CBB Wednesday trend plays: Finally value on Virginia?
Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.
Throughout the college basketball season, we'll highlight some of the top betting trends ahead of the biggest games on the schedule. Here are the best trends and angles for tonight's slate.
Iowa State at No. 2 Baylor (-8.5, 139)
Baylor comes into Wednesday's meeting with Iowa State on a roll, having won 12 straight and covered its last three games, but bettors have also profited from the Bears' 6-2 under run since December. Since 2018, Scott Drew is 10-5 to the under when giving more than 5 points at home.
Trend play: Under 139
No. 4 Auburn (-2.5, 159) at Alabama
It might seem like stealing to grab a top-five team as a short favorite against an unranked squad - and the trends agree! Since the start of 2018, top-five teams giving 3 or fewer in that spot are 11-1 against the spread, including Auburn's late-season win over Alabama in 2019.
Trend play: Auburn -2.5
No. 18 Seton Hall at No. 5 Butler (-4.5, 128.5)
Just as Auburn is in a solid spot as a short road favorite, Butler finds itself in a nice home spot against Seton Hall. Top-five teams giving fewer than 5 points as home favorites are on a 16-6 ATS (72.7%) run dating back to last season, with all 22 of those games coming against ranked opponents.
Trend play: Butler -4.5
Virginia at No. 9 Florida State (-6.5, 115)
Virginia is having the season from hell, as evidenced by a 4-11 ATS record, but oddsmakers still priced the Cavaliers as favorites in 14 of those 15 games. Since Tony Bennett took over in 2009, Virginia is 31-17 ATS (64.6%) as a road underdog with a 12-4 ATS run since 2013, while Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton is 6-12 ATS (33.3%) since 2018 when giving at least 6.5 points at home.
Trend play: Virginia +6.5
No. 10 Kentucky (-5.5, 136) at South Carolina
Kentucky's second true road game of the season comes in a comfortable spot for the Wildcats, who have covered seven of their last nine against South Carolina. The Gamecocks have also lost six straight ATS at home entering this one.
Trend play: Kentucky -5.5
C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.