College Basketball Betting Guide: Lines, Trends & Picks For Saturday, Jan. 7

Today's College Basketball Betting Lines, Odds & Picks

Saturday boasts a massive slate of college basketball games that will surely be fun to watch. We have 17 of the AP Top 25 teams in action, so there is a ton to get into here on a beautiful super college Saturday.

One trend to note is that the BetQL NCAAB model is on fire, going 520-380 (58%) on all picks rated ⭐⭐ and higher in the last seven days for a total return of $3,232 on $100 bets! Take advantage of BetQL's free trial and see all of today's best college basketball bets, plus what the model is projecting for this week's NFL, NBA, NHL and college football games! Start your free trial today!

No. 25 Iowa State at No. 17 TCU Prediction

Iowa State is coming off of an upset victory over Oklahoma in their last game, which I predicted in my daily underdog article. TCU is also coming off of an upset victory of their own over the Baylor Bears, and is currently sitting with a 13-1 record. Their football team is in the national championship game and their basketball team is ranked in the top 25. What a time to be a TCU fan.

All that said, I would look to back Iowa State here. TCU will probably be given a ton of credit, and granted, they should. However, the Cyclones are a team that can stick with you. Iowa State is KenPom's No. 16-ranked defense, and they can really slow the game down and force opponents to make tough shots. Also, TCU is brutal shooting from 3, which will hurt them here.

My pick: Iowa State ATS

No. 13 Arkansas at No. 22 Auburn

After starting the season on an eight-game win streak, Auburn basketball has split its last six contests, including a loss at Georgia on Wednesday. The Tigers are still looking for a real statement win this season, and getting one over the Razorbacks is almost essential for them to be taken seriously. Auburn averages 39.4 rebounds per game, which ranks third in the SEC. The Razorbacks average 35.9, which is eighth-best in the conference. While the Tigers have problems, this is the one place where they are very good on the offensive side of the court.

However, the Razorbacks are the more talented team here. Junior guard Ricky Council IV guided Arkansas past Missouri with 25 points, and freshman Joseph Pinion poured in 13 off the bench. It was the Razorbacks' eighth win in their last 10 games, with three-point losses coming against Creighton on Nov. 22 and LSU on Dec. 28.

My pick: I'd bet Arkansas at anything less than -10. I don't think it's a blowout, but I think they are just the better team.

No. 14 Wisconsin at Illinois

A battle in the Big Ten here between two longtime rivals. The Badgers have won six straight games since losing to Wake Forest, and their 11-2 record has them ranked 14th in the nation entering this contest. Steven Crowl has been sensational lately with five straight games of double-digit scoring, while senior forward Tyler Wahl leads the team with 13.2 PPG and 6.4 rebounds. Wisconsin has key victories this year against USC, Marquette and Maryland this season, but they just got pushed to the brink by a lackluster Minnesota team.

Illinois has alternated wins and losses it seems like all season, with their best win of the year coming against the Texas Longhorns. Texas Tech transfer Terrence Shannon Jr. has been the best player on the team so far, and he leads the team with 17.1 PPG with 5.4 rebounds. The Illini are a difficult team to face in Champaign, and the State Farm Center should be jam-packed on Saturday afternoon. I'll be one of those jerseys in the stands.

My pick: Illinois ML

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!