Sixty percent of the latest AP Top 25 in college basketball takes to the hardwood on Saturday, but only two games will have ranked teams facing each other.
At noon the No. 22 Wisconsin Badgers face the No. 21 Ohio State Buckeyes at Value City Arena in Columbus. The Badgers (8-1, 1-0 B1G) head to the road for only the second time this season, with Wooden Award candidate Johnny Davis guiding one of the more efficient offenses in the country. UW turns it over on just 13% of possessions, good for eighth in the country.
Ohio State (7-2, 1-0 B1G) has been perfect at home this season, and counters with one of the best players in the country in EJ Liddell. Liddell averages 19.8 points per game with an eFG of 59.2%, and adds in 7.0 rebounds per game as well. But be careful when double-teaming, as he gets 2.6 assists per contest as well and is a willing passer.
The night cap should be a great one as well, with the No. 14 Houston Cougars up against the No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa. The Coogs (8-1) look to be the class of the American Conference again, bringing Kelvin Sampson’s signature defensive intensity every night. UH is No. 2 in KenPom nationally in overall defensive rating.
Bama (7-1) fell 81-72 against Gonzaga last time out in Seattle, which is a good result against the former No. 1 team in the country. Jahvon Quinerly and Jaden Shackelford make for one of the best backcourt combinations in the country, and don’t expect a lot of three-pointers made in this one: Both teams hold opponents under 28% from downtown.
Here are the opening odds for NCAA Men’s Basketball on Saturday, December 11th from DraftKings Sportsbook.
Top 25 college basketball, December 11
Time | Visitor | Home | Network | Spread | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Time | Visitor | Home | Network | Spread | Total |
11:30 AM | Nebraska | #18 Auburn | ESPN2 | Auburn -13.5 | 149.5 |
12:00 PM | #22 Wisconsin | #21 Ohio State | BTN | OSU -3.5 | 134 |
12:00 PM | #24 BYU | Creighton | FS1 | BYU -6 | 139.5 |
1:30 PM | #12 Arkansas | Oklahoma | ESPN2 | Oklahoma -1.5 | 144 |
2:00 PM | Penn State | #19 Michigan State | BTN | MSU -10 | 130 |
3:15 PM | Missouri | #8 Kansas | ESPN | Kansas -22 | 142.5 |
3:30 PM | St. Bonaventure | #15 UConn | ESPN2 | UConn -4.5 | 135.5 |
4:30 PM | UNC Greensboro | #13 Tennessee | SECN | Tennessee -20 | 127 |
5:00 PM | #11 Arizona | Illinois | FOX | Arizona -1.5 | 152 |
5:15 PM | #10 Kentucky | Notre Dame | ESPN | Kentucky -4.5 | 145 |
6:00 PM | #25 LSU | Georgia Tech | ESPN2 | LSU -8.5 | 140 |
9:30 PM | #4 UCLA | Marquette | FS2 | UCLA -7 | 147.5 |
10:00 PM | #14 Houston | #9 Alabama | ESPN2 | Alabama -2 | 146 |
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL). Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-888-532-3500 (VA), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org/chat. (CT). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/MI/NH/NJ/PA/ TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.