Pictured: FDU's Sean Moore. Rich Schultz/Getty Images.

College basketball best bets: Conference tournament picks for Wednesday, March 6

Originally posted on Action Network
By Action Network Staff | Last updated 3/6/24

College basketball conference tournament action rolls on with some more games on Wednesday.

With a number of leagues taking a one-day hiatus, we turn our attention to the NEC and OVC Tournaments.

First, the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights look to keep their March magic going a year after pulling an upset as a 16-seed in the NCAA Tournament when they face the Le Moyne Dolphins. Then, we'll look to the OVC, where the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles — yes, the "Screagles" — meet the Tennessee State Tigers.

Read on for both college basketball conference tournament best bets, and be sure to check back tomorrow for more conference tourney coverage when the other leagues resume action.

NEC: Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Le Moyne

Wednesday, March 6, 7 p.m. ET, NEC Front Row
Fairleigh Dickinson +4.5 (BetRivers)

By Sean Paul

The Fairleigh Dickinson Knights aim to replicate the magic from last year's NEC Tournament run, which culminated in a 16-1 upset over Purdue in the NCAA Tournament.

It’s been a different season under head coach Jack Castleberry, but the Knights largely play the same style. FDU thrives at forcing turnovers and getting into transition off those turnovers.

That’s no different than a season ago; you’ll see toughness and effort from the Knights for 40 full minutes.

FDU and Le Moyne split the season series — the Dolphins won in Teaneck and FDU won in Syracuse, where Wednesday’s game will take place.

Le Moyne is one of the smaller teams in the sport, starting only two players taller than 6-foot-4: Kaiyem Cleary at 6-foot-6 and Luke Sutherland at 6-foot-7.

Head coach Nate Champion deploys a very modern style of play, taking 3s on 47% of field-goal attempts. In the most recent meeting against FDU, Le Moyne went 5-of-33 from downtown. If the Dolphins have an off night from deep, they have virtually zero chance of winning.

Meanwhile, Fairleigh has a clear advantage. I love the idea of forward Ansley Almonor and guard Joe Munden Jr. attacking the interior in a half-court setting against Le Moyne’s lack of size.

I mean, even the two taller players Le Moyne plays are wings for most teams — not starting front-court players.

If its pressure isn’t forcing turnovers, Fairleigh Dickinson simply needs to communicate defensively to avoid allowing open 3s.

Pick: Fairleigh Dickinson +4.5 (Play to +2.5)

OVC: USI vs. Tennessee State

Wednesday, March 6, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+
Tennessee State -3 (Caesars)

By Sean Paul

Southern Indiana snuck into the Ohio Valley Tournament. As a team in the transition phase from the D-II level, the Screaming Eagles don’t have a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament regardless of what happens in the OVC Tournament.

For this pick, I’m firmly fading Southern Indiana, which won just eight games and five conference games all season. Plus, USI lost its final three regular-season games, including home losses to Lindenwood and Southeast Missouri State.

Moreover, Southern Indiana’s offense is one of college basketball’s worst, ranking 335th in offensive efficiency. The only thing the "Screagles" offense succeeds at is making trips to the foul line, ranking top 55 in free-throw attempt rate.

Tennessee State, meanwhile, is having a rough season based on expectations and talent level. There’s still plenty of time to get the train rolling, though.

Six Tigers average 9.3 or more points per game, led by the 12.6 from versatile shot-creator Christian Brown and the 12.2 from sharpshooter EJ Bellinger.

The main source of Tennessee State’s success is forcing turnovers and tough shots on the defensive end. The Tigers force turnovers on 18% of defensive possessions and hold opponents to just 48% shooting from inside the arc.

The X-factor for Tennessee State here is 6-foot-11, 300-pound Florida transfer Jason Jitoboh, whose physical play style could destroy Southern Indiana’s small frontcourt. Jitoboh scored 10-plus points in both previous meetings against USI.

The Tigers' talent advantage is stark, and Southern Indiana is truly a bottom-tier team in college basketball. It just feels like a great fade spot for a transitioning team that's clearly the worst in the conference tournament.