College Basketball Betting Picks for Tuesday 1/9/24

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. 2 Houston Cougars at Iowa State Cyclones

Houston -2.5 (-110)

College basketball fans are rejoicing as conference play is ramping up. This will be the first full week of Big 12 action, and the Big 12 is gearing up to be a juggernaut conference once again. In fact, Tuesday's slate features three promising matchups that have enticing betting odds.

Let's start with No. 2 Houston visiting Iowa State. The Cougars are 1-0 in conference play after dismantling West Virginia, 89-55, in their first Big 12 game. Houston -- a new addition to the conference -- has been everything the Big 12 was hoping for as they rank first in KenPom ratings with the 10th-best adjusted offensive efficiency and top adjusted defensive efficiency.

The Cougars' second Big 12 matchup should be a much tougher test on the road against the Cyclones, who are knocking on the door of the AP Top 25 Poll with 19 votes this week. Frankly, Iowa State should be in the top 25 already as they are 18th overall in KenPom, spearheaded by the 5th-best adjusted defensive efficiency.

They also feature an elite player in second-year guard Tamin Lipsey, who has been a stat-sheet-stuffer with 14.7 points per game (PPG), 5.9 rebounds per game (RPG), 6.0 assists per game (APG), and 3.4 steals per game (SPG). Lipsey has truly been one of the best players in college basketball with the seventh-highest Bayesian Performance Rating (BPR) at 7.96, per EvanMiya.

While Houston seems in store for a close game, they could still have the tools to cover the 2.5-point spread. Most importantly, Jamal Shead (9.7 PPG) boasts the top Defensive Bayesian Performance Rating (DBPR) in the nation and could help slow Lipsey. The Cougars' defense also leads college basketball in opponent field goal percentage (FG%), ranks second in two-point attempts allowed per game, and is fifth in opponent three-point percentage.

The Cyclones' strengths on offense have included 23.2 two-point makes per game (97th percentile) and a 36.7% three-point percentage (83rd percentile). Houston's defense has the ability to limit both categories.

The Cougars also rank within the top 100 of three-point percentage, and leading scorer L.J. Cryer (17.1 PPG) has shot 48.0% from three over his previous seven games. Iowa State surrenders the ninth-highest three-point attempt rate.

Thanks to their elite defense and success from the three-point line, Houston could be bound for their second consecutive win and cover in Big 12 play.

No. 25 Texas Longhorns at Cincinnati Bearcats

Cincinnati -4.5 (-114)

Cincinnati is another new addition to the Big 12, and they have not disappointed with a 12-2 record while ranking 29th in KenPom. Similar to Iowa State, the Bearcats are looking to crack the AP Top 25 Poll with 79 votes this week. They also come off an impressive 71-60 road win over BYU. Grabbing their second consecutive top-25 win could be exactly what the doctor ordered for Cincy to finally become ranked.

Tuesday's opponent -- Texas -- has struggled against the spread (ATS) with a 4-10 ATS record on the season and a 2-6 ATS record over their previous eight contests. An advantage in the paint could lead to the Bearcats covering their second consecutive game while adding to their four-game winning streak.

Cincinnati's offense is led by 6-foot-11 center Viktor Lakhin (13.9 PPG; 8.4 RPG) as they rank in the 88th percentile of both attempted and made two-pointers per game. The Longhorns have a pair of exceptional defenders in the frontcourt with Dillon Mitchell (2.76 DBPR) and Kadin Shedrick (2.38 DBPR), yet Texas gives up 39.5 two-point shots per game (bottom 20%).

On the other side of the court, the Longhorns rely on two-point looks with 39.6 shots per contest (75th percentile) compared to 20.1 three-point attempts per game (bottom 25%). The Bearcats are stingy in the paint, allowing only 16.6 made two-pointers per game (80th percentile) while giving up a 45.6% two-point percentage (85th percentile).

The battle of the glass looks like another advantage for Cincy as they are in the top 10 nationally in nearly every rebounding stat. You name it, they do it well. This includes defensive and offensive rebounds per game and rebounding percentage. Texas ranks outside the top 75 in offensive and defensive rebounding percentage.

I'm looking for the Bearcats to stay hot thanks to an advantage around the rim.

No. 18 BYU Cougars at No. 14 Baylor Bears

Over 154.5 (-110)

To cap off my college basketball picks for today, I'm targeting yet another Big 12 clash.

No. 18 BYU against No. 14 Baylor is the top game of the day as the lone top-25 collision. The Cougars have been one of the nation's most efficient teams, ranking within the top 10 of KenPom. They are fresh off a concerning 11-point home loss against Cincinnati as 10.0-point favorites, though. Will BYU get back on track?

Following back-to-back losses against Michigan State and Duke, Baylor has rebounded with three consecutive wins and covers. The offense has been rolling at 93.3 PPG during the three-game span, but their three-point attack lacked in Saturday's win over Oklahoma State.

The Bears' three-point shots per game have taken a big dip this season at 21.6 per game (bottom 40%) -- compared to ranking in the 93rd percentile in the category last season. Still, Baylor has made opponents pay from deep, shooting 43.2% (first). Ja'Kobe Walter (40.0% from three on the season) could be the player to watch as he averaged 24.5 PPG while making 9 of 18 three-point shots (50.0%) against Mississippi Valley and Cornell from December 22 to January 2.

However, the Cougs give up only 5.2 three-point makes per contest (99th percentile). BYU's weakness has been in the paint, with opponents averaging 38.9 two-point shots per game (bottom 26%). The Bears' change in shot selection this season (fewer threes) should be advantageous for this matchup. They rank in the 99th percentile of both made twos per game and two-point percentage.

This could be a game for Baylor's center Yves Missi (10.8 PPG) to feast; the 7-foot center has not attempted a three this season while shooting 67.5% from the field.

BYU isn't shy about launching threes, taking the second-most attempts per game, but the Bears are in the 86th percentile for fewest three-point shots allowed per contest. The Cougars may have to attack the rim more often with Baylor in the bottom 26% of opponent two-point attempts per game. Fortunately, BYU has shown the ability to thrive in the paint, shooting 59.4% on twos (99th percentile).

Both teams are in the top 35% nationally of field goals attempted per game, as well. With the total set at 154.5, the over looks promising with both offenses averaging over 88.0 PPG on the season (both top 10 nationally).

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.