Big Noise Tipico CBB parlay of the day (Jan. 19)

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 -6.5, Pittsburgh +7.5 (Tipico Sportsbook)

Odds: +118

Leg 1: Maryland at Michigan (-6.5)

Perfecto no more. In one of the more surprising developments of last week, the Wolverines waltzed into Minnesota only to leave the dance sullen and lonely. Credit to the Gophers’ defensive strategy, but, unlike previous games, Michigan saw few favorable driving lanes, increasing its reliance on threes which simply didn’t drop (6-22). When the final buzzer sounded, its 0.80 points per possession scored was far and away its weakest offensive performance of the season. With the way Franz Wagner, Chaundee Brown, Isaiah Livers and freshman sensation Hunter Dickinson normally score (56.8% eFG% No. 1 in B1G), consider it a brief speedbump. Maryland is battle-tested and unafraid, evidenced by its pair of marquee road victories at Wisconsin and at Illinois. Still, unless the Wolverines’ turnover issues metastasize, the paper matchup is terribly lopsided. The Terps are No. 12 in offensive and No. 11 in defensive efficiency in Big Ten play. In order for them to remain competitive, Eric Ayala (groin?), Donta Scott, Hakim Hart and Aaron Wiggins will need to bombard from three. To that I say, good luck.

Leg 2: Duke at Pittsburgh (+7.5)

Deservedly and understandably unranked for the first time in nearly five years, the Blue Devils, a fringe NCAA Tournament team with a number of visible festering warts, are uncharacteristically lousy. With Kentucky and North Carolina equally abysmal, maybe this is the year sci-fi writers and amateur xenologists repeatedly warned extraterrestrials overtake Earth. And you thought 2020 sucked. There’s no reason to sugarcoat it, Duke is bad. Sophomore Matthew Hurt is a phenomenal scorer who drills opponents inside and out, but the team’s peripheral parts are merely subpar. Most worrisome for those in Durham, Coach K’s club is bedeviled by its defensive inadequacy. Undisciplined whether sealing off cutting lanes (54.0% 2PT% D in ACC) or extending to the perimeter (42.3% 3PT% D), Duke has surrendered a laughable 1.071 points per possession in four ACC games. Pitt, the No. 1 ranked defensive team in league play giving up just 0.926 points per possession and 23.8% along the arc, relentlessly challenge shots. The Panthers are mediocre offensively, but double-doubles machine Justin Champagnie and Au’Diese Toney makeup one of the nation’s nastiest offensive rebounding duos. Hurt and Jaemyn Brakefield will likely bring a knife to the gunfight. In the end, the Panthers’ interior muscle prevails.

Season Record: 8-13

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