Wednesday’s 3 College Basketball Best Bets

Eight top-25 teams are in action in college basketball tonight — including No. 24 Florida vs. No. 13 Alabama and a huge matchup in the Mountain West — but we're searching for betting value.

With that in mind, here's college basketball best bets and odds, including Three Man Weave's three picks for Wednesday, February 21. You're up Ky McKeon!

College Basketball Best Bets

The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our college basketball betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.

By Ky McKeon

At this point, it’s become glaringly obvious that Memphis is in utter disarray. Head coach Penny Hardaway has been vocal about his disappointment and frustration with this year’s team, and the Tigers have fallen all the way down to No. 92 in KenPom after their recent 27-point loss to SMU.

What was supposed to be a squad that competed for an AAC title has devolved into a middle-of-the-pack mess fighting for its NCAA tournament life (if that’s even still on the table at this point).

Charlotte, on the other hand, has blown away expectations with a new head coach who took over just before the season started. The 49ers sit just one game back of first place in the league thanks to their balance on both ends of the floor.

Charlotte packs it in defensively and makes opponents beat it with jump shots in a half-court game. Memphis has shot well this year, but it’s not immune to being baited into bad looks.

If shots are falling from the get-go, the Tigers could run away with this one, as Charlotte won’t take advantage of Memphis’ shaky ball handling, nor will it be able to keep Memphis off the glass.

But if Charlotte can force tough, contested outside shots — as it has all conference season — Memphis will get frustrated and force the action with “my turn, your turn” hero ball.

On the other end, Memphis’ defense has been largely undisciplined in league play. Charlotte should live at the free throw line as it baits the Tigers into cheap fouls.

Methodical ball movement and patience will ensure this game stays a low-possession one, which favors the more half-court-minded 49ers and hurts the transition-focused Tigers.

We’re backing the team that looks more like an actual team tonight, so I'll gladly take the five-point cushion.

Pick: Charlotte +5.5 (Play to +5)

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By Ky McKeon

Home court has been king in the Big Ten this season, with home teams winning 70.2% of the conference games, the second-highest win rate in the country.

Indiana hasn’t been great anywhere this season, but the Hoosiers have been a marginally better team at home. Assembly Hall is one of the best venues in all of college basketball and should play a factor in tonight’s result.

Nebraska finds itself a favorite at IU for the first time ever? (I’m not even going to look it up, as I'm just going to assume this has never happened). The Huskers are looking to stay on the right side of the bubble, and with five games against likely non-tournament teams left on their schedule, an NCAA berth is more than likely.

But Nebraska hasn't won a single game on the road in conference play this season. The Huskers stand 0-7 straight up and 1-6 against the spread away from Pinnacle Bank Arena in Big Ten play.

Perhaps it won’t matter tonight. Nebraska thoroughly dominated Indiana by 16 points in the first meeting between the two, forcing 19 turnovers and scoring 1.23 points per possession. IU even shot 50% from 3 — a true rarity for this team — and still got down by as many as 22 in the second half.

On paper, IU has a real advantage inside with Kel’el Ware and Malik Reneau. Those two combined for 34 points and 16 rebounds in the first game and should have success again tonight.

The key, as it often is for IU, will be the decision making and ball handling of the backcourt. Gabe Cupps has had good moments in his freshman season but is still inconsistent; Trey Galloway has been a go-to scorer one night and a ghost the next.

At home, in a game that keeps it in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten with a win, expect Indiana to play to its potential and exact revenge on the Huskers.

Pick: Indiana +1 (Play to -1)

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By Ky McKeon

I hate to kick a program when it’s down, but this DePaul team has just been a punching bag for Big East foes all season long. Results haven’t improved since the firing of head coach Tony Stubblefield, and the lowly Blue Demons sit 3-22 overall and 0-14 in conference play.

Marquette has the ability to blow teams out with its pace of play, scoring prowess and defensive chops.

While the Golden Eagles failed to run away in their first meeting with DePaul, they never trailed and led by as many as 19 points. Chase Ross — a key bench piece — sat out that game, and DePaul shot 11-of-24 from deep.

This season, DePaul has lost by over 20 points 10 times in its 14 league contests. Currently ranked 304th in KenPom, the Blue Demons resemble more of a Southland team than a Big East squad at this point.

Marquette should be able to name its number and cover the spread, barring another out-of-body shooting performance by the Demons.

Marquette’s extended pressure and league-leading defensive turnover rate should wreak havoc on the visiting Demons, as they've been among the conference’s worst at protecting the rock.

Shooting has largely been a major struggle for DePaul, and second-chance opportunities have been non-existent.

This should be a runaway if Marquette so chooses.

Pick: Marquette -25.5 (Play to -27)