College Basketball Predictions & Best Bets Today: ATS Picks and Prop Bets (Saturday, Jan. 17)
Three previously unbeaten teams have lost in the last week alone, and I scoured the odds to see what upsets might occur as part of my college basketball predictions and best bets today.
Our college basketball player props focus on two guards in the Big 12 and Big Ten that are facing teams ranked in the AP top-4.
🏀 College basketball predictions today: Jan. 17
See all of our experts' college basketball picks based on the latest college basketball odds.
| Pick | Best odds | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Drake-Illinois Chicago Under 138.5 | -105 via bet365 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| St. John’s ML | +100 via bet365 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Themus Fulks Under 0.5 3-pointers made | -140 via bet365 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Lin Wei Under 13.5 points | +100 via bet365 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
💰 College basketball ATS picks today
Check out all of our college basketball analysis and expert predictions this season.
Drake vs. Illinois Chicago prediction: Under 138.5 (-105 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Entering Missouri Valley play, Drake’s offense ranked in the 99th percentile in efficiency rating, per hoop-explorer data. While the Bulldogs still rank in the top 70 in the country in 3-point shooting percentage, they are likely to be thwarted by a stingy perimeter defense.
Illinois Chicago holds opponents to 31.7% shooting from beyond the arc, and allows 3-point attempts at bottom-60 rate. The Flames also turn opponents over at the highest rate in league play (20.1%). Offensively, they rank 10th out of 11 teams in effective field goal percentage as they acclimate three freshmen to the starting lineup.
St. John’s vs. Villanova prediction: St. John’s ML (+100 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐
It should be a raucous atmosphere in Philadelphia as St. John’s and Villanova duel for sole possession of second place in the Big East.
Entering the weekend, Bart Torvik ranked Villanova’s 3-point defense 238th out of 365 teams. But Villanova’s perimeter defense was No. 27 in road games, and plummeted to No. 329 at home.
I also expect the Red Storm’s full court pressure to wear down a short Villanova rotation that ranks 294th in bench minutes. This three-star wager backs St. John’s to improve to 4-0 ATS on the road.
⛹️ College basketball player props today
Themus Fulks Under 0.5 3-pointers made (-140 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
UCF point guard Themus Fulks is shooting 50% from 3-point range this year. The problem is he has only attempted 22 shots from beyond the arc, with one or fewer 3-point attempts in three of the four Big 12 games.
The Knights rolled to an 11-1 start in non-conference play thanks to a 3-point percentage that ranks in the top 25 among D-I teams. But UCF’s 3-point shooting in league games alone ranks 12th in the conference (31.8%), and Arizona allows 3-point attempts at a bottom 80 rate.
Lin Wei Under 13.5 points (+100 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐
Oregon shooting guard Lin Wei scored in single digits in each of his first 13 games this year, before exploding for 14, 10, and 23 in the last three conference games.
Much of that scoring uptick was necessitated by the team being without standout guard Jackson Shelstad. But Michigan also has elite length on the perimeter to bother Wei.
After a stretch of four games in mid-to-late December when Oregon averaged 1.3 points per possession, the Ducks have scored 64 or fewer points in all three Big Ten games that ended in regulation, making this a three-star play.
🚀 Best college basketball parlay picks today
- Drake-Illinois Chicago Under 138.5 (-105) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- St. John’s ML (+100) ⭐⭐⭐
- Themus Fulks Under 0.5 3-pointers made (-140) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Lin Wei Under 13.5 points (+100) ⭐⭐⭐
Best odds: +1239 via bet365 ($10 to win $123.86)
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