Best NCAA Basketball Picks and Predictions (2/7): Saturday’s College Hoops
Written by: Nate Hornung
Published: Fri Feb 06, 2026, 7:32 pm ET
Read Time: 11 minutes
ncaab
There's plenty of college hoops on our screens tomorrow, so check out what our CBB experts are wagering on by reading their favorite NCAA Basketball picks below.
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 February 7
Louisville vs. Wake Forest NCAA Basketball Picks
We should see plenty of points as Wake Forest hosts Louisville
Best Bet: Louisville/Wake Forest Over 161 (-110) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Nate Hornung: Back the over as the Demon Deacons host the Cardinals. Louisville is already a super fast team that relies heavily on the three ball, and even though they shoot worse on the road, they'll have plenty of chances. The Cardinals shoot the second most threes in the country and aren't afraid to crash the offensive glass, all while ranking No. 54 in pace.
Wake Forest is No. 87 overall in tempo, but they jump into the top 40 in their own gym. This team shoots over 78.5% from the stripe (top 25 in the country), but admittedly, they struggle to defend in general, but especially the perimeter. The Demon Deacons are No. 295 in opponent eFG% at home, allowing their foes to shoot over 34.5% from deep and are bottom 15 in opponent 3P Rate as well. Even though the Cardinals don't shoot as well on the road as they do at home, they'll have multiple opportunities to get the job done this weekend.
Utah vs. #11 Kansas NCAA Basketball Picks
Can the Jayhawks stay focused this weekend with the No. 1 team in the country coming to town on Monday?
Best Bet: Utah/Kansas Over 150.5 (-107) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Nate Hornung: The Jayhawks have a tune up game before hosting No. 1 Arizona on Monday at Allen Fieldhouse, and I think they take full advantage of this weaker opponent coming to town. They jump 50 spots in pace at home, and they have multiple scoring options on all levels of the floor. While Utah isn't that great of a team, their offense is much better than their defense.
The Utes are actually top 70 in adjusted offensive efficiency in six true road games, and it's highlighted by them taking care of the basketball and shooting over 38% from deep. I expect them to have to take plenty of threes, as they should be behind early in this game, but Kansas will coast to a victory, saving some of their legs for Monday's contest. Regardless, the back and forth should be enough to push this game over the total, even if Utah doesn't do their fair share.
Oklahoma State vs. #1 Arizona NCAA Basketball Picks
Fade the storm and back the Wildcats at home
Best Bet: Arizona -20 (-118) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Colby Marchio: Nothing gets the weekend started like a system play, and this matchup features one I hold near and dear. Wednesday evening, the Oklahoma State Cowboys took down No. 16 BYU 99 to 92 as eight-point underdogs. The Cowboys celebrated with a court storm, and while it is deserved, that kind of momentum carries a price.
This brings us to the system play: fade the storm. When a team storms the field or court after a big win, they are often vulnerable in their next matchup. The Cowboys now head on the road to face No. 1 Arizona. This marks their fifth true road game of the season, and their road numbers are unimpressive. Oklahoma State ranks bottom 100 in turnover defense, offensive rebounding, free throw rate offense, and block percentage defense, even though they are still top 80 offensively and top 50 defensively. In four prior road games, they are 1-3, including a 102 to 80 loss to Texas Tech on January 2nd.
Arizona has been dominant against top 50 competition, ranking 21st in offense and fourth in defense. They control the glass, get to the line efficiently, and defend the rim at an elite level. With a week off and Kansas on deck, Arizona is set to use this as a tune up.
Fade the storm.
Alabama vs. Auburn NCAA Basketball Picks
Alabama heads to Auburn to take on the Tigers in this rivalry matchup
Best Bet: Alabama +3 (-110) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Colby Marchio: Nothing beats the Iron Bowl, even when it is on the hardwood. SEC basketball is just as exciting as SEC football, and this rivalry never fails to deliver. Neither Auburn nor Alabama is ranked inside the top 25, but the intensity and history between these programs make every matchup feel monumental. Auburn is coming off a loss to Tennessee after four straight wins, while Alabama just edged out Texas A&M following their loss to Florida. This sets up a strong system play spot for this rivalry game.
Auburn has some clear defensive flaws that Alabama can exploit. The Tigers rank 238th in three-point defense and 255th in three-point rate defense. If Alabama catches fire from deep, Auburn will struggle to keep up. Auburn also ranks 122nd in two-point percentage defense, while Alabama ranks 41st in two-point percentage even on the road. The Crimson Tide are the second fastest team in the country outside of their home gym, and they combine offensive efficiency, strong ball protection, and excellent rim attack. Their defense on the road has been solid through five true road games, ranking 52nd in eFG%, 39th in three-point percentage, and fourth in three-point rate.
If Alabama is making their shots from deep, catching 2 points feels like a gift. This is a spot where the Crimson Tide can show up and dominate.
#4 Duke vs. #14 North Carolina NCAA Basketball Picks
Can the Tar Heels finally beat Duke after losing all three meetings last season?
Best Bet: North Carolina Team Total Over 72.5 (-115) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Nate Hornung: I missed out on North Carolina +6.5 but this is the next best thing. The Tar Heels are already a fast team, but they jump into the top 100 in terms of pace at the Dean Smith Center. They are very efficient offensively and shoot the ball very well. While Duke prefers to slow things down, they might not have a choice, and we've seen them struggle to defend teams that like to run.
Despite just one loss on their record, the Blue Devils allowed 73 points to Lipscomb, Texas Tech, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Louisville and SMU. Plus Arkansas scored 71 while covering a double digit spread. At home in a rivalry game that they were clearly looking ahead to, the Tar Heels can easily put up 75.
#5 Illinois vs. #10 Michigan State NCAA Basketball Picks
Fade everyone on social media and back the Illini with me this weekend
Best Bet: Illinois ML (+105) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Nate Hornung: I'm not directly fading all of Gambling Twitter with this pick, but you'll hear tons of Sparty love in this matchup. "Izzo can't lost three in a row and two straight at home"… "Illinois has won 12 in a row, they're due for a loss".. Those statements might be true, but they have no actual impact on the game. The Illini are the better team.
Illinois has more scoring options, they are bigger in the front court and are a defensive nightmare for other teams. The Spartans struggle to shoot the ball well, especially from deep, and I don't see them keeping up with their visitors offensively in this game.
#19 Florida vs. Texas A&M NCAA Basketball Picks
Bucky McMillan and Texas A&M take on the defending national champions at home
Best Bet: Florida/Texas A&M Over 166.5 (-110) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Nate Hornung: I was able to snag this at 163.5 when it dropped on Thursday, but I like it up to 170. We should see plenty of points. Texas A&M is the second fastest team in the nation at home, but are still super efficient on offense. Expect over 75 possessions in this game, which will translate to plenty of points.
The Aggies are No. 26 in 3P Rate and shoot 39% from deep as a team at home. The Gators are No. 14 overall offensively, proving they are just as efficient in putting the ball in the hoop. Defensively, both teams are north of 200 in FT Rate, so we should get plenty of points with the clock stopped. A perfect recipe for the over.
#8 Houston vs. #16 BYU NCAA Basketball Picks
Richie Saunders is a sniper from downtown for the Cougars
Best Bet: BYU Team Total Over 73.5 (-115) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Nate Hornung: This is an unofficial Up Your Units collab for Saturday's slate. Read my full analysis here, or check out what Colby has to say about it.
Colby Marchio: Houston without a doubt owns one of the best defenses in the entire country, allowing an average of 61.4 points per game. However, on the road they are giving up 70.5 points, a drastically higher number than their home performance, where they hold opponents under 54 points per game.
Houston is coming off games where they held UCF to 55 points on Wednesday and Cincinnati to 54 last Saturday, both at home. Prior to those contests, Houston allowed TCU to score 70 points and Texas Tech to score 90, both road games.
BYU ranks 13th in home performance according to Haslametrics, while Houston sits at 346th. They love to run, ranking 45th in pace, and they are typically strong defensively. BYU averages over 92 points per game at home and ranks 31st in offensive rebounding, 26th in two-point percentage, 69th in three-point percentage, and 123rd in three-point rate. They do not rely on forcing threes; they get high-quality shots.
I anticipate a big game from BYU, but I am not ready to back them on the spread in this spot. Give me the points.
Still Didn't Get Your NCAA Basketball Fix?
Here at Betting News, we offer Free Expert Picks for every major sports league. We also host daily streams on our Twitch Channel with our best bets, as well as sweat out games on Playback! Be sure to tune into everything we have going on at our Youtube, TikTok, and X pages as well, and follow my personal twitter @Shaggy_Bets for my full daily card.
- Transfer Portal Update
- 2025-2026 NCAA Basketball Preview
- SEC Basketball Preview
- Big 12 Conference Picks
- Big Ten Conference Predictions
- ACC Basketball Preview
More NCAAB News
NCAAB Betting News
NCAA Expands March Madness Tournament to 76 Teams Beginning in 2027
NCAAB Betting News
NCAA Basketball Transfer Portal Update: Portal Entries and New Signings
NCAAB Betting News
NCAA Basketball Coaching Changes: Where Are They Now?
NCAAB Betting News
#2 UConn vs. #1 Michigan Picks and Predictions: National Championship
Get FREE Picks and Props Weekly
Sign up for
THE WEEKENDER NEWSLETTER
Check Out All of Our Betting Resources at Betting News
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.
This site contains commercial content. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. Betting News makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event.