Wednesday's college basketball slate isn't nearly as deep and strong as Tuesday's was, but there's still value to target from a betting perspective.
In fact, I have two mid-major affairs and a difficult buy game on the docket for my Wednesday betting card.
Read below for college basketball best bets, including three NCAAB expert picks and predictions for Wednesday, November 12.
College Basketball Best Bets
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 9:30 p.m. | |
  | 10 p.m. | |
  | 10 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NCAAB Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
South Dakota State vs. Oregon
All of the preseason concerns about Oregon’s lineup beyond Jackson Shelstad and Nate Bittle have rang true to start this season.
The Ducks barely scraped by Hawaii, 60-59, without Shelstad. Even when Shelstad shockingly returned early from an offseason injury to face Rice on Friday, the Ducks limped to a 67-63 victory as 15-point favorites.
Oregon has simply lacked the necessary offensive pop to get away from lesser competition.
The biggest cause for concern is on the wing, where the Ducks’ options have been a disaster. Chinese newcomer Wei Lin has been utterly horrific: 0-for-12 from the field with two assists and four turnovers in two games.
Dezdrick Lindsay hasn't been much better, and the starting duo of Takai Simpkins and Devon Pryor has been merely below average.
Bittle has remained a rock inside, particularly as a shot-swatting menace defensively. The visiting Jackrabbits will likely struggle to score at the rim, even via 6-foot-10 bully Damon Wilkinson. Fortunately, South Dakota State has the backcourt in Joe Sayler, Jaden Jackson and Kalen Garry to produce points in other ways.
South Dakota State has been a consistent mid-major presence over the years, and even with a coaching change this offseason (internal promotion of Bryan Petersen), the Jackrabbits should remain a force in the Summit League.
With Oregon still figuring out its identity, I'll take South Dakota State to keep another buy game highly competitive in Eugene.
Pick: South Dakota State +17.5 (Play to +15)
Long Beach State vs. Pacific
Two half court-focused teams meet in Stockton, and points should be at a premium.
Long Beach State is coached by Chris Acker, a former assistant at San Diego State, and his 49ers have become a watered-down version of the Aztecs. The offense is a chore, as Long Beach State has tallied 0.63 points per possession against those Aztecs and 0.86 PPP against Fresno State.
With Devin Askew’s offseason transfer to Villanova, Long Beach State simply has no go-to scorers or shot creators.
Pacific’s defense may not be a lockdown unit, but I do think it is better than Fresno State's. Ideally, Pacific will not need ice cold Long Beach State shooting to keep the 49ers’ offense under wraps.
Crucially, the pace of this game should be slow. Pacific played at a slow pace last year under second-year coach Dave Smart, and it crawled through its opener against Nevada (on offense, at least).
Long Beach State, meanwhile, also played slowly in Acker’s debut last season, and I don't envision Pacific speeding the 49ers up the way San Diego State's athleticism or Fresno State’s frenetic style did.
The Tigers added some much-needed scoring pop this offseason, but they still must solve Acker’s Aztec-inspired man-to-man, which has been solid so far through two games.
This number has been coming down all morning, but I would still bet it to 141.
Pick: Under 144.5 (Play to 141)
Portland State vs. San Francisco
The opposite of that slow under wager in Long Beach State/Pacific is this up-tempo over bet – also a late-night tip on the West Coast.
Portland State sets the tone there. Coach Jase Coburn’s system is heavy on full-court pressure, attempting to force turnovers or push opponents to take quick shots. The Vikings played an 80-possession game in their season opener against Stanford and then an 84-possession game against non-Division I Northwest Indian.
That mirrors last year, when they went 81 possessions with Wazzu in the opener and 90 possessions with Evergreen State.
Last year, an 87-possession track meet against WCC foe San Diego followed. I'm not asking for 87 possessions, but even cracking 80 would make this number highly attainable.
The ultimate hack to a winner here could be a free throw parade. Portland State’s chaotic trapping defense can often lead to a ton of fouling, and Coburn’s first four teams never ranked better than 228th in defensive free throw rate.
With the added emphasis on touch fouls, this weakness could be exacerbated in 2025-26. Case in point: Stanford took 36 freebies in the opener.
San Francisco is big and physical, with its entire rotation standing 6-foot-5 or taller, save for scoring guard Ryan Beasley. That size helped the Dons take 25 free throws on the road at Memphis, and I expect that number to be even higher at home against a mid-major foe.
Between the pace and the likelihood of fouling, I'll ride with the over here.
Pick: Over 153.5 (Play to 155)
