Best NCAA Basketball Picks and Predictions (1/24): Saturday’s CBB
Written by: Nate Hornung
Published: Fri Jan 23, 2026, 7:39 pm ET
Read Time: 9 minutes
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Nobody is leaving the house tomorrow. Everyone will be either buried in snow or too frozen to move off the couch, which is perfect considering we have 153 NCAA Basketball games on tomorrow's slate (give or take a few due to revised scheduling). Our CBB experts dove into the betting board and found their favorite college hoops picks for tomorrow!
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 24
#7 Nebraska vs. Minnesota NCAA Basketball Picks
Will Minnesota finally take Nebraska down a peg at the Barn?
Best Bet: Minnesota +6 (-110) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Colby Marchio: Nebraska has to fall eventually, and there is no tougher place to play than the Barn in Minneapolis. The Golden Gophers rank as the third best team in road versus home court metrics, per Haslametrics. On the other side, Nebraska sits 246th in that same category. Haslametrics also notes that the Cornhuskers are one of the most inconsistent teams in the country, ranking fourteenth worst overall.
Minnesota's defense ranks among the best in the nation inside its home gym. They excel at forcing turnovers, attacking the glass, and defending both the interior and perimeter. They are a complete team, especially at home. Offensively, they rank 43rd in free throw rate offense and 72nd in two-point percentage.
This marks only Nebraska's fifth true road game of the season. They have struggled in key areas, including offensive rebounding and getting to the free throw line, where they rank bottom 100 nationally. Defensively, they rank 240th in effective field goal percentage and sit bottom 100 in both two-point percentage allowed and block percentage.
This is a great spot to back one of the best home teams in the country. Nebraska is due to slip, and the Golden Gophers should be ready for the challenge.
Wake Forest vs. #5 Duke NCAA Basketball Picks
Cameron Boozer and Duke might have their hands full with Wake Forest on Saturday
Best Bet: Wake Forest/Duke Over 150.5 (-110) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Nate Hornung: We're taking the over in this game. Wake Forest is already a team that flies up and down the court, ranking No. 79 in pace. Those numbers drop off away from home, but Duke is the opposite. The Blue Devils are No. 159 overall in possessions per game, but shoot up to No. 70 at home. In their own gym, they will control the pace and speed things up.
Duke is a team that gets to the free throw line a ton, shoot plenty of threes, and do a great job of crashing the glass. While the Demon Deacons are sound defensively, their numbers take a major hit away from home, including ranking third worst in offensive rebounds allowed. Duke could be looking ahead to Louisville, but if they fall behind, it is just more reason for them to play with urgency and pick up the tempo. Scoring 80 for them should be no problem, but based on the number of trips up and down the floor, I believe Wake will do their part as well for this total.
#11 Illinois vs. #4 Purdue NCAA Basketball Picks
Back Braden Smith and Purdue at home against Illinois
Best Bet: Purdue -4.5 (-110) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Nate Hornung: This number is up from when I booked it at -3.5, but all my faith lies in the Boilermakers at home. They are coming off their first conference loss to UCLA and already lost at Mackey Arena once this season. Plus, they face an Illini team that will be slightly shorthanded. Senior point guard Kylan Boswell is sidelined for the Illini, leaving the team without their primary ball handler and defensive engine. Who is going to slow down Braden Smith without Boswell guarding him? Hint: Nobody.
This is a terrible spot for the Illini who have won eight straight games and covered six of those spreads. Matt Painter certainly knows how much this game means, and he'll make sure they are ready to go after losing in the City of Angels.
Auburn vs. #16 Florida NCAA Basketball Picks
Thomas Haugh and the Gators have won five straight, covering every spread along the way
Best Bet: Florida -9.5 (-110) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Nate Hornung: Todd Golden and the Gators have figured it out. They've only lost five times this year: to Arizona on a Championship Hangover, to Duke on the road and to UConn at a neutral site (covering both spreads), and then to TCU and Missouri. But they've won five straight, are on top of the SEC and are not a team I'd want to face at this moment.
On the other side, I have no faith in the Tigers on the road. They also lost to Missouri in Columbia by 10 instead of two like Florida did, and they barely squeaked out a win against South Carolina at home. The Gamecocks suck. Both teams like to run, so there should be plenty of chances to cover this number, just like they've done in the last five games. In Gainesville, this could get ugly.
Seton Hall vs. DePaul NCAA Basketball Picks
Can DePaul knock off Seton Hall as a short home underdog?
Best Bet: Seton Hall/DePaul Under 131.5 (-110) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Colby Marchio: Offensively, DePaul has its issues. If CJ Gunn is not clicking, this offense can go cold quickly. The Blue Demons rank inside the 200's in turnover percentage on offense, offensive rebounding, free throw percentage, and block percentage allowed. They do get to the line at a strong rate, but they are shooting under 70% from the charity stripe this season.
This matchup should be played at a moderate pace. DePaul ranks 149th in pace at home this season, while Seton Hall sits 240th on the road. DePaul is comfortable playing fast or slow, so tempo does not concern me here. Seton Hall will do everything it can to turn this game into a turtle race. With that, and with how dominant both defenses have been, points should once again be at an all time premium. Give me the under.
Boston College vs. Notre Dame NCAA Basketball Picks
Best Bet: Boston College/Notre Dame Under 134.5 (-105) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Nate Hornung: We have two teams that play painfully slow and are much better defensively than on the other side of the ball. Plus the total is ticking down so I'll snag it before it gets too low. The Irish are bottom 70 in the country in terms of pace, but they limit offensive rebounds as good as anybody. Offensively, they aren't anything special and are No. 259 at getting to the free throw line.
The Golden Eagles are just as slow, they can't shoot, but they make up for it on defense. Boston College is No. 293 in offensive efficiency and No. 325 in eFG%. On defense, they rank No. 50 and No. 28 in those categories. On the road, the name of the game for them will be slowing down their hosts, which shouldn't be too hard considering they play at a snail's pace. Defense, slow pace, under.
#19 Kansas vs. Kansas State NCAA Basketball Picks
The Jayhawks have lost three straight Sunflower Showdowns in Bramlage
Best Bet: Kansas ML/Under 160.5 (+147) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Nate Hornung: I'd get plenty of grief from my friends and family if I didn't talk about the Sunflower Showdown that's happening in Manhattan, Kansas this Saturday. A tale as old as time, the Jayhawks versus the Wildcats, and we are trying to get the best of both worlds with the Jayhawks and the under. Now, there might not be a Darryn Peterson appearance, but it shouldn't matter.
Kansas State has won the last three meetings of this rivalry at Bramlage Coliseum, but all good things must come to an end. The Wildcats suck and are coming off their first Big 12 win of the season. Jerome Tang was celebrating with the students after the victory, clearly not worrying about the Jayhawks coming to town.
Kansas has won three straight since upsetting Iowa State at home, and I see them continuing to cruise in this one. As far as the total, the Wildcats' best chance at a win is by limiting the offensive possessions the Jayhawks see. While they may be able to hang on for a bit, I don't think this gets out of hand, and the hosts won't contribute enough to get this over the total. The Jayhawks are inevitable in this matchup.
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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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