Jamie Squire/Getty Images. Pictured: Oscar Tshiebwe.
Tuesday is a great day because there’s plenty of college basketball.
The action really heats up around 9 p.m. ET, when Kansas and West Virginia battle in a matchup between top-seven teams and North Carolina and NC State take the floor in an in-state conference rivalry game. And don’t forget the game featuring two of the best teams in California in San Diego State and Saint Mary’s at the same time.
Mike Randle broke down each one of those games and shared a betting pick for each based on his analysis. Check out three of his favorite picks for Tuesday’s slate below.
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How to Bet Tuesday’s College Basketball Slate
Here’s a rundown of three of Randle’s favorite betting spots on Tuesday’s slate of games:
All listed odds have been updated as of Monday evening and via BetMGM.
Always shop for the best price using our NCAAB Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game.
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No. 3 Kansas vs. No. 7 West Virginia
By Mike Randle
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| Kansas Odds | -3 [BET NOW] |
| West Virginia Odds | +3 [BET NOW] |
| Moneyline | -160/ +135 [BET NOW] |
| Over/Under | 140.5 [BET NOW] |
| Time | 9 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN2 |
The stage is set for a classic battle when No. 7 West Virginia travels to No. 3 Kansas on Tuesday night. With two of the nation’s top teams, which are led by two of college basketball’s best coaches, expectations are high for a fantastic battle.
The Jayhawks have dominated the Big 12, winning 15 of the past 16 regular-season conference championships. Can Bob Huggins and the Mountaineers pull the upset at Allen Fieldhouse?
West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia (7-1) is off to a fantastic start to the season. The Mountaineers have elite efficiency on both ends of the court, ranking ninth in adjusted-defensive efficiency and 19th overall in offense, according to KenPom. Their only loss was an 87-82 defeat at the hands of No. 1 Gonzaga on a neutral court.
Huggins’ philosophy is grounded in pressure defense. The Mountaineers are one of the nation’s best teams at defending the 3-point shot. West Virginia has only allowed opponents to shoot 27.2% from beyond the arc and clamped down on Iowa State’s upset bid last Friday night.
The Mountaineers held the Cyclones to just 1-of-6 from deep to end the game and escape with a 70-65 win at home.
West Virginia actually has better offensive balance than in recent seasons.
Leading scorer Miles McBride (15 points per game, 3.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 42.3% 3-point shooting) has taken a huge step forward in his sophomore season and forms a strong backcourt pairing with senior Taz Sherman (12 points, 46.2% 3-point shooting).
But make no mistake: the Mountaineers are led on both ends of the floor by the powerful inside duo of 6-foot-10 junior Derek Culver (14.4 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 6-foot-9 sophomore Oscar Tshiebwe (8.8 points, 7.3 rebounds). Culver has three consecutive double-doubles and has improved to a respectable 66% shooting on free throws.
Tshiebwe struggled early in the season but has responded after public support from Huggins. He has posted consecutive 12-point games and has avoided the foul trouble that plagued him to start the season.
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Kansas Jayhawks
Head coach Bill Self has the Jayhawks (7-1) rolling again, entering this game on a seven-game winning streak. Kansas is coming off an impressive 58-57 win at No. 14 Texas Tech.
The Jayhawks are again strong on defense, ranking sixth-best in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency. Kansas is also limiting opponents from deep, allowing only 28.7% shooting from beyond the arc.
After losing over 31 points between center Udoka Azubuike (13.7) and guard Devon Dotson (18.1), the Jayhawks entered the season uncertain of where to get consistent scoring.
Junior Ochai Agbaji (15.3 points) and redshirt freshman Jalen Wilson (14.3 points) have answered the challenge with versatile production. Agbaji is shooting a blistering 47.7% from 3-point range, while Wilson has chipped in eight rebounds per game while shooting 37.5% from deep.
The Jayhawks have seen fantastic production from 6-foot-6 sophomore guard Christian Braun (13.4 points). While shooting 41% from 3-point land, Braun also leads Kansas with 6.1 rebounds per game.
The spotlight for this game will be on 6-foot-10 junior center David McCormack (9.8 points, 5.4 rebounds), who will need to avoid foul trouble while battling Culver and Tshiebwe.
McCormack has performed admirably this year but has yet to face an inside game as strong as West Virginia. He will also need a much better offensive performance, carrying just a 39.4% field goal percentage.
Kansas has generated 55.3% of their points from inside the arc, despite shooting just 45.3% on 2-point shots. The Jayhawks have been bolstered by one of the best offensive rebounding percentages in the nation, but can they continue that schematic against the Mountaineers?
Betting Analysis & Pick
Despite the Jayhawks’ dominance in Big 12 play, they’ve struggled against the spread (ATS) in conference home games. Big 12 opponents are covering at a 62% rate at Allen Fieldhouse since the start of the 2016-17 season.
West Virginia is 3-3 ATS in its past six trips to Lawrence. With a dominant interior presence and strong perimeter defense, I’m backing the Mountaineers to cover the small line in an empty home arena for Kansas.
Huggins has one of his best West Virginia teams ever, and I expect it to make a statement as the team to beat in the Big 12 on Tuesday night.
Pick: West Virginia +3 (down to +2.5).
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No. 17 North Carolina vs. NC State
By Mike Randle
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| North Carolina Odds | +1.5 [BET NOW] |
| NC State Odds | -1.5 [BET NOW] |
| Moneyline | +105 / -125 [BET NOW] |
| Over/Under | 144.5 [BET NOW] |
| Time | 9 p.m. ET |
| TV | ACC Network |
No. 22 North Carolina has dominated the matchups with in-state rival NC State, winning nine of the teams’ past 10 meetings, including the last five in a row.
Can Kevin Keatts’ Wolfpack lean on a strong front line and dynamic freshman guard to pull the home upset over the Tar Heels?
North Carolina Tar Heels
North Carolina (5-2) has rebounded nicely after consecutive losses to Texas and Iowa. It now heads to Raleigh to open ACC play against rival North Carolina State.
The Tar Heels have struggled to score all season, with poor shooting metrics across the board. They rank just 293th in 3-point shooting (26.6%) and 228th from the free-throw line (66.7%). The Tar Heels’ normally strong 2-point offense has also suffered, ranking just 170th (49.4%), per KenPom.
North Carolina’s offense revolves around 6-foot-10 senior Garrison Brooks (11.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg), who looks recovered from an ankle injury sustained in an early December loss to Texas. His frontcourt mate is sophomore Armando Bacot (11.4 ppg, 8.7 rpg), who is averaging 16.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks the past two games.
Freshman point guard Caleb Love (11.1 ppg, 3.7 apg) has been a solid contributor but must protect the ball better (3.6 turnovers per game). Fellow freshman R.J. Davis (10 ppg) has also been solid, but the Tar Heels lack consistent scoring from beyond the arc.
Their only consistent 3-point shooting threat is senior guard Andrew Platek (6.7 ppg, 42.1% 3P), who plays only 16 minutes per game.
The Tar Heels need to find success scoring inside, as they generate almost 59% of their scoring from inside the arc (39th-most in the country).
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NC State Wolfpack
Keatts enters his fourth season at N.C. State with a wide variance of expectations. The Wolfpack lost 26 points per game in backcourt scoring with the graduation of C.J. Bryce (13.3 ppg) and Markell Johnson (12.8 ppg).
However, the rapid development of four-star recruit Cam Hayes (11.3 ppg, 5.3 apg, 36.4% 3-point) has NC State already thinking about the NCAA Tournament.
Hayes is joined by senior and leading scorer Devon Daniels (16.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.1 apg), who has impressed on both ends of the floor with seven steals in the past two games. Senior guard Braxton Beverly (8.4 ppg, 50% 3-point) provides leadership and opens up the floor on offense.
The key for NC State is simply health. It was without Hayes and senior D.J. Funderburk in its last two games. The Wolfpack dressed only nine players in their loss to Saint Louis (80-69) and win over Campbell (69-50).
If Funderburk can go, he teams with 6-foot-11 sophomore Manny Bates (10.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg) in a strong frontcourt that can limit North Carolina. Bates was a force in the loss to the Billikens, with 20 points, seven rebounds, and eight blocks.
NC State’s metrics are strong on both sides of the ball. It ranks in the top 50 in both offensive and defensive efficiency, per KenPom, but has played a soft opening schedule. Per Warren Nolan, the Wolfpack’s opening five games rank just 248th in the country.
Betting Analysis & Pick
This pick is entirely dependent on Hayes and Funderburk. If both are on the floor, the pick is NC State at home. The Tar Heels’ weak guard play will struggle on offense, and I expect Bates and Funderburk to compete well against Brooks and Bacot.
If either player is out, this is stay-away for me. Assuming Keatts’ team is healthy, I’m gladly laying the 1.5 points, which will likely attract UNC support from the casual bettor.
Pick: NC State -1.5 (down to N.C. State -2) (if Hayes/Funderburk play).
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San Diego State vs. Saint Mary’s
By Mike Randle
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| San Diego State Odds | -2.5 [BET NOW] |
| Saint Mary’s Odds | +2.5 [BET NOW] |
| Moneyline | -146 / +124 [BET NOW] |
| Over/Under | 127.5 [BET NOW] |
| Time | 9 p.m. ET |
| TV | CBS Sports Network |
San Diego State and Saint Mary’s will meet halfway between their campuses in a neutral-court game at Mott Gym in San Luis Obispo, California.
The Gaels are coming off an impressive 53-33 trouncing of Colorado State, while the Aztecs suffered their first loss of the season to BYU, 72-62.
Will San Diego State bounce back in its last game before Mountain West play begins?
Saint Mary’s Gaels
Saint Mary’s is playing some of its best defense in head coach Randy Bennett’s 20 years at Moraga. The Gaels are top-25 in 2-point percentage allowed, limiting opponents to just 42%.
They enter this game on an eight-game winning streak after a season-opening, 73-56 loss to Memphis on Nov. 25.
Bennett’s teams are always strong on the defensive boards, and this year’s Gaels rank 20th-best in defensive rebounding efficiency, per KenPom. They have six players averaging 3.8 rebounds or more, led by forward Kyle Bowen’s 5.8 per game in about 20 minutes per night.
The Gaels’ leading scorer is senior Tommy Kuhse (15.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 6.3 APG, 38.5% 3-point), who has almost tripled his per-game scoring from last season. Sophomore Alex Ducas (10.9 PPG, 5.3 RPG), and 6-foot-10 forward Matthias Tass (10.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.1 BPG) help limit opponents’ second-chance opportunities.
The Gaels also spread the floor with sophomore Quinn Clinton (41.4% 3-point) and freshman guard Leemet Bockler (42.3% 3-point).
Bennett teams rarely beat themselves, ranking 32nd in the country with only 11.1 turnovers per game.
San Diego State Aztecs
In many ways, San Diego State is a mirror image of Saint Mary’s — but more athletic.
The Aztecs were off to a perfect 5-0 start before stumbling at home to BYU. They are ranked 26th in adjusted defensive efficiency, including the 11th-best defensive steal percentage, per KenPom. San Diego State ranks 57th in the nation with 17.2 turnovers forced per game.
Their offense is led by seniors Matt Mitchell (16.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG) and Jordan Schakel (13.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG). Both guards average over a steal per game while shooting at least 35% from 3-point land. In SDSU’s 80-68 win over No. 23 Arizona State, Schakel scored 25 points and went 5-for-9 from beyond the arc.
The Aztecs’ interior presence has been greatly bolstered by the return of 6-foot-10 junior Nathan Mensah (8.8 PPG, 7.2 RPG), who missed the final 19 games of last season with a respiratory issue. He had 17 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks in the win over the Sun Devils.
Similar to Saint Mary’s, the Aztecs play deliberate basketball with one of the slowest paces in college basketball. San Diego State ranks 326th in adjusted tempo, with the Gaels ranking 354th.
Betting Analysis & Pick
I favor the more athletic team in this neutral-court battle between two of the top basketball schools in California. This will be a slow-paced game, with the Aztecs having more offensive options outside of the Gaels’ jump shooting.
Coming off an embarrassing home loss to BYU, I expect Brian Dutcher to have the Aztecs ready from the start. Look for Mitchell and Schakel to balance the interior play of Mensah, and end the Gaels’ eight-game winning streak.
Pick: San Diego State -2.5.
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