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Top 3 College Basketball Odds, Picks & Predictions: Tuesday (1/14)

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The 2024-25 NCAA Men’s College Basketball season continues today, the second Tuesday of 2025.

We got back on track in the first week of January, and we’ll look to keep building that bankroll as we get ready for March Madness which is fast approaching.

Let’s keep that bankroll in the black with our best college basketball picks for Tuesday, January 14.

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Tuesday’s Best College Basketball Picks

Last Week: 3-1 (75.0%, +200) | Season: 23-13 (63.8%, +882) | Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook | All picks are for 1 unit

Ball State Cardinals (+430) at Ohio Bobcats (-600) | O/U 154.5 (-110/-110)

The Cardinals (8-7, 2-1 MAC) meet the Bobcats (9-6, 3-0) at the Convocation Center in Athens at 7 p.m. ET, and the game can be viewed or streamed on ESPN+.

Ball State has ended up cashing in four of the past five games, and it is 2-0 against the spread (ATS) this season when catching double digits. They actually won outright as a 10-point underdog at Kent State, 75-67, in the most recent instance on Jan. 4. They fell at Dayton 77-69 as a 16-point underdog on Nov. 13, as nobody wins at UD Arena. The Cardinals have won five of the past six games since Dec. 14, too.

For Ohio, it is coming off a 108-70 victory against Northern Illinois last time out Saturday, cashing as a 20-point favorite against the struggling Huskies. The Bobcats are 4-10 ATS in 14 outings this season. Ohio is laying double digits, and three of its covers have been by 10 or more points. However, trust the Cardinals.

The Over has hit in the past two games for Ohio, averaging 98.0 PPG, while allowing 74.5 PPG. For Ball State, it has hit the Over in three in a row, and five of the past six games, going for 80 or more points in four of those games. The defense has coughed up 76 or more points in four of the past six against Division I foes, too. So, let’s go high, too.

Picks: Ball State +10.5 (-110) & Over 154.5 Points (-110)

Little Rock Trojans (+114) at Southeast Missouri State Redhawks (-137) | O/U 135.5 (-115/-105)

The Trojans (9-7, 3-2 OVC) and Redhawks (9-8, 4-2) meet at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau, MO at 8:30 p.m. ET, and the game can also be seen on ESPN+.

Little Rock picked up a 78-58 win over Southern Indiana as a 5.5-point favorite as the Under (137) cashed last time out on Sunday. While Little Rock is just 3-2 SU/ATS in the past five games, that’s not what it’s all about here. The Trojans have been an Under machine this season, as they were down the stretch in OVC play last year. When betting on college hoops, nobody can know 300+ teams. You need to find a handful of conferences, follow those leagues closely, find a few teams with trends, and just ride with them.

We’ll ride with Little Rock’s Under trend against SEMO. The Redhawks know a thing or two about Under results, too. The Redhawks have cashed low in three of the past four games, and this team relies on defense to get the job done.

Southeast Missouri State has allowed 67 or fewer points in six straight games, including five against Division I opponents. And, in this relatively new rivalry between OVC teams, the Under has cashed in three of four meetings since Jan. 7, 2023. You know what to do.

Picks: Under 136.5 Points (-105)

UCF Knights (+190) at Arizona Sun Devils (-235) | O/U 146.5 (-110/-110)

The Knights (11-4, 2-2 Big 12) and Sun Devils (10-5, 1-3) meet at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, Ariz. Ahh, nothing says Big 12 hoops like UCF and Arizona State. Stupid realignment.

Anyway, we talked about UALR being an Under machine above. Arizona State certainly gives the Trojans a run for their money in that department, as Sparky has cashed low in eight straight outings. The Sun Devils have scored 66 or fewer points in four of the past six games while allowing 76 or fewer points in each of the past five outings.

Arizona State has a so-so offense, going for 74.8 PPG, which ranks 197th in the nation, while hitting 44.4% from the field, checking in 211th. The Sun Devils manage a 71.5% mark from the free-throw line, too, which is so-so, meaning they leave a lot of points on the floor. Under bettors love that. Defensively, the Sun Devils limit the opposition to just 41.2% from the field, and 30.2% from downtown.

UCF makes the cross-country trip to face both Arizona schools. The Knights lost 88-80 at Arizona Saturday, but they did cover as a 17-point underdog. The Over is 4-1-1 in the past six games, but they’ve allowed 76 or fewer points in six of the past nine outings. The Knights have had trouble stopping people this season, but they seem to be getting better. UCF has managed to hit just 41.7% from the field, which is among the worst marks in the nation while hitting only 33.0% from downtown, which ranks in the bottom third.

Let’s go low, and feel confident in doing so. And, we’ll play Arizona State laying the little bit of points. The Sun Devils have covered three straight as a favorite since Dec. 3, while going 4-1 ATS in the past five when favored.

Picks: Arizona State -5.5 (-110) & Under 146.5 Points (-110)

Daniel E. Dobish is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Daniel, check out his archive and follow him @danieledobish.

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