MLB Best Bets – Free (Wednesday 7/24)
Josh Gross
Multiple times each week, FTN Bets’ resident college basketball junkie, Brad Evans, will attempt to posterize the ‘books with his favorite selections, whether sides, totals, teasers or parlays. As always, fade or follow Brad’s picks — fading is encouraged — that’s up to you.
2-leg alternative line parlay play: Minnesota +5.5, Michigan -4.5 (Tipico)
Odds: +118
Leg 1: Ohio St. at Minnesota (+5.5)
Marcus Carr is an 18-wheeler who typically delivers pallets of buckets on a nightly basis. Whether popping off inside or out, he consistently stuffs the box score. He and streaky arc presence, 6-foot-8 Brandon Johnson (44.0 3PT%), are a handful for a Buckeyes team playing uneven basketball in conference action. The dregs of the keg in three-point percentage offense in Big Ten play (27.4%), Ohio State leans heavily on E.J. Liddell and Kyle Young on flash-and-bang action in and around the paint. How Johnson, Liam Robbins and Both Gatch defend inside is pivotal for Goldy to hold homecourt. As a group, the Gophers rank No. 4 in two-point percentage D in B1G play. If x-factor Gabe Kalscheur can find his long-distance stroke against OSU’s No. 218 three-point percentage D and Carr washes away the funk acquired in his last outing at Wisconsin (3-of-13, 10 points), the Gophers should extend their conference mark to 3-2.
Leg 2: Northwestern at Michigan (-4.5)
Rolling out more talent than F-150s at a nearby Ford plant, Michigan oozes athleticism and scoring chops at every position. Deep and balanced, the Wolverines are a clear-cut frontrunner to emerge from the ultra-competitive Big Ten fray. Outside of a couple fixable blemishes (e.g. 22.2 TO% in B1G), Juwan Howard’s bunch possesses Final Four characteristics. They rank top-15 nationally in offensive efficiency (1.147 pts/poss), effective field-goal percentage (58.8), two-point percentage (62.6) and free-throw percentage (78.9). Seven-foot freshman phenom Hunter Dickinson’s post maneuvers combined with Chaundee Brown (39.4 3PT%) and Isaiah Liver’s (41.5%) sizzling perimeter shooting forms a dynamite inside-outside game. For Northwestern to hang, it must take advantage of UM’s loose exterior D. Boo Buie, Chase Adige and Miller Kopp are certainly capable. As a collective, the Wildcats net a blistering 41.4% along the arc. Still, Michigan’s around-the-basket execution is stellar, which should guide it to an 8- to 10-point win.
Season record: 1-4 (Maybe win one, Evans?)
