College Basketball Best Bets & Player Props Today: Expert Picks for Wednesday (Nov. 19)

Gonzaga became the fifth different team to earn the top spot in KenPom’s most recent rankings, and four teams in action today will continue vying for that spot as our college basketball best bets and player props today are centered around one of the two AP top-11 matchups.

No. 11 Alabama continues its tough non-conference schedule with a road game against No. 8 Illinois in Chicago. Elsewhere, we are taking a flier on an Auburn player’s prop at +145 odds, which has cashed in half his games to date, and identifies our two best plays from mid-major conferences.

🏀 College basketball best bets & player props: Nov. 19

See all of our experts' college basketball picks based on the latest college basketball odds.

💰 College basketball expert picks today

🪓 William & Mary vs. Bowling Green prediction: William & Mary +7.5 (-115 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

William & Mary is on the last game of a four-game road trip, but the way it competed against St. John’s last time out - at least for the first 20 minutes - has me backing the Tribe with one of my college basketball expert picks today.

William & Mary trailed St. John’s by just five points in the first half and held the Red Storm to just 21% shooting from 3-point range. The Tribe were undone by the Red Storm’s 54 points in the paint and 24 fast-break points, but Bowling Green does not have the same intimidating inside presence as St. John’s.

I am not punishing William & Mary for being outscored by 28 points in the second half, as Rick Pitino’s insertion of Dylan Darling into the starting lineup paid huge dividends. St. John’s is allowing 31.3 fewer adjusted points per 100 possessions when he is on the floor versus when he is out.

Some of the best sports betting sites have William & Mary as low as +7, which makes BetMGM’s -115 juice at 53.49% implied odds worth paying up for. If the visitors cover, my $10 winning wager would net $8.70 in profits.

⬇️  VMI vs. Richmond prediction: Under 153.5 (-114 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐

The biggest question entering this game is can VMI pick itself up after a heart-breaking loss on a buzzer-beater against Jacksonville in its last game.

The good news for the Keydets is that they turned in one of their better defensive performances of the season despite the loss. While Richmond may not have the same inside presence as Missouri, I am not sure I have ever seen a team finish a game with zero points at the rim, as the Keydets did against the Tigers.

This is a contrarian play, as the Over has cashed in five of Richmond’s six games as a home favorite since the start of last season.

I am headed to FanDuel for this wager, as it is the only one of our best sports betting apps offering an O/U higher than 152.5. If the Under cashes, my $10 winning wager would return $8.77 in profits.

⛹️ College basketball player props today

🔥 Tahaad Pettiford, G, Auburn: Pettiford to record 5 or more assists (+145 via bet365) ⭐⭐

In Auburn’s four games, Tahaad Pettiford has been feast or famine from an assist perspective, finishing with five assists twice and one assist on the two other occasions. Since he has hit the five-assist plateau in half the games, that makes this a speculative two-star play because of the +145 return.

I am not blaming Pettiford for his one assist against Houston, one of the most disciplined defenses in the country. 

One of his five-assist games came in the season opener against Bethune-Cookman, who allowed a 91st percentile transition rate last year. The Tigers should also be able to run against a Jackson State team that allows a bottom 90 assist rate. 

A $10 wager through bet365’s +145 odds would net $14.50 in profits if Pettiford finishes with at least five assists for the third time this season.

⬇️  David Mirkovic, F, Illinois: Under 15.5 points (+105 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐

Illinois has had six different players eclipse the 20-point mark in just four games this year, as the Fighting Illini are predicated on finding the mismatch against each opponent.

David Mirkovic turned in a 20/20 game against Colgate, Kylan Boswell has a 20-point and 30-point game, and Keaton Wagler has scored in double figures in all four. 

In one of Illinois’ toughest games against Texas Tech, head coach Brad Underwood rode Andrej Stojakovic down the stretch, running everything through him while he finished with a team-high 23 points off the bench. 

It is impossible to predict who the next guy will be to step up for the Fighting Illini, as they rank in the top 5% in pick-and-roll usage and the top 7% in isolation rate. That is why the plus-money odds at a 48.78% implied probability are appealing for this wager, in case Mirkovic takes a back seat to another teammate’s more advantageous matchup.

The +105 odds through bet365 would net $10.50 in profits on a winning $10 wager.

If you're looking for some action on tonight's other ranked-ranked matchup, I have you covered with my Arizona vs. UConn prediction.