NCAAB Best Bets for January 30: Top Picks and Predictions

There may not be any high-profile matchups on the college basketball Thursday, but if you look closely, you’ll find some good games on the schedule. We also took a close look to find some of the best betting options for college basketball games on Thursday night.

Ohio State (12-8) at Penn State (13-8)

Both of these teams are trying to establish themselves in the loaded Big Ten, as both have a losing record in conference play. However, Ohio State has a little more momentum after back-to-back wins over Purdue and Iowa. The Buckeyes are also 3-1 against the spread in their last four road games, including that huge upset of Purdue, so they won’t feel intimidated about going on the road. On the other side, the Nittany Lions have won five straight games against the spread, although most of that success has come as an underdog. Penn State has actually lost six of its last seven games overall. Of course, most of those games have been close, as the Nittany Lions have some quality, especially in the backcourt. But given their recent track record, it’s hard to trust them as a favorite, even at home.

Pick: Ohio State +3

Coastal Carolina (8-13) at James Madison (12-9)

This isn’t the most fascinating matchup on the schedule, but it’s one of the safest bets. Coastal Carolina has been a disaster this season, currently 1-8 in Sun Belt play. The Chanticleers have lost six in a row with three of those losses coming by more than 20 points. All of those games have come on the road, so there isn’t much hope for them to turn things around on the road against James Madison, especially for a Coastal Carolina team that ranks 358th nationally in points per game. As for the Dukes, they don’t have an explosive offense, but they do have four players who average double figures. James Madison also shoots close to 35% from the perimeter as a team. They should be enough to cover a big spread against a dreadful Coastal Carolina team that’s been vulnerable to lopsided losses on the road lately.

Pick: James Madison -13.5

#18 Illinois (14-6) at Nebraska (12-8)

It’s been tough sledding for Nebraska in the Big Ten this season, as the Cornhuskers are just 2-7 in conference play. They are also riding a six-game losing streak, going 1-5 against the spread during that stretch. However, oddsmakers still respect the Cornhuskers at home, as this is a relatively small spread. Nebraska also has home wins over Indiana and UCLA, as well as a road win over Creighton, so they’re not as bad as they’ve been recently. That being said, the Illini is an incredibly talented team with five players who average at least 10 points per game and a top-notch point guard like Kasparas Jakucionis, who is coming off a double-double on Sunday. Even with three losses in their last five games, Illinois should have enough talent to take care of business on the road and cover a small spread in Nebraska.

Pick: Illinois -4

#19 Memphis (16-4) at Tulane (11-9)

As usual, the Tigers are the class of the American Conference, winning seven of their last eight games. However, winning comfortably and covering spreads has been an issue, as Memphis is just 1-5 against the spread in its last six games. That stretch includes a road loss against Temple, so the Tigers could be vulnerable on the road despite being the more talented team. As for the Green Wave, they are 5-2 straight up and 5-2 against the spread over their last seven games. That stretch includes four wins as an underdog, although the spread was four points or less in each of those games. While it’s hard to find a marquee win on Tulane’s resume, they’ve played a lot of close games and have had a lot of success as an underdog. At home, look for the Green Wave to keep this a close game.

Pick: Tulane +6.5

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