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: Purdue ML, Tulsa (+4.5) (Tipico Sportsbook)
Odds: +122
Leg 1: Penn St. at Purdue (ML)
Solidifying their ground on the right side of the bubble after marching into Bloomington and undercutting rival Indiana, the Boilers are quietly climbing. Classic Matt Painter. The head coach is the U.S. Grant of Big Ten tacticians. Whether drawing up plays offensively or defensively, he simply knows how to seize higher ground. Facing a Penn St. club unplugged since Dec. 30 due to COVID-19, his bunch is fully prepared to drive railroad spikes. In three Big Ten losses, the Nittany Lions surrendered a league-worst 1.156 points per possession and 61.7 two-point percentage. Purdue’s Trevion Williams, who owns a soft touch around the basket and tremendous passing skills, should devour the competition whole. Big man John Harrar has his hands full. Even if Williams uncharacteristically slumps, arc assassins Sasha Stefanovic (49.3% 3PT%), Brandon Newman (41.5%) and Isaiah Thompson (41.2%) are sure to pick up the slack. Additionally, look for Painter to mix in some zone to confuse and combat PSU’s affinity for threes (35.9% of attempts). In the end, Purdue, playing inside Mackey for the first time since Christmas Day, should emerge from its cagematch unscathed.
Leg 2: Memphis at Tulsa (+4.5)
For those who relish scoring, this shot-clock draining, defensive-driven affair will be a torture comparable to consuming a “delicious” Hot Pocket filled with pepperoni, hard plastic and glass shards. Tasty. Both teams rank inside the top-35 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. Despite that similarity, the Tigers and Golden Hurricane exhibit contrasting styles. Memphis, No. 35 in adjusted tempo, prefers a breakneck pace. Tulsa, meanwhile, No. 319 in the category, moves with the urgency of Betty White. When the two first faced off in December, a 56-49 slog taken by Frank Haith’s group, the Golden Hurricane’s pressure defense dominated the headlines. Applying a sleeper hold, they surrendered only 0.71 points per possession and forced 20 turnovers. Memphis no doubt owns a rebounding advantage. Moussa Cisse and DJ Jeffries will wipe the glass, but Tulsa’s experience, depth, staunch D and persistent conversions in the paint (52.5 2PT% No. 1 in AAC) will ensure the revenge game narrative need not apply.
Column record: 7-12
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