Just one ranked team is in action (No. 9 Gonzaga vs. Washington State), but that doesn't mean there isn't value on the college basketball odds board.
In fact, we have three spots to target for your betting card on Thursday.
Read below for college basketball best bets, picks, predictions and odds for Thursday, January 15.
College Basketball Best Bets
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 6 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 8:30 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. | ||
New Mexico State vs. Liberty
By Sean Paul
New Mexico State is off to a somewhat rocky start in league play. The Aggies are 2-3, and two of their losses came on the road.
Meanwhile, Liberty has rattled off seven straight wins, with five of them coming in C-USA play. The Flames won their last four conference games by eight-plus points.
And I'm expecting that to continue, so I'm laying the 8.5 points with Liberty. Nothing that New Mexico State has done in league play has me convinced that it can hang with a team like Liberty.
The Aggies' offense will likely put them in a hole that only offensive rebounding can get them out of.
The Flames don't play fast, but their shooting ability can help them bury teams.
Pick: Liberty -9.5
Read Sean Paul's full preview on this early C-USA game:
Detroit vs. Northern Kentucky
Advanced models disagree with the Detroit vs. Northern Kentucky line.
Detroit doesn't have a winning record this season, but PRO Projections suggest Thursday's spread may be a tad inflated.
While Northern Kentucky is laying 10.5 points around the market, the Action PRO line released a true spread more like -6, translating to a massive edge.
After adjustments, PRO still makes the fair line just Norse -7.4. The Titans might be below .500, but they've covered eight of the last nine overall and four of the last five in the head-to-head series.
Grabbing the points with Detroit is the play.
Pick: Detroit +10.5
Read Alex Kolodziej full NCAAB PRO piece for Thursday, including how to subscribe to our tools:
Tarleton State vs. Southern Utah
By Evan Abrams
Southern Utah is just 4-13 on the season and hasn't recorded a win in WAC play in its first four tries. However, my Bet Labs college basketball system "Off Good D and Dogs" says the play is on the Thunderbirds to cover the nearly seven-point spread on Thursday.
In college basketball, underdogs coming off a strong defensive performance often carry that intensity forward, especially during the grind of conference season.
While the Thunderbirds didn't beat Cal Baptist last Saturday, they held the Lancers to just 58 points.
These teams, despite having weaker records and poor performance against the spread, tend to play with higher effort and cohesion on the defensive end, which allows them to stay competitive against favored opponents.
Early and midseason months like November through February amplify this edge, as teams are still developing offensive rhythm while defensive execution remains more consistent.
When undervalued by the market, these underdogs leverage defensive momentum to slow pace, control tempo and cover inflated spreads, making them a profitable buy in these spots.
Most importantly, this system has a 3% return on investment (ROI) since its inception and a 18% ROI this season alone, creating nice value on this Thursday night play.
Pick: Southern Utah +6.5
