3 Best College Basketball Bets and Player Props for Thursday 3/13/25

The college basketball season is rolling along, giving us plentiful betting options with so many teams in action each day.

Fortunately, we have abundant tools available that can aid our chances of finding good betting value. Bart Torvik and KenPom are excellent sources that give insights into team-level efficiency, and Sports Reference provides a wide range of useful team stats, as well.

Let's check out FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball odds and select some of the best bets of the day by utilizing the mentioned tools.

Please note lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published.

Today's Best College Basketball Betting Picks

Iowa vs. Illinois

Illinois -10.5 (-108)

In the second round of the Big Ten tournament, the Iowa Hawkeyes will square off against the Illinois Fighting Illini on Thursday. Iowa defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 77-70 in the first round to advance, while Illinois got a first-round bye in the conference tourney due to being the No. 7 seed in the Big Ten.

The Hawkeyes heavily rely on their offense that is 22nd in adjusted offensive rating (119.2), but they also sit at 154th in adjusted defensive rating (106.1), via KenPom. The lack of resistance from Iowa's defense has led to them registering a 6-14-1 record against the spread (ATS) versus conference opponents and 4-11-1 record ATS as an underdog this season.

As for the Fighting Illini, they are a well-balanced squad, ranking 15th in adjusted offensive rating (121.7) and 31st in adjusted defensive rating (97.1). When these two teams met recently on February 25, Illinois cruised to an 81-61 victory, dominating the turnover battle with just a 6.8% offensive turnover rate (compared to Iowa logging a 20.7% offensive turnover rate).

Even though the Fighting Illini are a team that loves to chuck up shots from deep with a 47.3% three-point rate, they should have an easy time getting buckets around the rim versus Iowa, who allow 48.9% of their points from inside the paint (the Division I average is 43.1%). The Hawkeyes' offense can sometimes cause issues for opponents, but the Fighting Illini have the personnel and defensive prowess to contain them en route to a lopsided win.

Nevada vs. Colorado State

Colorado State -5.5 (-102)

The Nevada Wolf Pack clinched a spot in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West tournament by beating the Fresno State Bulldogs 86-71. The Bulldogs own a 6-26 record while ranking 284th in adjusted offensive rating (100.9) and 210th in adjusted defensive rating (108.6), so the Wolf Pack will face a much stiffer test when going up against the Colorado State Rams -- who are 48th in adjusted offensive rating (116.1) and 61st in adjusted defensive rating (100.2) -- on Thursday.

The Rams are an efficient offensive team, converting 57.0% of their twos, 35.8% of their threes, and 79.0% of their free throws. Colorado State also tends to take shots from beyond the arc, notching a 42.9% three-point rate, which could be an issue for a Nevada squad that is allowing a 35.6% three-point percentage and 44.8% three-point rate.

The Wolf Pack lean on guard Kobe Sanders (15.6 PPG) and forward Nick Davidson (15.6 PPG), while the Rams have a trio of players averaging double-digit points per game, including forward Nique Clifford (18.4 PPG). Clifford is registering a 58.0% effective field-goal percentage and 39.3% three-point percentage, making him a tough player to defend for a Nevada team that is 97th in adjusted defensive rating (103.2).

On the season, the Wolf Pack are a dismal 7-14 ATS in conference games and 1-5 ATS as underdogs. Comparatively, the Rams are 15-5 ATS versus conference opponents and 14-6 ATS when playing as the favored team.

USC vs. Purdue

Over 148.5 (-115)

Another Big Ten tournament matchup set to be played on Thursday features the USC Trojans and Purdue Boilermakers. Purdue secured a first-round bye in the conference tourney as the No. 6 seed, but USC posted a 97-89 win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in a high-scoring affair.

Although neither the Trojans nor the Boilermakers operate at fast paces (both teams are 116th or lower in adjusted tempo), offensive efficiency is going to key in the over being achieved in this contest. USC is producing a 54.4% effective field-goal percentage and 36.8% three-point percentage, which has aided them in accruing a 17-4 record to the over in conference games and a 24-8 record to the over in all matchups.

At the same time, Purdue is recording an impressive 57.0% effective field-goal percentage and 38.6% three-point percentage, resulting in a 14-6 record to the over versus conference opponents and 19-12 record to the over in all contests. These teams met once during the regular season, and the first meeting had 162 total points scored.

Considering that the Boilermakers are double-digit favorites in Thursday's bout, we'll be expecting them to be doing plenty of the heavy lifting, as they have posted 80-plus points in 7 of their last 11 games. In their first season in the Big Ten, the Trojans have logged 82-plus points in four of their last six matchups -- which have all come against conference opponents.

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Which bets stand out to you across the nation tonight? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest college basketball betting odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.