Big Sky Conference Tournament Picks: Best Bets & Sleepers
Odds, best bets and sleeper picks for which team will win the 2023 Big Sky Men’s Basketball Conference Championship
Kate Constable - Mar 1, 2023, 5:54pm EST
2023 Big Sky Conference Championship Odds
Conference tournament time is here and BetQL is your source for best bets, sharp picks, public data, historical trends and so much more every single day for every single game! Per our friends at FanDuel, these are the odds to win the 2023 Big Sky Conference Championship:
Montana State +115, Eastern Washington +250, Montana +450, Weber State +1100, Sacramento State +2000, Idaho State +2800, Northern Colorado +3100, Northern Arizona +4700, Portland State +5000, Idaho +15000
Eastern Washington (22-9, 16-2 Big Sky) is the slight favorite to win the Big Sky Conference Tournament after finishing one game up on Montana State in the standings. Eastern Washington's only two conference losses came in the final two games of the regular season, falling to Idaho State and Montana State who is favored to win the tournament. Weber State and Montana were the only other teams in the Big Sky to finish league play above the .500 mark. Scroll down to see who I recommend backing at this weekend's Big Sky tournament and which sleepers present good value.
2023 Big Sky Conference Championship Picks & Predictions
Big Sky Winner Best Bet: Eastern Washington (+250)
Eastern Washington might have won the Big Sky regular-season title, but it isn't the favorite to win the tournament. However, at +250, we get the opportunity to back the conference's best team at a really good price. The Eagles have a pretty easy path to the finals with a first-round bye. In their first game, they'll play the winner of Idaho and Northern Arizona; E. Washington beat both team twice this season. Assuming they win that game, they'll have a day off before playing again in the semifinals. Montana State is the only other team with this schedule, but with the Bobcats sitting at just +115 to win, taking Eastern Washington at +250 presents much more value. Plus, Montana State won the Big Sky Tournament last season and the Bobcats failed to repeat after winning the championship in 1996 and 1986.
Big Sky Winner Sleeper Pick: Weber State (+1100)
After a rough start to its season, Weber State hit its stride late in conference play and finished third in the Big Sky standings. The Wildcats recorded solid wins over Montana State and Montana, both of which are ahead of them on the tournament odds board. The only conference team that they didn't beat at least once this season was Eastern Washington. However, the only way that those teams can meet is in the championship game. Weber State's offense ranks in the bottom half of the conference, yet its defense ranks second. The Wildcats are a team that's going to slow you down and force you to hit tough shots instead of trying to outscore you. Dillon Jones is a monster on the boards, leading the conference in rebounds for the second consecutive season. The Wildcats also rank second in the conference in free-throw percentage, which could be the difference-maker in close games. If Weber State can force teams to play its style of basketball, I like its chance of taking home the title at +1100.
Big Sky Winner Deep Sleeper Pick: Idaho State (+2800)
At 28-1, Idaho State is my deep sleeper pick to win the Big Sky Tournament. As the No. 5 seed, the Bengals get a first-round bye and will face Montana in their opening game. The Grizzlies beat them convincingly in their first meeting of the season, but they shot well above their average while the Bengals shot well under theirs. The second meeting between these two teams was much closer, with Idaho State only losing by eight despite shooting just 16.7% from deep. With wins over top-ranked Eastern Washington and Weber State, Idaho State has shown that it's capable of beating good teams. It will need to be at its best in order to cut down the nets, but at +2800, the Bengals are worth a slight sprinkle.
Want More Conference Tournament Picks?
We have picks and predictions for all of our favorite Conference Tournaments happening this month. Check out our other prediction articles below and see which teams we think are the best bet to win and a few sleeper teams you can catch longshot odds on:
American Athletic Conference Tournament Picks
Conference USA Tournament Picks
Sun Belt Conference Tournament Picks
Colonial Conference Tournament Picks