TBT Basketball Odds, Picks (Friday July 29): Blue Collar U vs Heartfire, Red Scare vs Best Virginia
We have two quarterfinal games on deck for Friday night. Blue Collar U faces Heartfire and Red Scare faces Best Virginia. Let’s take a look at where the value lies in the two Friday night games.
Johnny Covers - July 29, 2022, 9:24 AM EDT
5 minsTBT Basketball Odds, Picks (Friday July 29): Blue Collar U vs Heartfire, Red Scare vs Best Virginia
We have two quarterfinal games on deck for Friday night, as the winners of the Syracuse and New Mexico regionals will face off, just before the winners of the Dayton and West Virginia regional winners do. So far, The Basketball Tournament (TBT) has lived up to expectations, and as we get closer to crowning a $1 million winner on Tuesday, let’s take a look at where the value lies in the two Friday night games.
All Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
Blue Collar U vs. Heartfire Start Time and Where To Watch
When - 7:00 p.m. EST
Where - ESPN2
Blue Collar U vs. Heartfire Prediction
Blue Collar U comes into this game having run through the Syracuse regional, winning by an average margin of 17 points per game. The two-man combo of CJ Massinburg and Wes Clark has been the difference, who come into the quarterfinals averaging a combined 30 points per game for BCU.
The game that punched their ticket to these quarters was the team’s best yet, beating The Nerd Team 83-62 in a game that wasn’t close from the tip. Blake Hamilton once again dominated the boards, as he leads all players in this matchup with 5.7 rebounds per game.
As for Heartfire, their run through the New Mexico regional was far less impressive, with a winning margin of 6.7 points per game. Eric Washington leads all scorers with 16 points per game, as Marcus Hall has also contributed 14 per game.
In this matchup, I like for Blue Collar U to punch their ticket to the semis on the back.
Blue Collar U vs. Heartfire Pick
Pick: Heartfire +2 (-110) (Bet $110 to win $100)
Red Scare vs. Best Virginia Start Time and Where To Watch
When - 9:00 p.m. EST
Where - ESPN2
Red Scare vs. Best Virginia Prediction
Elsewhere in TBT, the Dayton and West Virginia regional winners will face off in the late game on Friday, as the Red Scare (Dayton alumni) team will get to maintain the home court advantage that continues to benefit them. They’ll also be coming into this game riding sky-high confidence, as they just knocked off one of the top seeds in the conference in The Money Team 83-81 on Wednesday night.
With the win, the Red Secured picked up their third straight decided by six points or less, as the team continues to grind out one win after another.
Best Virginia on the other hand, the top seed in their regional, has largely handled business in each of their regional games, with their one-point win over the Bucketneers on Wednesday being the one exception. Including that game, however, Best Virginia has won by an average margin of 13.7 points per game, as the trio of Kevin Jones, Jamel Morris, and Jermaine Healey have combined for 38.3 points per game to this point.
Former WVU Devin Eubanks has also been a big lift this season, leading the teams in defensive rebounds at 4.7, including some big ones down the stretch of their last game. I like for Best Virginia to handle business in this one, punching their ticket to the semis.
Red Scare vs. Best Virginia Pick
Pick: Best Virginia -1.5 (-110) (Bet $110 to win $100)
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