Sundays are for football, but not for the college basketball Action Network staff.
We're still working on Sunday, and that means one thing: finding you the best betting value on the board.
So, without further ado, here's college basketball best bets and odds, including three picks and predictions for Sunday's games.
College Basketball Best Bets
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our college basketball betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 1 p.m. | |
  | 1:30 p.m. | |
  | 9:30 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. | ||
Saint Mary's vs. Nebraska
By Sean Paul
I'm buying positive shooting regression from Nebraska. Yes, it doesn't have snipers everywhere like last year, but 24% from 3 is impossibly bad for any team — let alone one with multiple guys who have shot 35% or better in their careers.
I have real concerns about the Gaels' defense, and I don't know if their offensive success is real enough to warrant backing them against an elite defense.
Another advantage is with Nebraska's interior depth. Fred Hoiberg can go big against the 7-footers — Mitchell Saxen and Harry Wessels — with either Andrew Morgan or Braxton Meah.
The other option is hoping Berke Buyuktuncel can force Saxen to the perimeter and capitalize with some 3s.
I think Brice Williams has a great game, and the Huskers flex their muscles at a neutral site.
Pick: Nebraska +3.5
Clemson vs. Boise State
By John Feltman
The Broncos are supposed to be one of the top teams in the Mountain West, so it's definitely going to be a tough challenge on the road for Clemson. What concerns me about the Tigers is that not only has their free-throw shooting been poor so far (63% as a team), but regression could loom from beyond the arc.
They don’t have an edge in terms of depth, either, as the Broncos have a slightly deeper roster. The difference in the game could come down to the Tigers' continued success on the offensive glass and their ability to make more of their free throws.
Because it's early in the season, I have a hard time gauging whether or not the Tigers are up for the challenge.
The Broncos have one loss on the season, but they have the chops to get a home victory here. I love their size, and they have been an excellent defensive team thus far.
They have been incredibly disciplined on defense, rarely allowing their opponents to go to the free-throw line. The Broncos are in the top 60 in both offensive and defensive adjusted efficiency, and they are sixth in the country in turnovers per game.
It’s also a solid matchup for forward Tyson Degenhart, who enters the game as the Broncos' leading scorer.
I was skeptical about Boise entering the season, but I like it at home here.
The Tigers might be undefeated, but the home crowd in Boise will make the difference.
I also trust the Broncos to make their free throws late, as it should be a close contest.
I’ll take the home team and lay the bucket in what should be a terrific Sunday afternoon game.
Pick: Boise State -2.5 (Play to -3)
Cal vs. USC
We have a throwback Pac-12 After Dark non-conference matchup, as the Golden Bears and Trojans go head-to-head as members of the ACC and Big Ten, respectively.
Not only are these teams entering new conferences, but both rosters are essentially entirely new.
Cal returns just two players from last season, and neither averaged more than a single point per game. The Golden Bears' lacking chemistry showed in their 16-point beatdown at the hands of Vanderbilt, as they committed 20 turnovers to just six assists.
On the flip side, USC has a new head coach — Eric Musselman — and lost nine players, including Boogie Ellis and Isaiah Collier. The Trojans haven't posted an alarming result like Cal, but they allowed 95 points to UT Arlington and were trailing with less than three minutes left.
This is way too many points for two programs that are working out the kinks with entirely new rotations.
Given his proven track record over a larger sample size, I trust Musselman over Mark Madsen, but I also think Madsen impressed last season, guiding Cal to an increase of 10 wins despite the loss of Devin Askew to injury.
Madsen should have his players motivated after an embarrassing showing against Vandy. And it's not like Cal doesn't have the pieces. Andrej Stojakovic can shoot the ball, Jovan Blacksher Jr. is in his sixth season, BJ Omot could score at North Dakota and Rytis Petraitis is a good passer.
Finally, USC's Matt Knowling missed the game against UT Arlington, and even though he's expected to be in the lineup against Cal, the Trojans need him at 100% to blow out the Bears and cover this spread.
This spread is a potential overreaction to one game, so I believe Cal will keep it within 10 or so.
Pick: Cal +10 (Play to +8)
