College basketball is back which also means it's time again to gamble on college basketball. This sport is one of my favorites to bet on as there are under-the-radar games every day that offer valuable lines to the observable bettor. Last year was one of my most successful seasons betting on this miraculous sport so let's run it back again this year, shall we? As always, shop around for the best odds, and monitor injury news as college basketball isn't always transparent about who is available. Here are my best bets for Tuesday's slate. Below we dive into Auburn vs. Baylor.
College Basketball Odds & Picks: Auburn vs. Baylor
Auburn Tigers vs. Baylor Bears
I know the season kicked off yesterday but this feels like a true kickoff to the season. Baylor sits around a 2.0-point favorite with the total at 144. While Auburn failed to make the preseason AP poll, they still rank 15th in KenPom and top-25 in a lot of metrics.
For Baylor, there is a lot of turnover. The losses of Adam Flagler (15.6 points per game), Keyonte George (15.3 ppg), and LJ Cryer (15.0 ppg) are big. Scott Drew and company are coming off an odd season, ranking outside the top 100 in defense, but finishing the season 16th in KenPom.
Don't let the losses distract you from how the Bears reload. Rayj Dennis transfers in from Toledo after averaging double-digit points as a facilitating guard. His experience allows him to hit the ground running with VCU transfer Jayden Nunn and Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua, or "Everday Jon." Be on the lookout for Ja'Kobe Walter, a five-star shooting guard who should play right away. The top-10 national recruit has been dubbed a legitimate two-way threat and high-volume scorer. Usually, I want to wait to believe it when I see it but he should hit the ground running against Auburn.
The Tigers meanwhile feel similar to last year, sans Wendell Green. Five-star guard Aden Holloway is set to take over at point guard while a couple of mid-major transfers in Denver Jones (FIU) and Chaney Johnson (Alabama-Huntsville) should see some immediate playing time too. Johni Broome and K.D. Johnson anchor Bruce Pearl’s squad and will keep them competitive.
In all, this should be an awesome game. Baylor has to step up defensively – and they’re poised to – but Auburn's interior scoring has the upper hand here. Even if the Bears’ defense takes a step back from last year, they should dominate the boards with Auburn ranking 323rd in defensive rebound percentage in 2022-23 and the Tigers truly struggled from beyond the arc a season ago, shooting 31.5 percent.
With the all-or-nothing feel to Auburn and the Tigers’ history of being slow out the gate against better teams, I have to lean Baylor here. Rayj Dennis should show that he can perform in the Big 12 as well as he did in the MAC and the Bears will solidify a valuable early-season victory.
Play: Baylor -1.5 (-115 at BetMGM)
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