#FIU, UC San Diego are Thursday’s college basketball best bets

Before another jam-packed college hoops schedule tips off, BJ Cunningham of The Action Network is here to share his best bets.

The first tilt Cunningham is targeting comes in Conference USA as Middle Tennessee State travels to Florida International.

For Cunningham, he believes Florida International is worth a look as a home underdog.

“Middle Tennessee is the luckiest team in Conference USA,” Cunningham details. “Their actual record is 17-7, but if you look at their shot-quality record, it’s 13-11.”

Given Florida International is a heavy pick-and-roll team – a weak aspect of Middle Tennessee’s defense – Cunningham says to take four points with the Panthers in a good revenge spot.

Cunningham’s second best bet for the evening comes in UC San Diego vs. Hawaii in a Big West conference matchup.

Because of Hawaii’s reliance on the three-point shot, Cunningham expects it to struggle against a strong perimeter defense.

“UC San Diego is 54th [nationally] in three-point field goal percentage allowed,” Cunningham says.

Cunningham also believes there’s a good mismatch bettors can take advantage of for this contest. UC San Diego has demonstrated an ability to get to the free throw line while Hawaii ranks 228th nationally in free-throw rate allowed.

For those reasons, Cunningham says to take two-and-a-half points with the hosts in another revenge spot.