MLB Best Bets – Free (Wednesday 5/8)
Josh Gross
We are one week away from the college basketball season, and it’s time to find some value in the conference title odds for the ACC. I had the opportunity as part of my radio job to go to Charlotte for the conference’s media day and was able to interview about 12-15 players, coaches and members of the media.
Using what I heard from my conversations, and the prices found on DraftKings Sportsbook, let’s assess some things and see if there’s some value.
ACC Conference Betting Preview
Duke to Win the Conference
(+140)
The Blue Devils should be the favorite, and they were in the preseason poll voted on by the media. Duke received 44 of 51 votes and was 64 points ahead of Miami overall. There’s a lot of continuity in Durham, which is rare nowadays for that program. Leading the way is Jeremy Roach, who talked to me about what it was like to be the team leader and portray a solid front even when he was having bad days. I think he’ll improve on last year and be a crucial player in their hopeful title run. You won’t catch me taking them at this price, because I think there’s value elsewhere, but they are definitely the most talented squad in the conference.
Miami to Win the Conference
(+400)
Coach Jim Larranaga was another one of my interviews, and he was the happiest guy in the building it felt like. Coach L is having a lot of fun leading this program and is thrilled to have such a veteran team back after last year’s run. He loves his non-conference schedule and thinks it will test his team plenty. I’m always a fan of tough games early in the season which prepares squads for conference play.
North Carolina to Win the Conference
(+450)
I’ve interviewed Armando Bacot almost every year since his high school senior season, as he’s from the Richmond area. Bacot said that after last season, there was no doubt that he was going to return to bring the Heels back to prominence. This roster has some talent, and I definitely think they should be better, but I’m not going there with my money. This season will tell us a lot about Hubert Davis.
Virginia to Win the Conference
(+750)
This is my favorite wager in the conference, as Tony Bennett has almost everything he wants in his roster. There are two things UVA is known for, their slow pace and their pack-line defense. It feels like every offseason there’s some talk of potentially going a little faster, and Reece Beekman said they could consider running more when the opportunity presents itself. Defensively, it could be a little bit of a slow start with so many new people on the roster. Bennett told me how there are even juniors and seniors still learning the intricacies of the defense, so it’s going to be interesting early with so many new pieces on the roster. Ultimately, I think this team can put it all together, and +750 is great value.
Virginia Tech to Win the Conference
(+2500)
The media event took place the day after the Rodney Rice news came out, and everyone I talked to expressed confidence that the offense still had enough firepower to be a factor in the conference. Sean Pedulla told me about the chemistry that he and Hunter Cattoor had last season, and I really think they could be good. The problem with the Hokies is on the defensive side and getting people to buy into it.
Syracuse to Win the Conference
(+3000)
My alma mater could also be a very, very deep sleeper if things break right. They took a step back at center with Naheem McLeod replacing Jesse Edwards, who went off to West Virginia. Catching up with Judah Mintz and coach Adrian Autry, I was able to learn that both are excited about the uptick in pace and the change to the man-to-man defense. Of course, there will be a learning period as they go away from the Jim Boeheim zone, but if the Orange figure things out, they could be primed for a NIT bid or a back door at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament.
You can hear my full interviews from ACC Media Day here. My show is from 3-4 p.m. ET on 106.1 ESPN in Richmond.
