The 2024-25 college basketball regular season is winding to a close for most leagues, but the Atlantic Sun has already begun its conference tournament thanks to a stepladder format taking place over a span of eight days. The 2025 ASUN Conference Tournament continues on Monday with three more games and there are also Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC matchups among the 27 games on the college basketball schedule tonight. That includes a battle between the fourth-ranked Houston Cougars and the Kansas Jayhawks at Hofheinz Pavilion that tips off at 9 p.m. ET.
The latest college basketball odds via the SportsLine consensus list the Cougars as 9.5-point home favorites over the Jayhawks, with Houston having already locked up the Big 12 regular-season title. Meanwhile, No. 2 Duke is also a 20.5-point favorite at home over Wake Forest and tonight’s college basketball lines also put the over/under in that game at 145.5.
SportsLine’s proven model has simulated every Monday college basketball game 10,000 times and revealed the best bets for every game. Combining these three picks into a college basketball parlay would result in a payout of nearly 6-1. See all the college basketball picks at SportsLine right here.
The model simulates every Division 1 college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 18 of the 2024-25 season on a 221-162 betting roll (+1895) on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to 2023. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
Here are three college basketball best bets for Monday:
UCLA vs. Northwestern (9 p.m. ET): Northwestern +3.5 (-112)
Northwestern’s chances of making the NCAA Tournament for a third year in a row are slim, but three wins in a row have certainly improved its chances. All three of those wins have come by double-digits and now the Wildcats have a golden opportunity to add a Q1 win over the Bruins. UCLA is coming off a double-digit loss to Purdue this weekend and has failed to cover in two of three, while Northwestern has managed to cover in four of its last five. See all the model’s Northwestern vs. UCLA picks here.
The Pick: Northwestern +3.5 (-112) — The Wildcats cover the spread in 68% of the model’s simulations
Projected final score: Northwestern 71, UCLA 69
Bonus pick: SportsLine expert Jason La Canfora, who is on a 27-15 (+1135) run on NCAAB picks, and he’s locked in his best bet for Duke vs. Wake Forest right here.
Wichita State vs. North Texas (9 p.m. ET): Over 127.5 (-109)
The AAC might be a one-bid league with Memphis, but North Texas (21-6, 12-3) is still in the hunt for the conference title and Wichita State (17-11, 7-8) has a handful of quality wins over Saint Louis, Minnesota and Kansas State. These two teams combine to average more than 140 points per game on the season, so this line might be an overreaction to a 58-54 battle on Jan. 29. However, both teams shot 40% or worse from the floor in that contest and they combined to go 6-for-27 from the 3-point line. The model is predicting a better shooting night and 139 combined points. See all of the model’s North Texas vs. Wichita State picks here.
The Pick: Over 127.5 (-109) — The Over hits in 80% of the model’s simulations
Projected final score: North Texas 75, Wichita State 64
Bonus pick: See SC State vs. Howard predictions from expert Bruce Marshall, who is 29-15 ATS (+1210) over his last 44 college basketball picks, here.
Jackson State vs. Prairie View A&M (9 p.m. ET): Prairie View A&M +14.5 (-108)
Jackson State went 0-13 in non-conference but have turned things around with an 11-4 mark so far in SWAC play. Meanwhile, Prairie View A&M is 5-24 overall and 4-12 in the league, but the Panthers did manage to keep it to single-digits in their first matchup with the Tigers (a 79-70 loss) on Jan. 18. They’re also 7-6 against the spread as double-digit underdogs this season and covered at Southern as 14.5-point underdogs in their only game as a double-digit underdog in conference play. See all of the model’s Jackson State vs. Prairie View A&M picks here.
The Pick: Prairie View A&M +14.5 (-108) – The Panthers cover in 66% of simulations
Projected final score: Jackson State 79, Prairie View A&M 71
Bonus pick: SportsLine’s Larry Hartstein, who is 38-16 over his last 54 college basketball spread picks, has locked in his prediction for Stephen F. Austin vs. McNeese State right here.
Want more college basketball picks for tonight?
You’ve seen the model’s college basketball best bets for Monday. Now, get college basketball advice from expert Thomas Casale, who is 49-31 (+1397.5) over his last 77 NCAAB picks right here.
SportsLine’s model is on a 220-160 roll on college basketball picks dating back to 2023. Visit SportsLine to get all of its college basketball picks for Monday right here.
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