Conference play is in full swing and the last day of the 2025 calendar year has plenty of college basketball to watch.
There's a lot of betting value to be had in the sport on Wednesday, too.
So, read below for NCAAB best bets, including three expert picks and predictions for New Year's Eve.
College Basketball Best Bets
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 12 p.m. | |
  | 2 p.m. | |
  | 4 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. | ||
Loyola Chicago vs. Rhode Island
Does it feel good to back one of the worst against-the-spread teams in the country so far this season? No, no it does not. Loyola has been abysmal, going 2-11 with an average cover margin of -10.4 points per game. That’s … quite bad.
However, the Ramblers showed real signs of life last game. Before Christmas, the Ramblers went west to the Bay Area and beat Santa Clara outright as 15-point underdogs. That startling showing displayed the potential of a team that began the season 99th in KenPom.
This trajectory is also familiar for Drew Valentine’s squads. Over the course of his tenure, Loyola is 20-45 against the number in non-conference play, the worst mark in the entire country. In conference, that stabilizes to 40-38-1.
And statistically, the Ramblers profile well as a buy-low squad. Via their drop coverage and the presence of shot blocking menace Miles Rubin, they force incredibly long possessions on defense – the longest in the country, per KenPom.
However, scalding opposing shooting from deep (38.1%, 335th) and the free-throw line (79.4%, 364th) have badly undermined Loyola’s overall defensive numbers.
Per Shot Quality, those numbers are expected to be 5.9% and 4.6% lower, respectively, based on the shots conceded.
Given the Ramblers’ historical splits, the talent level in a “new season” (conference play), and the signs of life out west, I’ll take double digits against an up-and-down Rhode Island squad.
Pick: Loyola Chicago +10.5 (Play to +9)
Charleston vs. Elon
The Cougars are another disappointment that is looking to trend back up in league play. Though the Cougars are 7-6 against the number, they have not lived up to preseason hype – expectations that placed them among the top teams in the CAA.
Personnel issues have been a key detractor. After missing the first three contests, all-world athlete Mister Dean tore a knee ligament in the Virgin Islands. Veteran guard Connor Hickman had to sit the first five games before the NCAA granted him eligibility.
But for once, Charleston is actually getting healthier.
The biggest reason here is the return/debut of Colby Duggan, one of the Cougars’ most important pieces. A high-scoring stretch forward with some inside grit to his game, Duggan finally made his first appearance of the season against Drexel on Monday, and he tallied 10 points in 23 minutes.
He was an all-conference scorer for Campbell last season, and getting him back into an injury-depleted lineup could make a massive difference.
Elon is no slouch, itself a positive story that has risen nearly 130 spots in KenPom since the start of the season.
A blistering offense has been the primary engine. But against a talented Cougar squad, I am leaning into the “buy low, sell high” angle.
At the beginning of the season, Charleston would have been favored by at least a possession here.
Pick: Charleston +2.5 (Play to -1)
Saint Joe's vs. Saint Louis
Two programs headed in drastically different directions meet under the Gateway Arch to kick off A-10 play.
Saint Louis is the cream of the crop in the league, a top-40 squad with a real chance to navigate its way to an NCAA Tournament at-large bid.
Saint Joseph’s, meanwhile, lost its coach to the NBA in September and has plummeted 88 spots in KenPom since the season began, going 3-8 ATS.
Billikens coach Josh Schertz is known for his offensive mind, but the host squad also has terrific defensive numbers: 11th nationally in 2-point percentage defense, 10th in defensive rebound rate (KenPom).
Those numbers are heavily influenced by a soft schedule – one that ranks 325th by KenPom’s measure.
They have shut down a bevy of bad teams, and they have also benefited from positive shooting luck, as foes have made just 28.6% of their triples.
Of course, that will may correct against the visiting Hawks, who are an awful shooting team (26.6%, 357th nationally).
Lead guard Deuce Jones recently left the team, and the Hawks’ roster – mismatched with emergency September coaching hire Steve Donahue – does not have much offensive firepower.
Former power-conference guards Jaiden Glover-Toscano and Derek Simpson have slashing talent, but the Hawks have no cohesion or shooting.
The primary reason to back the Hawks here would be a simple “that’s a lot of points for a conference opener” angle.
However, “a lot of points” has not mattered for the Billikens, who sit at 7-4-1 against the spread thus far.
Their depth has allowed them to extend leads, even late in games.
I would play this out to Saint Louis -21.
Pick: Saint Louis -20 (Play to -21)
