College Basketball Betting Picks for Saturday 1/13/24

The college basketball season always provides a flurry of twists and turns that few saw coming -- especially when March Madness comes around. This can make college basketball one of the most challenging sports to bet on.

Fortunately, we have plenty of tools available that can aid our chances of taking the most favorable college basketball bets. 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.

College Basketball Best Bets

No. 6 Kentucky at Texas A&M

Under 156.5 (-110)

A true blue blood of men's college basketball, the Kentucky Wildcats are in their 15th season under head coach John Calipari. Yet again, the boys from Lexington are off to a hot start, playing to a 12-2 record thus far in the current season.

This Saturday afternoon, the Wildcats will head to College Station to challenge the Texas A&M Aggies. With head coach Buzz Williams, Texas A&M is on a quest to win at least 25 games for the third consecutive season. In 2023-24, Gig 'Em is allowing just 66.7 points per game (PPG), which is quite stingy for the modern era.

Considering that ESPN's matchup predictor is giving the No. 6 Wildcats just a 34.4% chance of victory on Saturday, I will steer clear of playing a side in this bid at Reed Arena; let's go under 156.5 total points. Keep in mind: both teams here are freshly into SEC play.

Per the game projections on numberFire, the Aggies are predicted to edge out Kentucky by an estimated score of 74.57-74.08. So long as these sides avoid overtime in College Station, that presents a sum of 148.65 points, which provides nearly eight points of cushion against a 156.5-point total. Genuinely, I believe this one ends up being a slower-paced game.

No. 2 Houston at TCU

Houston -4.5 (-110)

As the No. 2 team in the land right now (according to the AP Top-25), the Houston Cougars have national title aspirations in 2023-24. For head coach Kelvin Sampson, this is his 10th season leading UH, as the Cougars have gotten off to a fantastic 14-1 start. However, they are coming off their lone loss of the current campaign, dropping a close bid at Iowa State.

Saturday evening, Houston will make the 260-mile trip north to Fort Worth where the Texas Christian Horned Frogs await. TCU head coach Jamie Dixon is in his eighth year leading his alma mater (where he was a former All-Southwest Conference point guard). In the present, the Horned Frogs seemed charged up behind their 12-3 start.

Approximately halfway through the regular season, the Cougars are looking like a team to make real noise at the NCAA tournament. The backcourt duo of senior L.J. Cryer and sophomore Emanuel Sharp has been dynamic, combining for 30.1 PPG. They'll lead the effort for Houston in enemy territory.

I like H-Town to cover on the road for one prevalent reason; they are a top defensive team in the nation. In 15 contests this season, the Cougars have allowed only 50.3 PPG (best in Division I). Additionally, they have thrice held opponents to less than 40 points in a single game.

I like that sort of play to travel. Confidently, I'll take UH to cover four with a hook.

No. 8 Arizona at Washington State

Arizona -8.5 (-112)

Having recently begun their final season of Pac-12 play, the Arizona Wildcats have started conference action with a 3-1 record (12-3 overall). Despite having won back-to-back games, U of A is still looking to shake off the recent loss to interdivisional-foe Stanford. Regardless, the 'Cats are college basketball's top scoring school at 92.6 PPG. Oh yes, head coach Tommy Lloyd's team can put the ball in the cup.

Arizona will head way up north to Pullman (for perhaps the final time in quite awhile) to run with the Washington State Cougars, which, near the Washington-Idaho border, is one of the coldest places in the country. Thankfully, basketball is a game played indoors, but head coach Kyle Smith and Wazzu will still look to make 'Zona as disgruntled as possible.

Whether you are more comfortable with the 'Cats or Cougars here, this Pac-12 clash should provide quality action on the hardwood. For me, the fact that Arizona is 12-3 against the spread (ATS) as well as straight up is substantial. I can respect this WSU team, but I'm not sure they can slow down 'Zona -- even on their own floor.

Behind senior and St. Louis-native Caleb Love (17.7 PPG), the boys from Tucson have been nearly unstoppable on offense. Fellow seniors Oumar Ballo and Keshad Johnson have also been strong contributors for U of A. Simply, I think the collective pack of 'Cats will be too much for the Cougs to deal with.

One final note: in 2023-24, Arizona has been favored by at least 8.5 points on 10 occasions, going 9-1 ATS in those games.

Looking for more college basketball betting opportunities? Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook to check out all of the upcoming college basketball odds.

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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.