Finals week rolls on with limited massive matchups in college hoops, however, betting value can still be found on Tuesday.
Dive in below for college basketball best bets and our staff's three top picks for Tuesday, December 12.
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 |
|---|---|---|
  | 6 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 7 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. | ||
LIU vs. UMass Lowell
By D.J. James
The UMass Lowell River Hawks look like they'll contend with Vermont for the America East crown. The River Hawks have only one loss by double digits this season, and that came against in-state rival UMass.
The River Hawks have a great defense, and they'll be playing one of the worst teams in the country on Tuesday: the LIU Sharks.
LIU is ranked 345th, according to KenPom, with a 353rd-ranked Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and a 292nd-ranked Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. UMass Lowell ranks 138th overall — 146th on offense and 151st on defense.
That said, the River Hawks are holding opponents to the 43rd-best effective field goal percentage on defense. Opponents are shooting just 25.5% from deep on them, so this is their strong suit. LIU ranks 263rd in Open 3 Rate, per ShotQuality, so they shouldn't be much of a threat.
UMass Lowell will get its points on the interior, as it's only shooting 30.3% from deep. The River Hawks are hitting over 52% on 2s and rank 344th in offensive 3-point attempt rate. This is one of the only saving graces for the Sharks, as they're holding opponents to a 30% 3-point attempt rate and 30.1% 3-point percentage.
The River Hawks thrive on the offensive glass (71st), while the Sharks rank 347th in offensive rebounding rate and 225th defensively. Look for UMass Lowell to get its share of put-back points in this matchup.
Finally, the River Hawks rank 36th in post-up frequency (Shot Quality), while LIU ranks 284th in points per possession allowed on post-ups.
This is just a horrible matchup for LIU, even if it's 4-4 ATS. Take UMass Lowell to -21.
Pick: UMass Lowell -17 (Play to -21)
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Hofstra vs. Duke
By Greg Waddell
Duke enters this game knowing it has a week off following the result, which is much needed given the status of star guard Tyrese Proctor.
Duke is expected to be without Proctor for the second consecutive game. With Proctor, this line would likely be close to 18-20 points.
However, Duke looked great without Proctor in its previous contest, a blowout win over Charlotte, which is ranked just 20 spots behind Hofstra on KenPom.
Hofstra’s defense allows opponents to shoot 36% from 3-point range. It’s a great matchup for Jared McCain and Caleb Foster, the two guards who will be tasked with stepping up in Proctor’s place.
Hofstra lost by 11 at George Washington earlier this season. When things go south, the Pride can snowball, and there's not a spot on the floor that Hofstra can exploit in this matchup.
Expect Duke to roll here, so scoop up the extra few points of value that you can get on the line with Proctor’s expected absence.
Pick: Duke -15.5 (Play -17.5)
UAPB vs. USF
By John Feltman
This game stuck out to me the most, as Arkansas Pine-Bluff is arguably the worst team in the entire country.
The Golden Lions are one of the smallest teams in the nation, which shows in their horrific rebounding numbers. They'll be taking on a Bulls team that specializes on the defensive end of the floor, which means their offensive woes will continue.
Oddly enough, the Golden Lions are shooting 38% from 3, which is where the majority of their offense comes from. However, the Bulls are 70th in opposing 3PT%. That leads me to believe there’s going to be a few scoring droughts throughout this contest.
Offensively, the Bulls aren’t too efficient, either. They enter this contest 274th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. I realize the Golden Lions are horrific defensively, but the Bulls’ struggles lead me to believe we could be headed for a lower-scoring affair than the total suggests.
Both of these teams also protect the basketball fairly well on offense, which would mean less fast-break opportunities. The Bulls will be able to crash the boards all game long, increasing their second-chance scoring opportunities.
You would think that would help their offense, but this leads to the clock churning at a more frequent rate. Instead of backing the Bulls, I feel much safer taking this under.
Pick: Under 159.5 (Play to 158)
Use our BetMGM bonus code for bonus bets before making your pick.
