Wednesday's slate is loaded with ranked teams, but there's value to be had throughout the slate.
I've pinpointed three undervalued favorites to add to your betting card.
Read below for college basketball best bets, including three NCAAB expert picks and predictions for Wednesday, January 14.
College Basketball Best Bets
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 7: 30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NCAAB Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Kentucky vs. LSU
Wait a second. Am I really going to back Kentucky as a road favorite given all of the acrimony around the Wildcats’ season right now?
And am I going to do so after Jaland Lowe was announced out for the season, while touted center Jayden Quaintance is set to miss a second straight game with swelling in his surgically-repaired knee?
Yes! Yes, I am! It feels wrong, but the Wildcats can ease back into the rotation they used to start the season, having already played extended stretches without Lowe and Quaintance.
The frontcourt rotation is deep enough to withstand Quaintance’s absence, and though Lowe is a key tone-setter on offense, he has been playing through injury – and LSU has injury concerns of its own.
LSU is highly vulnerable, with point guard Dedan Thomas likely to miss another contest. The Tigers have not officially ruled him out, but coach Matt McMahon told the media on Tuesday that he has not yet been cleared for contact. Suddenly suiting up for a game a day later would be shocking.
Without him, the Tigers have swooned, losing three straight games to begin SEC play while struggling to score efficiently. They lost at home to South Carolina by double-digits last week, getting down 28 points in the first half in a truly wretched performance.
Kentucky is far from perfect, but with Mo Dioubate, Denzel Aberdeen, Otega Oweh and a plethora of size inside, the Wildcats can shut down the struggling LSU attack.
The under may also be a worthwhile look in this game with both teams likely down their starting point guards. Shot creation could be an issue. But I will buy a little low on Kentucky, which looked mighty impressive over the weekend while thrashing Mississippi State in Lexington.
I would lay up to -5, though I strongly prefer -4 or -4.5 here.
Pick: Kentucky -4 (Play to -5)
Iona vs. Rider
A second road favorite! This wager is twofold: a belief that Iona is slightly undervalued, largely based on a complete no-show performance at Marist (lost by 45), and confidence in Rider being a fade-worthy ball club.
Put simply, Rider is a horrific basketball team this season. The Broncs have absolutely zero shooting, ranking 359th in 3-point attempt rate and 365th (dead last) in 3-point percentage.
They also rank 358th in average 2-point attempt distance, meaning they try to make their hay in the long mid-range area – again, despite not having any competent shooters.
That dismal offense is a big reason why Rider is just 3-9-2 against the spread this season, a bottom-10 mark nationally.
In similar spots, Rider has failed. The Broncs lost at home to shorthanded Siena by nine, and they got obliterated when hosting Marist, losing by 22 on Sunday. They simply do not have the players to compete with the upper echelon of the MAAC, where I still believe Iona resides.
The Gaels bounced back from that aforementioned embarrassment at Marist, sweeping the Buffalo schools (Canisius and Niagara) at home by a combined 44 points.
Part of their collapse at Marist could be explained by deflation from veteran guard Keshawn Williams tearing an ACL, and Iona has shown strong resolve in the two games since.
Williams was a key contributor, to be sure, but the Gaels still have arguably their five best players available. CJ Anthony has blossomed into a star after leaving Cincinnati, and Kosy Akametu, Lamin Sabally and Denver Anglin all carry impressive pedigrees as well.
Iona can overwhelm an impotent Rider offense, and I think this number should be around 10, which is closer to where KenPom and Bart Torvik have it.
Pick: Iona -7.5 (Play to -9)
UAB vs. Tulane
The road favorite theme continues in the American with UAB heading to the Bayou to take on the Green Wave.
Shockingly, Tulane is tied atop the tumultuous American standings, off to a 3-0 start despite an underwhelming non-conference performance.
UAB, meanwhile, is a consistent contender under Andy Kennedy, having gone 25-11 in American play since joining the league for the 2023-24 campaign.
Since UAB joined the conference, the Blazers are 3-1 straight up and against the spread against the Green Wave. That is far from a convincing sample size, but it does tell me that Andy Kennedy’s squad understands how to attack Ron Hunter’s tricky zone trap schemes that fuel Tulane’s success.
The visiting Blazers have multiple edges against those looks. Most importantly, UAB never turns the ball over, ranking second nationally in turnover rate, per KenPom. That follows the pattern of last year, when Kennedy’s squad ranked 12th in the same statistic.
UAB is also strong on the offensive glass, another consistent Kennedy tenet. The Blazers do not have a Yaxel Lendeborg on the team this year, but KyeRon Lindsay-Martin, Evan Chatman and Daniel Rivera are all active on the boards. Tulane always struggles to prevent second-shot opportunities.
That makes up for UAB’s lack of perimeter shooting, a key flaw that has haunted the Blazers this season. They also have to hold up in ball screen coverage against Tulane’s Rowan Brumbaugh, arguably the best player in the conference.
I believe the talent matchup edges outweigh those concerns, though, and would lay up to -3 with UAB on the road.
Pick: UAB -1.5 (Play to -3)
