College Basketball Odds, Picks & Predictions: Monday (2/17)

by Mike Spector | @MikeSpector01|Feb 17, 2025

College basketball will draw most eyes from sports bettors on Monday with football season done and the NBA coming back from the All-Star break. That comes off the heels of a loaded weekend of hoops, highlighted by the No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown between in-state rivals Auburn and Alabama.

What is in store for the start of a new week in college basketball?

Continue reading for a detailed breakdown of our college basketball best bets and top picks for Monday, February 17th.

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Monday's Best College Basketball Bets

(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)

Duke (-14.5) @ Virginia (+14.5) | O/U 130.5 (-105/-115)

Duke is the only team in the country that ranks in the top four in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency, and it has held eight of the last nine opponents to 70 or fewer points. It should have little difficulty containing a Cavaliers team that plays at a snail’s pace, ranking 362nd out of 364 Division I (DI) teams in adjusted tempo.

Do not expect Virginia to earn points easily via offensive rebounding or at the free throw line, as it ranks 338th or worse in offensive rebounding percentage and free throw attempts per field goal attempt.

I also expect a sluggish day offensively for the Blue Devils offense on a quick turnaround, as the under has cashed in nine of Duke’s 12 games since the start of 2022 when it has just one day of rest.

Pick: Under 130.5 Points (-115)

Arizona (+1.5) @ Baylor (-1.5) | O/U 150.5 (-115/-105)

If the Auburn-Alabama SEC clash was the marquee game of the weekend, the Houston-Arizona de facto Big 12 Championship was a close second. That game was vintage Kelvin Sampson as his Cougars held the high-powered Wildcats to 58 points and 0.92 points per possession.

Oddsmakers believe this game will be much more free-flowing and high scoring with a total of 150.5 points, which would seem to favor Arizona. But I have so much respect for Baylor’s Scott Drew as a head coach and his morphing zone defenses are a nightmare to prepare for on just one day of rest.

Baylor is at a huge advantage from a scheduling perspective having played at home on Saturday while the Wildcats will have to make the long trip from Tuscon. The Wildcats will be doomed if they continue to get next to nothing from three-point range from Caleb Love, who has made two of his last 21 shots from beyond the arc while Arizona has lost two of three in that span.

The Bears are 7-5 against the spread (ATS) at home this season and 9-7 ATS as favorites, while Arizona has failed to cover each of its last two games with a spread of 3.5 or fewer points.

Pick: Baylor -1.5 (-108)

Mike Spector is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeSpector01.

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