Top College Basketball Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Wednesday, December 28th (2022)

Dec 28, 2022 - 1:29 PM

After a slow resumption of the college basketball season with five Division I games on yesterday’s schedule, the majority of ranked teams (14 of 25) take to the hardwood today.

Here are our best bets for Wednesday’s college basketball action. (Odds courtesy of DraftKings)

Top College Basketball Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Wednesday, December 28th (2022)

Villanova vs. UConn Spread

It is easy to see why UConn is ranked No. 2 in the AP poll and No. 1 in the NET. The Huskies are one of three remaining unbeaten teams and boast the country’s third-largest scoring margin at 15.6 points per game. In addition, UConn is one of four teams in the country with four Quad 1 wins but the only one of those without a Quad 1 loss.

Six players average more than nine points per game for the Huskies, and they are balanced defensively as well, with the 12th-best scoring defense and seventh-best rebounding margin. And while Villanova is 5-0 since Cam Whitmore’s debut and has won six of the last seven in this rivalry, this is by far UConn’s most talented team in years.

The home team is 2-0-2 ATS in the last four meetings between these teams, while UConn is 10-1-1 ATS in its previous 12 games following a SU win.

Bet: UConn -12 (-110 at DraftKings) 

Kentucky vs. Missouri ML

Missouri is likely to be a popular underdog in this game, as it is coming off a 22-point home drubbing of Illinois, while Kentucky lost by ten against UCLA in its last meaningful game. However, the Bruins expertly turned the Wildcats into a half-court team, while John Calipari’s bunch is likelier to succeed when facing Missouri’s frenetic pace.

Kentucky has two significant advantages in this game. First, it shoots from beyond the arc at the eighth-highest rate (39.9%), while Missouri ranks 280th in defending the 3-point line (36.1%). In addition, Kentucky rebounds 37.6% of its misses (12th-highest), while Missouri allows a 35.7% offensive rebounding rate (347th worst).

The favorite has covered the spread in five of the last six meetings between these teams, and we like that to result in a big Wildcats victory tonight.

Bet: Kentucky ML (-150 at DraftKings)

Arkansas vs. LSU O/U

The injury bug has hit Arkansas hard this season, as two of its four leading scorers, Trevon Brazile (out for the season) and Nick Smith Jr. (out indefinitely), will not suit up tonight. Thus, the Razorbacks’ 79.4 points per game rate are not sustainable, especially when the competition ramps up in league play.

LSU has held eight of its 12 opponents to 63 or fewer points and has held its opponents to just 28.7% from 3-point range (31st best).

The Under is 11-4 in Arkansas’ last 15 games and is 20-8 in LSU’s last 28 against teams with a winning percentage greater than .600.

Bet: Arkansas-LSU Under 145 (-110 at DraftKings)

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