College basketball fans and betting enthusiasts, get ready for an exciting evening of basketball action on Thursday, Feb. 16. As teams compete for a chance to make it to March Madness, the stakes are high and the games promise to be intense. For those looking to try their luck and potentially win big, this is the perfect opportunity. OddsShopper’s team of expert analysts is here to help. In this article, we will provide comprehensive research and analysis to help you make the best betting picks for tonight’s games, regardless of whether you are a seasoned bettor or just starting out.
College Basketball Betting Picks & Odds | Feb. 16
College Basketball Odds: Northern Colorado (-1.5) vs. Idaho
OddsShopper’s Insider Discord identified this as a value at even odds, and Northern Colorado has moved to -1.5 across betting markets. KenPom ranks Northern Colorado 218th among 363 teams, with the 143rd strength on schedule. Conversely, Idaho ranks 277th with the 274th strength of schedule. Northern Colorado is due for positive regression and has rightfully taken money after already defeating Idaho 73-67 at home this year.
Both teams play atrocious defense. However, Idaho typically wins inside, where they cede height in this matchup. The Vandals rank 286th in effective height, while Northern Colorado is 89th. On the other side, Northern Colorado ranks 29th in 3-point percentage and is inside the top 100 in 3-point attempts. This will exploit an Idaho defense ranked 350th in opponent 3-point percentage.
College Basketball Expert Betting Pick: Northern Colorado -1.5 (-102) at FanDuel
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College Basketball Odds: Stanford (+13.5) vs. UCLA
Stanford lost to UCLA 80-66 at home on Dec. 1. Since then, Stanford has improved drastically, winning seven of its last nine games. This includes a massive upset over Arizona over the weekend by a score of 88-79. Its only losses in that span came to top-70 teams Colorado and Arizona. While UCLA is still No. 3 in KenPom, this spread is simply too high.
One of the reasons for Stanford’s recent improvement has been the narrowing of minutes. Players like Spencer Jones, Harrison Ingram, Michael O’Connell and Michael Jones are now routinely approaching or eclipsing 30 minutes per game. In addition to getting more minutes out of the more valuable players, Stanford also has a solid height advantage over UCLA. Stanford ranks 29th in effective height, and UCLA checks in at 141st. While UCLA plays good defense across the board, Stanford’s improved interior presence gives them a path to scoring and covering this number.
College Basketball Expert Betting Pick: Stanford +13.5 (-110) at BetMGM
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College Basketball Odds: UAB (-5.5) vs. UTEP
With Jared Walker back from injury for UAB, the Blazers have taken money against UTEP in this spot. UAB ranks 65th in the KenPom power rankings, while UTEP is 185th. UAB won the first matchup between these teams by a score of 79-73 in double overtime. However, UTEP has lost 8 of 12 games since then and has yet to defeat a team in the top 100 this season.
Both of these teams have solid defenses in the top 70. However, UTEP ranks 326 in offensive efficiency, while UAB is 36th overall. UAB is strong at scoring inside, ranking 47th in 2-point percentage, and UTEP is 340th in opponent 3-point percentage. UAB also is 59th in turnovers forced, while UTEP ranks 347th in turnovers committed. With numerous advantages, expect UAB to take money here.
College Basketball Expert Betting Pick: UAB -5.5 (-115) at BetMGM
