Skip to main content

College Basketball Odds & Best Bets Today: Schedule, Picks for Sunday

Mike Spector

Last Updated: January 1, 0001 12:00 AM EST • 2 min 52 sec read.

College basketball best bets.
College basketball best bets.

Sunday’s college basketball slate has a tough act to follow after Saturday’s mammoth non-conference games. We have highlighted the odds, movements, and our college basketball best bets for Sunday.

The Pac-12 takes center stage on Sunday, as Stanford, USC, and Washington State all aim for upset bids over ranked teams in Texas, Auburn, and Baylor, respectively.

Here are our best bets for Sunday's college basketball slate (odds via FanDuel Sportsbook, Caesars Sportsbook, and BetMGM; pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Check out our college basketball best bets.

Sunday’s College Basketball Schedule and Odds

(odds via DraftKings Sportsbook)

  • Stanford vs. Texas (-10.5)
  • Auburn (-1.5) vs. USC
  • Mississippi Valley State vs. TCU (-32.5)
  • Washington State vs. Baylor (-9.5)

Sunday’s College Basketball Best Bets

  • Spread: Texas -10.5 (-110 via BetMGM) vs. Stanford
  • Moneyline: Quinnipiac (-169 via Caesars) vs. Saint Peter’s
  • Total: Tarleton State-Air Force Under 126.5 (-110 via BetMGM)
  • Upset: USC (+108 via FanDuel) vs. Auburn

Sunday’s College Basketball Top Picks

Spread: Texas -10.5 (-110) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Texas was put in a tough situational spot in its last game against Rice, learning of head coach Chris Beard’s arrest for felony assault that morning. Predictably, the Longhorns struggled to eke out a six-point overtime win in a game they tipped off as 24.5-point favorites and are accordingly undervalued entering this game. Texas faces a Stanford team that averaged just 59.3 points during a recent three-game losing skid.

The Cardinal have struggled to shoot the ball all season (323rd in 3-point percentage) and won’t find anything easy at the rim against a Longhorns defense that holds opponents to just 43.7% shooting (30th) inside the arc.

While other sportsbooks are charging as much as -118 to back the Longhorns, we are shopping at BetMGM for minimal juice.

Moneyline: Quinnipiac (-169) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Saint Peter’s has struggled on offense since the calendar turned to December, averaging just 56.8 points per game while winning one of four games. The Peacocks’ barren roster after last year’s Elite Eight run has not played with the same tenacity on defense, ranking 224th in adjusted defensive efficiency.

Head coach Baker Dunleavy’s Bobcats are difficult to defend because they spread the floor (75th-best 3-point percentage) and have shot better than 40% from beyond the arc in two of their last three wins. A dribble-drive catch-and-shoot offense will pose an issue for Saint Peter’s, who allow assists on field goal attempts at the 26th-highest rate.

This line has moved in Quinnipiac’s favor from an opening number of -150, as other sportsbooks like BetRivers are as low as -190.

Total: Tarleton State-Air Force Under 126.5 (-110) ⭐⭐⭐

Tarleton State and Air Force rank 281st and 344th in average possession length, meaning each offense works methodically in a half-court setting. Meanwhile, the Texans are a disruptive defensive team, forcing turnovers at the seventh-highest rate (26.1%). In addition, given that Air Force ranks 26th in effective field goal percentage defense while Tarleton State is outside the top 265 in 3-point, 2-point, and free throw percentages, the Texans’ offensive ceiling should be limited. 

BetMGM is the only sportsbook offering a line of 126.5, which offers much better value than DraftKings’ 125-point total.

Upset: USC (+108) ⭐⭐

USC’s defense is what we expect to spur it to a home upset against the SEC Tigers. The Trojans rank 16th in effective field goal percentage defense and sixth in the country in 2-point percentage allowed (40%). Given that the Trojans rank a slightly worse 47th in near proximity percentage (per Haslametrics), that suggests that USC‘s defense is lethal against mid-range jumpers, which head coach Bruce Pearl’s guards often settle for.

Auburn’s only loss was on a neutral court to Memphis, which Penny Hardaway’s club won despite 19 turnovers. It used its defensive tenacity (held Auburn to 38% shooting) to spur the upset and thus laid a blueprint that Andy Enfield’s club can follow on Sunday.

USC backers won’t find a better price than at FanDuel, as most other sportsbooks are at +100 or worse.

College basketball best bets made 12/18/2022 at 7:15 a.m. ET.

Where to Bet on College Basketball Best Bets

Here are our top-rated sportsbooks:

* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.

College basketball best bets from 12/17/2022 at 7:24 a.m. ET.

Written By:
Mike Spector
Mike started in the sports writing industry in July 2019, and gained a lot of followers in his first year after finishing with the No. 2 overall record in an annual NFL betting competition, which made picks against the spread, and from an Over/Under and moneyline perspective. Mike is an avid fan of the NFL, MLB, tennis, and all college sports. In his opinion, March Madness is the best sporting event there is, and he's especially euphoric starting with conference tournament time in college basketball. Mike's a big advocate of "fading the public" and making plays that are contrarian, constantly citing that "there are reasons why they have those big shiny buildings in Las Vegas." When making wagers, Mike always scours the best odds at all of the major sports betting sites, where he mostly sifts through DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and bet365. He's tried several others and is of the firm belief that bettors should not just stick to one sportsbook, as there is always likely better value to be had with the same wager. In addition, while Mike received his undergraduate degree from Villanova University, he has no issue betting against the Wildcats when it comes to college basketball wagering, and suggests other bettors should always put their “head” before their “hearts.”