Free NCAA College Basketball Picks, Best Bets, and Parlays For 2/23/22

What a night of betting for me in college basketball. I guess 2/22/22 really was a good thing.

We hit our Best Bet as the red-hot Runnin’ Rebels turned back Nevada 62-54 and easily covered the 2-point spread. That raised our Best Bet of the Day record to 40-26 since January 1st.

We went a perfect 11-0 betting the MoneyLine. Our record now stands at 494-112 (82%) for 2022.

There were 7 games involving Top-25 teams. We went 5-2 picking winners, and a couple of late collapses dropped us to 3-4 betting the spread. Our record stands at 65-50 in that category.

Finally, we hit a 3-team parlay that made us $75 on a $15 wager.

There are some great games and 7 that feature Top-25 teams. Let’s keep the ball rolling in the right direction and try not to get too cocky.

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Papa Dudes Best Bet for College Basketball Today

Xavier 17-9 at Providence 22-3 (-2): I’m pretty surprised at the small spread, but Vegas hasn’t shown much respect for the Friars all year. This is a must game for the Musketeers and they are fully capable of winning if Providence doesn’t bring their “A” game. The battle continues in the tough Big East. I’m sticking with Providence. PAPA DUDES BEST BET: Providence -2

GAMES INVOLVING TOP-25 TEAMS:

#7 Duke 23-4 (-5) at Virginia 17-10: In a night that features a bunch of difficult games to bet, this one might be the toughest. It is always risky betting against Duke and they are the better team in this matchup. Virginia always has a chance to win because of their tenacious defense and their competitiveness. They need all the wins they can get to improve their chances to make the tournament. This might be the game they need. No way I take a chance on this game, it’s a definite skip. PAPA DUDES PICK: Virginia +5

#14 Houston 22-4 (-8.5) at Tulane 12-11: Two weeks ago, I would have had much more confidence taking Houston to cover in this game. But, they have struggled as of late and they have a huge winner-take-all game coming up Saturday in Houston against SMU. On top of that, Tulane is pretty good at home, and they are 9-5 in the American Conference. Definitely not betting anything on this one but I think Houston wins. PAPA DUDES PICK: Houston -8.5

TCU 17-8 at #20 Texas 19-8 (-8.5): Texas is one of those teams that has beat me repeatedly, further igniting my hate for them. Once again, I feel they should cover this spread at home, but I have thought that before. TCU is playing for their tournament hopes, and a win here would give them a big boost. Add that to the fact, that the Longhorns are coming off a loss at home to Texas Tech. Impossible to pick, and no way I touch this game. However, I have to make a choice for this column. PAPA DUDES PICK: Texas -8.5

Xavier 17-9 at #11 Providence 22-3 (-2): I’m pretty surprised at the small spread but Vegas hasn’t shown the Friars much respect all year long. This is a must game for the Musketeers and they are fully capable of winning if Providence doesn’t bring their “A” game. The battle continues in the tough Big East. I’m sticking with Providence and the small line. PAPA DUDES PICK: Providence -2

#13 Wisconsin 21-5 (-4.5) at Minnesota 13-12: On paper, this is a game that should be easy to predict. Wisconsin is clearly the best team, but this is one of those mid-week road games, late in the season, that is difficult to win. I think the Badgers bang out a win, but it won’t be decided till late. PAPA DUDES PICK: Wisconsin -4.5

Ole Miss 13-14 at #3 Auburn 24-3 (-16): This is another one of those games with a heavy favorite and a bettor has to decide if they can cover a large spread. I don’t think anyone doubts the eventual outcome; Auburn should win. But, can Mississippi keep it close and beat the spread. The Rebels have a tendency to play hard in most games and I can see the Tigers coming out a little flat. PAPA DUDES PICK: Ole Miss +16

LSU 19-8 at #6 Kentucky 22-5 (-7): This will be an interesting SEC battle in Lexington tonight. When LSU is on, they can be a handful for about anyone. My problem with them tonight, is their ability to score. There are games where they struggle to put the ball in the hole. Lexington is not a place where you can have scoring problems, because Kentucky plays great defense and causes enough havoc. I’m sticking with the Wildcats. PAPA DUDES PICK: Kentucky -7

3-TEAM PARLAY:

We are taking a shot on two reasonable upsets in the first two legs and then hope that Providence keeps winning.

LEG 1: Creighton at St.John’s (-4): Bet the MoneyLine on Creighton +170

LEG 2: Mississippi State (-2) at South Carolina: Bet the MoneyLine on South Carolina +110

LEG 3: Xavier at Providence (-1.5): Bet the MoneyLine on Providence -140