Happy Thursday, college basketball fans. Wednesday finished as another winning night, going 3-2 overall. Chattanooga and Xavier did not get there, but Memphis, Green Bay, and Saint Louis came through in the clutch.
That moves the season record to 109-99-1. Be sure to follow all of our picks on BetStamp all season long.
Now it’s time to get back to work. Here are our best bets for Thursday’s slate.
SIU-Edwardsville Cougars at Eastern Illinois Panthers
This will not be a high-quality basketball game, but it does present a strong betting opportunity. Eastern Illinois is one of the weakest teams in the country and sits right on the edge of the bottom 10 nationally.
No matter where this game is played, SIU-Edwardsville is at least ten points better. The Cougars should control this one from start to finish.
Betting Pick: SIU-Edwardsville Cougars -7.5 over Eastern Illinois
Final Score Prediction: SIU-Edwardsville 78, Eastern Illinois 65
Bradley Braves at Indiana State Sycamores
Home court matters in the Missouri Valley, especially in a conference opener. Bradley has not been tested much on the road yet, and this environment presents a real challenge.
Indiana State is built to defend at home and should be able to dictate pace. Take the home team as a slight underdog.
Betting Pick: Indiana State Sycamores +3.5 over Bradley
Final Score Prediction: Indiana State 77, Bradley 70
Kansas City Roos at Oklahoma State Cowboys
Kansas City has been one of the most overmatched teams in college basketball this season. The Roos have not shown signs of improvement and struggle on both ends of the floor.
Oklahoma State is coming off its first loss of the season and should be locked in from the opening tip. The number is big, but the mismatch is even bigger.
Betting Pick: Oklahoma State Cowboys -30.5 over Kansas City
Final Score Prediction: Oklahoma State 110, Kansas City 60
Illinois State Redbirds at Southern Illinois Salukis
Illinois State has the look of a team that could contend for the Missouri Valley title this season. Opening conference play on the road is never easy, but the Redbirds are the better team in this matchup.
When forced to choose between location and talent, the smarter bet is the better basketball team.
Betting Pick: Illinois State Redbirds +2.5 over Southern Illinois
Final Score Prediction: Illinois State 78, Southern Illinois 72
Enjoy the games. Whether you are here to fade or follow, be sure to track all of our bets on BetStamp throughout the season.