College Basketball Betting Picks for Tuesday 2/6/24

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

Ole Miss Rebels at No. 15 South Carolina Gamecocks

South Carolina -3.5 (-110)

The South Carolina Gamecocks are the hottest team in the SEC with a five-game winning streak while holding the second-best record in conference play at 7-2. According to FanDuel's college basketball conference odds, the Gamecocks are still viewed as an outside shot to win the SEC at +2300. However, USC is beginning to demand respect. After going unranked for the entire season, the Gamecocks surged to No. 15 in the AP Top 25 Poll -- their first time being ranked in the poll since 2017.

South Carolina is looking to extend their streak tonight against Ole Miss. The Rebels had their three-game winning streak snapped on February 3rd with a 14-point loss against Auburn. The defense -- which ranks 143rd in adjusted efficiency -- struggled in the loss, surrendering 91 points while Auburn shot 54.7% from the field and 44.4% from three.

Stopping the three-ball could be a big worry for Ole Miss as opponents have shot a combined 44.4% over the Rebels' last two games. How does this relate to USC? The Gamecocks love to shoot threes in bulk, ranking in the 81st percentile of three-point shots per game. Plus, 42.8% of their field goals come from beyond the arc (85th percentile).

Mississippi's backcourt also lacks on the defensive with Jaylen Murray (-0.45) and Matthew Murrell (-0.27) holding negative Defensive Bayesian Performance Ratings, per EvanMiya. South Carolina's leading scorer Meechie Johnson (14.9 PPG) could be gearing up for a big night as he ranks second on the team in offensive rating (112.3) and usage rate (26.2%). Johnson also takes 50.2% of his shots from three.

Ultimately, the Rebels' defense could fail to come up with enough stops, especially in the backcourt. Give me the Gamecocks to cover their sixth straight game against the spread (ATS).

No. 18 Dayton Flyers at Saint Joseph's Hawks

Saint Joseph's Moneyline (+106)
Over 141.5 (-115)

Dayton remains the highest-ranked team among mid-majors. The Flyers have the chance to prove their worth once again with a tough road test against Saint Joseph's.

On the surface, this seems like an easy win for Dayton as they ranked 16th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 68th in adjusted defensive efficiency, while the Hawks are 81st in adjusted offensive efficiency and 133rd in adjusted defensive efficiency. However, all three of the Flyers' losses were away from home, and Saint Joseph's is 10-2 at home.

The Hawks are an intriguing pick to win outright at +106, but we need more support than just Dayton's struggles on the road. How can Saint Joseph's pull off the upset?

It starts and ends with the Hawks' ability to knock down the three-ball. They rank in the 94th percentile of three-point shots per game and in the 94th percentile with 46.7% of their shots coming from three. Saint Joseph's has shown no signs of slowing down as they have shot a blistering 42.7% from deep over their past five contests. The Hawks are already in the 92nd percentile with a 37.4% three-point percentage. The three-point attack has become even more lethal at the perfect time.

Dayton's weakness has certainly been on the defensive end, and guarding the three has posed problems with the Flyers sitting in the bottom 39% of three-point shots allowed per contest. This number has only risen over Dayton's previous two games with opponents totaling 29.5 three-point shots each game (the Flyers' season average is 22.6).

Considering Saint Joseph's recent efficiency from deep, I like the Hawks' chance of pulling off the upset with Dayton giving up three-point attempts in bulk. Pairing the Saint Joseph's moneyline with the over could yield success.

We can't ignore the Hawks' weak defense. Similar to the Flyers, Saint Joseph's has a weak perimeter defense, ranking in the bottom 2% in three-point attempts allowed per game. Dayton is extremely efficient from three-point land at 39.4% (98th percentile). Any fans who enjoy three-point shootouts could be like a kid in a candy store when watching this Atlantic 10 battle.

No. 25 New Mexico Lobos at Wyoming Cowboys

New Mexico -10.5 (-115)

To round out my college basketball picks for Tuesday, I'm targeting another mid-major squad. Behind Dayton, New Mexico could be the next most impressive mid-major team.

The Lobos are led by an elite offense, averaging 84.1 PPG (95th percentile) while shooting 47.9% from the floor (91st percentile). New Mexico is licking their chops with Tuesday's opponent -- Wyoming -- ranking 223rd in adjusted defensive efficiency.

I won't make this one too in-depth. The Lobos tout an elite offense by most metrics while the Cowboys have a defense like Swiss cheese. Additionally, New Mexico is 5-1 ATS over their last six games.

Wyoming's porous interior defense could be the biggest supporting point for backing the Lobos. The Cowboys rank in the bottom 21% in made two-pointers allowed per contest. Now why would this be an extreme concern against the Lobos? New Mexico leads the nation in two-point attempts per game and averages the third-most twos made each contest. Plus, the Lobos rank in the 97th percentile with 46.3% of their shots labeled as "close twos" by Bart Torvik.

New Mexico's offense is about as good as it gets with excellent shot selection. Meanwhile, Wyoming struggles to protect the rim and gives up points in bulk. I won't overthink this one; I'm taking the Lobos to cover on the road.

If you’re betting on any college basketball action on February 6th, you can take advantage of FanDuel Sportsbook’s Boost Builder. See the promotions page for more information.

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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.