Monday Faculty Basketball Greatest Bets: Prime CBB Picks Earlier than Christmas Break

The nearer we get to Christmas, the extra school basketball groups are becoming of their “getaway video games” simply earlier than their temporary vacation breaks.

They’ve flooded the zone with video games since Saturday, and Monday represents the final jam-packed day of school hoops to observe and wager on earlier than issues die down. 

Let’s not waste time and leap into our three finest bets of the day.

Davidson vs. No. 17 Kansas

There’s motive to hesitate over the Jayhawks. They’ve some good wins on their resume over Tennessee and Missouri, for certain, however they by no means appear to place a recreation out of attain within the first half this 12 months. Even of their most up-to-date win over Towson, it was a nine-point recreation with lower than 19 minutes to go earlier than Kansas actually stepped on the gasoline.

It might be a shock if the oft-injured freshman star Darryn Peterson performs on this one as an alternative of Kansas getting him prepared for Massive 12 play. And Davidson isn’t any bizarre mid-major opponent, however an 8-3 member of the Atlantic-10 that’s knocked off Washington State and Boston Faculty.

The unfold is completely set at a quantity that may make you cease and suppose it over. Nonetheless, we’re going to select the blue blood to care for enterprise in that regard. Davidson isn’t a lot of a rebounding crew and we count on Flory Bidunga to regulate the sport on the boards, giving Kansas extra extra alternatives.

Our choose: Kansas -17.5 at -110 (FanDuel)

Missouri vs. No. 18 Illinois

Illinois has received three of the previous 4 Braggin’ Rights video games, now performed yearly in St. Louis. In traditional school sports activities trend, you’ve obtained a bunch of natives of Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma suiting up for the Tigers and a bunch of gamers from Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro donning Illini orange tonight.

To that time, Illinois has a number of grown males with skilled expertise on its aspect. Does that at all times end in wins? No – Nebraska simply surprised them with a 3-pointer on the buzzer on Dec. 13. Missouri is 10-2, and it’s not the worst concept to take a flyer on the Tigers’ moneyline at +315 on Fanduel.

Nevertheless, the most important mismatch right here is Illinois’ offense – rated No. 4 in Division I by KenPom.com – towards Missouri’s protection, outdoors the highest 100 in KenPom scores. Mizzou gave up 77 factors to the likes of Alabama State this month. That alone makes me flip to the crew props for a straightforward choose.

Our choose: Illinois to attain Over 82.5 factors at -104 (FanDuel)

Northern Iowa vs. Saint Mary’s

Let’s not neglect about Saint Mary’s, that tiny school in NorCal that’s Gonzaga’s best rival within the West Coast Convention and often ranked within the AP Prime 25 by now. If it weren’t for a one-point loss to Boise State per week in the past, the Gaels could be 11-1 with its solely blemish towards an undefeated Vanderbilt.

Saint Mary’s hosts Northern Iowa, a authentic contender within the Missouri Valley, for what may very well be the mid-major recreation of the day. The Gaels are between 11.5- and 12.5-point favorites, however the focus must be on the over/below.

Northern Iowa’s energy is its stifling protection, an outfit that ranks second in D1 at 57.6 factors per recreation allowed and eleventh at 37.3% subject purpose capturing allowed. Saint Mary’s isn’t far behind, rating prime 30 in each these classes. And KenPom information exhibits each groups wish to play a slower tempo, reducing the whole variety of possessions on this matchup.

Our choose: Beneath 131.5 Whole Factors Scored at -108 (DraftKings)