The college basketball season continues to roll closer to March Madness with a slew of games on deck. Let’s dive into the odds to identify the best college basketball betting picks for Wednesday, Feb. 1, including tonight’s Villanova-Marquette matchup.
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College Basketball Betting Picks & Odds | Feb. 1
College Basketball Odds: Villanova (+6) vs. Marquette
After our Insider Access Discord identified Villanova as a value at +8, the number promptly dropped to +6. Take this number soon as further movement looms. Most of the movement stems from injuries on both sides.
Marquette played their most recent game without Sean Jones, only to see Kam Jones go down with a hip injury during the game. Kam Jones leads Marquette in scoring and averages 30 minutes per game. While Sean Jones averages just 12.8 minutes per game, his potential absence further thins a young Marquette squad. Conversely, Villanova returned their best player, Justin Moore, in their most recent game. He had been out since suffering a torn Achilles in Elite Eight last year.
Moore does a lot for this Villanova team. Marquette ranks 114th overall in defensive efficiency, but most of that comes from turnovers forced. While Marquette ranks 24th in turnovers forced, Villanova ranks 311th in turnovers created. The Golden Eagles rank only 206th in interior defense and 189th in three-point defense. Moore shot 36% from three last year, which gives Villanova a boost from beyond the arc.
Moore primarily plays the 2, which should allow Caleb Daniels to run the point most of the time. Previously, he had been moving across positions with Mark Armstrong and Chris Arcidiacono having to play legitimate minutes. Moore’s return eases these concerns and allows a true ball handler to run the point.
College Basketball Expert Betting Pick: Villanova +6.5 (-115) at BetMGM
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College Basketball Odds: New Mexico (+4.5) vs. Utah State
Continually undervalued in the betting markets, New Mexico enters this game as a 4.5-point underdog to Utah State on the road. After a red-hot start, Utah State hasn’t kept up that pace in conference play. They are 4-3 in their last seven games and suffered double-digit losses to San Diego State, Nevada and Boise State. Part of the reason for their struggles could be the loss of Rylan Jones, who isn’t expected to play tonight. Meanwhile, New Mexico is 5-2 in their last seven, with their most recent loss coming in overtime to Nevada by a score of 97-94.
New Mexico should win this game through their perimeter shooting and solid defense. Utah State ranks 180th in defensive efficiency, while New Mexico checks in 68th. New Mexico ranks inside the top 100 in both two- and three-point shooting percentage and Utah State struggles to defend the three. The Aggies rank 330th in three-point shooting percentage allowed, creating a massive mismatch.
Utah State has a height advantage, but New Mexico has shown an ability to mitigate height differentials. Utah State ranks 29th in effective height, which bests New Mexico’s 152nd ranking. However, New Mexico actually ranks 30th in rebounding, while Utah State checks in at 115th.
College Basketball Expert Betting Pick: New Mexico +4.5 (-110) at BetMGM
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College Basketball Odds: Pittsburgh (+8.5) vs. North Carolina
A rematch from a close game earlier this year, Pitt defeated North Carolina 76-74 in the first matchup. Despite the close game, North Carolina has taken money throughout the day, which points to some value on Pitt here. Aside from John Hugley‘s season-ending injury, both teams look fairly healthy.
North Carolina typically wins games by bullying its opponents in the paint with Armando Bacot, Pete Nance, and Leaky Black. The Tar Heels rank seventh in height and 18th in rebounding. However, Pitt isn’t too far behind even without Hugley. The Panthers still rank 53rd in height and 50th in rebounding while defending the interior at an above-average rate.
Because Pitt can defend the rim, things could go catastrophically wrong for North Carolina if they are forced to shoot. North Carolina ranks 283rd in three-point shooting percentage while Pitt ranks 122nd. With both teams playing well inside and only Pitt displaying consistent shot-making ability, it makes sense to play the points on the road team.
College Basketball Expert Betting Pick: Pittsburgh +8.5 (-110) at BetMGM
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