Two ranked teams hit the road on Monday in college basketball, and I'm here to find you the best betting value on the slate.
I'm targeting three games in particular for my best bets.
So, without further ado, read below for my college basketball best bets, including three NCAAB expert picks and predictions for Monday, February 17.
NCAAB Best Bets
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our college basketball betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 9 p.m. | |
  | 9 p.m. | |
  | 10 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NCAAB Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Kansas State vs Utah
BYU snapped Kansas State’s season-changing six-game winning streak on Saturday, but the Wildcats have a great chance to start another streak in Salt Lake City on Monday night.
Utah is susceptible to an emotional letdown here after a stirring win over blue-blood Kansas late on Saturday night.
Outside of one 11-0 Kansas run to tie the game in the second half, the Utes impressively controlled that contest. Mounting a second straight sterling performance could be a challenge.
In my view, though, Kansas State is actually a worse matchup for Utah than the Jayhawks were. Utah lacks speed and quickness on the perimeter, meaning it can struggle against dribble penetration.
Kansas lacks those threats, but Kansas State has a dynamite driver in speedster point guard Dug McDaniel. Utah will struggle to corral McDaniel off the bounce, opening up jumpers for gunners like Brendan Hausen and Max Jones.
On the other end, Utah tries to bombard the rim with size and depth.
Kansas State can withstand that kind of attack, though, with two stout interior defenders in Coleman Hawkins and David N’Guessan. Both are incredibly mobile, as well, giving Kansas State flexibility in its defensive plan.
This altitude road trip does not involve much travel, as it’s an easy drive from Provo to Salt Lake City. That helps the road team.
Given the matchup edges and mini “buy-low, sell-high” nature of the spot, I’m backing the purple Wildcats on the road.
Pick: Kansas State +2.5 (Play to -1)
Texas Southern vs Southern
A rare SWAC showcase on ESPN’s family of networks features league-leading Southern (11-1 in conference play) hosting one of five (!) teams tied for second at 8-4 in the league.
Texas Southern has long been a powerhouse in the SWAC, and I like the Tigers to make a run at a possible outright win on the road Monday night.
Johnny Jones has consistently gathered impressive talent during his tenure at Texas Southern. This year’s roster may not quite have the top-end transfers of the past, but Kavion McClain (Abilene Christian), Josh Farmer (UTSA) and Jaylin Jackson-Posey (New Mexico State) all have strong pedigree.
That should allow the Tigers to play up against better competition like Southern.
McClain and Jackson-Posey’s on-ball defense will be extremely important. Southern’s guards can have issues against pressure, and that duo is as good as it gets when they turn up the heat.
The Tigers have also gotten a boost recently from Kehlin Farooq, a rangy defensive wing who barely played in the non-conference part of the season. In the past four games, he's averaged 30.8 minutes, and he helped spark a road win at Grambling over the weekend.
The key for Texas Southern will be competing on the defensive glass. The Tigers rank ninth in the SWAC in defensive rebound rate, which could be a problem against Southern’s relentless glass attack.
They have the bodies: The rotation includes five players standing 6-foot-7 or taller, including 6-foot-10 Grayson Carter and 6-foot-11 Oumar Koureissi. Farooq has provided a major lift there, too.
Pick: Texas Southern +7 (Play to +6)
Arizona vs Baylor
A third road underdog completes my Monday trio.
Arizona lost a bare-knuckle brawl to Houston on Saturday and must now head east to Waco 50 hours later. The Wildcats also lost at Kansas State last week, meaning a three-game losing streak looms.
However, given the current construction of both rosters, I make Arizona a favorite, even on the road.
Baylor’s frontcourt is frighteningly thin following a season-ending injury to Josh Ojianwuna, giving Arizona a major edge in the paint.
The Bears are down to Norchad Omier and nothing else inside, being forced to play four-guard lineups at all times.
In the two games since Ojianwuna suffered his injury, Baylor opponents are 35-of-63 (55.6%) on 2-point field goals, a sign of the slippage without the 6-foot-10 big man in the lineup. For comparison, Baylor’s 2-point defense is at 50.1% in Big 12 play.
Against a bruising Arizona frontcourt, that issue could become a full-blown disaster. Tommy Lloyd can rotate four different pieces against Omier, and seven-footer Henri Veesaar looks primed for a huge game.
In addition to that matchup angle, getting Arizona in a “buy-low” spot off two losses is appealing to me.
Plus, Baylor had to play an overtime period against West Virginia on Saturday, another subtle edge that pushes me toward the road Wildcats.
Pick: Arizona +1.5 (Play to -1)
