We have a small college basketball slate on Monday, but betting value can still be found in the sport.
In fact, I'm targeting three games on Monday to potentially add to your betting card.
Here's my college basketball best bets and three picks and predictions for Monday, including Oral Roberts vs. Texas Tech and more on December 16.
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 |
|---|---|---|
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 8 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. | ||
SE Louisiana vs. Grambling
If you needed an excuse to dial in to the Grambling State Athletics YouTube feed, I have you covered.
The Tigers rarely get to host a non-conference game. In fact, this is Grambling’s first home game against a Division I opponent this season. The Tigers have been on a national tour, collecting buy game checks by visiting Ole Miss, Florida, New Mexico, USC, Cal Poly and Pepperdine.
The rarity of such an occasion is what makes it such a great spot for the Tigers. Back in the comforts of home for a long stretch (they have not played since Dec. 16), we should see a fierce effort from what is an impressively talented and extremely well-coached SWAC squad.
Many of the Tigers’ statistics are skewed by playing such a difficult schedule, but one common tenet has carried over for all of coach Donte' Jackson’s seasons: a stout defense.
With two legitimate rim presences in P.J. Eason and NC State transfer Ernest Ross — plus 6-foot-10 backup center James Flippin — mid-major teams are going to have serious difficulty getting easy points against these Tigers.
SE Louisiana will find that out tonight. This is already an offense that struggles to score (329th nationally in KenPom’s offensive rankings), so SELA could have issues against the athletic Grambling frontcourt.
SELA does have a solid interior finisher in 6-foot-11, 255-pound Brody Rowbury, but he is a plodder and not a featured part of the offense.
As an added bonus, SELA is playing a fourth straight road game against an in-state foe.
With the added boost of finally playing a meaningful home game — plus a strong matchup for an underrated defense — I think Grambling collects a big win against a fellow Louisiana mid-major.
Pick: Grambling -1.5 (Play to -4)
Oral Roberts vs. Texas Tech
In competitively imbalanced non-conference matchups such as this, I am constantly seeking motivated favorites. Winning by 30 takes some conviction, so I'm generally avoiding teams that are fat and happy and lacking the incentive.
Fortunately, Texas Tech is coming off a disappointing loss to Texas A&M and should come out focused and angry.
That helps what is already a strong situational spot: Since coach Grant McCasland arrived in Lubbock, the Red Raiders are 7-3 against the spread as a home favorite of 15 points or more, covering by an average of 4.85 points per game.
The Red Raiders have the firepower to post a gaudy scoring total. Chance McMillian and Kerwin Walton are floor-stretching fireballs, and both Kevin Overton and Christian Anderson are emerging as major weapons, as well.
Forward Darrion Williams and point guard Elijah Hawkins, the Red Raiders’ primary playmakers, are elite passers at their respective positions while also being capable bucket-getters themselves.
Against a truly awful Oral Roberts defense, Texas Tech has plenty of routes to offense. In ORU’s only other game against a team of Texas Tech’s caliber — at Mississippi — the Golden Eagles surrendered 1.35 points per possession and 63% shooting inside the arc en route to a 32-point loss.
There remains a question about JT Toppin’s health, as McCasland most recently told the media he is on a true day-to-day timeline. Toppin is an animal in the paint and dominates on the glass.
Against the flimsy ORU frontcourt, though, even Toppin’s backups should have a field day.
I will lay it with the Red Raiders even before knowing Toppin’s final status with the hope of him playing as a bonus.
Pick: Texas Tech -27 (Play to -28)
Montana vs. Northern Iowa
I am swimming upstream against the market a little bit with this final wager, as it opened +9 at many books and has been bet up to 10.5.
However, I would have taken +9, so I am pleased to get an extra boost on my line.
The handicap for this one is relatively simple: I do not think these teams are anywhere near this far apart in terms of quality. Montana has an extremely talented and deep perimeter group, reinforced by Malik Moore looking like a star after missing the Grizzlies’ first five games.
Over his last four games, Moore is averaging 20.3 points per game on 63% shooting from the field. Add that to wildly talented sophomore Money Williams, high-upside transfer Kai Johnson, steady veteran point guard Brandon Whitney and sniper Austin Patterson, and Montana has an overwhelming number of options at guard.
The Grizzlies are a little more limited in the frontcourt, especially on the glass. Conveniently, though, Northern Iowa is one of the worst offensive rebounding teams in the country.
That flaw will not be exposed in this matchup.
Instead, one of Montana’s defensive strengths – running opponents off the 3-point line – will be critical. UNI has been a volcano from beyond the arc this season, so forcing the Panthers to put the ball on the floor and attack inside the arc is of utmost importance.
With a couple of key matchup edges to support my far smaller rating gap between these two teams, I’ll take Montana to make this one close on the road.
Pick: Montana +11 (Play to +8)
