NCAA Basketball Best Bets for March 7 Featuring Duke-North Carolina, Texas Tech & Arizona

We are not ready for One Shining Moment, but we are ready for the last Saturday of the NCAA basketball regular season. With lots of great games on deck, fans will have plenty of options for their betting pleasure. If you need some ideas, check out today’s NCAA Basketball Best Bets list.

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

I’ll start with a historic college basketball rivalry, No. 17 North Carolina visiting No. 1 Duke, and then No. 10 Texas Tech vs. BYU. I’ll wrap things up with the last game on the schedule for the day, No. 2 Arizona vs. Colorado.

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NCAA Basketball Best Bets: No. 1 Duke Blue Devils vs. No. 17 North Carolina Tar Heels Odds & Prediction

• Spread: North Carolina +17.5 at -114 | Duke -17.5 at -106
• Moneyline: North Carolina +1200 | Duke -3000
• TOTAL: O/U 146.5 (-110/-110)

Odds via FanDuel

Duke was a road favorite when it played North Carolina in Chapel Hill a couple of weeks ago, but the Tar Heels were able to overcome a 41-29 halftime deficit to pull off an upset, winning 71-68. Freshman Caleb Wilson led the way for UNC with 23 points, four rebounds, and a pair of assists.

But he is out for the season after breaking his thumb in practice this week, which is why Duke is a 17-point favorite this time around. A player of Wilson’s caliber is, of course, important to the overall success of the team, but is his absence significant enough to make Duke such a heavy favorite?

Wilson's injury has not prevented UNC from stacking wins

He has been out since getting injured vs. Miami following the upset over Duke. The Tar Heels went 5-1 without Wilson leading up to this game, including a win over No. 24 Louisville. So, while they may not be the same team, they are still a very good team. But good enough to beat Duke in Durham?

The Tar Heels have won 11 times in Durham since 2000, including three of the last five at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Cameron Boozer leads the Blue Devils with 22.6 points and 10 rebounds per game. His team is undefeated at home (14-0) but 7-7 ATS. Since losing Wilson, North Carolina has had five different players lead the team in scoring across six games.

My NCAA Basketball Pick: North Carolina +17.5

• Playing at Cameron is tough; that is not in question. But,  historically, the Tar Heels have proven they are up for the challenge. Does that mean they can do it this time? Well, it is concerning that they are 4-5 SU and ATS on the road. But Duke is .500 ATS at home and 3-3 in games where it was a 16-18-point favorite. The Blue Devils are a great team, but I don’t think the Tar Heels are getting enough credit for being more than Caleb Wilson. Duke will win, but don’t count on them to cover.

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NCAA Basketball Best Bets: No. 10 Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. BYU Cougars Odds & Prediction

• Spread: Texas Tech +2.5 at -110 | BYU -2.5 at -110
• Moneyline: Texas Tech +116 | BYU -140
• TOTAL: O/U 159.5 (-115/-105)

Odds via FanDuel

I find games like this one fascinating. A top-10 team (Texas Tech) opened as only a slight favorite in this game (-1.5), but since then, the line has moved, and BYU is now a 2.5-point favorite. The concerns bettors probably have are valid.

TTU has played without its leader

The Red Raiders lost their best player, JT Toppin, a couple of weeks ago to a season-ending injury. BYU crushed the Red Raiders, 84-71, with Toppin scoring 27 points when these teams met in Lubbock back in January. If they got crushed with Toppin at home, then without him on the road…

BYU has been tough at home (13-4 SU, 5-9 ATS) while Texas Tech is 5-4 SU and ATS.

My NCAA Basketball Pick: Texas Tech ML at +116

• I get it, and on paper, I’d agree that BYU looks like the better team. But that doesn’t take into account how both teams have been playing. Since losing Toppin, Texas Tech has gone 3-1. BYU lost its last three and seven of its last 10.

NCAA Basketball Best Bets: No. 2 Arizona Wildcats vs. Colorado Buffaloes Odds & Prediction

• Spread: Arizona -13.5 at -114 | Colorado +13.5 at -106
• Moneyline: Arizona -1200 | Colorado +720
• TOTAL: O/U 156.5 (-115/-105)

Odds via FanDuel

As disappointing as it was to lose two in a row and fall from the No. 1 spot in the polls, the Wildcats appear to have come out the better for it. Since the loss to Texas Tech, Arizona has won five in a row, including four against ranked teams and two top-10 squads. Colorado, on the other hand, has struggled in conference play but has played well down the stretch, winning three of its last four games.

The Buffs have not done well against ranked teams this season (0-6), but won five of the last six vs. Arizona at home.

My NCAA Basketball Pick: Arizona -13.5

• Colorado is going to try to slow the game down, but I don’t think it’ll succeed. Arizona is much better than the Buffs on both ends of the court. The Wildcats may not pull away until the second half, but Arizona will cover.