Another thrilling weekend in college basketball is upon us, so I bring you the best betting pick and tips for Sunday’s non-conference showdown at McDonough Arena in Washington, DC, where the Georgetown Hoyas welcome the West Virginia Mountaineers.
These two schools will meet each other for the first time since 2014 when the Hoyas beat the Mountaineers 77-65 as 4-point favorites. However, West Virginia is 5-1 straight up in its previous six encounters with Georgetown, and the Mountaineers will open as slight favorites for Sunday’s clash on DraftKings.
The Mountaineers look to get back on the winning track
The West Virginia Mountaineers are coming off an 87-82 defeat to the Gonzaga Bulldogs this past Tuesday, still covering an 8.5-point spread against the top-ranked team in the country. They battled bravely and had a five-point lead at halftime, but the Zags were too much down the stretch.
The Mountaineers shot only 37.9% from the field and 29.4% from beyond the arc. They outrebounded the Zags (41-36) but committed 15 turnovers while allowing their rivals to hand out 22 assists and make 49.3% of their field goals.
Now, the Mountaineers are 3-1 on the season. They are scoring 110.1 points per 100 possessions (13th in the country) while yielding only 87.0 to their opponents (7th). Four West Virginia players are averaging points in double figures, and junior forward Derek Culver leads the way with 15.8 points and 11.3 rebounds per contest.
The Hoyas disappointed their fans last time out
The Georgetown Hoyas suffered a surprising 78-71 defeat to the Navy Midshipmen last Tuesday, dropping to 1-1 on the season. They were listed as firm 11-point home favorites, but the Hoyas put on a disappointing performance, especially on the defensive end.
Georgetown allowed Navy to make 50.0% of its field goals. The Hoyas forced only nine turnovers and struggled to cope with Navy’s backcourt. Also, the Hoyas’ second unit combined for one point on 0-for-11 from the field and 1-for-4 from the charity stripe.
The Hoyas are tallying 102.0 points per 100 possessions (112th in the nation), surrendering 95.1 in a return (95th). Senior guard Jahvon Blair is posting 20.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game, while sophomore center Qudus Wahab is adding 14.0 points and 9.5 boards a night.
Trends:
West Virginia:
- 4-1 ATS in the last five games overall
- 4-2 ATS in the last six games against Georgetown
Georgetown:
- 2-7 ATS in the last nine games overall
- 3-6 ATS in the last nine outings at home
[metabet_core_odds_compare query=”ncaab/west_virginia” size=”300×250″ site_id=”atsio” css=”float:right; margin-left:10px”]The Winner Prediction
Although the Mountaineers have covered in four of their last five games overall, they are 0-6-1 ATS in their previous seven road contests. However, the Mountaineers have played their first four games of the season at the neutral site which should be a nice preparation for Sunday’s clash at McDonough Arena.
After they’ve struggled mightily to cope with Navy, the Hoyas will have a much tougher assignment against the Mountaineers. The hosts’ inside game could keep them close, but I expect the Mountaineers to dominate this game defensively and hopefully cover the spread.
Pick: Take West Virginia -10.5
The Total:
The Hoyas averaged 74.7 possessions per 40 minutes through their first two games, enough for the 30th-fastest pace in the country. On the other side, the Mountaineers are recording 72.6 possessions per 40 minutes (124th).
This could be a high-tempo game, as the Mountaineers won’t mind joining the party if the Hoyas want to speed up things. However, West Virginia leans on its stout D, while Georgetown will desperately need a much better defensive performance after a terrible display against Navy.
Therefore, I’m going with the under, but betting on the totals seems like a tough job. The under is 4-1 in Georgetown’s last five home games, and it is 11-4 in West Virginia’s previous 15 contests overall.
Pick: Go under 147