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Maryland Terrapins guard Jahmir Young (1). Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

NCAAB betting: Time to catch up on college hoops

By Matt Wiesenfeld | Last updated 1/12/24

College football season is over. The title game might not have had as much drama as we were hoping for, but Michigan is a worthy champ. I was wrong on the side but hopefully, you scooped up that J.J. McCarthy rushing yards prop.

Now we shift gears to college hoops. I do not have enough space to recap the season to date, but it has been a tough week for top teams this week (and it has created some opportunities). I know we have a jam-packed weekend of NFL football on the horizon but you need to tune into something on commercial breaks. Right?

Here is a look at some of the top games from Saturday and Sunday in college hoops. There are no lines posted yet but I have taken a shot so we can talk about them in betting parlance.

Saturday, Jan. 13

Kentucky Wildcats @ Texas A&M Aggies
2 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Projected line: Kentucky -2

The Aggies were a sneaky pick for a special season this year, but are just 9-6 after a couple of losses to begin SEC play. At Auburn is acceptable, but losing at home to LSU is not. Especially with this being a very experienced team. Kentucky is the opposite, with its best player a freshman once again (Reed Sheppard). However, this group has shot the ball really well and they are playing with a ton of confidence right now. I want to buy low on Texas A&M at some point but this matchup is not the one for me. They do not score enough to put real pressure on the young Wildcats, who are only getting more comfortable.

Look to back Kentucky up to -3.

Oklahoma Sooners @ Kansas Jayhawks
2 p.m ET (ESPN+)
Projected line: Kansas -5

I forgot about Porter Moser coaching at Oklahoma. This is shaping up to be his best season at OU and their only losses are on the road to good teams. They might be getting Kansas at just the right time too ... but, there is no doubt that Kansas is the better team, with a roster of players that will dot NBA rosters in the future. The Jayhawks' loss to UCF presents a buy-low opportunity and their combo of big man Hunter Dickinson and wing Kevin McCullar is as good as anyone's in the nation. They are so very good at home too.

Look to back Kansas up to -7.

Houston Cougars @ TCU Horned Frogs
6 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Projected line: Houston -7

Houston is off its first loss of the season, on the road at Iowa State. That game has done little to shake my opinion of them, though in general, I do not see this team as good as the ones we saw over the last couple of years. The loss of lead guard Marcus Sasser is really big. The Cougars are new to the Big 12 so some of these road trips are a little foreign, however, this one is not much of a journey though, and I am right back on Houston to be smothering against TCU. The Horned Frogs' record is nice but they had not beaten anyone until their most recent win over Oklahoma, a team I am not impressed with (see above). I am not sure where they find consistent advantages. As long as Houston is solid they get the win.

Look to back Houston in the -5 to -7 range. Or add them in a Moneyline parlay.

Sunday, Jan. 14

Maryland Terrapins @ Illinois Fighting Illini
2 p.m. ET (Fox)
Projected line: Illinois -12

Illinois is a very interesting team. There is no doubt they have talent and they have looked just fine without top scorer Terrence Shannon Jr., whose status is still unclear from game to game. They were not supposed to be this good though, they are 10th at KenPom, and all of their losses are to strong teams — Purdue, Tennessee, and Marquette. I think they are overvalued in the market right now which is why I am fading them. Maryland has underperformed thus far, but they play really good defense and in lead guard Jahmir Young they have the kind of player who can keep things nice and settled on the road. Certainly enough for this group to be competitive and not lose by double digits.

Look to back Maryland at anything over +10.

Memphis Tigers @ Wichita State Shockers
1 p.m. ET (ESPN, fubo)
Projected line: Memphis -5

Memphis is one of the most interesting teams in the NCAAs for me. They are super old as seemingly every veteran player wants to make it their last stop. They are talented too, though I do wonder if the coach is not adding much value from the sidelines. Memphis is off to a 3-0 start in the American and their only losses this season are very acceptable — Villanova and Ole Miss. As for the Shockers, there is still some brand recognition there, but this team is mediocre at best. Their offense is limited and their defense is not enough to compensate. The homecourt advantage can only do so much and is mitigated some by all of Memphis' experience.

Look to back Memphis up to -7.

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