It's another Saturday in college hoops, meaning another 136-game slate to sink our teeth into.
We've compiled four of our experts' favorite picks for Saturday, including ATS picks for tilts in the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, and SEC.
Read on for our college basketball best bets and NCAAB picks for Saturday, Jan. 24.
College Basketball Best Bets
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 12 PM | |
  | 2 PM | |
  | 6 PM | |
  | 8:30 PM | |
 | Noon | |
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. | ||
North Carolina vs. Virginia Pick
By Jordan Mann
The frontcourt matchup in this game is going to be a lot of fun to watch.
North Carolina has the best 2-point scoring offense in the ACC, and it's facing a Virginia team with the best 2-point defense.
The uncertainty and inconsistency in North Carolina's backcourt have been among the reasons for its struggles, and I expect that will ultimately cost the Tar Heels in this matchup.
Pick: Virginia -8 or Better
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Houston vs. Texas Tech Pick
I project Texas Tech as a 1.4-point favorite for this monster Big 12 tilt, representing my biggest edge for the Saturday slate.
A big part of this projection is Texas Tech’s home-court advantage, which is worth over four points and ranks fifth nationally. The Red Raiders dropped the road matchup against Houston by four, so I think they’ll flip the script with a raucous crowd behind them.
I’ve been lower on the market than Houston for a while. While still sporting an elite defense, the Cougars aren’t as dominant as past Kelvin Sampson teams, and they rely almost too heavily on Kingston Flemings and Co. to create offense via very tough shot-making.
Meanwhile, I think Texas Tech has the ability to exploit Houston’s ball-screen blitz via JT Toppin's short-roll creation and weak-side catch-and-shoot shot-making from Donovan Atwell and others.
Plus, if there’s one point guard I trust to navigate the toughest ball-screen defense in the country, it’s Christian Anderson. He managed seven assists in the last meeting between these two.
In the first head-to-head matchup, Texas Tech matched Houston in efficiency, but the Raiders lost the shot volume battle, turning it over 14 times and allowing 12 offensive rebounds.
Clean those mistakes up, and I think Texas Tech wins outright — the Cougars are overdue for a loss after 11 straight wins.
Pick: Texas Tech +1.5 or Better
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Northwestern vs. UCLA Pick
By Evan Abrams
This game triggered one of our Action PRO betting systems.
The “Good Team, Conf, Sm Fav, Both Tms Bad ATS” system identifies undervalued favorites in NCAAB who win consistently but have struggled against the spread, facing opponents with similar ATS struggles.
In conference play, where matchups are familiar and motivation runs high, the better overall team often prevails despite market skepticism stemming from prior spread losses.
When a strong team sits as a small favorite, it suggests the line has tightened due to mutual ATS underperformance rather than true competitive balance.
This system capitalizes on that overcorrection, backing reliable programs that win outright at a steady rate when the market perception has dipped too far, turning short favorites into profitable plays.
Pick: UCLA -8 or Better
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Tennessee vs. Alabama Pick
By Ryan Minion
Saturday night’s contest will be a shootout.
For two SEC foes that have been relatively inconsistent this season, this is a big chance for the winner to gain some momentum ahead of several challenging conference opponents.
This SEC battle is a tough handicap for what should be a closely-contested 40-minute matchup, with a ton of points expected.
But I have to side with the Crimson Tide.
The Alabama faithful should be a heavy presence in a packed gym, and despite how well Tennessee has played at times this season — like its victory over Houston — it's looked far worse in recent conference play.
Pick: Alabama -4 or Better
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Stuckey's Full Action App Card
Need more picks for Saturday's action? It's always wise to see what our guy Stuckey is betting on!
Additionally, if you haven't already, make sure you download the award-winning Action Network App to track all your best and follow all our expert bettors.
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