Saturday College Basketball Best Bets | December 14, 2024

Saturday’s college basketball slate is packed with intriguing matchups, but a few games stand out as prime betting opportunities. Whether it is diving into a fishy line or identifying teams poised for a defensive slugfest, there is value to be found. St. Bonaventure and Providence square off in a neutral-site clash where the Bonnies look like the better team despite being underdogs. Meanwhile, the battle of New Jersey between Rutgers and Seton Hall promises a grind-it-out affair defined by pace and defense. Let’s break down the best bets for Saturday and find the edges in these matchups.

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Seton Hall vs Rutgers

Can Rutgers hold the Seton Hall Pirates under 60 points this afternoon?

Seton Hall vs Rutgers odds are courtesy of BetOnline, a longtime fixture among the top online sports betting sites. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then bag a big bonus (100% if your first deposit is with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or another cryptocurrency) to bet on College Basketball games.

It is going to be a tight one in the battle of New Jersey. The Scarlet Knights are coming off a big win over Penn State, who had just taken down Purdue in their previous game. Meanwhile, the Pirates are 2-3 in their last five games, covering the spread only once in that span.

Letdown Offenses

I expect this to be a lower-scoring game, especially for a Rutgers matchup, due to their Tuesday win and the way Seton Hall’s slow, defensive style dictates pace. The Pirates will look to slow down Rutgers’ top-100-paced offense, as they are one of the slowest teams in the nation. When Seton Hall’s totals are in the 130s, the under has gone 3-1-1, and eight of their ten games this season have gone under this total.

Seton Hall has one of the best defenses in the country paired with one of the worst offenses—a perfect formula for an under team. In four road/neutral matchups this season, they have the fifth-best defense and the 40th-worst offense in the nation. Overall, they rank 14th in defense, 315th in offense, and are the third-slowest team in the country.

On the other side, Rutgers boasts a top-50 offense and a top-100 defense. I do not see them having trouble stopping a Seton Hall offense that has surpassed the 60-point mark only five times this season—and one of those required overtime. In five home games this season, Rutgers has a top-80 two-point defense, while Seton Hall ranks 352nd (13th worst in the nation) in two-point percentage.

The Scarlet Knights may come out a bit sluggish this afternoon after their incredible offensive performance against Penn State, where they shot 55% from the floor and over 36% from behind the arc—both above their season averages. Factoring in a potential letdown from Rutgers’ offense and Seton Hall’s deliberate pace, the under looks like the best play in this matchup.

Bet: Game Under (133.5) on BetOnline

St. Bonaventure vs Providence

How will the Friars respond after a tough victory over the DePaul Blue Demons?

St. Bonaventure vs Providence odds are courtesy of BetOnline, a longtime fixture among the top online sports betting sites. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then bag a big bonus (100% if your first deposit is with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or another cryptocurrency) to bet on College Basketball games.

The fishiest line of the day—but I am biting! Give me the Bonnies!

Why is it fishy? Why is a 9-1 St. Bonaventure team a 3.5-point underdog against a subpar 7-2 Providence team on a neutral court? Regardless, the Bonnies have been playing fantastic basketball away from home this season, while the Friars have struggled.

Lean With the Better Team

In five games away from home, St. Bonaventure boasts a top-85 offense and a top-55 defense. They rank inside the top 100 in effective field goal percentage (offense and defense), turnover percentage defense, three-point defense, two-point offense, free throw rate defense, and defensive block percentage. These are stats I simply cannot ignore!

Providence, on the other hand, is 1-4 away from home. That lone win came on Tuesday against DePaul in a game nobody deserved to win (I was there, so I would know). They had to force overtime just to edge out the Blue Demons. The Friars’ other road games include losses to Rhode Island, Indiana, Davidson, and Oklahoma—all by at least two possessions.

Sure, the Friars have been more battle-tested than the Bonnies, but I have to side with the team playing better basketball right now. In a small sample size, St. Bonaventure has faced two top-100 teams this season and still maintains a top-25 defense and a top-80 effective field goal percentage offense.

Both teams rank in the mid-300s in pace, so this should be a very close game. Give me the points!