Published on Friday, 1/23/26, at 4:41 p.m. Eastern.
Updated on Saturday, 1/24/26, at 1:46 p.m. Eastern.
Bettors have a full menu of options Saturday in college basketball, including matchups like Illinois at Purdue, North Carolina at Virginia and Houston at Texas Tech.
I couldn’t believe it when I saw the Boilermakers listed as 2.5-point home ‘chalk’ vs. the Fighting Illini early Friday morning. That was the opening number from DraftKings, but it didn’t last long.
As we noted earlier this week, Illinois is down one of its best players in Kylan Boswell, who broke his hand during Monday’s practice. The senior guard averages 14.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
Purdue (17-2 straight up, 9-10 against the spread) is in bounce-back mode after dropping a 78-76 decision Tuesday at UCLA. The Boilermakers have won six games in a row at home since taking their only other loss of the season to Iowa St. in West Lafayette.
PREDICTIONS: With Matt Painter’s squad in bounce-back mode at home against Brad Underwood’s team down a starter, let’s go with Purdue -4.5, risking 2.2 units to win 2.
UPDATE #1 on Saturday: Let’s also risk 1.1 units to 1 on Purdue -3 in the first half.
As of late Friday afternoon, most books had Florida (14-5 SU, 9-10 ATS) installed as a 9.5-point home favorite vs. Auburn. UF has beaten Auburn 15 times in a row in Gainesville, winning by 12 points or more in 11 of those victories and by at least 16 in 10 of those wins.
The Gators have won five games in a row both SU and ATS, winning by 15 points or more four times. With its guards playing better and the recent emergence of sophomore wing ‘Zay’ Brown, I don’t think anybody in the SEC has anything for UF at The O’Dome.
Auburn (12-7 SU, 11-8 ATS) is 1-3 both SU and ATS in four road assignments and is in a back-to-back road situation here.
PREDICTION: UF is going to get Auburn’s bigs in foul trouble. I’m on Florida -9.5 to win two units with 2.2 at risk. I haven’t seen a first-half line yet, but I’ll probably have at least one-half unit, possibly one unit, on that as well.
As of late Friday afternoon, most spots had Arkansas (14-5 SU, 13-6 ATS) listed as a 9.5 or 10-point home favorite vs. LSU.
I made the Razorbacks 13-point favorites in this situation. They’ve been a wagon at home all year, compiling an 11-0 SU record and a 9-2 ATS mark.
Arkansas has won its three SEC home games over Vanderbilt (93-68), South Carolina (108-74) and Tennessee (86-75) by at least 11 points. In fact, John Calipari’s team has won eight of its 11 home games by 11 points or more.
LSU (13-6 SU, 11-8 ATS) has lost five straight games at Arkansas, losing each of the last four by margins of at least 11 points.
PREDICTION: LSU isn’t going to be able to handle Darius Acuff. I like Arkansas -9.5, risking 1.1 units to win one.
As of late Friday afternoon, most shops had Alabama (13-5 straight up, 8-10 against the spread) as a favorite in the 3.5 to 4.5 range for this 8:30 p.m. Eastern tip on ESPN.
Nate Oats’s team returns home after back-to-back road wins at Oklahoma and at Mississippi St. The Crimson Tide will have the added benefit of a new player in 7-foot rim protector Charles Bediako, who has shockingly been granted eligibility and instantly gives ‘Bama size down low that’s sorely needed, especially going against UT and its bigs.
Tennessee (12-6 SU, 6-12 ATS) has been awful in its three road assignments, going 0-3 both SU and ATS with losses at Florida (91-67) and at Arkansas (86-75). The Vols lost to the closing number by 38.5 combined points in those three road defeats.
PREDICTION: I’m on Alabama -3.5, risking 1.1 units to win one.
UPDATE #2: Let’s go with a five-game parlay for one unit of risk (+140) to win 1.4 units with these home favorites on the money line: SMU (vs. FSU), Florida, Arkansas, Alabama and Purdue. If the first four hit, an option to hedge (for 0.5 units) will be available with Tennessee catching the points at ‘Bama, as they’ll tip at Coleman Coliseum at 8:30 p.m. Eastern.
UPDATE #3: Seton Hall (14-5 SU, 12-7 ATS) is 4-1 SU and 5-0 ATS in five road assignments this season. The Pirates are starving for a win, though, after dropping three straight games, including Tuesday’s 65-60 loss at St. John’s in a game they led by 15 points early in the second half.
DePaul (11-8 SU, 12-7 ATS) has played eight games against KenPom Top-100 opponents, going 1-7 with its lone win coming at home vs. #86 Xavier. Five of those eight L’s have been by 12 points or more.
PREDICTION: Let’s add Seton Hall -2 at DePaul buying the half-point from -2.5, risking 1.2 units to win 1.