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Top College Basketball Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Thursday, January 12th (2022)

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Congratulations to the Clemson Tigers, who moved to 6-0 in ACC play for the first time since the conference was founded in 1953. Clemson has only won the ACC regular season title once in the last seven decades, but can they do so again, especially with Duke and North Carolina down this year?

Here are our best bets for Thursday’s college basketball action.

Check out our other best bets for Thursday:

(Odds courtesy of DraftKings)

Best College Basketball Bets for Thursday

Michigan vs. Iowa O/U

When Iowa’s third-leading scorer Patrick McCaffery took a leave of absence from the team to deal with anxiety, the team had lost three consecutive games at the time, and many thought the downward spiral would continue. Instead, the Hawkeyes have rallied in McCaffery’s absence, and in the previous two games without him, Iowa has averaged 83.5 points and made 19-of-46 3-point attempts (41.3%).

Iowa’s latest 76-65 victory over Rutgers was especially impressive, given that the Scarlet Knights limited Iowa to a season-low 46 points at Jersey Mike’s Arena last year. Rutgers entered the game on a streak where it had allowed 68 or fewer points in 11 consecutive games. However, Iowa shredded a Rutgers defense that is top ten in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency, effective field goal percentage defense, turnover percentage forced, and 3-point percentage allowed.

The Over is 15-5 in Michigan’s last 20 road games, and has cashed in six of Iowa’s last seven overall.

Bet: Michigan-Iowa Over 154.5 (-110 at DraftKings) 

Colorado vs. USC Spread

Colorado’s road record, combined with USC’s record at home, suggests the Trojans should be bigger favorites in this game. The Buffaloes are just 1-3 in true road games this year and lost its last road game to a California team that is just 3-8 at home and was missing its best player (Devin Askew, who averages 16.1 points per game). USC has had a week off after a narrow two-point road loss to rival UCLA and has won its last seven home games, including victories over Auburn and Vermont in that stretch.

USC ranks third in the country in defending inside the arc (41.1% allowed), which will limit one of Colorado’s biggest strengths, as the Buffaloes get 55.5% of their points (62nd-most) from 2-point range. That does not bode well for Colorado’s chances of offensive success, as it makes 32.6% of its 3-point attempts.

USC has covered in each of its last four games against teams with a winning percentage above .600, and we like it to do so again tonight.

Bet: USC -2.5 (-110 at DraftKings)

Gonzaga vs. BYU Spread

Gonzaga is amid a brutal stretch of its schedule, with this being the third of three consecutive road games. In the previous two, the Bulldogs beat San Francisco and Santa Clara by a combined seven points. Compared to those teams, BYU is better defensively, ranking 28th in adjusted defensive efficiency compared to Santa Clara’s 96th ranking and San Francisco’s ranking of 112. In addition, the Cougars are one of the best defensive rebounding teams in the country, allowing opponents to secure just 22% of their misses (sixth-best). That will go a long way in slowing down Gonzaga’s Drew Timme, who has averaged 22.4 points per game over the last nine games.

BYU has lost five consecutive games to Gonzaga by an average of 19.4 points, but this is one of Mark Few’s most vulnerable teams, and we expect the Cougars to make it five straight games for the Bulldogs without a road cover.

Bet: BYU +6.5 (-110 at DraftKings)

Go premium to view top prop bets based on Cover Probability, Expected Value & Star Rating >>


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