConn is 6-2 straight up in road matchups and rank top-13 in both eFG offense and eFG defense over the last month. The Huskies are not particularly deep, but man, they can really mush all over the court.
It’s doubtful Creighton will receive a spanking similar to what UConn levied on Shaka Smart and company. The Bluejays have notched victories in 11 of 13 home games, slotting in at No. 5 in eFG offense and No. 49 in eFG defense in those contests. Nailing 61.3% on 2-pointers and 37.8% on 3s since January 19, they have the size and scoring chops to be competitive.
Bottom line: Creighton has to limit UConn’s second-chance opportunities. Most importantly, the Bluejays must challenge perimeter shots. They rank a pathetic 317th in 3-point D in their past eight games, so arc bombers Alex Karaban (40.3 3PT%) and Cam Spencer (44.3%) could demoralize them. At a minimum, Baylor Scheierman must unleash with a matching fury.
In the end, Creighton hasn’t forgotten about its 62-48 loss in Storrs on January 17. The Bluejays may not exact revenge, but 3.5 points is a little rich. Gazing into the crystal ball, I see the Huskies and ‘Jays battling in a barnburner.
Season record: 2-3, -1.10 units
BONUS TIME — BYU -3 vs. Baylor (-110, DK)