College basketball betting stays hot as high-major conference action continues Wednesday, as several teams with high aspirations face off against each other, with the results likely to have bracket implications come March.
Top College Basketball Best Bets for Today
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Missouri 
at Kentucky 
Missouri's defense is a liability, but in this matchup, I think it has a shot at getting enough stops to make the game interesting.
The Tigers' defensive efficiency rating ranks unimpressively at 119th, but it's not necessarily terrible. They rank among the top-120 teams in steal, turnover and rebounding percentages, and they also hold opponents to under 47 percent on two-point attempts (41st). A closer look at the Tigers' defensive stats indicates that their two-point defense may even be underrated. Missouri's opponents have scored 40 percent of their total points on two-point attempts, the fourth-lowest mark in D-1. Not only do opponents struggle to score in the paint, but they aren't even trying to. Naturally, this means that Missouri's ideal opponent is a team that doesn't score often from the perimeter. In this case, Kentucky has made just 33 percent of its three-point attempts, accounting for only 30 percent of its total points, below the D-1 average.
When playing in the other direction, the Tigers are proving themselves to be a dangerous offensive team. They rank 43rd in adjusted efficiency and can score in multiple ways. Missouri has made 60 percent of its two-point attempts (17th) and 37 percent of its three-point attempts (60th), yielding an effective field goal percentage that ranks 14th. Additionally, the Tigers are also active on the glass, recording the 20th-highest offensive rebounding percentage. Kentucky's defense has played well throughout the year, though Missouri's offense will surely test it. The Wildcats have played seven opponents this season with top-60 offensive efficiency ratings, and they lost to five of them.
For these reasons, I'm taking the points with the Tigers.
College Basketball Best Bet: Missouri +13.5
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Stanford 
at Virginia Tech 
The Hokies' defense has the overall edge against the Cardinal's offense, but it's vulnerable in two significant areas. First, Virginia Tech does not consistently box out, recording a defensive rebounding percentage that ranks outside of the top-220 teams. This is a critical note in this matchup because Stanford usually does a good job at generating second-chance opportunities, ranking in the top-80 in offensive rebounding percentage. The other area where the Hokies are softer is in the paint, allowing opponents to make over 52 percent of two-point attempts, a few ticks below the D-1 average.
At the other end of the court, the Hokies don't stand out in any particular area. They rank 80st in adjusted offensive efficiency and rank outside the top-100 teams in effective field goal percentage, offensive rebounding, and free-throw attempt rate. Stanford, on the other hand, ranks 61st in adjusted defensive efficiency and has excelled in two key areas. The Cardinal takes the ball away frequently, ranking in the top-30 in turnover percentage, and it also secures the glass, ranking in the top-50 in defensive rebounding.
One hesitation with picking Stanford might be the long cross-country trip, but while that may play a part in the game, it shouldn't be the deciding factor. Last year, a Stanford team of similar caliber won straight up at North Carolina in mid-January.
Either way, given how Stanford matches up against Virginia Tech on Wednesday, I gotta take the points in this spot.
College Basketball Best Bet: Stanford +5.5
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Alabama 
at Vanderbilt 
Vanderbilt is going for its 15th straight win, still perfect on the season at 14-0. Winning 15 straight games is a difficult accomplishment, and it's even more difficult considering the 15th game will be against the most formidable opponent yet.
As most college hoops fans are well aware, the Crimson Tide has developed into an offensive juggernaut under head coach Nate Oats, and this year's team is no different. Alabama has the second-highest adjusted efficiency rating among all D-1 teams, and the last time it finished a season ranked second in offense was two years ago, when the Tide made the Final Four with a defense that was much worse than the current squad's.
Alabama's defensive stats aren't nearly as impressive as its offensive ones, but it's still capable of getting the job done on most occasions. The Crimson Tide had held opponents to under 48 percent on two-point attempts (64th) and under 32 percent on three-point attempts (87th), giving us a team that consistently challenges shots. It's also worth noting that Alabama has faced the most challenging schedule in the nation, per KenPom, including the toughest slate of offensive teams to date.
Offensively, Alabama is seemingly as dangerous as it's ever been. The Crimson Tide still barrage opponents with three-pointers, ranking third in attempt rate, and this year they're connecting a higher clip than usual, 36 percent, the second-highest mark under Nate Oats. The difference this time around is that Alabama is protecting the ball like never before. The Tide have the fifth-best offensive turnover percentage among all D-1 teams, which is impressive given they've never finished a season ranked better than 98 in the Oats era.
Vanderbilt has already beaten several quality teams this season, though an overtime game against Memphis proves they're still vulnerable and unlikely to finish the season undefeated. Considering Wednesday's game will be their toughest yet, I have to take the points with the better and potentially the best offensive team in the nation. I'm going with the Tide in this one.
College Basketball Best Bet: Alabama +4.5
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Wednesday College Basketball Best Bets:
Here's a recap of my best college basketball bets for Wednesday:
- Missouri +13.5
- Stanford +5.5
- Alabama +4.5
For up-to-date information on the latest college basketball betting odds and props from multiple sources, check out the college basketball odds page on RotoWire.
