College Basketball Betting Picks for Tuesday 12/5/23

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. 11 Florida Atlantic Owls at No. 20 Illinois Fighting Illini

Under 145.5 (-110)

The Jimmy V Classic in Madison Square Garden features a must-see doubleheader with two top-25 matchups. The matchup of the day is between No. 11 Florida Atlantic and No. 20 Illinois.

The Owls have been on an absolute tear since falling to Bryant on November 18th with five consecutive wins by an average score margin of +16.4 points. The Fighting Illini have also pieced together a hot streak with four consecutive wins while going 3-1 against the spread (ATS).

This is a battle of contrasting styles, as the Florida Atlantic has KenPom's seventh-best adjusted offensive efficiency while Illinois has the eighth-best mark in adjusted defensive rating. The total is sitting in a sort of middle ground at 145.5. FAU is used to high-scoring games, as they total 83.9 points per game (PPG), which is in the 90th percentile. Meanwhile, the Illini hold opponents to only 58.6 PPG (seventh-lowest).

Which side will reign supreme? Will the Owls' offense lead to a high-scoring game, or will the Fighting Illini's stingy defense have its way? I'm going with the latter.

FAU may not be known for their defense, but it's in the 90th percentile of adjusted defensive efficiency. The paint defense has been a clear strength, holding opponents to 45.5% on two-point attempts (80th percentile). Illinois relies on two-point shots because they shoot only 33.0% on threes (bottom 47%).

Despite the inefficient shooting, the Illini tend to launch threes at a high rate with 25.1 attempts per game (79th percentile). The Owls give up 21.9 three-point shots per game (bottom 53%). Florida Atlantic could be just fine with Illinois hoisting three-pointers due to their poor shooting mark. The Owls could focus on packing the paint, taking away easy two-point looks from the Fighting Illini.

Illinois' defense has flourished in nearly every category. The unit leads the nation in opponent two-point percentage (36.3%) and opponent field goal percentage (33.9%), ranks in the 86th percentile of three-point attempts allowed per game, and is in the 90th percentile of free throw attempts allowed per game.

This defense could take away several of the Owls' strengths, especially scoring in the paint. FAU shoots 58.6% on two-pointers (95th percentile) and 38.4% on three-pointers (90th percentile), but the Fighting Illini does a great job of limiting shots from beyond the arc.

Illinois' defense has been elite on nearly every front, which could frustrate Florida Atlantic. The Owls' defense also has a favorable matchup against the Illini's offense. The under could be the wise pick.

Providence Friars at No. 19 Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma -5.5 (-105)

Oklahoma was one of the big movers in this week's AP Top 25 Poll. The Sooners are off to a red-hot start with a 7-0 record while going 5-2 ATS. Providence -- who is on a four-game winning streak -- is looking to hand OU their first loss of the season.

Similar to Florida Atlantic-Illinois, this will be a strength-on-strength matchup. The Sooners boast the 35th-best mark in adjusted offensive efficiency while averaging 87.4 PPG (96th percentile), and the Friars have the 21st-best adjusted defensive efficiency, holding opponents to only 63.6 PPG (90th percentile).

Oklahoma is the more balanced team with the 23rd-best defensive efficiency, while Providence has the 79th-best offense. This could determine the outcome of the game, leading to another Sooners win and cover ATS.

The Friars shoot 56.1% on two-pointers (86th percentile) -- perhaps their best strength on offense. However, the Sooners have absolutely bullied teams in the paint. On defense, they average 4.9 blocks per game (85th percentile) while holding opponents to 42.9% on two-pointers (94th percentile).

OU also averages 23.4 two-point makes per game (95th percentile) while shooting 61.7% on two-pointers (98th percentile). Otega Oweh (15.7 PPG) and Jalon Moore (10.7 PPG) could be potential matchup problems for Providence. The Friars' Bryce Hopkins has the most defensive possessions on the team and has the second-worst Defensive Bayesian Performance Rating among starters at 1.41, per EvanMiya.

The Sooners' ability to win the painted area could lead to the cover ATS.

No. 9 North Carolina Tar Heels at No. 5 UConn Huskies

Over 151.5 (-110)

A top-10 collision between North Carolina and UConn caps the Jimmy V Classic. The Tar Heels have won three consecutive games, which were all against Power Six opponents (Florida State, Tennessee, and Arkansas). The Huskies come off their first loss of the season against Kansas (69-65), but they remain one of the nation's best teams, ranking fourth overall in KenPom.

Both teams certainly know how to light up the scoreboard with points. UNC boasts the fifth-best adjusted offensive efficiency while Connecticut has the fourth-best mark in the category. The Tar Heels total 86.3 PPG, and the Huskies rack up 85.8 PPG (both marks are in the 94th percentile).

North Carolina has practically lived at the free throw line with 28.8 shots per game (99th percentile). UConn ranks outside the top 100 by giving up over 17.0 free throws per game while fouling on 20.9% of plays. Armando Bacot (16.3 PPG), RJ Davis (20.4 PPG), and Harrison Ingram (14.5 PPG) could be poised for big games, as they lead the team in free throw attempts.

The Tar Heels' defense has some weaknesses, especially from the three-point line. They give up 24.5 three-point attempts per game (bottom 21%) and 8.0 made three-pointers per game (bottom 27%). The Huskies shoot 25.8 threes per game (82nd percentile). Tristen Newton (17.5 PPG) and Cam Spencer (15.0 PPG), who leads Connecticut in scoring, both shoot over 37.0% from beyond the arc.

These are two of college basketball's best offenses. I expect that to be on full display with both units holding some advantages, leading to the over. The over is 4-1 over UNC's previous five contests.

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.