College Basketball Betting Picks for Saturday 1/20/24

The college basketball season always provides a flurry of twists and turns that few saw coming -- especially when March Madness comes around. This can make college basketball one of the most challenging sports to bet on.

Fortunately, we have plenty of tools available that can aid our chances of taking the most favorable college basketball bets. Bart Torvik and KenPom are excellent sources that give insights into team-level efficiency, and Sports Reference provides a wide range of useful team stats, as well.

Let's check out FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball odds and select some of the best bets of the day by utilizing the mentioned tools.

Please note lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published.

College Basketball Best Bets

San Diego State at Boise State

Boise State +1.5 (-120)

Less than a year removed from being named national runner-up, the San Diego State Aztecs (15-3) are once again off to a hot start. Competing in a Mountain West Conference that is becoming increasingly prevalent on the hardwood, the Aztecs will head north to Idaho for an adversarial clash with the Boise State Broncos (12-5). Tip off is scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m. EST.

Currently, San Diego State sits atop the MWC while the Broncos are close behind in third. In conference, SDSU has played to a 4-1 record thus far, losing badly last weekend to New Mexico. For BSU, they are 3-1 within their circuit -- the lone conference loss came their last time out, falling short against UNLV.

Broncos head coach Leon Rice is looking to get his side back into the winner's circle, especially on Boise State's home floor. Behind an active defense, BSU has allowed just 64.9 PPG. That should bode well against a rebuilding Aztecs team that has scored more than 80 points in a game just once through their past five contests.

Although I've been only once, I can personally attest to the student section at ExtraMile Arena; it is a raucous environment. Being that Boise State is a short home underdog (+1.5 points), I will take the points.

My confidence in BSU at home is amplified by numberFire's CBB game projections. For this contest, their model has the Broncos winning by an estimated score of 66.96-66.13. To double down, ESPN's Matchup Predictor gives Boise a 59% chance of winning outright.

No. 24 Iowa State at No. 19 TCU

Iowa State +3.5 (-105)

Transparently, this Big 12 showdown could end up being the game of the weekend. In Fort Worth, the Iowa State Cyclones (13-4) will run with the Texas Christian Horned Frogs (13-4). As it is now, both programs are ranked within the AP Top 25. From there, ISU and TCU show identical overall and conference records (2-2); talk about splitting hairs.

Broadly, the Horned Frogs tend to score a little more (83.6 PPG/22nd in Division I) while the Cyclones have played stifling defense (60.1 PPG allowed/5th). Truly, we should see a clash of styles inside Schollmaier Arena this Saturday.

They say you should not bet on an underdog against the spread (ATS) because you think they can keep it close; take the points when you think they can actually win. Well, this meeting outside Dallas fits that bill. I would not be at all shocked if head coach T.J. Otzelberger and his scrappy bunch from Ames earned the victory in Frog territory.

Led by head coach Jamie Dixon, Texas Christian is obviously a talented team, but the Big 12 is arguably the top men's basketball conference in the nation. Given the way Iowa State plays defense (holding opponents to a lowly 38.8% shooting from the field), I believe they stand a quality shot to cover on the road.

Looking at numberFire's power rankings, the Cyclones (15.06 nERD) show up at 12th in the country. For the Frogs (12.64 nERD), they are a bit further down at 25th overall. In my eyes, that is enough of a difference to take Iowa State ATS.

Saint Mary's at San Francisco

San Francisco -1.5 (-102)

A late one for you East Coasters, the Saint Mary's Gaels (13-6) will make the short drive across the picturesque Bay Bridge to play the San Francisco Dons (15-4). Along with Gonzaga, these two teams on hand are cream of the crop in the WCC. Tipping off at 10 p.m. EST, get ready for late-night hoops on the Hilltop.

Head coach Randy Bennett has done impressive things with Saint Mary's men's basketball program. Through his 23 years coaching in Moraga, Bennett has consistently developed some of the best international talent. However, this current group in San Francisco sits atop the conference. So, can the Gaels pull off an upset at War Memorial Gymnasium?

The Dons, in just their second year under head coach Chris Gerlufsen, have rapidly trended in the right direction. Anchored by persistent defense, USF has surrendered just 62.3 PPG (9th in Division I). In home games, that clip is even lower at 59.5 PPG, and the Dons are an undefeated 10-0.

Against the spread, San Francisco has been one of the top teams in college basketball. To this point, USF has played to a 13-5 ATS record -- good enough for a 72.2% cover rate on the season. The Dons are a short 1.5-point favorite (-102 odds) on Saturday night.

San Francisco is currently on a seven-game cover streak (winning each bid outright). Additionally, the college basketball game projections at numberFire suggest a winning evening for USF, yielding an estimated score of 67.79-62.96. With that, I am eager to make a play on Bill Russell's alma mater this weekend.

Looking for more college basketball betting opportunities? Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook to check out all of the upcoming college basketball odds.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.