The juiciest matchup of the night comes from Eugene as No. 22 Illinois takes on No. 9 Oregon on FS1.
But there's more value beyond the biggest game of Thursday night, and our staff is targeting three specific spots.
So, here's NCAAB best bets, odds, picks and predictions for Thursday, January 2, including Northwestern vs. Penn State.
College Basketball 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. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 8:30 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. | ||
Northwestern vs. Penn State
By Sean Paul
The list of things I trust more than Big Ten home teams in league play is a pretty small one.
We’re heading back to the well today to back Penn State, which has enjoyed the typical home court advantage thus far, dispatching Purdue in convincing fashion.
I like the pace the Nittany Lions play at in this spot, as well. They play at the 18th-fastest tempo in America, thriving in transition.
Meanwhile, Northwestern prefers a rock fight, ranking No. 318th in adjusted tempo and No. 82 in offensive efficiency.
Plus, the main source of offense for Northwestern is tough 2s by Brooks Barnhizer and Nick Martinelli. That’s not an ideal way to score against this Penn State defense, which throws out intense ball pressure.
Penn State is also very strong on both ends, ranking top-45 in offensive and defensive efficiency.
While Northwestern is limited to winning a low-scoring game, Penn State is capable of winning a shootout or a defensive struggle.
Take the Nittany Lions on their home turf.
Pick: Penn State -4.5 (Play to -5.5)
Memphis vs. Florida Atlantic
This is a bad matchup for the Owls.
First, Florida Atlantic is one of the worst teams in the country when it comes to defending the 3-point shot, allowing opponents to make over 40% of their treys. That could spell disaster against Memphis, which is 11th in the nation in 3-point percentage (40.2%).
The Owls are brutal on defense, in general, and that's bad news when facing the Tigers, who rely heavily on their guard trio of PJ Haggerty, Colby Rogers and Tyrese Hunter. All three can break down opposing defenses, get into the lane and either make plays for themselves or their teammates.
Second, the Owls are efficient scoring inside and get a good majority of their points via offense rebounds. That's likely not going to work against the three-headed interior of Moussa Cisse, Nicholas Jourdain and Dain Dainja.
Finally, the Tigers are battle-tested. A road game isn't going to phase Penny Hardaway's team because it's faced UConn, Michigan State and Auburn on a neutral floor in Maui, Clemson and Virginia on the road and Mississippi State and Ole Miss in back-to-back games.
What may be most important, though, is the fact that Memphis needs to be laser focused more so than other teams in conference play. There aren't a lot of opportunities for quality wins in the AAC (zero current Quad 1 games for the rest of the season), but there are plenty of opportunities for resume-staining losses.
While FAU doesn't qualify (this is a Quad 2 game), the Tigers should be sharp and motivated in their first conference outing of the season.
Pick: Memphis -3.5 (Play to -4)
Rutgers vs. Indiana
Both Rutgers and Indiana came into the season with high expectations.
The Scarlet Knights added two potential lottery picks in the offseason in freshmen Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, and the Hoosiers added massive transfers like Oumar Ballo, Myles Rice and Kanaan Carlyle, among others.
Instead of ranking in the top-25, both teams have been disappointing, even though they've shown some flashes of greatness.
Rutgers lost to Kennesaw State and Princeton and failed to earn a quality win in a stacked Players Era Festival Feast Week tournament.
Meanwhile, Indiana looked disinterested in the Battle 4 Atlantis, getting pummeled by Louisville and Gonzaga. The Hoosiers were also rocked by Nebraska on the road.
So, this is a great opportunity for one of these teams to get right, and I like Indiana in this spot.
Why? Well, first of all, the Scarlet Knights have played just one true road game this season, and that didn't go particularly well. Rutgers was beaten by 14 by Ohio State, which didn't even have Aaron Bradshaw in the lineup.
Remember, the Scarlet Knights are relying heavily on two freshmen, and now Harper and Bailey (as good as they are) are playing in just their second Big Ten road game of their careers.
Rutgers is also not getting enough out of its role players, which is key to winning on the road, especially in the Big Ten. After Harper and Bailey, the Scarlet Knight's second-leading scorers are Jeremiah Williams and Lathan Sommerville at 7.8 points per game.
I'm a bit concerned about Ballo, who didn't play against Winthrop due to an injury. However, Indiana's frontcourt is deep, and not having Ballo may actually open up lanes, shots and the interior for Malik Reneau and Mackenzie Mgbako. Ballo doesn't stretch the floor and sometimes playing him alongside Reneau can be a shaky fit.
I know it seems like a lot of points against a talented Rutgers team, but Big Ten home teams are money, and Indiana is the more experienced and deep squad in this spot.
Pick: Indiana -5.5 (Play to -6)
