College Basketball Best Bets Today | ATS Picks & Player Props for Friday, Jan. 2

After another profitable 3-1 day yesterday, my college basketball best bets today look to again cash in on ATS plays and college basketball player props.

Myplayer prop wagers focus on two league games in the ACC and Big 12, backing the Overs on a player’s rebounding total and 3-pointers made.

🏀 College basketball best bets today: Jan. 2

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Mount Saint Mary’s vs. Merrimack prediction: Mount Saint Mary’s +4.5 (-110 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Merrimack lost its first two games to Mount Saint Mary’s last year in its first season in the MAAC, as it failed to top 58 points in either the regular season or conference tournament matchup.

Merrimack’s zone defense has held five of its last six opponents to 66 or fewer points. But the Warriors do not have enough offensive firepower to cover this spread, especially when facing a Mountaineers team that will be comfortable shooting from deep. 

Mount Saint Mary’s ranks in the top 70 in percentage of field goal attempts and percentage of its overall scoring coming from 3-point range.

Ohio State vs. Rutgers prediction: Ohio State -8.5 (-115 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐

Purdue and Michigan outscored Rutgers by a combined 57 points. While Ohio State may not belong in the elite tier of the conference with those national title contenders, Rutgers is also not built to exploit its weaknesses. 

Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton entered the team’s last loss against North Carolina scoring 1.5 points per possession in ball screens, 1.2 points off the dribble, and 1.5 at the rim. 

Meanwhile, North Carolina got 37 of its 71 points from its frontcourt tandem, and Rutgers’ 322nd-ranked effective field goal percentage is not built to expose the Buckeyes’ poor rim protection.

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J’Vonne Hadley Over 5.5 rebounds (-115 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Louisville forward J’Vonne Hadley tied a season-high with nine rebounds in the team’s first league game on Tuesday. He now faces a Stanford team that scored just 40 points after 43 missed field goal attempts against Notre Dame in its last game, which means there should be plenty of rebounds available.

Hadley has pulled down two offensive rebounds in two of the last three games. He is a big reason the Cardinals also rank in the top 35 in defensive rebounding rate.

Treysen Eaglestaff Over 1.5 made 3-pointers (-125 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐

West Virginia’s Treysen Eaglestaff has been letting it fly from deep of late, attempting 25 3-pointers in the last three games alone. 

Eaglestaff is making fewer than 30% of his 3-point attempts, but he has shot 40% or better from beyond the arc in two of the last three. 

With Iowa State’s defensive standout Tamin Lipsey harassing West Virginia’s backcourt tandem of Jasper Floyd and Honor Huff, I expect another big volume shooting day from the Mountaineers’ forward.

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