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: Michigan St. (+11.5), Kansas (+7.5) (Tipico Sportsbook)
Odds: +112
Leg 1: Illinois at Michigan St. (+11.5)
An anthropomorphic ghost pepper triggering a flamethrower. That, my fellow betting degens, were the Illini last Saturday inside The Barn. At one point deep into the second half, Brad Underwood’s bunch showcased an improbable 1.50 points per possession. Bonkers. Ayo Dosunmu, meanwhile, recorded his second triple double in four games, a rare feat in college basketball. Riding the high of a five-game win streak, one would easily conclude a skewering of Sparty is slated Tuesday night. Michigan St.’s persistent scoring ineptitude (0.949 pts/poss off in B1G) and unusually soft efforts on the glass (No. 11 DR%) only point to a sweatless Illinois victory. Yes, the Orange and Blue are one of three teams nationally to rank inside the top-10 in offensive and defensive efficiency. And, yes, the Illini have a distinct advantage in the post with rim rocking seven-footer Kofi Cockburn. However, Illinois has bizarrely played down to its level of competition, witnessed in close shaves against Nebraska and Northwestern. Michigan St., too, is coming off its most complete performance in months, a 78-71 triumph over Indiana. In that contest, the Spartans recorded 1.13 points per possession, committed an acceptable 14 TOs and drilled seven triples. Ayo and Co. are capable of blasting almost anyone any given night, but expect a tighter-than-expected matchup in East Lansing.
Leg 2: Kansas (+7.5) at Texas
As conditions in Austin and throughout the Lone Star State improve, the Longhorns, too, are hoping to quickly thaw out. On the wrong side of the ledger in five of their last eight games they’re trapped in a deep late-season freeze. Over that stretch, they’ve scored the basketball admirably (1.148 pts/poss), but it’s the ‘Horns defense that’s unraveled. Opponents are steadily beating them with a consistent diet of threes (38.4 3PT% D) and free throws. Kansas isn’t lighting the Big 12 on fire from distance, netting a pedestrian 33.5% this month. However, the Jayhawks, winners of five straight, are ascending quickly with scoring balance, rebounding execution and stellar defense. Over their last seven contests they’ve surrendered a miniscule 0.860 points per possession, the fourth-best mark in the country. David McCormack, Marcus Garrett and Ochai Agbaji are guarding their tails off. Jericho Sims and Kai Jones are 100-year-old oaks in the post for UT, but for the ‘Horns to extinguish one of the hottest teams in the country they will need Courtney Ramey and Andrew Jones to work in synchronicity. The pair nearly came to blows inside the huddle in UT’s collapse against WVU. With Kansas rapidly climbing, it’s the stronger play.
Season record: 24-31
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