Best College Basketball Bets for December 8th

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The college basketball slate on Thursday does not offer a ton of games to be played, but it certainly offers some opportunity to make some money. Let’s take a quick look at some games that should be on your radar before a weekend full of college hoops madness!

Best College Basketball Bets for December 8th

UMass-Lowell River Hawks at UMass Minutemen (-2.5)

The official spread has yet to be released, but the metric sites have Frank Martin’s club favored by roughly two points at home. For the sake of the wager, we will call it (-2.5).

Massachusetts made headlines earlier in the season when they won three games in four days and took home the Myrtle Beach Invitational championship. The Minutemen ran through Colorado, Murray State, and Charlotte for their first in season tournament title since 2013. UMass has not dropped a game since their trip to South Carolina but could be the victim of a trap game on Thursday.

When you think of UMass-Lowell, you likely don’t attribute the school to a strong basketball program. This season, the River Hawks are just that, as they boast a 9-1 record so far with a fantastic 4-1 record in true road games. Granted, the level of competition has not been spectacular, but home-court advantage is huge in the college ranks, and that number deserves some respect. This team is deep, with eight players averaging at least six points per game, and plays tremendous defense.

Pat Duquette’s team is a perfect 5-0 against the spread on the road this season, and this is a prime spot for the program to make some noise.

Michigan Wolverines (-6) at Minnesota Golden Gophers

The Wolverines did not have a great trip abroad as they not only lost to the Kentucky Wildcats but returned with an injured point guard. Princeton transfer Jaelin Llewelyn came down awkwardly in the paint area during the game and suffered a non-contact injury to his knee. It is likely that point guard duties will be handed to freshman Dug McDaniel for the immediate future. McDaniel struggled against the Cats, logging as many fouls as points (5) in just fifteen minutes played.

Despite being short-handed, the Wolverines should be able to cover as a road favorite as the Minnesota Golden Gophers are historically poor against the spread at home. While the trend was established by former coach Richard Pitino, it has continued under second-year head coach Ben Johnson. The Gophers are just 7-12 against the spread at home under Johnson, which is the worst mark in the Big Ten over the span.

While the consecutive losses for Michigan signals a likely regression to the mean, three consecutive losses for the Gophers signify the likelihood for another long season. Minnesota does boast a big man in Dawson Garcia, that has the athleticism to give Hunter Dickinson some problems. However, if Dickinson is able to get position on Garcia on the block, his four inches in height and 25 extra pounds become a distinct advantage.