College Basketball Betting Guide: Lines, Trends & Picks For Saturday, Dec. 17
The top betting trends you need to know for today's college hoops slate
Matthew Horner - Dec 17, 2022, 8:43am EST
Today's College Basketball Betting Lines, Odds & Picks
We have a ton of great matchups Saturday in college basketball, one of the best slates of the year, and a huge assortment of games to pick through to find some great value plays. So let's dive into a few plays that I like today.
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No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 15 Gonzaga
This is technically a home game for Gonzaga, but it's being played in Birmingham, Alabama, so they will be the road team. That won't be their biggest worry, however. This Bulldogs team has looked bad compared to what we have seen in previous seasons, and their biggest weakness is defending the paint. They don't have an elite rim protector like Chet Holmgren anymore. I can guarantee you that the Crimson Tide know this, and they are going to be attacking the paint with force. Drew Timme is the one guy on Gonzaga that you really fear, and if they can get him into foul trouble by driving over and over, it could make Alabama's night very easy.
PICK: Take Alabama -1.5 here for a short cover.
No. 14 Indiana at No. 8 Kansas
The earliest marquee matchup of the day is also one that I think we can sniff out some value on. Personally, I think this line is giving the Hoosiers too much credit. They haven't really beaten anyone of merit this season unless you count an injured North Carolina team. They lost to Arizona at home badly in their last contest, and now they hit the road to face a team that is even better, so getting the Jayhawks at -5 might be a gift. Kansas has already proven itself to be an elite contender once again with wins over Duke, Wisconsin, N.C. State, Seton Hall and Missouri. I expect them to come out and take this one as well.
PICK: Kansas -5. Kansas is the better team, and I think Indiana is a bit overvalued with no real signature wins as of yet. This could be their first, but I don't think that happens.
No. 5 Houston at No. 2 Virginia
If you like offense, this will not be the game for you. Both Houston and Virginia have stout defenses that will prove to be dominant in this game against shaky offenses. Not only that, but both of these teams play at a snail's pace, so we could be looking at an old-fashioned brick fest. There won't be many open looks, with the free-throw line being extremely important for both teams in this matchup. Virginia has the advantage there, but they will have to convert them. Houston plays excellent defense throughout the entire floor, with no real weakness. The only real weakness of Virginia defensively is the 3-point line, but the Cougars are awful shooting from outside.
PICK: Under 114. Just close your eyes and take the under. It's an incredibly low total, but there's a reason it's this low. Scoring will be very tough to come by.
MORE: TODAY’S NBA BETTING GUIDE
Take advantage of BetQL's free trial and see all of today's best college basketball bets, plus what the model is projecting for every NFL, NBA, NHL and college football game this week! Start your free trial today!