This may not be the loaded Saturday card we're used to, but with conference play beginning, the level of competition is heating up.
Our best edges in cards like these come in the player prop market. There are many that can be taken advantage of today, but here, we'll highlight our three favorites.
So, let's dive into our top college basketball player props for Saturday, December 30.
David Joplin Under 10.5 Points (-143)
Creighton vs. Marquette | 2 p.m. ET
The marquee matchup of the day will take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as the Creighton Bluejays will take on the Marquette Golden Eagles.
This heavyweight Big East matchup features teams of two contrasting styles, which means someone is bound to struggle.
Marquette's David Joplin will be that guy this afternoon.
Joplin is actually coming off his best-scoring performance of the season. He put up 20 points against Georgetown and sank four 3s in the process.
However, he's in a very bad matchup for outside shooting today. The Bluejays are elite at defending shots from beyond the arc, as they're 35th in 3-point percentage allowed. Just 22.5% of points they've allowed have come from downtown.
Looking at Joplin, it's clear he's due for regression in this matchup, as his last game was true outlier. He's gone under this number in 77% of games played this season and 84% dating back to last season.
That 84% hit rate gives us implied odds of -525 that he'll go under again and makes the juice worth the squeeze here.
Kyle Rode Over 1.5 3s Made (-130)
Alabama vs. Liberty | 2 p.m. ET
Another top matchup of the day features the Liberty Flames and the Alabama Crimson Tide.
If you want to talk about contrasting styles, look at the tempos of these two teams. Alabama is third nationally in tempo, while Liberty is 347th. However, the better team typically controls the tempo, and the pace of this game will favor one of the Flames' sharpshooters.
Kyle Rode is the leading marksman for a Liberty team that attacks with a barrage of 3-pointers. Rode is averaging over seven 3-point attempts per game.
With volume like that, it's no wonder he's exceeded this number in 69% of his 11 games this season.
He'll have plenty of opportunities to fire in this matchup, as the tempo will likely increase his volume. Also, the Crimson Tide are middle of the pack when it comes to defending perimeter shooting.
Quinn Slazinski Over 12.5 Points (-105)
Ohio State vs. West Virginia | 7 p.m. ET
While the return of RaeQuan Battle has been great for the Mountaineers, we can't deny that Quinn Slazinski's production is what's kept the offense going this season. Slazinski has posted 13 points in 11 of 12 games this season.
He's proven that he can fill it up from anywhere on the floor, as he's shooting 47% from inside the arc, 33% from downtown and 75% from the stripe. His efficiency has allowed him to surpass this mark without a ton of volume, which is key, as Battle has dominated the usage since his return.
Slazinski will have the opportunity to produce tonight, as he'll become an afterthought for the Buckeyes defensively.
Oddsmakers may have over-adjusted for his drop in usage, and with his production becoming undeniable at this point, we should play this over until the wheels fall off.
