Best College Basketball Bets Today: NCAAB Picks for January 9

Thursday’s college basketball slate is headlined by three Big Ten matchups, including No. 20 Purdue vs. Rutgers, Washington vs. No. 16 Michigan State, and Oregon vs. Ohio State!

We will be focusing on the former two matchups: Purdue vs. Rutgers and Washington vs. Michigan State.

Which teams will win or, at least, cover the spread on Thursday night?

Continue reading below to find our best college basketball picks and analysis today!

The odds for today's college basketball games are from FanDuel Sportsbook. Place a $5 bet at FanDuel and claim $200 in bonus bets.

No. 20 Purdue @ Rutgers

• Date: Thursday, January 9

• Time: 6:00 pm EST

• Moneyline: Purdue N/A | Rutgers N/A

• Spread: Purdue N/A | Rutgers N/A

• Total: Over N/A | Under N/A

All odds are available via FanDuel Sportsbook but are subject to change.

PICK: Purdue ML -1.5 (-112) at FanDuel

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Somehow, some way, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights were able to bring in two of the three top recruits (Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey) from last year’s class. 

It was the first time in program history that Rutgers snagged two players of that caliber.

Yet the Scarlet Knights have struggled quite a bit, holding merely an 8-7 record overall, including a 1-3 mark in Big Ten play.

A huge reason for their struggles has been their dicey play on the defensive end of the floor, a typical staple for Steve Pikiell-coached teams. 

In fact, they rank 100th in adjusted defensive efficiency, 228th in opponent points per game, 194th in opponent effective field goal percentage, and 134th in defensive rebounding percentage.

And, unfortunately, the Scarlet Knights’ offensive output is not consistent or well-balanced enough (68th in adjO) to offset their defensive issues.

Harper and Bailey will continue to carry a heavy load for Rutgers offensively but if other players aren’t knocking down shots and, at least, keeping opposing defenses honest, then the team’s ceiling will be quite low.

Meanwhile, Purdue has jumped out to a 3-1 start in Big Ten play, running through its past two opponents (Northwestern and Minnesota) by double-digits. 

In the Northwestern game, the Boilermakers held Nick Martinelli and Brooks Barnhizer to roughly half of their combined average, forcing other role players to step up and score. 

We will certainly see Purdue attempt that same feat again versus Harper and Bailey on Thursday night.

Now, the question is whether or not the Boilers can continue to build off their recent momentum and consistently lock down on the defensive end, where they have been suspect (59th in adjD) this season.

We believe they can. 

Purdue’s head coach Matt Painter will hone in on making Harper and Bailey take tough shots. 

They will inevitably make some, but if the Boilers can contest those attempts and force other Rutgers players to score, they should come away with the win.

This is especially the case since the Boilers boast the 11th-best offense (KenPom) nationally this season.

Washington @ No. 16 Michigan State

• Date: Thursday, January 9

• Time: 8:00 pm EST

• Moneyline: Washington +720 | Michigan State -1200

• Spread: Washington +13.5 (-110) | Michigan State -13.5 (-110)

• Total: Over 146.5 (-110) | Under 146.5 (-110)

All odds are available via FanDuel Sportsbook but are subject to change.

PICK: Michigan State -13.5 (-110) at FanDuel

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After a 3-0 start in conference play, the Michigan State Spartans sit atop the Big Ten, having logged wins over Ohio State, Minnesota, and Nebraska. 

Even more impressive is the Spartans’ average scoring margin in those games (+20.7), two of which were on the road!

Sure, Nebraska and Minnesota are down this year, but it is extremely promising for Spartans fans (and backers) that they put away bad teams without hesitation.

As has been the case for a few seasons, Michigan State has had ups and downs on the offensive end of the floor, ranking 35th in adjusted offensive efficiency (KenPom) thus far.

However, they understand their shortcomings (3-point shooting) and emphasize being great in other areas (2P%, OREB%, FT%).

Michigan State shoots just 28% from 3-point land, one of the worst marks in college basketball, but it limits its shots from deep (287th in 3PAs per game) and scores efficiently inside the arc (33rd in 2P%).

Further, the Spartans are exceptional on the defensive end, which is a huge reason for their success so far. 

They have the 12th-best defense, per KenPom, and hold opponents to 26.7% shooting from behind the arc and 39% shooting from the field on their home floor.

On the other hand, Washington is off to a rough 1-3 start to its conference season, but it has been better recently, splitting its last two games.

The Huskies beat Maryland and then narrowly lost (four points) at home against now-No. 13 Illinois. 

Could we see a letdown game from the Spartans tonight?

Probably not. It’s challenging to see a situation where the 134th-ranked offense in the country goes on the road and keeps a game against an elite Michigan State defense close.

There are a few other issues for Washington.

First, the Huskies foul a ton, which will put the fifth-best free-throw shooting team in America on the line. Free points for the Spartans.

Additionally, Washington is a mediocre defensive rebounding team, resulting in a plethora of second-chance opportunities for Michigan State. 

And that has been one of the game-changing areas for the Spartans this season, especially since their 3-point shooting has not improved.

We will lay 13.5 points with Sparty.