For the first time this Winter, there are zero college football games this Saturday.
That allows college basketball's 120-game slate to take the spotlight.
Our college basketball betting experts are ready with five college basketball best bets and NCAAB predictions for Saturday, Jan. 3.
College Basketball Best Bets
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 12 p.m. | |
  | 2 p.m. | |
  | 6 p.m. | |
  | 8:30 p.m. | |
 | All Day | |
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. | ||
Kentucky vs. Alabama Pick
In the same way that Nate Oats wants his offense to utilize the 3-point shot, he wants his defense to emphasize stopping the 3 on the other end of the floor.
For a team like Kentucky, that's a dangerous dance.
Kentucky doesn't shoot the 3 especially well and has plenty of players who will gladly attack off the dribble. This game will be decided by what happens once those Wildcats make their way into the lane.
If they challenge Alabama rim protector Aiden Sherrell, they're likely to be sent packing.
If they can get Sherrell into foul trouble, that's huge. If not, Kentucky is likely settling for mid-range jumpers, much to Oats' liking. That's unlikely to be enough to beat a tough Tide team in Tuscaloosa.
I like Alabama's schematic advantages here enough to take the Tide laying points.
Pick: Alabama -6 or Better
| | | | |
Houston vs. Cincinnati Pick
By Jim Root
Houston has owned this series outright, winning 12 straight against Cincinnati, but the betting results have become far more nuanced.
After covering eight consecutive meetings from February 2020 through January 2023, the Cougars’ against-the-spread dominance has cooled, with Cincinnati covering four of the last five.
The tempo has also consistently leaned low, as six of the last eight matchups have finished under the total, reinforcing the physical, half-court nature that defines both programs.
Still, this game ultimately comes down to Cincinnati's ability (or inability) to score. The Bearcats sit outside the top 200 nationally in offensive efficiency, per KenPom, and now face one of the nation’s elite defensive units.
Houston is a long, physical and relentlessly disruptive team, and that profile is particularly punishing for a Cincinnati team that already struggles to take care of the ball and generate clean looks.
If the Bearcats can’t win the offensive rebounding battle or create turnovers of their own, extended scoring droughts are likely.
The home-court angle adds some intrigue. Cincinnati’s fan base has grown restless with the current regime, which tempers the usual Fifth Third Arena bump. However, this shockingly marks Houston’s first true road game of the season.
The Cougars were undefeated away from home last year and went 7–3 ATS, but this roster does feature two true freshmen in the starting lineup, which is worth noting in a hostile environment.
Even so, laying points with Houston remains my preference. Sampson’s style travels as well as any in the sport, even against Cincinnati’s terrific defensive rebounding.
I'll back the Cougars up to -9.5, trusting their physicality and composure to separate over 40 minutes.
Pick: Houston -9.5 or Better
| | | | |
UCLA vs. Iowa Pick
I project Iowa as a 6.8-point favorite, with a total of 141.
So, I'll be on both the Hawkeyes and the Over.
Regarding the side, I'm always looking to fade Mick Cronin when he leaves the Pacific Time Zone. West-Coast Big Ten teams have typically struggled traveling Eastward, and this will be the Bruins' first foray that way this season.
These are two ball-screen-heavy offenses against two defenses that hedge. However, the best way to create offense against hedging defenses is to find secondary creation, often through weak-side spot-up 3-point attempts. In that regard, these are two elite 3-point shooting teams (UCLA 40%, Iowa 39%).
I think both these squads can circumvent and score on the opposing defense.
However, I trust Bennett Stirtz more than Donovan Dent as a primary pick-and-roll ball-handler — Dent has been rather underwhelming in that role so far this season (.80 PPP, 49th percentile).
Additionally, Iowa is a dangerous short-roll-and-cut offense off of Stirtz, which is an elite way to create secondary offense against Cronin's aggressive ball-screen coverage.
Meanwhile, when not running ball-screens, UCLA is slightly more comfortable creating in post-up sets with Tyler Bilodeau, which I don't think will be as effective, especially considering the Iowa bigs have been rock-solid in post defense (.74 PPP allowed, 81st percentile).
Ultimately, I see Iowa winning a higher-scoring-than-expected game at home.
Pick: Iowa -4.5 or Better | Over 138 or Better
| | | | |
Florida vs. Missouri Pick
This game activated one of our PRO betting systems, powered by Evan Abrams.
The “Good Team, Conf, Sm Fav, Both Tms Bad ATS” system identifies undervalued favorites in NCAAB who win consistently but have struggled against the spread, facing opponents with similar ATS struggles.
In conference play, where matchups are familiar, and motivation runs high, the better overall team often prevails despite market skepticism caused by prior spread losses.
When a strong team sits as a slight favorite, it suggests the line has tightened due to mutual ATS underperformance rather than competitive balance.
This system capitalizes on that overcorrection, backing reliable programs that win outright at a steady rate when the market perception has dipped too far, turning short favorites into profitable plays.
Pick: Florida -7 or Better
| | | | |
Duck's Full Action App Card
Need more action for Saturday? It's always wise to see what our guy Duck is betting on!
Additionally, if you haven't already, make sure to download the award-winning Action Network App to track all your bets and follow all of our top experts.
| | | | |
