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College Basketball Odds & Best Bets Today: Schedule, Picks for Wednesday

Mike Spector

Last Updated: January 11, 2023 4:18 AM EST • 3 min 19 sec read.

College basketball best bets.
College basketball best bets.

Three ranked-versus-ranked matchups highlight an action-packed mid-week college basketball slate. Read on for our college basketball best bets for Wednesday based on top odds.

The Big East standings will be shaken up as four of the top contenders meet in two mammoth games (Marquette hosts UConn, Xavier welcomes Creighton). Elsewhere, TCU looks to compensate for its football team’s shortcomings in a huge road in-state battle with Texas. The last matchup of two top 25 teams is from the SEC, where Alabama travels to Arkansas looking to stay unbeaten in league play.

Here are our college basketball best bets for Wednesday (odds via Caesars Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, and DraftKings Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Check out our college basketball best bets.

Wednesday’s College Basketball Schedule and Odds

(odds via DraftKings)

  • Alabama (PK) vs. Arkansas
  • UConn (-2.5) vs. Marquette
  • Creighton vs. Xavier (-3)
  • TCU vs. Texas (-6.5)

College Basketball Best Bets for Wednesday

  • Spread: UMass Lowell -1 (-110 via Caesars)
  • Moneyline: Arkansas (-102 via FanDuel)
  • Total: Indiana-Penn State Under 142.5 (-110 via FanDuel)
  • Upset: Northwestern (+100 via DraftKings)

Check out our March Madness 2023 odds and our Wooden Award odds.

College Basketball Top Picks

Spread: UMass Lowell -1 (-110) ⭐⭐⭐

UMass Lowell has a huge opportunity to make a statement against the America East favorite on its home court, where the River Hawks are a perfect 8-0 this year.

Their defensive splits were solid last year and are even better in most areas this year. The River Hawks own the country’s best defense inside the paint, allowing a 40.4% 2-point shooting percentage. UMass Lowell allowed under one point per possession last year, and that was with teams connecting on 37% of 3-point attempts. So far this year, the team's allowing just 34.8% from the perimeter, which all adds up to a top-17 defense in terms of effective field goal percentage.

This is a three-star play because the River Hawks are comfortable in close games, going 3-1 in the four contests decided by five or fewer points. We like them to make a big statement against the Catamounts tonight, and would rather lay the one point with the spread that back their moneyline odds, which creep as high as -128 at FanDuel.

Moneyline: Arkansas (-102) ⭐⭐⭐

Alabama is one of two SEC teams at 3-0 in league play, while Arkansas sits tied for eighth at 1-2. Thus, we expect the Razorbacks to play with a sense of urgency in what should be a raucous Bud Walton Arena, which has us liking them as a three-star play. 

Since the start of 2021, the Razorbacks have lost just two home games under Eric Musselman. Alabama gets 36.2% (second-most) of its offense in league play from the 3-point line and shoots the second-highest percentage of 3-point attempts. The Razorbacks will thwart that strength, as they allow opponents to shoot just 29% from beyond the arc (24th-best) and have the seventh-best overall defensive efficiency.

Considering the line has moved from a pick’em to Alabama -120 at BetRivers, bettors may be able to get Arkansas at plus-odds before tip-off. 

Total: Indiana-Penn State Under 142.5 (-110) ⭐⭐⭐

Indiana has allowed an average of 87.5 points in its consecutive losses against Iowa and Northwestern. However, the good news is the Hoosiers face a Penn State team they've had success guarding in the past and one that will not expose their biggest weaknesses.

The Hoosiers held the Nittany Lions to an average of 59 points in the two meetings last regular season. A big reason for that success was holding Jalen Pickett (17.9 points) to 29 combined points on 11-for-27 shooting (40.7%). Indiana could not guard Iowa or Northwestern off the dribble in its last two games, as the Hawkeyes and Wildcats shot 53 combined free throws. However, the Nittany Lions rank 362nd in free throws attempted per field goal attempt.  

FanDuel and BetMGM are the only sportsbooks offering a line of 142.5 (compared to 142), but BetMGM charges bettors -115 in juice to back the Under. We would play this line down to 142. 

Upset: Northwestern (+100) ⭐⭐⭐

Rutgers’ Cam Spencer leads the team in 3-point attempts (76) and has connected on 44.7% of those. The issue is that the Scarlet Knights’ next four-highest perimeter shooters in terms of attempts are all shooting 30.4% or worse from deep. Making shots beyond the arc is imperative against Northwestern, as the Wildcats allow just 41% shooting (second-best in the country) inside the arc, and opponents get just 42.5% of their scoring (351st) from 2-point range.

As long as we're getting plus-money odds to back the Wildcats like we are at DraftKings, they're still a play. But we would not play Northwestern at anything less, like its -102 odds at FanDuel.

College basketball best bets made 1/11/2023 at 6:13 a.m. ET.

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Written By:
Mike Spector
I have been in the sports writing industry for over three years, working for sites like BettingPros/FantasyPros, Oddschecker, and Sportsbook Review. In my first year writing for BettingPros, I finished with the #2 overall record in their annual NFL betting competition, which made picks against the spread, and from an over/under and moneyline perspective. I am an avid fan of the NFL, MLB, and all college sports. In my opinion, March Madness is the best sporting event there is, and I am especially euphoric starting with conference tournament time in college basketball. I am a big advocate of "fading the public" and making plays that are contrarian, constantly citing that "there are reasons why they have those big shiny buildings in Las Vegas." Follow me on Twitter for my best bets and commentary to go along with the wagers.