Ladies and gentlemen, March is here. The greatest month in sports has arrived, and we still don’t know who all will play in the NCAA Tournament. Some teams are desperate to prove themselves with conference tournaments on the horizon, and others are spiraling out of control.
This Thursday, we have multiple teams fighting for positioning in both conference tournaments and the big dance. With so many upsets happening, will we see more this week? Which teams can end the year with a good run?
Here are the best games to bet on for March 2. We’ll start with a game that will directly impact seeding for the conference tournament.
Arizona Wildcats vs. USC Trojans
Thursday, March 02, 2023 – 11:00 PM EST at Galen Center
The Arizona Wildcats are one of the most dangerous teams to not receive a one-seed in the NCAA Tournament. Whoever has the Wildcats in their region will receive a bad draw. This team is versatile, and they have one of the best offenses in basketball.
However, the winner of this game will be the 2-seed in the conference tournament, and the Trojans are playing at home. This USC team has been on a tear. Here are the point margins of the last four games.
● 13-point win at Utah
● 19-point win at Colorado
● 10-point win vs. Stanford
● 37-point win vs. Cal
Now, Arizona is a better team than any of these, but this shows how the Trojans are on a run. Getting hot at the right time matters in the postseason, and I see USC pulling off an upset against the Wildcats.
USC would rather this game be low-scoring, but they have what it takes to keep up when needed. They’ve scored over 80 points in three of the last four wins, and that type of production will be needed against the Wildcats.
Look for Boogie Ellis to have a solid game this week. He struggled with turnovers the last time he played against Arizona, but he should improve at home.
NCAAB Pick: USC +2 (-110) at Caesars Sportsbook
Arizona State Sun Devils vs. UCLA Bruins
Thursday, March 02, 2023 – 09:00 PM EST at Pauley Pavilion
UCLA plays at home, and it’s easy to see why they are the favorites. However, don’t be surprised if the Sun Devils stick around. Arizona State needs this win to feel safe heading into the conference tournament regarding an NCAA Tournament bid.
I’m not sure if ASU can get that win on the road, but desperate teams always play better when the rubber meets the road. This happened with Auburn in Coleman Coliseum against Alabama. The Tide won, but Auburn covered the spread due to the urgency to win that game.
UCLA deserves credit, but they have struggled to pull away late in games against inferior opponents recently. With a spread this high, I find it hard to believe that the Bruins will command the game from start to finish.
Arizona State needs an answer for Jaime Jaquez Jr. In the last game between these squads, they limited his scoring but couldn’t stop him from distributing the ball. If they can keep the ball out of his hands, they have a good shot of keeping this one close.
NCAAB Pick: Arizona State +12.5 (-102) at FanDuel
Purdue Boilermakers vs. Wisconsin Badgers
Thursday, March 02, 2023 – 09:00 PM EST at Kohl Center
The Big Ten is a challenging conference, but five losses for the Boilermakers is disappointing considering how well they played to start the season. If they want to have any shot of earning a one seed, they can’t afford to lose again.
Purdue has lost three of the last four games, and the only win has been against one of the worst teams in the Big Ten. They now travel to Wisconsin, a bubble team that would certainly make the NCAA Tournament with a win at home.
Call me crazy, but I’m picking another bubble team to pull off an upset. At the very least, give me the Badgers to cover.
Zach Edey has dominated all year, but teams are learning how to beat Purdue despite this. They have limited his offensive output and can keep other players from shining alongside him.
This is my favorite pick for Thursday. Give me the Badgers to cover at home at -115 betting odds.
NCAAB Pick: Wisconsin +4.5 (-115) at BetMGM
