College Basketball Best Bets & Player Props Today: Tuesday, Dec. 2

My college basketball best bets and player props today highlight several of the key conference and non-conference matchups on a loaded Tuesday slate.

The ACC/SEC Men’s Challenge features several fascinating, high-quality non-conference games that should have a March feel. Today also marks the beginning of Big Ten Conference play, and I highlight two matchups involving ranked teams, including the No. 1 team in the country.

🏀 College basketball best bets & player props: Dec. 2

💰 College basketball expert picks today

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

⬇️ Iowa vs. Michigan State prediction: Under 136.5 (-110 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Michigan State has rolled to a 7-0 start on the back of one of the best defenses in the country that has yet to yield 70 points. That is made even more impressive when considering Michigan State held Arkansas, Kentucky, and North Carolina to an average of 63.3 points.

No team has proven it can be successful in a half-court setting against Michigan State. But unfortunately that is the only way Iowa knows how to play, as it ranks in the bottom 10 in the country in adjusted tempo. 

This is a confident four-star college basketball expert pick, as Michigan State entered its last game ranked in the top five in overall points allowed at the rim and blended that with excellent perimeter defense against the Tar Heels (UNC shot 17.4% from 3-point range). 

The Under has cashed in five of Michigan State’s seven games this season.

The O/U is as low as 135.5 at FanDuel, so I am backing the total with the best number and price at BetMGM. Its -110 odds carry a 52.38% implied probability and would net $9.09 in profits on a winning $10 wager.

🚂 Purdue vs. Rutgers prediction: Purdue -15.5 (-105 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I have a ton of respect for the atmosphere at Rutgers’ home stadium, as Jersey Mike’s Arena has buoyed inferior Scarlet Knights teams to big upsets over the years. But this Rutgers squad is massively void of talent and should be steamrolled by one of the most talented teams in the country.

Even when Rutgers had two top-five NBA draft picks on its roster last season, Purdue won both regular season matchups by 18 and 29 points. 

Now Purdue brought back 56% of its minutes (eighth-most in the country) and hasn’t missed a beat with the country’s top-ranked team in terms of adjusted offensive efficiency.

I would not put anyone off backing Braden Smith’s player props, as he compiled a 23-to-5 assist-to-turnover ratio in the two wins over Rutgers last season.

But the Boilermakers’ point spread is my top play at DraftKings, the only one of the best sports betting sites charging less than -110 at -15.5. A $10 winning wager at -105 odds would return $9.52 in profits.

⛹️ College basketball player props today

Search the best college basketball player prop odds for any team or player across every market from legal sportsbooks in your area.

⬇️ Solo Ball, SG, UConn: Under 14.5 points (-125 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Solo Ball is coming off a 15-point performance against Illinois, his highest point total since scoring a season-high 23 points against Columbia. But he exceeded this projected total in a very inefficient way, shooting 6-of-14 from the floor and 2-of-9 from 3-point range against the Fighting Illini.

Bill Self’s squad won third place in the Players Era Festival on the strength of a defense that limited two of its three opponents to 61 or fewer points.

The Jayhawks have been especially stingy to opposing lead guards, as Duke’s Isaiah Evans and Tennessee’s Ja’Kobi Gillespie averaged a combined 13.5 points against the Jayhawks, while shooting 4-for-17 from beyond the arc.

If Ball scores 14 or fewer points for the fourth time in five games, my $10 winning wager would net $8 in profits.

⬆️ Luca Bogavac, SF, UNC: Over 3.5 assists (+100 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐

North Carolina’s Luka Bogavac has recorded four or more assists in back-to-back games and five assists in three of seven games this year. His latest five-assist game against Michigan State was especially impressive considering the team scored a season-low 58 points on 19 made field goals.

Bogavac should have a high ceiling against a Kentucky defense that allows assists on 59% of opponents’ made field goals, ranking in the bottom 60 among D-I teams.

bet365 is the only one of the best sports betting apps offering plus-money odds. At +100 and a 50% implied probability, bettors would net the same amount in profits as their initial wagers if the bet wins.

My Florida vs. Duke prediction features another of my favorite player props from the ACC/SEC Men's Challenge today.