Wednesday College Basketball Best Bets | January 22, 2025

The midweek slate is packed with exciting matchups as conference play heats up across the country. From potential letdown spots to crucial tests of consistency, there is plenty of value to uncover. Let’s dive into two key games featuring Utah vs. Houston and St. John’s vs. Xavier to find the best angles for tonight.

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Utah vs #7 Houston Best Bet

Can Utah keep up with Houston after their big win over BYU?

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It is going to be a scorcher in Houston as we gear up to back the Utah Utes this Wednesday. The Houston Cougars may be in a potential look-ahead spot with a road trip to face #13 Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday. Meanwhile, Utah is preparing to host Baylor on Saturday. Facing the number two team in Bart Torvik’s ratings is certainly a game the Utes will be fired up for.

Utah has not been the most impressive team on the road, ranking 350th per Haslametrics in away performance. However, despite these struggles, the Utes remain top 70 in two-point percentage, adjusted defensive efficiency, effective field goal percentage defense, and both two- and three-point defense in road games. In seven contests against top 50 teams, Utah has consistently maintained these numbers. Additionally, they improve their offensive rebounding and free throw rate to rank within the top 80 nationally. Although the Utes struggle at the charity stripe, every extra point and second-chance opportunity will be critical.

The Utes prefer a much faster pace compared to the methodical Cougars. To stay competitive, Utah will need to push the tempo and capitalize on every opportunity against one of the slowest-paced teams in the country, which also happens to boast one of the nation’s top defenses.

All in all, Houston is riding a ten-game winning streak and may have their sights set on Saturday’s matchup against Kansas. If the Utes can stay efficient on the inside and execute their game plan, they should have a good chance to cover the 20-point spread.

Best Bet: Utah (+20) on BetOnline

Xavier vs #20 St. John’s Best Bet

Can St. John’s make it six wins in a row tonight against Xavier?

The Xavier Musketeers are coming off a 10-point underdog outright victory over the Marquette Golden Eagles on Saturday. They now find themselves in the midst of a grueling four-game stretch. Tonight, they are in Queens to face the Red Storm, followed by a home game against UConn on Saturday, and then a trip to Omaha next week to take on Creighton. Starting this tough run with a bang is impressive, but tonight, it is all about the Johnnies.

St. John’s is riding a five-game winning streak dating back to December 31. This past Saturday, they dismantled Seton Hall 79-51 on the road. Tonight, they host Xavier before heading out to face Georgetown next Tuesday—the second matchup against the Hoyas in two weeks. However, the Red Storm are not looking ahead to Georgetown; their focus is squarely on tonight’s game.

At home this season, the Red Storm have been a force. They rank 30th in adjusted defensive efficiency, 78th in adjusted offensive efficiency, and 27th in offensive rebounding. Head coach Rick Pitino has this team in peak condition, prepared to run the court every game. The Red Storm rank 59th in home tempo, averaging 83.5 points per game. They also take care of the ball exceptionally well on offense, which is an area where Xavier has struggled, ranking 276th in turnover defense.

Despite their win over Marquette, Xavier’s offensive struggles were evident. They shot just 40% from the floor and a dismal 2/17 (11.8%) from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the Red Storm boast one of the best interior defenses in the nation, ranking 12th in two-point defense and seventh in defensive block percentage. While their three-point defense is ranked in the high 100s, their ability to protect the paint should pose significant challenges for Xavier.

With the Red Storm fully focused on tonight and Xavier potentially looking ahead to UConn and Creighton, this spot strongly favors St. John’s. I love the Red Storm to shine here.