System Play Saturday: College Basketball Edition | December 6, 2024

This Saturday, we are bringing the System Play formula to college basketball. We are fading two teams coming off massive wins—so big that their fans stormed the court in celebration. The kind of wins that scream “letdown potential.” Let’s dive into these matchups.

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UNLV vs Creighton

Can Creighton keep their hot streak going against UNLV?

UNLV vs Creighton 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.

Creighton is coming off an exhilarating win over No. 1 Kansas on Wednesday, a victory so huge that Bluejay fans stormed the court in celebration. Now, Creighton faces a 4-3 UNLV team that’s on a two-game losing streak and desperate for a win.

Those two losses came to Northwestern and Mississippi State—both top 55 teams in the country, and a solid test for UNLV heading into Omaha. This will also be the Rebels’ first true road game, but with a schedule that’s already included three top 55 teams, with only one of those games at home, they’re not unfamiliar with tough competition.

UNLV brings a solid offense to the table, ranked in the top 100. They also excel at getting to the free-throw line and knocking down shots from deep, ranking in the top 50 for both free throw rate and three-point percentage.

The biggest challenge for UNLV will be keeping up with Creighton’s fast pace. The Bluejays thrive in a high-tempo game, while the Rebels prefer a slower style of play. If UNLV can control the tempo and slow the game down, they have a shot at staying competitive. Creighton will be looking ahead to a matchup with No. 10 Alabama next week, but this isn’t a major look-ahead spot. Still, after their big win over Kansas, they might be more focused on their upcoming rest.

This is shaping up to be an intriguing matchup, and with Creighton coming off such a massive win, there’s value in looking at UNLV to keep this one close.

Bet: UNLV (+11.5) on BetOnline

Clemson vs Miami

Can Miami bounce back and get a win over the red hot Clemson Tigers?

Clemson vs Miami 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.

Clemson is coming off a monumental victory over No. 4 Kentucky on Tuesday, securing a 70-66 win as slight underdogs. The Clemson faithful stormed the court after their big upset, and rightfully so—beating a top-five team at home is no small feat. Now, the Tigers have to pack up and head to Miami to face the Hurricanes on Saturday afternoon at the Watsco Center.

Miami, on the other hand, has been struggling lately. The Hurricanes have lost five straight games, covering the spread only once during that stretch. Their most recent win came on November 17 against Coppin State. Since then, they’ve fallen to Drake, Oklahoma State, VCU, Charleston Southern, and Arkansas. Miami is desperate for a win, and what better time to get one than against a team riding high off their biggest win of the season?

Despite their rough patch, Miami is still a respected team. They’re ranked inside the top 100 on Bart Torvik, with a potent offense that ranks in the top 25 for adjusted offensive efficiency, effective field goal percentage, two-point percentage, and free throw percentage. Additionally, they’re a top 100 team from beyond the arc. Miami’s main struggle has been defense, where they’re ranked in the 200s across nearly every category. However, they do excel in one area: rebounding, where they’re ranked 111th.

Even with their defensive issues, this is a prime spot to back the Hurricanes. Sure, they have a look-ahead game against No. 3 Tennessee on Tuesday, but so does Clemson, who has a game against Memphis next week. Full transparency: if this didn’t fall under the System Okay play, I might have considered passing on this one. But given Miami’s need for a win and Clemson’s high from the Kentucky victory, this feels like a perfect spot for the Hurricanes to bounce back and set their sights on Tennessee.