College Basketball Best Bets & Player Props Today: Expert Picks for Tuesday (Nov. 25)

My college basketball best bets and player props today took in all the game action and data from yesterday’s loaded Player Era Festival field, and included three of those games as part of my college basketball expert picks.

In all, I have my best ATS and two best O/U plays in my portfolio, while adding a player prop on 3-pointers from a team that loves to shoot from deep. I went 3-1 with my four picks yesterday, narrowly missing a 4-0 sweep on a team total that lost because the game went into overtime.

These matchups are a part of Feast Week, and you can stay on top of all the hoops action this Thanksgiving with our college basketball Feast Week guide.

🏀 College basketball best bets & player props: Nov. 25

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

💰 College basketball expert picks today

⬇️  Rutgers vs. Notre Dame prediction: Under 143.5 (-110 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rutgers and Notre Dame are each taking a step down in competition today after facing Tennessee and Kansas, respectively, at the Player Era Festival. But that does not mean that both inept offenses will start lighting up the scoreboard either.

The Scarlet Knights averaged just 74.2 points per game against one of the weakest strength of schedules to date, as no team they faced was ranked in KenPom’s top 245. But Rutgers still entered this tournament ranked 227th in effective field goal percentage despite that weak competition. 

I do not expect Notre Dame to light up the scoreboard either, as it scored just 0.7 points per possession in the halfcourt against Ohio State in its only high quality game prior to facing Kansas yesterday.

Under backers will find the best number at FanDuel, the only one of our best sports betting sites offering an O/U of 143.5 instead of 142.5 across the rest of the market. Its standard -110 juice carries a 52.38% implied probability, and would net $9.09 in profits on a winning $10 wager.

⬆️  Old Dominion vs. Villanova prediction: Over 145.5 (-105 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐

Some would hesitate to back the Over in an on-campus game that will likely have a more “sleepy” environment than usual, as Villanova’s students are off for Thanksgiving break. But that could also add to the lack of defensive intensity, and both teams’ metrics suggest they have a path to offensive success.

Old Dominion has been without senior forward KC Shaw for the last two games. But that was addition by subtraction in its first game without him against Morgan State, as the Monarchs posted their most efficient offensive game of the Mike Jones era. Shaw is responsible for a minus-1.4 OBPR per EvanMiya data when he is on the floor.

On the other side, Villanova is a team that has already set a program record with 22 3-pointers in a game this season. The ball has certainly not stuck in Kevin Willard’s offense, as the Wildcats rank in the top 70 in assist rate per field goal made.

DraftKings is the only one of our best sports betting apps charging less than -110 at 52.38% implied odds to back the Over of 145.5. The -105 odds carry a 51.22% implied probability, and would return $9.52 in profits on a $10 wager if the Over cashes.

🐶  Maryland vs. Gonzaga prediction: Gonzaga -13.5 (-110 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Gonzaga is coming off one of the most highly anticipated games of the Player Era Festival last night against Alabama. It should see a huge step down in competition against Maryland.

The Bulldogs have used their elite length to rank in the 99th percentile of the jump shot defensive efficiency rating. 

Gonzaga also entered the tournament as one of two teams in the country ranked in the top eight of both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency. It should expose Maryland on the glass, as the Terrapins rank outside the top 190 in offensive rebounding rate allowed. 

Any concern over Gonzaga playing on back-to-back games is mitigated by the fact that Mark Few’s teams are 7-3 ATS on no rest since 2021, while he brings back the second-most experienced roster in the country.

If Gonzaga wins by 14 or more points, my $10 winning wager through Caesars’ -110 odds would net $9.09 in profits.

⛹️ College basketball player props today

⬆️  Josh Dix, SG, Creighton: Over 1.5 made 3-pointers (-125 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a fade of a solid Iowa State team that is playing just 24 hours after an extremely physical and fast-paced game against St. John’s, and with a much different prep in Creighton.

The Bluejays were not shooting the ball well at all entering this tournament. But positive regression should be looming for a team that entered the week 0.24 points per possession under expectation on unguarded catch-and-shoot rates in the elite 98th percentile. 

Josh Dix has made at least one 3-pointer in all five games so far, and 17 straight dating back to last season. He certainly sees enough volume to make multiple 3-pointers, attempting five or more in each of the last three games.

If Dix makes multiple threes, my $10 wager through bet365’s -125 price at 55.56% implied odds would net an $8 profit.