Locking this one in early as it looks like the line dropped from +4 to +3 since it opened.
South Dakota State returns 4 starts from a team that went 22-10 last season. They've opened up their season with a tough schedule but was able to beat #84 Utah St so we know they're capable of beating Top 100 teams. Iowa St is #67 so they will be better than Utah St but not by a whole lot.
Iowa St comes into the season with 1 returning starter from a team that went 12-20 last season. That means we don't know if they'll be better than last year but most people will assume so since Iowa St has been known to have a good program in recent history.
The fact they were trailing 14-2 before steamrolling #351 Ark Pine Bluff (7th worst team in D1 bball) is concerning and I feel like it would be much harder to come back from against a better team like South Dakota St.
Home court advantage is not what it used to be, hence the shorter line. When I cap my games I look at the teams themselves but I also look at public betting percentages as confirmation bias. Since 75% are in Iowa St it makes me like my pick even more.
South Dakota St +3.5 1150/1000
+145 1000/1450
i know some think "why buy the hook if you're already playing the ML" but for -115 I don't mind it in case it lands on 3 I can still make back the ML loss.
South Dakota State returns 4 starts from a team that went 22-10 last season. They've opened up their season with a tough schedule but was able to beat #84 Utah St so we know they're capable of beating Top 100 teams. Iowa St is #67 so they will be better than Utah St but not by a whole lot.
Iowa St comes into the season with 1 returning starter from a team that went 12-20 last season. That means we don't know if they'll be better than last year but most people will assume so since Iowa St has been known to have a good program in recent history.
The fact they were trailing 14-2 before steamrolling #351 Ark Pine Bluff (7th worst team in D1 bball) is concerning and I feel like it would be much harder to come back from against a better team like South Dakota St.
Home court advantage is not what it used to be, hence the shorter line. When I cap my games I look at the teams themselves but I also look at public betting percentages as confirmation bias. Since 75% are in Iowa St it makes me like my pick even more.
South Dakota St +3.5 1150/1000
+145 1000/1450
i know some think "why buy the hook if you're already playing the ML" but for -115 I don't mind it in case it lands on 3 I can still make back the ML loss.
