College basketball predictions: Ride with these two favorites

college basketball alabama crimson tide Sports Picks tennessee volunteers uconn huskies villanova wildcats Bonus Code

Connecticut is the nations newly minted No. 1 team.

Can the Huskies live up to the hype or will they become the third top-ranked team to fall in the last month?

Meanwhile, in the SEC, Alabama is getting its fourth crack at a top-10 team this season. Spoiler alert, it hasnt gone well for the Crimson Tide thus far (0-3 straight-up, 1-2 against the spread).

Here are Saturdays college basketball best bets:

Connecticut at Villanova: 8 p.m., (FS1)

The Huskies lead the Big East in both rebounding margin and two-point defense, and have really blossomed on the offensive end. Evan Miya ranks UConn third offensively in his adjusted efficiency metric, as does KenPom and Torvik.

UConn is versatile in that it can rely on its front-court pairing of Donovan Clingan and Alex Karaban (15.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg) or turn to its dynamic backcourt, which presents unique challenges for opponents.

Freshman guard Stephon Castle is coming into his own in conference play by repeatedly bringing the fight to his defender. His 12 foul-shot performance against Georgetown demonstrates the kind of matchup problem he is on the perimeter.

Castle is balanced out by two shooters who can catch fire at any point in Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer (46.8 percent on 3s). This remains the most complete team in college basketball by far.

Villanova has fought and clawed to regain its footing as a Big East contender, but this is the game where the bottom drops out. The Wildcats strength is their defensive rebounding, but UConn is on another level. That should translate to more second-chance opportunities for the Huskies.

College_basketball_predictions_Ride_with_these_two_favorites Huskies’ Tristen Newton puts up a shot as Ryan Kalkbrenner defends during UConn’s 62-48 win over Creighton. APAnd if Villanova is forced to consistently knock down shots to hang around with the nations top team, I dont see that happening. Nova shoots just 42.1 percent from the floor (258th). That wont cut it against Dan Hurleys bunch, which just held a sharpshooting Creighton offense to 48 points.

Recommendation: Connecticut -2.

Alabama at Tennessee: 2 p.m. (ESPN2)

Alabama is carrying a six-game winning streak into Knoxville, but dont be fooled by the Crimson Tides recent run.

Alabamas suspect defense hasnt been tested during the streak, facing opponents with an average adjusted offensive efficiency of 116th nationally (KenPom). The step up in class will be jarring for the Tide considering the Vols have cracked the top 30 offensively in every notable ranking system.

College_basketball_predictions_Ride_with_these_two_favorites Dalton Knecht has been one of the top players in college basketball this season. Getty ImagesTennessee hit the transfer portal lottery and is now led by Dalton Knecht. The former Northern Colorado guard has exceeded even the most bullish of expectations since donning the Orange and White.

Hes averaging 34 points and six rebounds on 57 percent shooting from the field across his last three games. And hes playing his way into top-10 consideration in the NBA draft while elevating Tennessee from SEC threat to national title contender.

Tennessee also has a sizable advantage on the glass in the event that Knechts wild heater doesnt continue. The Vols are ranked 33rd nationally in offensive rebounding percentage, while Alabama struggles on the defensive glass (73.6 percent, 148th).

Grant Nelson and Nick Pringle havent been consistent in Nate Oats front court. Pringle has had trouble staying on the court, fouling out of four of his last nine games.

Betting on College Basketball?

Check out the best College Basketball betting sites
Read our guide on how to bet on College Basketball
Get the latest NCAA Championship Winner odds

I would feel comfortable laying up to 5.5 points with the Volunteers.

A live bet is also on the table if Alabamas Aaron Estrada is limited early.

The Crimson Tide need a huge game from their talented senior wing to hang around on the road. If he picks up two early fouls, I think theres a chance the roof caves in on Alabama, so I would hammer a Tennessee live bet in the event Estrada is forced to ride the pine in the first half.

Recommendation: Tennessee -5.5

How many decks are used in poker?

In most popular poker variants, such as Texas Hold'em and Omaha, a standard deck of 52 playing cards is used. Each deck contains four suits (hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades) and consists of 13 ranks (Ace, 2 through 10, and the face cards: Jack, Queen, and King).

What is the bonus code for WPT Global Poker 2023?

The best bonus code for WPT Global is WPT777. By entering the bonus code, players will get a welcome bonus 100% up to $1,200 on the first deposit. The minimum deposit is $20.