Can Purdue get its revenge vs. Northwestern?
We're targeting matchups in the Big East, Big 10, and Big 12 for Wednesday's card. Let's dive right into our best bets.
St. John's @ Xavier (-2, O/U 157)
St. John's is well-rested after a week off and has been successful on the road this season, but this is a trap game for the Red Storm as they look ahead to a matchup with No. 1 UConn this weekend.
We saw North Carolina lose a trap game to Georgia Tech on Tuesday as an 8.5-point favorite. The Tar Heels face Duke this weekend.
Xavier is already a tough matchup for St. John's. It has the Big East's fourth-best scoring offense. St. John's has a top defense, but it'll struggle to keep up.
After back-to-back losses to two of the conference's better teams - UConn and Creighton - Xavier will earn a much-needed win to move up the crowded Big East standings.
Pick: Xavier -2
Purdue team total: Over 77.5 points
Purdue is averaging 85 points per game this season and is a 13.5-point favorite at home against Northwestern. The Wildcats have won two straight against the Boilermakers, but both of those games were road contests for Purdue.
The Boilermakers will be hungry for revenge when they finally meet Northwestern at home. Instead of laying a double-digit point spread, let's take Purdue's team total. If the Boilermakers do cover the spread, they'll almost certainly exceed 78 points.
In the first meeting this season, Purdue found success dominating inside, particularly in the rebounding battle and at the free-throw line. The team should exploit Northwestern's weaknesses again.
Purdue scored 88 points on the road when the two teams met in early December. It scored at least 78 points in every single conference home game this season. While Northwestern has a solid defense, it'll have to turn Wednesday's game into a track meet to have a chance at winning, much like it did in the first contest.
Odds: -110 (playable to -120)
Cincinnati @ West Virginia (+4, O/U 145)
I'm going to roll with the home underdog in a battle between two of the worst Big 12 teams.
West Virginia has certainly struggled in Year 1 of the post-Bob Huggins era, but the entire roster will be active for the first time all season against Cincinnati. The Mountaineers dealt with some injury and eligibility issues.
The Bearcats have some impressive conference wins and even competed against Kansas, but playing on the road is a greater challenge.
West Virginia is significantly better at home than away from it. The Mountaineers are 6-6 against the spread at home and 0-4 on the road. Even in a down year, playing in Morgantown is never easy. West Virginia could pull off the outright upset, but I'll take the points.
Pick: West Virginia +4
Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X @soshtry for more betting coverage.