Best Bets For Tuesday College Basketball Action

College Hoops has been a bit of a roller coaster for me this season. Sometimes we look great, and then others... well fading would be your best option. Personally, I always hope I win. Professionally, I always hope you make the right choice and either play with me and win, or fade for whatever reason, and win. You're not taking my money - we are all trying to get a unit off the bookies in each game and that's what we will keep doing tonight.

Miami vs. Kentucky, 7:30 ET

We don't have many ranked teams playing tonight (not that you need to play ranked teams all the time - in fact there is usually better value in the unranked games), but these are the matchups people want to watch and the ones that get the most attention. This one is on ESPN, for example. Miami had a great season last year and is off to a stellar start this year with a 5-0 record. They haven't really had to play a tough game so far, and have won each game by at least six points. They athletic despite losing some key pieces last season. I don't know that they have better athletes than the Kentucky squad though. On the season, Miami is averaging 89 points and allowing 72.6. Kentucky has similar numbers at 94 per game and 72.2 allowed. They've also played weaker competition than Miami - with the notable exception of their one loss, a game against Kansas. One they played very well in, but ultimately lost by five. I do like the way Kentucky plays though - they pass the ball well and are getting 20 assists per game. They also try defensively, forcing 10.2 steals per game. Against the Jayhawks, the Wildcats played really well and had significantly more possessions. They just shot very poorly. If Miami can play tight defense and make the Jayhawks take contested shots, we are likely to see a Wildcats loss. The thing is I think at home, they will be much more comfortable. I also think that their defense matches up well with what the Hurricanes try to do. I'll back the Wildcats in this one -5.5.

Alabama guard Kai Spears (32) protests a foul call against the Crimson Tide during a basketball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Alabama Crimson Tide held at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023.Kns Vols Bama Hoops

Clemson vs. Alabama, 9:30 ET

Clemson and Alabama is one of those games you look forward to on a Saturday, but right now we get it on a Tuesday night, and instead of a pigskin being tossed around we get a... um... leather/rubber composite ball? I'm not sure what they use for a college ball any more but it doesn't matter. This game is going to see Alabama wipe the floor with Clemson. Don't get me wrong, Clemson is a respectable team with some height, but they can't matchup with the speed and athleticism of Alabama. On the season, Clemson is 5-0, but they've played a bunch of nobodies. The best team is probably Davidson and they are only known because Steph Curry went there. They had to battle in that one, winning by just three. That was just one game after UAB took them to the wire. Alabama has one loss on the season, it came two games ago against an Ohio State team that they probably should've beaten. That was their first "test" of the year and they failed. They allowed the backcourt of the Buckeyes to get 52 points against them and shooter 5-8 from deep, and more importantly, 19-20 from the free throw line. Clemson doesn't exactly have that type of scoring threat. Alabama, in that loss, also allowed 54% from the field, 56% from deep and 93% from the free throw line. Those numbers are very hard to replicate, so it was more of an uncharacteristically hot shooting night from their opponent than Alabama's fault for the loss. Nothing about this game makes me think Clemson will take it. I'll back Alabama -9 in this one.

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