3 College Basketball Prop Bets for Wednesday 1/31/24
College basketball season is in full swing, and FanDuel Sportsbook offers prop bets for key games to dive deeper in the action.
For bettors, numberFire's Matchup Heat Map helps identify favorable game environments, while KenPom and Sports-Reference offer a wide range of team-level statistics. Then, we can turn to Bart Torvik and RealGM for advanced player stats and splits.
Let's check out FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball odds and dive into our wealth of statistical data to find today's best prop bets.
Please note lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published.
College Basketball Prop Bets
No. 24 Alabama Crimson Tide at Georgia Bulldogs
Grant Nelson Over 13.5 Points (+130)
Alabama holds sole possession of first place in the SEC while carrying +220 odds to win the conference. The Crimson Tide lead the nation in KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency. The offense could roll tonight against KenPom's fifth-worst team in the conference, the Georgia Bulldogs.
Georgia ranks in the bottom 36% in points per game (PPG) allowed and in the bottom 12% in attempted field goals allowed each contest. Both categories bode well for Alabama, who leads the country at 89.7 PPG while ranking in the 80th percentile of field goals attempted per game.
The Bulldogs' interior defense looks especially vulnerable, which could point to a big game for Grant Nelson (12.2 PPG). The 6-foot-11 senior forward has averaged 13.0 PPG over his last two games while shooting 50.0% from the field. Georgia ranks in the bottom 20% in two-point shots allowed per game, and Nelson has taken 45.3% of his field goals at the rim while converting 66.2% of the shots. He also has the second-most dunks on the season for the Tide.
Nelson ranks second on the team with 84 free throws on the season, and he is averaging 7.5 free throw attempts each contest over his last two outings. The Bulldogs foul frequently, ranking in the bottom 7% in fouls per game. According to EvanMiya, Georgia's starting center Russel Techewa also has an underwhelming Defensive Bayesian Performance Rating (DBPR) of only 0.59.
Alabama's big man could be gearing up for a big game. I love the +130 odds for Nelson to reach at least 14 points.
Northwestern Wildcats at No. 2 Purdue Boilermakers
Boo Buie To Make 3+ Threes (+134)
Even with -310 odds to win the Big Ten while ranking as KenPom's second-best team in the nation, Purdue still has weaknesses. One of which is their three-point defense with the Boilermakers ranking in the bottom 15% in three-point shots allowed per game. This presents an excellent prop opportunity for Northwestern's sharpshooters.
The Wildcats are rather selective with their shots from deep, sitting in the bottom 36% in threes shot per contest. However, when Northwestern lets it fly, they make opponents pay by shooting 38.1% from deep (94th percentile). Ty Berry (42.5%), Ryan Langborg (40.0%), and Boo Buie (36.4%) are the engine of the three-point attack with each player logging over 100 three-point attempts on the season.
Selecting the best bet among the three players could be the trick. Berry (-205) and Langborg (-178) carry unappealing odds to knock in 2+ threes. Buie does not even have a line for 2+ made three-pointers, but his +134 odds to convert 3+ threes could be the way to go.
Buie (18.5 PPG) has been like fish grease over the last five games, totaling 19.8 PPG. This includes a 29-point outburst on January 24th. I also can't ignore that Northwestern's star guard has made 5 of 8 threes (62.5%) over his previous two contests. With Purdue giving up three-point shots in bulk and Buie's elite efficiency in recent games, targeting the Wildcats' lead guard could pay off big time.
Florida Gators at No. 10 Kentucky Wildcats
Tre Mitchell Over 7.5 Rebounds (-110)
Tre Mitchell fared well on the boards in his previous meeting with Florida, recording 10 rebounds. Kentucky's rebounding leader (7.7 boards per game) has also reached at least 11 rebounds in two of his last five games.
The Gators are tricky on the offensive glass, for they rank second in the nation in offensive rebounding percentage. However, the Wildcats rank in the 95th percentile of defensive rebounds per contest and held Florida to 11 offensive boards in the previous matchup (the Gators average 14.7 offensive rebounds).
If UK is to control the Gators on the glass once again, they will likely need another solid performance from Mitchell. The senior forward leads the team with a 17.7% defensive rebounding percentage. I like Mitchell's chances of having another big game on the boards, surpassing seven rebounds.
Looking for more college basketball betting opportunities? Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook to check out all of the upcoming college basketball odds.
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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.