We finished strong in yesterday's best bets column and came out on top. Today's slate presents some interesting spots as motivation, momentum and bullpen management all begin to play a factor deep into tournaments.
So, let's dive into Action Network's college baseball best bets for Friday, May 26.
ACC Tournament
Duke -115 vs. Miami
3 p.m. ET · ACC Network
Duke suffered a tough loss in its first conference tournament matchup against NC State. However, it showed heart by mounting a late comeback to force extras, and that lineup will have the chance to stay hot today.
Fortunately for Duke, it will have a significant edge over the Miami Hurricanes. With their win last night, the Hurricanes clinched a semifinal matchup, which means this game is essentially meaningless for them.
I don't expect them to use either of their two remaining weekend starters, and on top of that, closer Andrew Walters will also be unavailable. As for the Blue Devils, they did not use any of their weekend starters.
This sizable edge on the mound is the reason we've seen this line take off since opening. I'd be comfortable taking Duke up to -140.
Big Ten Tournament
Indiana -155 vs. Michigan
4 p.m. ET · Big Ten Network
The Hoosiers' bullpen couldn't hold a lead for their ace yesterday and ultimately suffered a big loss to Iowa. Now, they must face the other club Iowa beat to stay alive in the Big Ten Tournament.
Indiana should be able to do damage against the Wolverines this afternoon. In its first game of the tournament, Michigan threw its ace and Big Ten Pitcher of the Year in Connor O'Halloran. Now with him unavailable, the Wolverines' pitching options are slim against a dangerous Hoosiers lineup.
Indiana is hitting .299 as a team and boasts the third-lowest strikeout rate in the Big Ten. They're going to create a lot of traffic on the basepaths and will push across quite a few of those runners.
On the other side, the Michigan lineup doesn't compare, owning a wRC+ of 95 and a wRAA of -15. The Hoosiers have the second-best staff behind Iowa and should keep the Wolverines quiet as they roll to victory.
Pac-12 Tournament
Washington vs. Oregon Over 13.5 (-115)
5:30 p.m. ET · Pac-12 Network
After being shut down by UCLA, the Washington bats rebounded yesterday against USC. To advance, however, they must outslug Oregon, which is riding high after upsetting Stanford last night.
The Ducks' pitching came through in that victory, as they locked down the Cardinal during the comeback, but the numbers don't point to that happening for a second straight day.
Oregon may be fifth in the Pac-12 in ERA, but it ranks last in FIP and SIERA. The Huskies are more than capable of proving the regression that Oregon's pitching staff is overdue for.
Although, the Huskies' staff will have a big challenge of their own against a very potent Ducks lineup. Oregon is hitting .296 as a club and ranks third in the Pac-12 in ISO.
We should see these teams trade haymakers and light up the scoreboard.
Pac-12 Tournament
Stanford -140 vs. Arizona
10 p.m. ET · Pac-12 Network
Arizona has shown why it's a dangerous team to face in this tournament. The Wildcats have slugged their way to a couple of big victories and are primed for their tallest task yet.
However, if there's any team that could be a buzzsaw, it's Stanford. The Cardinal lineup is neck-and-neck with Arizona's statistically, but they have a massive advantage on the mound tonight.
Stanford has saved ace Quinn Mathews for this matchup.
Mathews is a three-time Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year, and this season was the best of his college career. Mathews punched out 121 batters over 98 innings while holding batters to a .225 average. He enters this start with a 3.20 ERA, but his SIERA shows it could be even better as it sits at 2.69.
Now, the Wildcats got to Mathews earlier this season, tagging him for five runs on 10 hits, but the numbers point toward Mathews and the Cardinal exacting revenge tonight.
This line took off this morning with Mathews projected to start, and I grabbed it at the number listed above. But if you're not comfortable laying a -200 price on the moneyline, you can take the Cardinal on the run line at +110 at bet365.
