There are plenty of big conference tournaments underway or about to start. But big games? Not so much yet. Still, there are teams taking the court that very much need to shore up their résumés, so Wednesday college basketball odds are certainly worth a look.
The Power 5 conferences and the Big East — a de facto sixth “power” league in college hoops — feature several teams needing to play their way into next week’s NCAA Tournament. Among them: Virginia and Virginia Tech in the ACC, and Oregon in the Pac-12.
Multiple oddsmakers provided insights on opening/current lines and action in the Wednesday college basketball conference tournament betting market. Check back throughout the day for action updates.
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Wednesday College Basketball Odds and Betting Action
ACC Tournament
Louisville vs Virginia (9:30 p.m. ET)
UPDATE 8:15 P.M. ET: With just more than an hour until tipoff, Virginia is a 6-point favorite at TwinSpires Sportsbook, up a tick from the -5.5 opener. Ticket count is 3/1-plus and money beyond 6/1 on the Cavaliers. “Lopsided handle on Virginia. We’ll need Louisville,” TwinSpires director of retail sports Zachary Lucas said. The total dipped from 123.5 to 122.5, with 56% of tickets on the Over/64% of money on the Under.
UPDATE 12:15 P.M. ET: Three years ago, Virginia cut down the nets, winning the 2018-19 NCAA championship — and it happened a year after becoming the first No. 1 seed in NCAA history to lose outright to a No. 16 seed. This year, the Cavaliers are in a precarious position to even make the tournament field of 68.
Virginia (18-12 SU, 15-14-1 ATS) did itself no favors down the stretch, closing the regular season 2-3 SU. One of those wins was Saturday at Louisville, a 71-61 decision laying 4.5 points.
ESPN’s Bracketology has Virginia atop its Next Four Out — meaning, after the First Four Out. That would imply that the seventh-seeded Cavaliers need to make a deep ACC tourney run this week — and probably win it all — if they hope to make an eighth straight NCAA Tournament.
No. 10 seed Louisville (13-18 SU, 10-20-1 ATS) has been dismal for two solid months, going 2-14 SU/4-12 ATS in its last 16 regular-season games. But the Cardinals prolonged an awful season by beating No. 14 seed Georgia Tech 84-74 as a 1.5-point favorite in Tuesday’s opening round. It was a very rare cover for Louisville, which finished the regular season 351st out of 358 teams in spread-covering percentage.
Along with the regular-season closer, Virginia beat Louisville 64-52 giving 5 points at home Jan. 24. The Cavaliers are 4-0 SU and ATS in the last four meetings.
Virginia opened as a 5.5-point chalk at TwinSpires. That line is now up a tick to Virginia -6, with ticket count 3/1 and money 6/1 on the Cavaliers. The total dipped from 123.5 to 122.5 at TwinSpires, with 58% of tickets on the Over/60% of money on the Under.
Clemson vs. Virginia Tech (7 p.m. ET)
UPDATE 6 P.M. ET: An hour before tipoff, TwinSpires Sportsbook remains at Virginia Tech -5, where the number has been most of the day. The line opened at VaTech -4 and spent time at -4.5. Clemson is taking 60% of spread tickets, while Virginia Tech is netting 64% of spread dollars. “Sharp play on VaTech up to -5,” TwinSpires director of retail sports Zachary Lucas said. The total opened at 132 and made its way down to 129.5, with 59% of tickets/67% of money on the Under.
UPDATE 12:15 P.M. ET: No. 7 seed Virginia Tech (19-12 SU, 15-15-1 ATS) is currently on the outside looking in for the NCAA Tournament, according to ESPN’s Bracketology. Joe Lunardi has the Hokies listed among the First Four Out, so victories in the ACC tourney seem imperative.
But just getting on that bubble required a big late-season run. VaTech put together a 9-1 SU stretch (6-3-1 ATS) from Jan. 29-March 1. However, the Hokies’ hurt their NCAA chances in Saturday’s regular-season finale, losing 63-59 at Clemson as a 1.5-point favorite. Now, the Hokies have to turn around and face the Tigers again, though at a neutral site in the Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets.
Clemson (17-15 SU, 17-13-2 ATS) is seeded 10th in the ACC, and as such already has a conference tourney game under its belt. On Tuesday night, the Tigers ousted No. 15 seed North Carolina State 70-64, covering as 5-point favorites. Clemson is on a 5-0 SU/4-1 ATS surge, but that push followed a season-killing 2-10 SU plunge (3-7-2 ATS).
The aforementioned Clemson win over VaTech was the only meeting this season between these two teams. Prior to that, the Hokies were on a 7-1 SU/6-1-1 ATS roll in this ACC rivalry.
The Under is 7-1 in VaTech’s last eight games and 5-1 in Clemson’s last six (4-0 last four). The Under is also 5-1-1 in the last seven VaTech-Clemson games.
TwinSpires Sportsbook opened VaTech -4, spent some time at -4.5 and is now at -5 in the Wednesday college basketball odds market. Clemson is seeing 61% of spread tickets, but 66% of spread dollars are on Virginia Tech.
The total dipped from 132 to 130.5, with 55% of tickets/58% of cash on the Under.
Big 12 Tournament
West Virginia vs Kansas State (7 p.m. ET)
UPDATE 6 P.M. ET: Kansas State opened as a nominal 1-point chalk at TwinSpires and is up to -1.5. The Wildcats are getting 57% of tickets and 69% of cash on the spread. “Sharp play on K-State -1,” TwinSpires’ Zachary Lucas said. The total fell from 138 to 136.5, with 54% of tickets on the Over/59% of cash on the Under.
UPDATE NOON ET: We’re including Wednesday’s only Big 12 game pretty much out of charity, and because it starts late enough that it’ll probably take some noteworthy action. And because we’re wondering: How in the hell did a Bob Huggins-coached team suffer a 1-14 SU stretch in the second half of the season?
Kansas State is the No. 8 seed and West Virginia No. 9. And the only reason these two aren’t Nos. 9-10 in the 10-team Big 12 is because Oklahoma State —which finished sixth — is ineligible for postseason play.
It’s quite surprising to see a Huggins team under .500 at this point, especially since the Mountaineers started out 13-2 SU. West Virginia (15-16 SU, 13-18 ATS) has been dismal ever since, starting with an ugly 85-59 loss at Kansas as an 11.5-point underdog on Jan. 15. That defeat began the 1-14 SU implosion (4-11 ATS), with two seven-game losing streaks sandwiched around a home win over Iowa State.
The Mountaineers managed to win their regular-season finale Saturday, beating TCU 70-64 as a 2.5-point home favorite.
Kansas State (14-16 SU, 15-13-2 ATS) capped the regular season with a five-game skid (2-3 ATS). On Saturday against Oklahoma, the Wildcats closed as 2-point home favorites and lost outright 78-71.
K-State and West Virginia split their regular-season meetings SU, but the Wildcats cashed in both. The Mountaineers prevailed 71-68 giving 8.5 points at home Jan. 8, and the Wildcats won 78-73 as 3.5-point home faves Feb. 14.
Although the Under hit in its last two outings, the Over remains 15-5 in West Virginia’s last 20 games. The Over also has cashed in seven straight games and nine out of 10 for Kansas State.
The Wildcats opened -1 in DraftKings’ Wednesday college basketball odds market and is now -1.5 (-105). K-State is landing 67% of bets, but money is more two-way, at 55% on the favorite. The total is down a point to 137.5, with 61% of bets on the Over/56% of money on the Under.
Patriot League Tournament
Navy at Colgate (7:30 p.m. ET)
UPDATE 6:15 P.M. ET: A little more than an hour before game time, Colgate is a 7-point favorite at TwinSpires, after opening at -6.5. The favored Raiders are attracting 70% of bets and 77% of dollars on the spread. “The public is all over Colgate,” TwinSpires’ Zachary Lucas said. The total dipped from 129 to 127.5, then rebounded to the 129 opener, with 55% of bets/58% of cash on the Over.
UPDATE NOON ET: This matchup is the lone conference championship tilt Wednesday night, with an automatic NCAA bid at stake. Top-seeded Colgate (22-11 SU, 16-15-1 ATS) is riding a 14-game winning streak (9-5 ATS). In Sunday’s Patriot League semifinals, the Raiders hammered No. 4 seed Lehigh 81-61 as a hefty 14-point favorite.
No. 2 seed Navy (21-10 SU, 16-14 ATS) lost two of its last three regular-season contests, including the finale at Colgate, 74-69 as an 8-point underdog. But the Midshipmen rebounded with a pair of conference tourney wins, including Sunday’s 85-80 overtime triumph over Boston University as a 3.5-point home chalk.
Colgate took both meetings against the Middies this season, the aforementioned regular-season finale and a 69-50 rout as a 1.5-point road pup Jan. 13. The Raiders have won the last six in this rivalry (3-3 ATS).
Navy’s last three games have cleared the total, following an eight-game Under streak.
Colgate has bounced between -6.5 and -7 multiple times at DraftKings, and the Raiders are currently -6.5. Ticket count is 6/1-plus on Colgate, and practically all the early money is on the favorite. The total opened at 129, bottomed out at 127.5 early today, peaked at 129.5 late this morning and is now 128.5. Several hours before tipoff, the Over is netting 58% of tickets, while the Under is nabbing 94% of money.
Pac-12 Tournament
Oregon State vs Oregon (5:30 p.m. ET)
UPDATE 3 P.M. ET: PointsBet USA opened Oregon -10.5 Tuesday morning, peaked at -11.5 a couple of times Tuesday afternoon, and the line is now down to its low of -9. Ticket count is almost dead even, with a slight lean to Oregon State, but money is running 5/1 on the underdog Beavers. The total opened at 143.5, touched 144 a couple of times and is now down to 142, with a 2/1 ticket count on the Under and money running dead even.
UPDATE NOON ET: Much to Bill Walton’s chagrin, Lunardi currently has only three Pac-12 teams ticketed for March Madness: Arizona, UCLA and USC, the top three seeds in the conference tournament. Oregon is the Pac-12’s No. 5 seed and earlier this week was listed among Lunardi’s Next Four Out. However, the Ducks aren’t even in that category as of Wednesday afternoon, meaning they need to jump several teams to get into the NCAA Tourney for the eighth time in the last 10 seasons.
Oregon finished the regular season 18-13 SU and 11-20 ATS. The Ducks were one of the worst spread-covering outfits in the country, ranking 340th among 358 teams. The Ducks finished the regular season on a 1-5 SU and 2-8 ATS slide, including Saturday’s 94-74 loss as a 2.5-point pup at Washington State.
But Oregon State might be the tonic that Oregon needs. At a putrid 3-27 SU, the Beavers are the worst team in the Pac-12. And at 9-20-1 ATS, they’re an even worse spread-covering outfit than their instate rival, sitting 352nd.
Oregon State, which made a stunning run to the Elite Eight in last year’s Big Dance, has dropped 17 consecutive games (6-10-1 ATS) since its last victory Dec. 30. The Beavers closed the regular season Saturday with a 78-67 loss at Washington catching 9.5 points.
Oregon won both meetings against Oregon State this season: 78-76 as a 4-point road chalk Jan. 10 — the start of the Beavers’ 17-game nosedive — and 78-56 giving 12.5 points at home Jan. 29. The latter matchup was well short of the 145-point total, ending a 4-0 Over run in this rivalry.
For all the Beavers’ woes, they are 8-1 ATS in their last nine neutral-site games, mostly due to last year’s postseason run. On the flip side, the Ducks are 0-5 ATS in their last five neutral-site starts.
DraftKings pegged Oregon an 11-point favorite Tuesday afternoon, and by late Tuesday night, that line had slid all the way down to -8.5. This morning, the number briefly rose to Ducks -9.5 before returning to -8.5.
Oregon is taking 72% of spread tickets, but spread money is running dead even, several hours ahead of tipoff. The total opened at 144, rose to 144.5, then receded to 142, with 58% of tickets on the Under/82% of cash on the Over.
Big East Tournament
Butler vs Xavier (4:30 p.m. ET)
UPDATE 2:45 P.M. ET: Less than two hours before game time, Xavier is a 6.5-point favorite on PointsBet USA’s Wednesday college basketball odds board. The Musketeers opened -6, rose to -6.5, then fell back to -5.5 late Tuesday morning, and today returned to -6.5. Xavier is drawing 55% of spread bets, but 65% of spread money is on underdog Butler. The total dropped from 132.5 to 130.5 Tuesday, rose to 132 this morning and is now 131.5, with 75% of tickets/57% of money on the Over.
UPDATE NOON ET: For the moment, ESPN’s Bracketology has Xavier atop its Last Four In, as the seventh and final team from the Big East to make the NCAA Tournament field. But the Musketeers (18-12 SU, 14-16 ATS) are seeded eighth in their conference tourney and almost certainly can’t afford an early loss.
Xavier landed in such a tight spot due to a late-season 1-7 SU purge (2-6 ATS). The Musketeers then closed the regular season with a 97-75 home rout of Georgetown laying 13 points Saturday, snapping a five-game SU and ATS skid.
Big East No. 9 seed Butler (13-18 SU, 14-16 ATS) suffered a second straight losing season and will look to play spoiler against Xavier. The Bulldogs are 2-8 SU in their last 10 games — though they are 7-3 ATS in that stretch — and enter the Big East tourney on a five-game slide. On Saturday, Butler closed as a 9-point home pup against Villanova and got rolled 78-59.
Xavier went 2-0 SU and split the cash in this season’s meetings with Butler. The Musketeers coasted on the road 87-72 giving 6.5 points Jan. 7, then held on for a 68-66 win as 11-point home faves Feb. 2. The Over hit in both those matchups. Xavier is on a 6-2 Over run in its last eight outings, and the Over is 5-2 in Butler’s last seven.
Interestingly, Butler is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 catching points, and Xavier is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 laying points.
Xavier landed on DraftKings’ Wednesday college basketball odds board as a 5.5-point favorite Tuesday afternoon and made a couple of trips to -6.5. That’s where the Musketeers are now, while taking 75% of early tickets and 61% of early dollars on the spread. The total opened at 131, dipped to 130.5 and is now 132, with 70% of bets on the Over/55% of cash on the Under.
