Multiple times each week, The Gaming Juice’s resident action seeker, Brad Evans, will attempt to blast the ‘books with his favorite selections on sides, totals, props, teasers or parlays. As always, fade or follow Brad’s picks — fading is encouraged — but that’s up to you.
Sledgehammer Special — SGP: Minnesota +10.5, Game OVER 138.5 (+100, MGM)
When it boils down to it, humans are simple creatures, and this homo sapien isn’t an exception. Whether it’s a comfortable bed, spicy tacos, a smooth anejo or a good time, “no” is a response never uttered.
Right now in college basketball betting, it’s also an answer emphatically given when it comes to tailing Minnesota.
Having been anointed the “Cover Kings” earlier this week, the Golden Gophers are setting the game’s pace in record against the spread. At 22-3 ATS this season, Minnesota has bankrupted the ‘books and rewarded backers with a gravy train of riches. “You’re GOLDEN with the GOPHERS” needs to be a fixture in the betting lexicon. For the love of the gambling gods, they’ve covered NINE STRAIGHT GAMES.
Machines.
Will Minnesota’s torrid streak end Sunday inside Pinnacle Bank Arena?
Despite their shiny advanced metrics, oddsmakers have been clueless on how to properly handle Ben Johnson’s bunch. As sorted at BartTorvik, the Gophers are No. 23 overall over the past month. They’re also No. 26 nationally in effective field-goal percentage offense, torching the nets at 52.1% on 2-pointers and 41.1% on 3s. On the season, Minnesota is the second-best team in the country in assists-to-field goals made.
Again, when they’re on, the Gophers hum offensively. Dawson Garcia, the leading scorer (17.7) and rebounder (6.6), arc assassin Cam Christie (42.1 3PT%) and versatile guards Mike Mitchell (36.8 3PT%) and Elijah Hawkins (39.6 3PT%) have become quite the unmitigated group.
At the other end, the outlook isn’t as rosy. In its last seven games, Minnesota ranks No. 198 in eFG D and, most worrisome, No. 222 in 3-point percentage defense. The Gophers also check in at a very suspect No. 278 in defensive rebounding percentage.
Nebraska’s road struggles are well-documented. However, when surrounded by love in Lincoln, the Cornhuskers are a marvelous 16-1 straight up, slotting top-45 nationally in adjusted offensive and adjusted defensive efficiency.
For the Gophers to enter the NCAA Tournament at-large conversation, they must win. Still, given the Huskers’ stellar home play and rainmaking perimeter shooting from Brice Williams, C.J. Wilcher and showman Keisei Tominaga, the wisest approach is to SGP.
Streaks, after all, are made to be broken.
Season record: 8-3, +5.53 units
BONUS TIME — 3-leg ML: Marquette, Wichita State, VCU (+127, DraftKings)