Thursday College Basketball Best Bets | January 30, 2025
Written by: Colby Marchio
Published: Thu Jan 30, 2025, 11:41 am ET
Read Time: 5 minutes
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Thursday's slate is packed, and we are locking in on two prime matchups where the numbers and narratives collide. Penn State is a home dog in a perfect bounce-back spot, while Oregon looks to shake off a tough loss and push the pace against UCLA. The trends may say otherwise, but tonight, we are trusting the edges that matter.
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Last Month in CBB: 42-51-1 (-14.63 Units)
Last Week in CBB: 10-11-1 (-1.79 Units)
Ohio State vs Penn State Best Bet
Can Penn State sneak out a win over Ohio State tonight?
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This game has been circled since Monday morning—Buckeyes vs. Nittany Lions. After dismantling Iowa and watching Penn State fall to Michigan, this is the perfect spot to back the Nittany Lions. They are desperate for a win, having lost six of their last seven, but they have been a covering machine, cashing in five straight. Despite their struggles, they have given every opponent a fight, losing by an average of just 2.75 points over that stretch.
Ohio State just handled an Iowa team that does not play a lick of defense, shooting 48.4% from the floor and 29.6% from three while losing the turnover battle, yet still winning by 17.
Now, the Buckeyes must face the 89th-ranked defense that thrives on forcing turnovers, ranking 27th nationally. Penn State is elite at home, ranking 36th per Haslametrics, while Ohio State has struggled on the road, ranking 24th worst. The Nittany Lions' offense jumps to 36th in adjusted efficiency and effective field goal percentage at home. They excel inside and at getting to the line, where they convert 77.1% of their free throws. Meanwhile, Ohio State is among the nation's worst in free throw rate defense in true road games, ranking 20th worst.
The Buckeyes cruised against Iowa, but now they have to step into a fight against a desperate Penn State team on its home floor. Give me Penn State to win. Pay the juice.
Best Bet: Penn State Moneyline (-162) on BetOnline
#16 Oregon vs UCLA Best Bet
Can the Ducks bounce back after their road loss to Minnesota?
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Best Bet: Oregon (+5) on BetOnline
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Former D1 (club) baseball player, Colby has been betting since his college days at DePaul, where he had to endure the worst collegiate basketball the Big East has ever seen. He is an advanced analytics nerd and has never seen an underdog he has not liked. Hot. Corn. Bull. It does not matter the dog he loves them all.
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