3 Best College Basketball Bets and Player Props for Thursday 1/23/25

The college basketball season is rolling along, giving us plentiful betting options with so many teams in action each day.

Fortunately, we have abundant tools available that can aid our chances of finding good betting value. Bart Torvik and KenPom are excellent sources that give insights into team-level efficiency, and Sports Reference provides a wide range of useful team stats, as well.

Let's check out FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball odds and select some of the best bets of the day by utilizing the mentioned tools.

Please note lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published.

Today's Best College Basketball Betting Picks

Maryland at Illinois

Illinois -7.5 (-108)

Thursday's slate may feature just one high-major game, but it's a good one as Maryland takes on 17th-ranked Illinois in Champaign. Though the Illini and Terrapins sport similar conference records, the metrics suggest Illinois is undervalued as a 7.5-point home favorite.

Entering Thursday's game, Illinois ranks 9th overall on KenPom and 4th at Bart Torvik. Maryland, meanwhile, is 24th at KenPom and 17th at Torvik.

Illinois has shown a wide range of outcomes in conference play, but they're in the top 10 nationally for adjusted defensive efficiency and have the second-best defensive rating in the Big Ten. Despite an uncharacteristically subpar 50.3% effective field goal percentage (eFG%) through six league games, the Illini still lead the Big Ten in scoring. Once their 30.3% three-point field goal percentage inches closer to the 35.0% mark they posted in non-conference play, we could be talking about Illinois being the best team in the Big Ten.

That's less than ideal for Maryland -- a team that's struggled against top competition this season. The Terrapins are 0-3 against top-25 KenPom opponents this season despite posting a 55.8% eFG% in those games. They've been blasted by the best offenses on their schedule, registering a 119 defensive rating against top-25 adjusted offenses. The Big Ten average in such contests is 114.5.

Now, Maryland did beat Illinois on the road last season -- by 9, at that. But this is a better Illini team than last year, and they've been rock-solid at home with everyone healthy. Coming off tight road loss against the Big Ten's top team, look for the Illini to bounce back at home, covering as 7.5-point favorites in the process.

Kasparas Jakucionis Over 16.5 Points (-125)

Illinois freshman Kasparas Jakucionis has had up and down last few weeks. He missed consecutive games with a forearm injury, returned to score 21 points against IU, and then fouled out after just 9 minutes against Michigan State.

That's likely why we're getting his points prop down at 16.5 tonight, but it's a line I want to be in on in his first home game since late December.

Jakucionis was averaging 16.7 points per game via a 25% usage rate prior to his 3-point dud against MSU. But that mark would be even higher had Illinois not limited his minutes during blowout wins in the non-con. In the 10 games Jakucionis cracked 30 minutes, he cleared 16.5 points seven times.

He's put up better numbers against the best teams Illinois has faced. Jakucionis is averaging 18.3 points against Power Conference foes and 17.3 against top-50 KenPom teams.

Maryland has a top-25 adjusted defense, but they've given up plenty of buckets against top-level teams. They're allowing 81.3 points per game against top-25 KenPom foes, suggesting this isn't a defense to fade against quality opponents.

After a disappointing showing against Michigan State, Illinois' freshman phenom can bounce back in a big way and go over 16.5 points.

Wichita State at Memphis

Memphis -12.5 (-114)

Aside from Illinois, No. 24 Memphis is the only other ranked team in action tonight. And like the Illini, the Tigers are in a favorable spot to cover at home.

Memphis hosts Wichita State -- the AAC's sixth-best team by KenPom's adjusted efficiency margin but one which is 1-3 in conference play. The Shockers are still 11-7 on the year, but they've really struggled since the turn of the calendar. They're 1-4 in January, with two of those losses coming by 13-plus points.

Granted, Wichita State has a few notable wins on their resume, beating two Power Conference opponents. But those wins came against Kansas State and Minnesota -- teams with a combined 3-13 record in their high-major conferences. Against the single top-50 KenPom team the Shockers faced (No. 5 Florida), they were routed by 37 points.

That's a decent barometer for how they'll match up against a Memphis side that's 40th by KenPom's metrics. Though the Tigers dropped a road contest to Temple last week, they're otherwise undefeated against teams outside the top 100. They've largely played down to their competition in AAC play, but we've seen Memphis turn up when needed. They blasted FAU by 28 to open the league schedule and have a 17-point win over Ole Miss to their name.

Considering Wichita State's recent struggles, Memphis is well-positioned to run up a big margin tonight. Bart Torvik's model projects the Tigers to win by 17.5 tonight, further bolstering my confidence in their ability to cover as 12.5-point favorites.

New to FanDuel Sportsbook? You’ll receive $300 in Bonus Bets if your first $5+ bet wins! See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.

Which bets stand out to you across the nation tonight? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest college basketball betting odds to see the full menu of options.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.