It’s another Friday in college basketball betting, which means a slate dominated by mid-majors. It’s also Friday the 13th, but the only thing scary is for those who have faded the elite teams in this category.
Below are the current mid-major rankings courtesy of CollegeInsider.com. Note that only three of the teams are below .500 against the spread and the combined record is 75-55 ATS (57.7 percent). Three of the teams are in action Friday and we have the previews.
1) Murray State (16-0 straight up, 8-3-1 ATS)
2) Creighton (14-2 SU, 8-4 ATS)
3) Gonzaga (13-2 SU, 9-6 ATS)
4) Harvard (14-2 SU, 6-5 ATS)
5) Saint Mary’s (15-2 SU, 8-4 ATS)
6) Iona (13-3 SU, 6-7-1 ATS)
7) Middle Tennessee (15-2 SU, 12-3 ATS)
8) Cleveland State (14-3 SU, 6-8 ATS)
9) Wichita State (13-3 SU, 4-9 ATS)
10) BYU (14-4 SU, 8-6 ATS)
Cleveland State Vikings at Butler Bulldogs - 8:00 p.m. (ET)
Cleveland State (14-3 SU, 6-8 ATS) is tied atop the Horizon League at 4-1 SU along with Milwaukee and Youngstown State. The Vikings are fourth in the conference in scoring (65 PPG) and first in defense (58 PPG). The ‘over’ is 6-0 in their last six lined games after the ‘under’ started 8-0 and oddsmakers caught up with lower totals.
The Bulldogs (9-8 SU, 2-10-2 ATS) are not going to regain the form that allowed them to make 2-straight NCAA title games. They did have a modest 4-game win streak before a 76-65 loss at Detroit last Sunday. Only two players scored in double-digits for Butler, who is scoring 63.8 PPG, fifth in the conference. The team at least returns to Hinkle Fieldhouse where it’s 6-3 SU, although 0-5-1 ATS.
Butler is 4-0 SU and ATS the last four games against Cleveland State, with the ‘over’ 3-0-1.
Bradley Braves at Wichita State Shockers - 8:05 p.m. (ET)
Bradley (5-12 SU, 6-9 ATS) is on an 8-game losing streak (4-4 ATS). That includes going 0-5 SU in the Missouri Valley as the conference’s only winless team. Senior forward Taylor Brown (16.6 PPG) scored 53 total points the last two games to savage covers versus Drake (82-74) and Creighton (92-83) as 'dogs of 9½ and 11 points respectively. Defense has been the bigger issue at 82 PPG the last six, with the ‘over’ 6-0.
Wichita State (13-3 SU, 4-9 ATS) is tied with Creighton for the Missouri Valley lead at 4-1 SU. The Shockers are second in the conference in scoring (77.5 PPG), but that pace has slowed down the last four at 72 PPG. They’re 0-4 ATS in those last four conference games with the ‘under’ 3-1.
These teams met December 28 at Bradley with Wichita State getting an easy 90-51 win as 11½-point favorites. Bradley shot just 25.5 percent from the field with Brown scoring 19 of the 51 points. Wichita State is 4-0 SU and ATS in the last four meetings overall.
No. 21 Creighton Bluejays at Illinois State Redbirds - 9:00 p.m. (ET)
Creighton (14-2 SU, 8-4 ATS) is tied for ninth nationally in scoring offense (81.9 PPG). That number has dipped to 72.8 PPG in Missouri Valley play, helping the ‘under’ go 4-1 in the last five. Sophomore forward Doug McDermott (24.5 PPG, 8.3 RPG) is the coach’s son and may be the nation’s most unsung player. He incredibly played on the same Ames, Iowa high school team as North Carolina’s Harrison Barnes.
Illinois State (11-5 SU. 7-5 ATS) is 3-2 in the conference and showed its mettle by winning at Missouri State (68-60) as 7½-point ‘dogs and barely losing at Wichita State (65-62) last game as 14-point pups. This is a solid defensive team at 60.6 PPG and the crowd at Redbird Arena will be excited to knock off its first ranked opponent since 1987. The team is 8-1 SU (2-3 ATS) at home this year.
Creighton won and covered the two games against Illinois State last year. The road one was 64-53 as 1-point ‘dogs. Illinois State had covered the previous nine meetings.