It's a fairly jam-packed Wednesday slate of games, so there's plenty of options when it comes to college basketball player props.
Let's look at the three top picks for Wednesday, December 20.
Joel Soriano Over 10.5 Rebounds (-120)
Xavier vs. St. John's | 7 p.m. ET
There aren't many guarantees in college basketball, as we've quickly learned once again this year.
One guarantee is Joel Soriano producing significant rebounding numbers on a nightly basis. Last season, Soriano averaged close to 12 rebounds per game, and he's dropped to 10.5 per game this year.
Although Soriano's numbers look worse, tonight is the perfect chance to grab the over against Xavier's questionable front line.
The most comparable big man in terms of rebounding chops that Xavier has faced this season is J'Wan Roberts from Houston — he grabbed 12 rebounds.
I can't picture the mixture of Lazar Djokovic, Gytis Nemeiksa and Abou Ousmane pushing Soriano off the block, so he should secure most missed shots from Xavier. Ousmane's 5.9 rebounds per game leads the Musketeers, so Sean Miller doesn't have an elite rebounding option down low to contain the Red Storm's big man.
Soriano has reached the 11-rebound threshold in two of his past three games, and he'll look to make it one more here.
Ja'Kobe Walter Over 13.5 Points (+100)
Baylor vs. Duke | 7 p.m. ET
Baylor got handled by Michigan State on Saturday, and will now face Duke in Madison Square Garden tonight.
Baylor's standout freshman guard — Ja'Kobe Walter — can break off for 20+ points any night. Walter's 27-point outburst against Auburn last month is probably the best freshman performance of the season.
Scott Drew will always find ways to involve his scoring guard in the game's flow. Walter could struggle early, and his coach will still draw up sets for him. That's such an advantage if Walter starts the game off slowly.
Walter only reached the 14-point marker once in the past five games. He'll need that for the over to hit, and I think he'll do it.
Based on Walter's season average, the number falls right in line. I just think Walter is much closer to a 17-19-point per-game player down the stretch, so I'm looking to capitalize on his scoring props before he explodes.
Donovan Dent Over 14.5 Points (-135)
UC Irvine vs. New Mexico | 9 p.m. ET
The Lobos found an absolute gem in guard Donovan Dent, who's averaging over 17.7 points. He's New Mexico's leading scorer and leading assist-getter so far.
The juice lays on the over — which makes sense since Dent averages over the listed number — but it's such a home run that it doesn't matter.
Another reason I like Dent to hit the over is the Lobos' tempo. They rank 10th in Adjusted Tempo, so the constant transition looks will create scoring chances for the sophomore guard.
New Mexico faces an elite UC Irvine defense (32nd in Defensive Efficiency, according to KenPom). That's a fairly difficult matchup for Dent, but the Lobos' closest competition so far to UC Irvine was Saint Mary's, and Dent scored 15 points in the loss.
The only downside is that the status of Jamal Mashburn Jr. could lead to fewer shots from Dent. If Mashburn plays, he's getting shots up, as that's Mashburn's best skill. Coach Richard Pitino probably won't sit Mashburn, regardless of how good the team is playing without him.
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