Daily Dunk: Best College Basketball Bets Today (Predictions for Syracuse-UNC, Kansas-Texas Tech, and More)

Happy Monday, my friends, and welcome to a new week of college basketball action.

We don't have a massive slate tonight, but there is a marquee matchup between No. 14 Kansas and No. 11 Texas Tech. If you want a few bets for tonight's slate, you're in the right place. Let's dive into three of my favorites.

College Basketball Best Bets Today

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Charleston Southern -17.5 (-110) vs. Gardner-Webb
Syracuse +11.5 (-114) vs. UNC
Kansas +4.5 (-115) vs. Texas Tech

Gardner-Webb vs. Charleston Southern Prediction

We're going to fade Gardner-Webb, which is truly one of the worst teams in college basketball. The Bulldogs rank 344th in effective field goal percentage, 363rd in defensive efficiency, and 360th in effective possession ratio. Considering there are 365 Division I teams, Gardner-Webb is clearly one of the worst. Now, they have to hit the road to take on a solid Charleston Southern team that ranks 118th in effective field goal percentage and 127th in defensive efficiency.

I'm not afraid of laying the big numbers on the Buccaneers tonight.

Pick: Charleston Southern -17.5 (-110)

Syracuse vs. UNC Prediction

Despite the difference in record between these two teams, Syracuse's metrics aren't far off UNC's. For example, Syracuse ranks 98th in effective field goal percentage and 48th in defensive efficiency, compared to the Tar Heels, who rank 45th and 41st in those two metrics. Sure, UNC should be favored on its home court, but I think a spread of 11.5 is too aggressive against an underrated Syracuse team.

Keep an eye on turnovers in this game. Syracuse is 75th in opponent turnovers per possession, while UNC ranks just 341st in that metric. If the Orange can create some extra possessions via forcing turnovers, they're going to be in the mix to cover this spread.

Pick: Syracuse +11.5 (-114)

Kansas vs. Texas Tech Prediction

Texas Tech's defense raises some concerns for me. The Red Raiders rank 159th in defensive efficiency, which isn't a good sign for a team that's supposed to be one of the elite teams in the Big 12. That's far below Texas Tech, which ranks 28th in that metric.

One of the most important areas in this game is the Jayhawks' perimeter defense. They rank 13th in the country in opponent three-point field goal percentage, keeping teams to shooting just 29.4% from beyond the arc. That's going to be important against a Texas Tech team that's primarily a 3-point shooting squad.

I'll take the points with Kansas and hope their perimeter defense can keep being one of the best in the country.

Pick: Kansas +4.5 (-115)

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You can check out all of Iain's bets here!