College Basketball Betting Picks for Thursday 12/28/23

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

Central Arkansas Bears at No. 12 Oklahoma Sooners

Under 151.5 (-115)

Following their 81-69 loss against North Carolina, Oklahoma has a favorable matchup against Central Arkansas, who is 342nd overall in KenPom (out of 362 teams). The Sooners will likely get back on track as they are favored by 31.5 points.

Oklahoma is 1-2 against the spread (ATS) when favored by at least 26 points. Targeting the 151.5-point total could be the best bet.

The Bears' offense could be poised for a tough outing as they rank 320th in KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency. Central Arkansas totals only 68.1 points per game (PPG) -- which is in the bottom 28% of Division I -- and they are in the bottom 17% with a 45.8% effective field goal percentage (eFG%).

The Sooners could not ask for a much better matchup as they tout the nation's seventh-best adjusted defensive efficiency. The Bears aren't shy about launching it from deep with 23.8 three-point attempts per game (65th percentile). OU has an excellent perimeter defense, giving up only 5.6 made threes per contest (91st percentile).

Central Arkansas has few redeeming qualities on defense, but they hold opponents to only 34.8 two-point attempts per game (74th percentile). This should be quite useful against Oklahoma, who shoots 59.4% on two-pointers (98th percentile). Plus, the Sooners' leading scorer, Otega Oweh (15.6 PPG), has attempted only 14 threes on the season and heavily relies on twos.

The under is 3-1 over the previous four Central Arkansas and Oklahoma games. This matchup seems on track for a low-scoring affair with the under hitting.

USC Trojans at Oregon Ducks

Oregon -2.5 (-110)

USC and Oregon clash for their first conference battle of the season. The Trojans are stumbling into Pac-12 play with a 1-3 record over their previous four games, which included a loss against Long Beach State. The Ducks are on the opposite end of the spectrum with a 4-1 record outright and ATS in their last five contests.

KenPom suggests these Pac-12 foes are evenly matched with USC ranked 46th and Oregon coming in at 48th. Let's dig into the stats. Who could have the upper hand?

The Ducks do not have a powerhouse offense by any means, ranking 51st in adjusted offensive efficiency. Oregon could have an advantage in the paint, though. They are in the 65th percentile of two-point attempts per game and in the 71st percentile of two-point percentage.

The Trojans are in the bottom 22% of two-point shots allowed per game, which could allow the Ducks to feast in the paint. Oregon's Jackson Shelstad (13.0 PPG) could make a big impact around the rim since he has attempted only 11 three-pointers on the season.

USC's backcourt defense has also lacked with Boogie Ellis (1.02) and Isaiah Collier (0.76) holding underwhelming Defensive Bayesian Performance Ratings, per EvanMiya.

Rebounding could also play in a big factor in this conference clash. The Ducks could have the ability to take away extra possessions from the Trojans; Oregon is in the 86th percentile of defensive rebounding percentage while USC is in the 78th percentile of offensive rebounds per game.

Three-point shooting could be another area to watch with the Trojans ranking in the 65th percentile of three-point attempts per game and in three-point percentage. Meanwhile, the Ducks are in the 79th percentile of three-point attempts allowed per game.

A list of advantages, including paint offense and perimeter defense, could lead to a cover for Oregon. Most importantly, these teams are trending in completely opposite directions. The Ducks are hot at the right time while the Trojans have been disappointing thus far.

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.