College Basketball Best Bets Today, February 3rd

Another winning day on Tuesday, 3-0, moving us to an incredible (and unsustainable) 14-1 stretch dating back to Saturday.

The best bets record is in the positive, so let's keep pushing. Here are three high major market games that I bet on Thursday night.

Odds courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook.

Best Bets Column Record 41-37-3 (+1.53 units)

Georgetown (+5) vs. St. John's

I wrote a full game preview here, but this feels like a lot of points for St. John's to lay on the road. Even though Georgetown is 0-8 in the Big East, the team is capable of getting hot from three (over 37% as a team) and they can hang tough with a St. John's team that loses on the margins.

The Red Storm are the worst team in the Big East at the free throw line and defensive rebounding rate. The defense is based around their ability to drive turnovers, which is best in the conference, but the Hoyas are also looking to run, ranking inside the top 50 in adjusted tempo. Not to mention, Georgetown is top 35 in offensive rebounding rate, so they can get plenty of second chances and hang within a possession.

I make St. John's closer to a 2-point favorite, so I'll play this down to +4.

PICK: Georgetown +5, play to +4

Arizona (-6.5) vs. UCLA

Full game preview here, but I've been eyeing this spot as a bet on Arizona since the team lost by 16 at UCLA despite ShotQuality grading it as a three-point Wildcats win.

Arizona lost by 16 in a game that they shot 34% on two-point tries and 25% from three, but did grab 21 offensive rebounds. First year Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd has built a top 15 offense nationally that is centered on ball movement (No. 1 in assist rate). I expect we see some positive shooting regression on Thursday night and the Zona offense is dynamite once again.

Meanwhile, on defense, the team has the best two-point defense in the country, but UCLA shot 51% on those attempts in the first game. The Bruins will likely welcome back Johnny Juzang from COVID-19 Protocols, but he could be on a minutes restriction. The length of the Arizona defense is going to be too much for a rusty Juzang and a UCLA offense to overcome on the road after some outlier shot making in the prior meeting.

This line may tick down to -6, so I'll wait on this and make a two unit play on Arizona at -6. If it stays at -6.5, I'll play for one unit.

PICK: Arizona -6.5, play to -7, 2U on -6 if available

Wyoming (-115) vs. Boise State

Boise State has been running way too good during this 14 game win streak, notching their last five victories by six or less points. I believe they are due for some negative regression against Wyoming on the road on Thursday.

There is a chance for an emotional letdown after Wyoming played an overtime thriller against Colorado State on Tuesday, but the duo of Hunter Maldonaldo and big man Graham Ike can generate enough offense to win a rock fight with Boise State.

ShotQuality believes that Boise is two games better than their record and are a bottom five free throw shooting team in the country. If Ike can win the matchup inside against bruising Broncos big man Mladen Armus and get to the charity stripe (Wyoming is top five nationally in free throw rate) they are in line to grab another home victory.

Boise State does a great job of running foes off the three-point line, bottom 10 in 3PA rate, but Wyoming is top 10 in two point offense. After losing by 3 in Boise on January 25th, I believe Wyoming rides the momentum from Tuesday's win and get it done on Thursday.

You can read the full game preview HERE

PICK: Wyoming ML -115