Best NCAA Basketball Picks and Predictions: Sunday College Hoops
Written by: Nate Hornung
Published: Sun Jan 18, 2026, 9:32 am ET
Read Time: 5 minutes
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Saturday's massive college hoops slate has come to a close, so we turn our attention to Sunday, where we have 13 games to wager on. Sure, plenty of national attention will be on the NFL Divisional Round, however us CBB sickos will still find some spots to bet on. Let's get into our favorite NCAA Basketball picks for Sunday's action and see if we can build off our solid start to 2026.
We've got our head barely floating above water this college hoops season so far.
- NCAA Basketball YTD
- 107-100 (51.7%)
- +1.48u
- Average Odds: -106
But we've had plenty of success to start the new year.
- NCAA Basketball 2026
- 33-23 (58.9%)
- +7.11u
Let's keep building the rest of the season.
Go check out what else I've got on my daily card, and view the latest odds at the best online sportsbooks.
Best NCAA Basketball Picks and Predictions January 18
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Maryland Terrapins NCAA Basketball Picks
David Coit leads the Terps in points and assists per game this season
Best Bet: Penn State/Maryland Under 147 (-107) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Two 0-6 teams in the Big Ten meet in College Park on Sunday morning for this conference showdown. Both teams are still looking for their first win during the new year, and instead of backing a side, I'm willing to fade both teams to back the under. The Terps can't shoot threes at all, but that seems to be all they do on offense. Maryland is top 70 in 3P Rate but shoots just 31% from downtown and rank bottom 25 in the country in overall eFG%. Ironically, their shooting actually gets worse in their own gym.
However, the one thing they do right on offense is getting to the free throw line. But they could have some trouble doing so, as the Nittany Lions are top 20 in FT Rate defense and jump to top six on the road in that category. Offensively, Penn State does not offensive rebound very well or get to the free throw line, but they certainly keep their foes from doing the same.
Expect minimal free throw attempts from either side, very little offensive rebounds, and a small amount of possessions as we have two very slow teams. All of that results in a low scoring game in my eyes.
Arizona State Sun Devils vs. #7 Houston Cougars NCAA Basketball Picks
Kingston Flemings does a fantastic job of controlling the pace of the game for Kelvin Sampson's squad
Best Bet: Arizona State/Houston Under 145 (-112) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
The Houston Cougars are one of the slowest offenses in all of college basketball, and one of the best defensively. Add in the fact that they are on their home court, and those numbers amplify. The Cougars rank No. 350 in possessions per game, averaging just 63.5 to place them bottom 15 in the nation. Defensively, they lead the nation in adjusted efficiency and turnovers forced at home, and rank top 10 in opponent eFG% as well. They do a great job of keeping their hands to themselves, but don't draw very many fouls, as they are bottom 15 in the country at getting to the free throw line. Other than that, their offense is very efficient, but defense is the name of their game.
The Sun Devils will likely want to speed things up, but they might've expelled all their energy this week. On the road earlier, Arizona State went toe to toe with the No. 1 ranked Arizona Wildcats in a rivalry match in Tucson. Arizona State actually led at halftime before losing by seven as 21 point underdogs. Now they head to Houston, where it will be MUCH tougher to score, and they will have severely less opportunities to do so.
Overall, I think Houston asserts their dominance in this game, but combining for 140+ points is a bit too much to ask for. Houston leads the nation in points per game allowed, giving up just 59.3, with that number dropping all the way to 51.4 in their own gym.
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Nate has been a recreational sports bettor for about 5 years. In that time, he has grown to love the pursuit of winners and sticking it to The Man. Nate loves data and uses his understanding of numbers to help him be a more profitable sports gambler, however he will be the first to tell you this game is about more than just stats.
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