4 Best College Basketball Bets and Player Props for Tuesday 3/11/25

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

Syracuse vs. Florida State

Syracuse Over 73.5 Points (-110)
Eddie Lampkin Over 25.5 Points and Rebounds (-120)

At 13-18, the Syracuse Orange haven't had near the season expected from the longtime successful program. A miraculous ACC title run to make the dance would have to start tonight.

The Orange defense (173rd overall in KenPom) is a problem, but this matchup to score seems to play into their strengths -- especially in a neutral-floor environment where shooting can be tough. They lag behind most nights from deep (328th in three-point attempt rate), but they're a modest 138th in two-point field goal percentage (2P%).

Plus, the Florida State Seminoles' problems with hacking could be relevant here. They're 292nd in free throws allowed per game, which will only be exacerbated against a Syracuse squad that has to attack the rim.

I can't trust Syracuse's defense to cover a small spread (3.5), but they should be able to eclipse this total. DRatings (75.2) has a higher median points projection than this by a good margin.

One of the ways they can get there is a mammoth game from Eddie Lampkin.

The 6'11" senior has to be licking his chops to face the 'Noles. Florida State is 299th in two-point field-goal rate allowed in addition to their problems with fouling. Plus, they're 275th in defensive rebounding, opening the door for putbacks.

In general, he should chew this matchup alive. However, he was limited to just 18 minutes due to foul trouble in these teams' only seasonal matchup. That might have this line a bit undervalued when, in general, he averages 15.5 points and 12.8 rebounds per 40 minutes behind a 19.7% usage rate, and Syracuse is punching in their own weight class today.

If he can avoid getting handsy with FSU's prolific big man, Malique Ewin, I love his chances to post a fat double-double.

Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary's

Saint Mary's Moneyline (+140)

Long seen as the "little brother" in this WCC rivalry to make the tourney as an at-large bid, the Saint Mary's Gaels have taken it to the Gonzaga Bulldogs this season.

Saint Mary's won both regular-season matchups by an average of 5.5 points, including a 7-point road win. The WCC Tournament finale in Las Vegas should have plenty of both teams' fans in action.

The Gaels have a huge advantage based on last night's action. Saint Mary's climbed to a 25-point lead in 35 minutes and was able to coast against Pepperdine for most of the second half. Gonzaga had a surprisingly competitive affair with San Francisco, winning by only nine in a one-point affair at halftime.

In a vacuum, Gonzaga (8th overall in KenPom) should beat Saint Mary's (24th) head-to-head, but the Gaels' 11th-ranked defense has stymied them on two occasions, and they've got fresher legs tonight. There's a motivation element here, too.

Not even truly factoring in rest, DRatings has Saint Mary's 43.4% likely to win tonight's contest, which would normally imply closer to +130 odds to do so.

UCF vs. Utah

Ezra Ausar Over 16.5 Points (-105)

Tonight's matchup for the Utah Utes' offense is awesome.

The UCF Knights have the highest adjusted tempo (12th) and worst defensive efficiency (117th) in the Big 12, per KenPom. Oddsmakers know that, too, though. The Utes' team total (78.5) is steep for a team who broke 80 points just once in conference play.

Instead, I'll target Ezra Ausar, their leading interior scorer. Ausar is the team's leader in usage rate (27.5%) against a UCF squad that's 240th in 2P% allowed compared to 135th in 3P% allowed, according to Bart Torvik.

Further, Ausar has averaged 19.5 PPG in three contests against top-25 teams in tempo this year, including a 20-point outing against these Knights on February 23rd.

He's played just 23.5 minutes per game this year, but the chips are on the table. The Utes need a deep Big 12 Tournament run to even sniff the dance, so I'm expecting 29-plus minutes -- as he's played in four straight.

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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.