On Wednesday in college basketball, we have five ranked teams hitting the road to face an unranked opponent.
Meanwhile, we have two intriguing in-state rivalries and a top-25 Big East matchup between Providence and Marquette in Milwaukee.
Three Man Weave's Jim Root and Matt Cox are teaming up for three best bets, including one of those in-state rivalry games.
Dive in below to get the top college basketball odds and picks for Wednesday.
Three Man Weave's Wednesday College Basketball Best Bets
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that Jim and Matt are targeting from Wednesday's slate of games. Click the team logos for one the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
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| Specific bet 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. | ||
Auburn vs. LSU
Wednesday, Jan. 18 7 p.m. ET ESPN2 |
LSU +4.5  |
By Jim Root
The SEC brings us a fair share of Tiger-on-Tiger violence. One of those meetings happens tonight in Baton Rouge as the Auburn Tigers visit the LSU Tigers.
Though this has been bet down (opened +6 at Caesars and DraftKings), some value remains on the (home) Tigers.
In a similar spot against Arkansas two weeks ago, LSU won outright as a four-point home dog. Matt McMahon’s Tigers can frustrate Auburn in a similar way: changing defenses, attacking the glass and getting to the free-throw line.
The key for LSU is finding perimeter production. Auburn is one of the best shot-blocking teams in the country thanks to Johni Broome and Dylan Cardwell, so scoring at the rim is a challenge.
Fortunately, LSU has shot the ball well this year, especially star big man KJ Williams and guards Adam Miller and Cam Hayes.
Auburn’s athleticism has forced difficult jumpers all season, and Bruce Pearl’s defensive scheme funnels foes into the paint. However, LSU can find enough success from beyond the arc — especially since Auburn should struggle to generate points itself.
Auburn scores most efficiently off its defense: generating steals, running in transition and scoring before the opposing defense gets set. That transition attack is often curtailed on the road, as the Tigers’ pressure has less of an effect.
LSU has the guards to take care of the ball and will force this into a half-court game. Auburn’s shot selection frequently devolves into a mess of “my turn, your turn” when forced to execute in the half-court, which should allow LSU to hang around or even win.
I would not go below +4 on this one, but given the heavy market move already, that will not happen unless a key Auburn injury is announced.
Pick: LSU +4.5 (Play to +4) |
What is QuickSlip?
QuickSlip is an Action Network feature that allows users to automatically pre-load their bet slip at FanDuel Sportsbook.
Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State
Wednesday, Jan. 18 9 p.m. ET ESPNU |
Oklahoma +2  |
By Matt Cox
BEDLAM.
Oklahoma and Oklahoma State square off in Stillwater late tonight in a battle of desperation. In this ruthless Big 12 landscape, wins are precious milestones, especially given the current standings — the Sooners are 2-3 in league play, while the Pokes are 1-4.
A big reason for the Pokes’ skid is Moussa Cisse’s absence. Cisse played sparingly in a home win against West Virginia on Jan. 2 but sat out the last three contests. OSU is 0-3 outright and against the number in that span.
With Cisse, the Cowboys’ offense can overcome long scoring droughts with a resounding fly swatter at the heart of their defense.
However, that once stingy defense all of a sudden looks more penetrable without Cisse manning the middle, and OSU’s offense can’t seem to pick up the slack. In fact, it’s gone in reverse.
Last time out, OSU notched 58 points on 65 possessions against Baylor, which is currently the worst defense in the Big 12, per KenPom’s Adjusted Defensive Efficiency ranks.
In the midst of a sputtering offense and more vulnerable defense, it begs the question as to what this team’s current identity is.
Cisse is officially a game-time decision tonight, but the early money indicates he’s likely out tonight for the fourth game in a row.
However, even at a worse number, the Sooners are the better team and are a road-tested group. They won’t be daunted by the raucous Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Pick: Oklahoma +2 |
Oregon vs. Cal
Wednesday, Jan. 18 10 p.m. ET Pac-12 Network |
Cal +8  |
By Matt Cox
Yes, that's not a typo. We are advising a legitimate wager on the lowly Cal Bears this evening.
Don’t look now, but Cal is quietly on the come up. From non-conference laughing stock to conference thorn, the Bears are to be taken seriously — well, kind of.
They weathered a myriad of illnesses and injuries throughout the non-conference schedule, which crippled an already talent-devoid roster.
As a result, you can effectively buy Cal for a penny stock price in the current betting markets.
A brutal November and December stretch served as a value setup. The Bears hit rock bottom on Dec. 18, falling all the way to 257th in KenPom’s overall rankings. That’s over 100 spots from their preseason projected rank of 146th.
However, Cal is quickly playing catch up. It's made up half that ground in the last few weeks and now resides at 205th in Mr. Pomeroy’s predicted rankings.
There’s plenty of reason to think this Cal uptick isn’t a fluke. The recent debut of DeJuan Clayton — who took over point guard duties from the injured Devin Askew — infused a spark into a flatlining roster.
The Bears are now 3-1 against the spread in their last four contests, directly coinciding with Clayton’s insertion into the starting lineup.
On the other side, Oregon will be walking into the sleepiest, groggiest, dazed and confused spots you’ll see all year. After dominating Arizona at home over the weekend, the Ducks now travel to a barren Cal arena with everything to lose and nothing to gain.
Yes, Oregon is getting healthier, but its inconsistencies are far from solved. Its win-loss see-saw pattern throughout Pac-12 play is a bad omen for tonight, which makes the Ducks ripe for a situational fade.
Pick: Cal +8 (Play to +7) |
