College Basketball Betting Picks for Thursday 2/22/24

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

Rutgers at No. 3 Purdue

Purdue -14.5 (-115)

The No. 3 Purdue Boilermakers (23-3, 12-3 conference) took down the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (14-11, 6-8) by eight when they faced off in New Jersey last month. I like them to double that margin of victory tonight, covering as 14.5-point favorites in the process.

The Boilermakers return home after an upset loss at Ohio State. That was only the eighth time Purdue has lost a regular season game over the past two seasons. They've played at home following a loss four times over that span, going 4-0 and winning by an average of 19.3 points.

I'm expecting a similar result tonight given how they match up with Rutgers. The Boilermakers got 26 points and 12 rebounds from Wooden Award favorite Zach Edey in the first matchup, and I don't see him down tonight. The Scarlet Knights do sport the Big Ten's top defensive rating, but Purdue has the conference's top offensive rating. It's not quite an "immovable object versus unstoppable force" situation, but it's not far off.

Still, Purdue shot 49% from the floor the last time these teams met, and that was despite a 26% mark from three. The Boilermakers boast the second-best three-point field goal percentage in the Big Ten, while Rutgers has ceded the third-most three-point attempts in the conference. That's not a recipe for success at Mackey Arena.

To say the Boilermakers have played well at home this season would be an understatement. They're a perfect 13-0 on the season, with 7 of those wins coming in conference play. In those 7 wins, Purdue has averaged 90.3 points and 9.9 threes per game, shooting 46% from beyond the arc. They've scored at least 79 points in every Big Ten home game, so I'm willing to look at Purdue Over 77.5 Total Points (-112).

Rutgers has by far the worst offensive rating in the Big Ten, and they've only reached 70 points in 5 of 13 conference games. That's not going to cut it, especially since Purdue is a top-five defense in the conference.

Even against a strong defense, Purdue shouldn't have any trouble scoring at home. In a bounce-back spot against a team they've already beaten this season, I'll take Purdue -14.5 (-115) and consider the over on their team total, too.

SMU at Florida Atlantic

SMU +6.5 (-114)

A top-four matchup in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) pits the Southern Methodist Mustangs (19-7, 10-3) against the Florida Atlantic Owls (20-6, 10-3). SMU and FAU are tied for third place in the conference, and the winner will all but lock up a top-four seed in the conference tournament. The AAC conference tournament rewards the top four teams double-byes into the quarterfinals, so this is a big game for seeding.

The home Owls are favored by 6.5 points tonight, but I'm all over the visiting Mustangs. I'll happily take them at +6.5, and their +220 moneyline odds are certainly appealing, too.

Simply put, there isn't a seven-point difference between these two teams, even accounting for home court advantage. They're within five spots of one another in the numberFire and KenPom models, while Bart Torvik has SMU a staggering 27 spots higher.

That said, these very well may be the two best teams in the AAC. In conference play, FAU sports the top offensive rating, with SMU right behind them in second. The Mustangs lead the conference in defensive rating and total rebound rate while FAU is seventh in defense and third in rebounding.

Sure, Florida Atlantic should get a slight bump at home, but SMU has proven capable of competing on the road. The Mustangs have a high-major road win over Florida State on their resume, and they haven't lost a roadie by more than five points all season.

This just hasn't been the same FAU team that made the Final Four last season, and they'll have their hands full with an SMU side seeking their seventh straight win. Give me SMU +6.5 in what should be a tight matchup.

No. 21 Washington State at No. 4 Arizona

Arizona -12.5 (-110)

We're treated to a top-25 matchup in the Pac-12 matchup when the No. 21 Washington State Cougars (20-6, 11-4) visit the No. 4 Arizona Wildcats (20-5, 11-3). These are the top two teams in the Pac-12, and tonight's contest could go a long way in deciding the regular season title.

Arizona currently holds a half-game lead over Washington State, but that's only by virtue of playing one less game. If Washington State were to win tonight (+660 moneyline), they'd jump into first place -- and own the tiebreaker -- with just four games to go. That's notable considering Arizona (-1050) is an overwhelming favorite to win the Pac-12 regular season, with Washington State (+550) the only other team shorter than +7500.

Shifting back to tonight, I have to side with Arizona here. The Wildcats have a perfect 13-0 record at home this season, outscoring their Pac-12 opponents by an average of 24.1 points per game at the McKale Center. Of their seven conference home games, only two were decided by fewer than 13 points.

Washington State did beat Arizona earlier this year, 73-70. That may go down as the Wildcats' worst shooting performance of the season. They shot 35% overall, 29% from three, and 62% from the free throw line. They're top-three in the Pac-12 in all three shooting percentages, so we can anticipate a poor-efficient outing tonight.

Arizona still out-rebounded Washington State by 11 in their previous matchup corralling 22 offensive rebounds. The Cougars are among the three best rebounding teams in the Pac-12, but they're notably behind Arizona.

With the Wildcats neutralizing one of their biggest strengths, I'm just not sure how Washington State keeps things close on the road. I'll take Arizona to cover -12.5 (-110) here and get revenge for their earlier loss.

If you want to play Washington State, taking their 1st Half Handicap (Washington State +7.5) is the way to go. Despite Arizona's home dominance, they've trailed at home twice in Pac-12 play. On the other hand, the Cougars sport the Pac-12's second-best first half average scoring margin and the best first half scoring defense.

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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.