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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: Utah St. +2.5, Purdue +7.5 (Tipico Sportsbook)
Odds: +131
Leg 1: San Diego St. at Utah St. (+2.5)
West of the Continental Divide, there are few teams on par with Craig Smith’s Aggies. The lovelies from Logan have raced out to an impeccable 6-0 mark in Mountain West play. Yes, they squared off against the dregs of the conference keg, San Jose St., Air Force and New Mexico, but they won in convincing fashion, sealing Ws by a mammoth 34.2 points per game. Currently atop the totem pole in eight different defensive categories, including allowing an unreal 0.712 points per possession, they’ve dominated. There’s no other way to spin it. San Diego St. is clearly a stiffer opponent, but if the Aggies challenge perimeter shots from sharpshooters Matt Mitchell, Terrell Gomez and Jordan Schakel, it will have a significant advantage. Just over 44% of Aztec points scored come on treys. If Brock Miller, Marco Anthony and Steven Ashworth find bottoms on their own long-distance chucks and Utah St. upsells its size with Neemias Queta (41.8 OR% in MWC), it will assert itself as the conference top dog. Keep in mind, SDSU is giving up 36.8% from three in MWC action.
Leg 2: Purdue (+7.5) at Indiana
Bubblicious? This intra-state battle has all the makings of deciding an at-large bid when the Selection Committee begins the scrubbing process in late February. In other words, the stakes are high for Matt Painter and Archie Miller. Bank on a nip and tuck tussle. Due to their below average shooting beyond the arc, Indiana is highly reliant on Big Ten POY candidate Trayce Jackson-Davis. The glass commander exhibits a deft touch around the basket and snags numerous second chances. His toe-to-toe showdown against Trevion Williams is a true clash of basketball titans. Williams boasts a remarkable hoops I.Q., finishing routinely around the rim while finding open shooters along the wing. His versatility is problematic for a Hoosiers team allowing 1.046 points per possession and 37.3% from three in league play. Purdue, road tough against Rutgers, Illinois and in its come-from-behind victory at Michigan St., displays measurable grit. If Sasha Stefanovic (49.3 3PT%), Brandon Newman (40.0%) and Isaiah Thompson (41.2%) drain threes and the Boilers triumph on the boards, an outright win is well within reach.
Column record: 5-11 (Texas blew it)
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