Our free College Basketball picks are out for Wednesday, January 26th, 2022! Make sure you check our expert College Basketball picks before the action kicks off.
Look below to find our free College Basketball picks for the best games on today’s schedule!
Florida @ #18 Tennessee – 6pm ET
The first featured SEC matchup of the evening is a couple of eastern division teams going head to head. As the Florida Gators head to Knoxville to play the nationally ranked Tennessee Volunteers. Florida comes into this game with a record of 12-7 and 3-4 inside the SEC. While the Tennessee Volunteers come into this game with a record of 13-5 and near the top of the conference.
Marko Nadin
In a matchup between the fifth and the eighth team in the SEC, Tennessee is hosting Florida. The Volunteers are 13-5 for the season and have lost two of the last five games. Tennessee is the only team that has defeated the Arizona Wildcats this season and that speaks enough of how good this Volunteers team is. Tennessee is coming off a 64-50 win over LSU in a match in which senior John Fulkerson reached 1,000 points in his college career. Tennessee is averaging only 74.4 points per game with poor shooting percentages and that is what keeps them from being among the very best teams in the country.
The Florida Gators had a great start of the season winning the first six games but they haven’t been even close to that form as they are currently at 13-8. They are coming off a 70-54 loss to Ole Miss and things won’t be much different when they visit Thompson-Boiling Arena on Wednesday. Florida is shooting less than 30% from the three-point and if they do not improve drastically, they will have a long night in Tennessee. The Volunteers are 10-0 at home this year and Florida can not stop that run.
Marko’s College Basketball Pick: Tennessee -10 (-110)
Tony Battalio
The Florida Gators are coming into this game with a record of 12-7 on the year. Florida had a three game winning streak snapped in their last game after losing to Ole Miss by a score of 70-54. They come into this game with a record of 3-4 inside of conference play. They have lost three straight games to ranked opponents inside of the SEC, that is a streak they will be looking to break in this game against Tennessee. Florida really needs a resume building win, as they dropped games when they have had the chances.
Midweek hoops on deck.
PREVIEW » https://t.co/zXYtVFTpoc pic.twitter.com/6hP4Oic9gb
— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) January 25, 2022
The Tennessee Volunteers come into this game with a record of 13-5 through their first 18 games of the season. They are currently ranked 18th in the nation as well. They are currently on a two game winning streak after picking up wins over LSU and Vanderbilt. They have won three of their last five games and will be looking to pick up another victory in this one. As for the result of this game, that is exactly what I expect. As I have the Tennessee Volunteers to pick up the victory at home in this game.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: Tennessee -10 (110)
Noah Dunlap
After a good start to the season, the Florida Gators have simply fallen apart. They started the year at 6-0, and have since gone 6-7 the rest of the way, putting them at 12-7 on the season. Piling on to the collapse is the fact that they’ve yet to have a legitimate elite win this year, as their two best wins are over Florida State and Ohio State, both decent teams but not great. They also have a few inexcusable losses, such as losses at the hands of Texas Southern and Ole Miss, which are going to do nothing but drag down their resume by the time the tournament comes around.
Tennessee comes in at 13-5, and they’ve run into a bit of the same problem, as following a hot start they’ve slowed down a bit as SEC play has started. They’ve gone 3-2 in their last five, and while that isn’t great, they do have a win over a good win over LSU in that stretch. As for this one, I like the talent of Kennedy Chandler and the rest of the Vols to be enough to power past a Gators squad that just played two nights ago.
Noah’s College Basketball Pick: Tennessee -10 (-110)
#17 Providence @ #21 Xavier – 6:30pm ET
This ranked Big East matchup is going to be one of the best of the evening. As the Providence Friars travel to Ohio to take on the Xavier Musketeers. Providence comes into this game ranked 17th in the nation, while Xavier is ranked 21st.
Marko Nadin
The top team in the Big East Providence is traveling to Cintas Center to face Xavier. The Musketeers are a tough home team as they are 10-1 in their place but their total of 14-4 puts them sixth in the conference. After losing only once in the first 12 games, Xavier has failed three times in the last six. They are coming off a 75-64 loss to Marquette in a match in which they shot only 38.7% from the field and 26.1% from behind the arc.
Providence on the other hand is at a surprisingly good 16-2 record, losing only to Virginia and Marquette. After three consecutive games being postponed, the Friars won against Georgetown and most recently 69-62 over Butler. Providence had only seven players in rotation in this match and will miss forward AJ Reeves against the Musketeers. Xavier scores four points more than Providence and the teams have almost identical stats in every other category.
Marko’s College Basketball Pick: Providence +8 (-110)
Tony Battalio
The Providence Friars have put together a great season so far. They come into this game with a record of 16-2 through their first 18 games on the season. They are currently ranked in the middle of the pack in the top 25 as they sit at number 17 this week. They are currently on a three game winning streak after picking up victories over Georgetown, Butler, and St. John’s. Now they will be looking to grab a fourth straight win and a top 25 victory in the process. They are currently 6-1 and in first place of the Big East Conference as well.
The Xavier Musketeers are coming into this game with a record of 14-4. They also have a record of 4-3 in the Big East and will be looking for a big win in this one to jump up in the standings from their spot in 6th place. They lost to the Marquette Golden Eagles in their last game, which snapped a two game winning streak for the Musketeers. Now they will be looking to get back into the winner’s column with a victory in this one. However, I don’t see that happening as I have the Providence Friars picking up the victory in this one over Xavier on the road.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: Providence (+270)
Noah Dunlap
This is one of two Big East matchups tonight that have the real chance to be great games that come down to the wire. Providence comes in ranked 17th, and currently, looks like they may be the best team in the conference. At 16-2, they’re incredibly consistent, and the best part may be the fact that they have big wins over Wisconsin and Texas Tech already this year, which are going to stick out as the committee looks at their resume come March.
On the other side, Xavier comes in having slowed down a bit as conference play has gotten underway. They looked great with their non-conference slate, but since entering Big East play they’ve gone 4-3 and look a bit mediocre. They come into this having lost their last game to Marquette, and I’m not sure this is a game that they get back on track. I like the Friars to travel to Cincinnati and get a huge road win over a good Musketeers squad.
Noah’s College Basketball Pick: Providence (+270)
#22 Marquette @ Seton Hall – 8:30pm ET
The second featured Big East matchup of the evening pits the #22 ranked Marquette Golden Eagles against the Seton Hall Pirates. Marquette comes into this one with a record of 14-6, while Seton Hall is 12-6 heading into this home game.
Marko Nadin
The Seton Hall Pirates started the season in a great manner winning nine of the first ten games but after three of the games were postponed, they came back as a different team. The Pirates have lost five of the last eight, and with a 12-6 record are 8th in the Big East. After they defeated St. John’s on the road, they were blown out by the Red Storm, 84-63 at home. Still, Seton Hall is ranked 20th in the country in rebounds per game mostly because of Alexis Yetna who is averaging 7.9 per game.
Marquette has picked up their firm lately winning the last six games, including a 75-64 win over Xavier in their last game. Freshman forward Justin Lewis is showing tremendous potential as he is averaging 15.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. The Golden Eagles defeated Seton Hall this season 73-72 at home and this will be another close game. The Pirates have five sidelined players and that makes Marquette the favorite on Wednesday night.
Marko’s College Basketball Pick: Marquette +3.5 (-110)
Tony Battalio
The Marquette Golden Eagles come into this game ranked 22nd in the country. They have a record of 14-6 through their first 20 games on the season. After breaking a four game losing streak in the beginning of December, they have since won their last six games in a row heading into this game. They will be looking to complete a sweep of Seton Hall after beating them back on January 15th by a score of 73-72. They are currently 6-3 inside of the Big East as well. The Golden Eagles will be looking for a big win in this one.
No. 17 Men’s Basketball Game Notes At No. 21 Xavier https://t.co/CKs42SfvYt
— Providence MBB (@PCFriarsmbb) January 25, 2022
The Seton Hall Pirates are coming into this game with a record of 12-6 on the season. They put together a great nonconference schedule, but have faltered in Big East play. As they come into this game with a record of 3-5 inside of conference play. They will be looking for a big top 25 victory to get themselves back on track in this one. However I don’t see that happening as I have Seton Hall falling to the Marquette Golden Eagles in this one at home. Regardless of the outcome in this one both of these teams are likely going to be in the NCAA Tournament when the year ends.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: Marquette
Noah Dunlap
In the second quality matchup of the night for the Big East, we get Seton Hall hosting the Marquette Golden Eagles in a game that is a must win for the Pirates at home. I was a believer in Seton Hall early in the year, but the belief is fading with each passing game, as they enter this one at 12-6, and only 3-5 in conference play. This would be a huge resume booster for the Pirates, but I think it’s going to see them having their hands full with this Marquette team.
The Golden Eagles come into this one ranked 22nd in the latest polls, and have actually been a pleasant surprise for most people this season. They’ve been solid for virtually the entire season, apart from a brief four game stretch in December. Since that stretch, they’ve run off six straight, and I think they push that to seven with a big win here, giving them the season sweep over the Hall.
Noah’s College Basketball Pick: Marquette
VCU @ #25 Davidson – 8:30pm ET
This Atlantic-10 Conference matchup is a rematch from eight short days ago when Davidson came out on top by two points. Now they will be looking to complete the sweep over VCU and extend their nation’s best 15 game winning streak.
Marko Nadin
The Davidson Wildcats have been great so far in the season as they are on top of the A 10 with a 16-2 record. They lost their second and third games of the season and have won 15 straight since then. The Wildcats are perfect 7-0 at home and are second in the country shooting 41.6% from the three point line. They are also seventh in field goal percentage and are having a huge advantage over their next opponent who is under 200th in both categories. Davidson is coming off a tough fought 69-66 win over Fordham.
The VCU Rams are second in the A 10 but have four more losses compared to the leading Davidson. VCU lost two of their last three games including a 63-31 loss to the Wildcats a week ago. The Rams are one of the worst free-throw shooting teams in the country as they are ranked 236th with 66%. Marcus Tsohonis, Jimmy Nichols Jr., Jarren McAllister and Jamir Watkins will not suit up for the Rams which makes their chances even lower. Davidson is winning this one easily.
Marko’s College Basketball Pick: Davidson -4 (-106)
Tony Battalio
VCU comes into this game with a record of 11-6 on the year. They will be looking to avenge a loss to the Davidson Wildcats from just eight short days ago when they came up short at home by a score of 63-61. In their last game Virginia Commonwealth defeated St. Joes by a score of 70-54 at home, which snapped a two game losing streak for them. Now they will be looking to pick up a second straight victory. They are currently sitting in third place of the Atlantic-10 with a record of 4-2 inside of the conference.
The Davidson Wildcats have already put together a decent resume this season. They come into this game with a record of 16-2 and have a big win over the Alabama Crimson Tide as well. The Wildcats are also currently on a 15 game winning streak and undefeated in Atlantic-10 play. They will be looking to complete the sweep over VCU and extend their impressive winning streak with another big victory. As for the result of this game I expect exactly that to happen as I have Davidson picking up the victory over VCU in this game at home.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: Davidson -4 (-106)
Noah Dunlap
Two of the best teams from the A-10 meet up in this one, in a game that I don’t actually think ends up being that close. VCU comes in second in the conference, but I just don’t think they’re on the same level as their opponents in this one. They have an 11-6 record, but the schedule hasn’t been what would be considered elite, and they have a few losses that make me question whether or they’re a real contender in the long run for the A-10 title.
On the other side, I really like this Davidson team. They lead the conference, with a 16-2 record, are undefeated in conference, and have run off 15 straight wins. On top of all of that, that has a huge win over Alabama earlier this year, in what seems to have been the beginning of the Crimson Tide’s downward slide, in what is certainly going to be a resume booster come tournament time. They also shoot well from the beyond the arc, which is a trait that can easily allow them to stay in any game if they’re shooting well. As for this one, give me the Wildcats to get a big win at home, and complete the season sweep of VCU.
Noah’s College Basketball Pick: Davidson -4 (-106)
Texas A&M @ #19 LSU – 9pm ET
The last featured SEC game on the Wednesday slate sees two identical 15-4 teams face off in this one. As the Texas A&M Aggies travel to Baton Rouge to take on the 19th ranked LSU Tigers. Both teams will be looking for a big win in this one.
Marko Nadin
Both LSU and Texas A&M are having 15-4 records so far in the season. The Tigers won the first 12 games of the season but dropped 4 of the last 7 including the last three. Most recently LSU lost to the Tennessee Volunteers 64-50 as they shot only 39% from the field and 21% from the three point line. LSU is among the top 25 teams when it comes to rebounds but are not among the top 100 in any offensive category.
The Aggies were on an eight-game winning streak before losing the last two against Kentucky and Arkansas with a total of nine points. Texas A&M are the best team in the country when it comes to opponent’s field goal percentage as they are allowing only 35.7. The Aggies are 4-0 covering the spread in their last four matches and they will do that again as LSU is a nine-point favorite coming into this game.
Marko’s College Basketball Pick: Texas A&M +8.5 (-102)
Tony Battalio
The Texas A&M Aggies head into this game with a record of 15-4 on the season. However, they are currently unranked despite having the same exact record as their opponents in this game, the LSU Tigers. Texas A&M is currently on a two game losing streak however after dropping back to back games to Arkansas in overtime on the road and Kentucky at home. They will be looking to bounce back with a top 25 victory in this one on the road over the LSU Tigers. Texas A&M is currently in third place of the SEC as well with a 4-2 record.
A nightcap at the PMAC tomorrow as LSU looks to get back on track vs. Texas A&M at 8:00 p.m. on SEC Network!
full preview » https://t.co/reT9GywUyI
tickets » https://t.co/PnFgM8dqED pic.twitter.com/3h3erEWKHj— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) January 26, 2022
The LSU Tigers also come into this game with a record of 15-4 as well. The difference between them and Texas A&M is the fact that all of LSU’s losses have come inside of SEC play. As the Tigers are currently 3-4 inside of the conference. They have lost their last three games in a row as they’ve dropped games to Arkansas, Alabama, and Tennessee. They will be looking to snap the losing streak with a victory in this game. As for the result of this game, I expect the LSU Tigers to pick up the victory in this one over Texas A&M.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: LSU (-430)
Noah Dunlap
Earlier in the year, it seemed like everyone was on board the LSU bandwagon and I wasn’t convinced, as despite opening the year 12-0, they had played an extremely weak schedule to that point, which had me somewhat hesitant with them entering SEC play. That hesitancy seems to have been the right move, as the Tigers have collapsed a bit in conference play, losing their last three, and four of their last seven. They have two wins on the year so far that could potentially help to boost their resume, as they have knocked off Kentucky and Tennessee, but they also have a loss to Tennessee, which ends up canceling the two out.
Texas A&M comes in with the same 15-4 record, but has a bit of the same problem that LSU does, in the sense that they don’t necessarily have that huge win that the committee could look at and decide that they’re the real deal for sure. The good news for the Aggies is that they do have a win over a good Arkansas team that can somewhat act as that win, although I think they may need a better win than that by the time the season ends. The other side of this matchup is that I like this A&M defense a lot, especially against an LSU offense that struggles to score. With the fact that LSU is on a major downward spiral right now, I think the safe play here is to take the Aggies to get a massive road win in Baton Rouge.
Noah’s College Basketball Pick: Texas A&M (+330)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
