With so many exciting games on the college basketball slate, we narrowed down the best bets with our computer predictions. Which bets will you tail to profit tonight?
Picks Summary
- Michigan (+130) at BetRivers
- Marquette (-195) at Caesars Sportsbook
- Cal State Northridge-UCLA Over 137.5 (-110) at Bet365
Florida Gators vs. Michigan Wolverines
Tuesday, December 19, 2023 – 07:00 PM ET at Spectrum Center
Our AI Model believes the Florida Gators will drop a game in the Jumpman Invitational to the Michigan Wolverines, 82-79. With Michigan sitting at +130 at BetRivers, there’s value in the Wolverines.
Michigan’s head coach, Juwan Howard, is back from his heart surgery. He coached Michigan to an 83-66 win on Saturday against Howard. But the real test will come against the Florida Gators.
Florida’s Dominance on the Glass
Florida has dominated the offensive glass but has only shot 32.1% from three and 52.3% from inside the arc. On top of that, the Gators have hit only 65.5% from the foul line, which isn’t very good.
Meanwhile, Michigan has nailed 37.8% from three and 57.7% from two. Florida is good at defending inside the arc. However, opponents have drilled nearly 35% from three against the Gators this season.
While Florida will likely outbound on the offensive glass, Michigan has still earned 35.1% of offensive rebounds. The Wolverines have also shot it better from the foul line and won’t turn the ball over nearly as often.
I’ll gladly take the Wolverines at plus-money. They’re the better shooting team.
NCAAB Pick: Michigan (+130) at BetRivers (check our BetRivers Review)
Marquette Golden Eagles vs. Providence Friars
Tuesday, December 19, 2023 – 08:30 PM ET at Amica Mutual Pavillion
The AI Model suggests Marquette will escape with a 73-69 win over Providence. As the No. 6 team in the nation, there’s value in getting Marquette on the moneyline below -200 betting odds tonight.
This should be an amazing matchup in the Big East. Both Marquette and Providence are 9-2 and have intriguing matchups.
Marquette has shot an effective field goal percentage of 56.2%. The Golden Eagles have also turned the ball over only 14.4% of the time and have shot above 60% from inside the arc. Marquette has also hit 33.8% from three but isn’t effective on the glass.
Turnover Woes for Providence
On the other hand, Providence turns the ball over 20.2% of the time. At home, that rate could drop a little bit. However, the Golden Eagles have earned 22.9%. So even at home, the turnover rate still won’t be pretty.
Providence has been just as weak on the offensive glass as Marquette. Neither team will dominate the offensive glass. However, Providence will more likely miss more shots. The Friars have hit only 32.4% from three and 70.1% and 57.7% from inside the arc.
The Friars are still elite around the rim. It’s just that Marquette is still better from the field.
Look for the turnovers to pile up and for Marquette to shoot at a higher percentage. With that, we’ll back the Golden Eagles tonight.
NCAAB Pick: Marquette (-195) at Caesars Sportsbook (check our Caesars Sportsbook Review)
Cal State Northridge Matadors vs. UCLA Bruins
Tuesday, December 19, 2023 – 10:00 PM ET at Pauley Pavillion
The AI Model suggests UCLA and Cal State Northridge will combine for 144 points. With the total at 137.5 on Bet365, the Over is the play here.
UCLA’s Struggles
The UCLA Bruins haven’t performed against top competition. But they’ve been fine against lower-tier teams like Cal State Northridge.
It’s been ugly for the Bruins offensively. Make no mistake about it. However, these numbers are a bit skewed based on the fact that UCLA has lost to four teams in the top 28 of college basketball. They’ve scored at least 68 points in every game that they won. The Bruins are massive favorites in this game.
Cal State Northridge has fouled at a very high rate. Meanwhile, on offense, the Matadors have also turned the ball over 20.2% of the time. UCLA should get fast break buckets and points at the foul line throughout this game.
Effective Offense
On the other hand, Cal State Northridge is also very effective around the rim. The Matadors have nailed 52.5% from inside the arc and 71.3% from the foul line. They’ll see the foul line just as much as UCLA will in this game.
Both teams foul at a very high rate, which will add points to the scoreboard without the time moving. Therefore, I’ll back the Over in this game. I agree with the AI Model.
NCAAB Pick: Over 137.5 (-110) at Bet365 (check our Bet365 Review)
*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
