These are the stats NCAA basketball bettors should know.

Key Points

– NCAA basketball bettors should pay attention to statistics that matter.

– Some college basketball stats are overrated or misleading for NCAA basketball bettors.

Stats NCAA Basketball Bettors Should Know

During the college basketball season, turn on SportsCenter on any given night and take a look at what you see. You’ll see a buzzer-beating three-pointer or a monster dunk among the day's Top-10 plays.

What you won’t see is highlights of strong perimeter defense or patient offense. These things aren’t flashy enough for SportsCenter highlights. They do, however, win basketball games. 

When betting college basketball, if you are looking at all the flash you are going to miss the things that really matter. Statistics like turnover percentage and opponent field goal percentage are keys in college basketball betting. 

These items are stats that NCAA basketball bettors should know and understand. Be sure to consider the statistics that really matter when analyzing basketball betting lines for college games.

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Possessions vs. Opponent’s Possessions

In the grand scheme of a college basketball game, a team needs possession of the basketball in order to score. Ideally, a winning team would like to have more possessions than its opponent.

Teams can limit their opponent’s possessions by controlling the basketball on the offensive end. On the offensive end, teams must limit the number of times they turn the ball over. Turnover percentage, or turnovers per number of possessions, is a key statistic that can tell you a lot about a team.

NCAA basketball bettors should also pay attention to teams that handle the ball well and maintain a higher assist-to-turnover ratio. Bettors may also prefer teams that shoot well from both the entire floor and from behind the three-point line.

Defense also plays a role in limiting possessions for the opponent. Teams that are able to harass shooters and force turnovers typically win more games. 

Opponent field goal percentage is one of the most critical statistics for NCAA basketball bettors to look at. Teams that can limit possessions and then limit the number of scores among those possessions usually win games. 

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NCAA Basketball Bettors Must Understand Tempo

Teams that can manage a game’s tempo and restrict their opponents’ number of possessions are teams that bettors should look for. Combined with strong opponent field goal percentage and opponent three-pointers made numbers, NCAA basketball bettors can set themselves up for success.

It’s important to verify that teams don’t sacrifice one component of defense for another. For example, a team that plays strong perimeter defense and limits opponents’ three-point opportunities can’t give up a lot of points in the paint. Likewise, teams can’t just pack it in to defend the rim at the expense of allowing a barrage of three-pointers. 

Choose teams that are capable of defending opponents in both areas. Bettors can find statistics for both opponent field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage pretty easily these days.

Consider the Competition

When betting on college basketball games, NCAA basketball bettors should always consider the competition. Who were teams up against when they produced all these stats?

It happens all the time. Teams inflate their statistics against weaker, inferior opponents. This often happens early in college basketball seasons. Teams from major conferences play a non-conference schedule that will include teams from mid-major conferences. 

One team may look exceptionally strong as you begin handicapping a game. However, upon further examination, you find out that a number of their opponents rank among the worst in the country in opponent field goal percentage. 

Instead of just looking at a team's raw statistics, dig deeper and be sure to consider the opponents and their rankings. As a season progresses, statistics tend to be more trustworthy. Teams move into their conference schedules. By that time, bettors should have a much clearer picture of a team’s overall performance. 

The Motivation Factor

There are a number of factors that can influence the outcome of a college basketball game. Home court advantage is one of them. In any given season, college basketball teams playing at home usually win about 65 percent of the time. In 2018, the number was 69 percent.

Teams playing against a rival or playing against the top team in a conference is another motivating factor. Players, in general, seem to step up their game when they face a challenging opponent. In games where a team is an underdog, the team tends to play harder. 

Heavy favorites often will sometimes relax and play it safe against a weaker opponent. It’s just like college football betting trends. Teams overlook weaker teams. When that happens, NCAA basketball bettors need to take that into account as they handicap a game.

Win More College Basketball Bets

Winning more bets in any sport really comes down to a couple things. One is simply having enough of the right information so that you can make an informed betting decision. NCAA basketball bettors can find a wealth of information on virtually any topic online.

Statistics are available all over the internet. You can easily find stats like turnover percentage, assist-to-turnover ratio, tempo, and much more on your online wagering portal. All of these stats can be used to help handicap a game. 

Some bettors will also consider finding the best sports handicapper picks. Pro handicappers essentially do all of the research for the bettor. Bettors can use the capper’s information as they see fit. Typically, bettors can consistently beat the college basketball odds if they put all of their information together with that of a professional handicapper. It’s something worth considering.

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