The more than 300 college basketball teams to bet on each week, there’s bound to be some diamonds in the rough. While the major conferences get all the hype and TV coverage, the mid-majors are ripe with NCAA betting value. Here are the best ncaa betting lines in college basketball you didn’t know about.
Northern Iowa Panthers (21-3 SU, 16-5-1 ATS)
At the top of the always-challenging Missouri Valley Conference you’ll find NIU. The Panthers are playing their way into the NCAA, if they can get the job done during the conference tournament, but they’ve already played their way into the hearts for basketball bettors.
Thanks to a strong offensive output, including a deadeye attack from beyond the arc (ranked sixth in 3-point percentage) and a stingy defense giving up only 65 points per game, Northern Iowa is the top betting pick in all of college hoops. The Panthers are currently on a five-game ATS winning streak heading into Wednesday’s game against Illinois State at home, where they’re 7-3-1 ATS this season.
North Florida Osprey (16-10 SU, 18-6-0 ATS)
North Florida is battling for the top spot in the Atlantic Sun Conference, currently trailing the Liberty Flames. The Ospreys can light up the scoreboard in a hurry, averaging 77.5 points per game on the season, including a 21st-ranked 3-point shooting offense hitting 38% of its looking from downtown.
North Florida fires up an average of 30 3-point attempts per game, knocking down 11.4 triples and outing – most in the country. The Ospreys have ridden that long-range attack to four straight ATS paydays heading into Thursday’s homestand against Jacksonville. North Florida is 6-2 ATS at home on the year.
South Dakota State Jackrabbits (18-8 SU, 18-6-0 ATS)
Veterans of March Madness betting will remember the Jackrabbits, who routinely show up in the NCAA and NIT tournaments. South Dakota State is in a dog fight for the Summit League title, battling rival North Dakota State for the inside track. The Jackrabbits have failed to cover the spread just once in their past 10 games, going back to Jan. 2.
South Dakota State is one of the most efficient offenses in the country, averaging more than 77 points per game on 49% shooting, including a 35% clip from 3-point range. The talented Doug Wilson leads the offense with 18 points per game, followed by two others in double figures and eight in total averaging six points or more on the season.
Yale Bulldogs (17-5 SU, 15-5 ATS)
One of the smartest schools in America is also one of its smartest NCAA basketball bets. The Bulldogs rule the Ivy League and have played plenty of major conference competition on the year, including a near upset of North Carolina. Yale follows the offense mold of those successful ATS programs but does play tough on the other end of the floor.
Like the other ATS breadwinners listed above, the Bulldogs have no trouble hitting from outside with a near 38% clip from beyond the 3-point arc and over nine made triples per contest. Yale is scoring 77 points per game on 47% shooting while limiting opponents to just 63.5 points against. However, while they are 6-3 ATS in their last nine games with odds, the Bulldogs’ ATS success has been shaken in recent outings, going just 1-2 ATS in their last three outings.