Baylor vs. TCU Predictions & Odds | College Basketball Picks Today (Jan. 3)
College basketball fans get their first look at former pro James Nnaji in a Bears uniform as I break down this Big 12 tilt with my Baylor vs. TCU predictions. This is the conference opener for both teams, which tips off at Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas at 2 p.m. ET (TNT).
TCU is a 1.5-point betting favorite, but I expect Nnaji to make an immediate impact and help the Bears cover as the road underdog, as part of my college basketball best bets today.
🏀 Baylor vs. TCU predictions
See our experts' college basketball picks based on the latest college basketball odds.
| Predictions | Best odds | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Baylor +1.5 | -115 via FanDuel | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Liutauras Lelevicius Under 3.5 rebounds | -115 via bet365 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
💰 Baylor vs. TCU best bet
Want more college basketball betting advice? Check out all of our college basketball analysis and expert predictions this season.
Baylor +1.5 (-115) ⭐⭐⭐
James Nnaji provides depth for a Baylor team that ranks 349th in bench minutes, and his 7-foot-7 wingspan helps an interior defense that has allowed 65% shooting at the rim.
Nnaji also adds frontcourt scoring to a team that averaged 41.6 points in the paint per game, with nearly 20% of its scoring average coming in transition.
I’m backing Baylor, as four of the last six meetings in this rivalry have been decided by three or fewer points, and the Horned Frogs have covered just 40.9% of their games as home favorites since the start of last season.
Score prediction: Baylor 79, TCU 78
🔥 Best Baylor vs. TCU player prop
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Liutaurus Lelevicius, SF, TCU: Under 3.5 rebounds (-115) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Liutauras Lelevicius has pulled down four-plus rebounds in five of the last six games. But against Tier A competition as defined by KenPom, Lelevicius’ offensive and defensive rebounding rates are down to 1.6% and 14.0%, respectively. That is a big drop off from his season averages of 4.2% offensive rebounding rate and 14.2% defensive rebounding rate.
This is a confident four-star play, as Baylor will lower Lelevicius’ ceiling for defensive boards, as it rebounds its own misses at the fifth-highest rate in the country (41.7%).
📊 Live Baylor vs. TCU odds
📺 How to watch Baylor vs. TCU
- Date: Saturday, Jan. 3
- Tipoff: 2 p.m. ET
- Location: Schollmaier Arena (Fort Worth, Texas)
- TV: TNT
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