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College Basketball Odds, Picks & Predictions: Tuesday (2/6)

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Welcome back to another day of best bets for the college basketball slate. It's been a wacky-wavy-inflatable-armed-tubed-man type of a season, with Kansas vs. Kansas State an example from last night. College basketball is difficult to handicap already, but this year has been especially interesting. Now that we're into February, it's time to ask big questions. For instance, "Is it March yet?" I cannot wait for the madness.

Here are my best bets for Tuesday's slate. You can follow all my bets on my BettingPros profile, as I add last-minute bets and player props once they drop.  

Tuesday’s Best College Basketball Bets

Last Time: 1-2 | Season: 37-36

Iowa State at Texas

I have to say, after this weekend, I was significantly impressed by Iowa State. The Cyclones have not traveled well so far this season, but in Waco, they were a quarter second away from hitting a buzzer beater to upset Baylor. Now, it's time to take on the Longhorns in the Moody Center.

Despite their metrics ranking near the top 25, Texas is still 15-7 on the year with some concerning games. A one-point win over Louisville, a loss to West Virginia, and a home loss to UCF are not giving me confidence in their success. Iowa State's defense is nasty, forcing turnovers at the highest clip in the nation, which is not great for the Longhorns, who don't take care of the ball too well. The Cyclones should win on the glass and both teams will have looks from the perimeter, but the interior is where Iowa State will shine, on both ends of the court. 

Iowa State is electric at allowing nothing down low, with the longest average shot distance by opponents away from the rim. Considering their transition play and recent play, I expect T.J. Otzelberger's crew to take this one home, so it's good value to take them as a dog.

Play: Iowa State +2.5 (-115 at BetMGM)     

BYU at Oklahoma 

It's a big day in the Big 12 and this is yet another example. In BYU's biggest tests – at Baylor, at Texas Tech, and at home against Houston, they weren't all too impressive. The Cougars love the perimeter look with over 43 percent of their points coming from beyond the arc, second highest in the league. BYU may have beaten Iowa State but that's because the Cyclones allow the perimeter look, not something Oklahoma replicates.

The Sooners own the fifth-best perimeter defense in the country. With the long rebounds, BYU further depends on second-chance opportunities, something that Oklahoma contends and should limit the Cougars. 

If BYU wants to win, they need to go inside, as they have the advantage in the near proximity. The Cougars rank 346th in the away-from-home metric by Haslametrics, and they aren't quite consistent, despite bringing a top-25 defense to this game. This is an easy decision.        

Play: Under 150.5 (-110 at FanDuel)

Texas Tech at Baylor

I don't want to bury the lede here because this is a great spot for Baylor. Against the Cyclones, Baylor shot 52 percent from beyond the arc. The Red Raiders own the 225th-ranked perimeter defense, allowing opponents to shoot consistently from deep. 

Both teams own solid offenses going against sub-70-ranked defenses. Texas Tech is also capable of the deep shot, while both squads should get second-chance looks with their offensive rebounding. I'm surprised the total isn't higher as I see this game getting to 150.   

Play: Over 143.5 (-113 at BetRivers)

Make sure to check out our other best bets for Tuesday:

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