3 Best College Basketball Bets and Predictions for Wednesday 11/13/24

College basketball is back, 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 Picks

Le Moyne Dolphins at No. 3 UConn Huskies

Under 150.5 Points (-110)

Connecticut is expected to roll in this one as 37.5-point favorites over Le Moyne, and they've won their first two matchups by 36 and 39 points. Facing another inferior opponent at home, we should anticipate a similar result on Wednesday.

However, it's worth noting that UConn's first two games totaled 148 and 145 points, both of which would come under tonight's line.

One reason to consider taking the under is that Huskies play at a slow pace. Last season, UConn ranked 327th in adjusted tempo, per Bart Torvik, and they rank 341st so far this campaign. Le Moyne isn't likely to speed things up, either, as they were around league average last year and are 157th through their first three games.

While it's fair to assume the Huskies will rack up the points after scoring 92 in both of their victories, the Dolphins could struggle to score against what's easily the toughest defense they've faced thus far. Le Moyne struggled on offense last season, and they now rank just 270th in adjusted offensive efficiency. Meanwhile, Connecticut was fourth in adjusted defensive efficiency in 2023-24 and are ninth to this point.

Both Bart Torvik and Massey Ratings project 146 total points in a UConn blowout.

Houston Christian Huskies at No. 14 Creighton Bluejays

Over 156.5 Points (-115)

This game has one of the slate's highest totals, yet the over is still intriguing in a potential pace-up spot for Creighton.

Creighton is another massive favorite and boasted the 8th-best adjusted offense in 2023-24. It's safe to say they've looked the part this season, racking up 99 and 96 points in their two victories. Ryan Kalkbrenner scored a career-high 49 points in their season opener, further showing how scary this offense can be.

But the Bluejays also weren't an elite team in adjusted defensive efficiency (32nd) last season, and that could be the case once again after allowing 86 points to UT Rio Grande Valley and 70 to Fairleigh Dickinson -- not exactly college basketball's cream of the crop. That's led to their first two contests reaching 185 and 169 total points, both marks that would sail over tonight's line.

One thing Creighton's first two opponents had in common is that they play at a quicker tempo, and we should see that from Houston Christian, as well. The Huskies were 22nd in adjusted tempo last season and are inside the top 50 through their first two games.

Houston Christian could also drive up the score if they're proficient from beyond the arc, as they're fifth in three-point rate this campaign.

Similar to the UConn game, we should expect Creighton to hold up their end of the bargain for points, but in this instance, the opponent could also have an easier time contributing. Bart Torvik forecasts the Bluejays and Huskies to combine for 159 points.

UT Arlington Mavericks at USC Trojans

UT Arlington +15.5 (-102)

In the final game of the night, UT Arlington visits USC as a double-digit underdog, but they might be able to hang around just enough to cover the spread.

While the Trojans took care of business in their season opener versus Chattanooga, they narrowly defeated Idaho St. by six points in their second game, which is a team that's ranked 328th by Bart Torvik.

In contrast, the Mavericks finished 114th in last year's rankings and are 144th to begin this season, so they aren't expected to be total pushovers.

UT Arlington could help keep things competitive with three-point shooting. The Mavericks were 46th in three-point rate in 2023-24 and are 68th so far this season. While they haven't shot particularly well across their two games, they were above average in three-point percentage last season (92nd), so they should see positive regression.

Further, the Mavericks should be able to generate second-chance points as a solid offensive rebounding squad. The Mavericks were 65th in offensive rebounding rate last campaign and have dominated the offensive glass in the early going (5th). On the other hand, USC was 317th in defensive rebounding rate in 2023-24 and are just 303rd to begin this season.

Bart Torvik's model projects USC to win by 13, and Massey Ratings has the same margin of victory.

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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.