Best College Basketball Picks Today: Can Houston Stay Undefeated in Big 12 Action?

Wednesday night’s college basketball slate features several high profile Big 12 matchups, including the Utah Utes versus the seventh-ranked Houston Cougars and the 12th-ranked Kansas Jayhawks versus the TCU Horned Frogs.

For a breakdown and analysis of these matchups, keep reading below for our best college basketball picks!

The odds for today's college basketball games are from FanDuel Sportsbook. Place a $5 bet at FanDuel and Get $300 in Bonus Bets If Your Bet Wins.

Utah @ No. 7 Houston

• Date: Wednesday, January 22

• Time: 6:00 pm EST

• Moneyline: Utah +1280 | Houston -3500

• Spread: Utah +17.5 (-102) | Houston -17.5 (-120)

• Total: Over 133.5 (-115) | Under 133.5 (-105)

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

PICK: Houston -17.5 (-120) at FanDuel

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Houston’s non-conference schedule had a few blips, including losses to Alabama, San Diego State, and Auburn. However, two of those three teams are now ranked in the top four of the AP Poll, so those losses are by no means “bad.”

What the tough non-conference gauntlet did do for the Cougars, though, is prepare them for a tough conference schedule. 

So far, they have dominated the competition in the Big 12, winning all six of their conference games and five of those six by double-digits. 

The Cougs’ only non-double-digit win came last weekend against UCF on the road. 

So, will we see a second consecutive barnburner for Houston, or will the Cougars dominate Utah?

Expect the latter. Houston is outrageously impressive on its home floor, shooting roughly 45% from 3-point land, which is third nationally.

Additionally, Houston ranks seventh in offensive rebounding percentage, third in turnovers per game, first in opponent effective field goal percentage, and has the second-highest average scoring margin (+31.8) at home.

Utah’s frontcourt duo of Ezra Ausar and Lawson Lovering is formidable and the two have been playing even better, as evidenced by their combined 39-point outing in a narrow overtime win at home against BYU.

But Ausar and Lovering don’t shoot 3s, allowing Houston’s uber physical and stout interior defense, including J’Wan Roberts and Ja’Vier Francis, to patrol the paint. 

The Cougs’ defense holds opponents to an astounding 37% shooting inside the arc at home. It’s difficult to see where Utah will find consistent offense.

Lastly, since the beginning of the 2023-24 season, Houston has accumulated a 17-8-2 record against the spread, consistently winning and covering against inferior competition. 

Wednesday night should be no different.

No. 12 Kansas @ TCU

• Date: Wednesday, January 22

• Time: 7:00 pm EST

• Moneyline: Kansas -255 | TCU +205

• Spread: Kansas -6.5 (-104) | TCU +6.5 (-118)

• Total: Over 136.5 (-110) | Under 136.5 (-110)

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

PICK: TCU +6.5 (-118) at FanDuel

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The preseason top-ranked Kansas Jayhawks have already dropped two games in conference play, putting their backs up against the proverbial wall; they need to string together several wins to keep within striking distance of the dominant Houston Cougars.

Kansas dropped a horrendous home loss (yes, at Allen Fieldhouse) to West Virginia.

While the Jayhawks did bounce back, winning four of their next five conference games, a Big 12 regular season title will still be an uphill battle.

Can Kansas grab a much-needed road win against TCU?

The Jayhawks, and their fourth-ranked defense (adjusted defensive efficiency) per KenPom, should be able to squeak out a narrow road win, but it won’t come easy against a TCU team that has been rock-solid at home, save an outlier game against Utah.

The Horned Frogs have an exceptional defense (28th in adjD) and it only improves on their home floor, as they hold opponents to an effective field goal percentage of 45.7% and merely 60 points per game.

TCU also has a terrific interior defender in Ernest Udeh Jr, which gives the Horned Frogs a chance at slowing down dominant center Hunter Dickinson. 

If they can mitigate Dickinson’s offensive impact, they will be in terrific shape, as the Jayhawks have been in a shooting slump from deep.

In fact, they are shooting the 15th-lowest percentage in the country from 3-point land over their past three games.

I’ll take the points with TCU.