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

Mike Spector

Last Updated: January 4, 2023 4:15 AM EST • 3 min 13 sec read.

College basketball best bets.
College basketball best bets.

Two ranked vs. ranked matchups from the SEC and Big 12 highlight a jampacked mid-week college basketball slate. Read on for our college basketball best bets for Wednesday.

The two matchups of AP top-25 teams feature No. 20 Missouri at No. 13 Arkansas, while No. 19 Baylor hosts No. 17 TCU.

Elsewhere, Charleston plays its first game as a ranked team since 2002-03 when it travels to North Carolina A&T for an early 5:00 p.m. ET tip.

Here are our college basketball best bets for Wednesday (odds via FanDuel Sportsbook, PointsBet, Caesars Sportsbook, and BetMGM; 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 courtesy of Draftkings)

  • Auburn (-6.5) vs. Georgia
  • Duke (-3.5) vs. N.C. State
  • UConn (-4.5) vs. Providence
  • Missouri vs. Arkansas (-7.5)
  • TCU vs. Baylor (-5.5)

College Basketball Best Bets for Wednesday

  • Spread: Providence +6.5 (-110 via PointsBet) vs. UConn
  • Moneyline: Saint Louis (-149 via Caesars) vs. UMass
  • Total: Villanova-Georgetown Under 143.5 (-110 via BetMGM)
  • Upset: Penn State (+146 via FanDuel) vs. Michigan

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College Basketball Top Picks

Spread: Providence +6.5 (-110) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

We are not overreacting to one loss, but it is clear that to keep up with UConn, one needs to be a physical basketball team that can compete on the backboards. Few teams in the Big East fit that mold like Providence.

The Friars rank sixth in the country in offensive-rebounding percentage (38.4%) and put so much pressure on opposing defenses, ranking first in the league in free throws attempted per field-goal attempt.

Providence is also allowing conference opponents to shoot just 23.1% from beyond the arc through four games. It can follow the blueprint that Xavier used to keep UConn’s Jordan Hawkins to 1-for-5 from 3-point range after the sharpshooter connected on multiple 3-pointers in every game he played at least 23 minutes this year.

Providence backers should race to make their wagers at PointsBet, as the line there sticks out like a sore thumb. Competing sportsbooks have a spread as low as +4.5, so getting a full two points worth of value is unheard of in the world of college basketball betting.

Moneyline: Saint Louis (-149) ⭐⭐⭐

UMass’s three home wins are against Central Connecticut, Albany, and Dartmouth, all of whom sit 317th or worse in KenPom’s rankings. The Minutemen have suffered three losses in the last five games, all against opponents in the top 150.

Saint Louis might be the most talented of all those teams and have the defensive makeup under Travis Ford to stop the Minutemen in transition. UMass ranks in the top third in the country in transition offense and the bottom fifth in half-court efficiency. Saint Louis does a great job protecting the basketball (46th-best turnover rate), and that ball security will force the Minutemen to play in the half court more than it wants to.

Caesars’ -149 odds are comparable to the -150 found at DraftKings and PointsBet. But considering other sportsbooks are as high as -159, one should lock in the Billikens early before the line moves away from them.

Total: Villanova-Georgetown Under 143.5 (-110) ⭐⭐⭐

Taking the Under in a game involving Georgetown is always risky, considering the Hoyas’ last five opponents have scored at least 80 points. However, unlike many of those other teams, the Wildcats play at one of the slowest tempos in the country (343rd-slowest).

Thus, despite ranking 21st in adjusted offensive efficiency, there are going to be limited possessions in this game based on Villanova's reluctance to run in transition. In addition, Villanova ranks 276th out of 352 teams in total assists, as its offense lately has been primarily centered upon beating defenders off the dribble or letting Eric Dixon work one-on-one in the post.

BetMGM has the same total as DraftKings, but at the former, one does not have to pay up in juice (-115) to back the Under.

Upset: Penn State (+146) ⭐⭐

Every year, the Big Ten proves it is one of the hardest leagues to win on the road, but the Nittany Lions have the makeup to win in Ann Arbor. They already own a 15-point win at Illinois, and Jalen Pickett is emerging as a sleeper conference Player of the Year candidate, as he is fourth in the league in scoring (16.8 points) and leads the league in assists (7.5).

Michigan is being overvalued for a 35-point home win in its last game against Maryland, but that should not overshadow the fact it lost on its home floor to Central Michigan the game prior. The Nittany Lions turn the ball over at the lowest rate in the country (12.9%), which is a recipe for winning on the road.

This line opened at Penn State +125 and has moved away most from the Nittany Lions at FanDuel, as other sportsbooks are at +140 or better.

College basketball best bets made 1/4/2023 at 6:26 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.