Most of the heavyweights are off on Thursday nights. In fact, we don’t have a single team in the Top 25 in action tonight. However, we do have over 40 games of mostly mid- and low-major teams on the January 22nd card. We’ve done some deep-sea diving and found three college basketball picks that you’ll want to lock up. Let’s get into it.
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College Basketball Preview, Picks, and Best Bets for January 22
Matt Dewoskin ATS College Basketball Picks Record (Est 11/3/2025)
All Selections: 117-105-3
Perfect 3-0 Cards: 12-63
Towson at Elon
Start Time: 7:00 PM EST
Towson comes into this game with an 11-9 overall record and a 1-6 mark on the road. The Tigers are 8-10 overall against the spread and 2-5 ATS on the road.
Elon enters this matchup with a 12-7 overall record and a 7-3 mark at home. The Phoenix is 8-9 overall ATS and 2-6 ATS at home.
Towson has won seven of the last 10 matchups in this series, but only covered five times. Elon won this game last year outright as a one-point underdog. Towson has won three games in a row, including a road win at Northeastern. Elon has won three of its last four games. They won at home against Campbell, but failed to cover.
Towson plays a physical style that plays well at home, but struggles on the road. Elon has a much better shooting team and one of the most efficient offenses in the CAA. The Phoenix aren’t much on the defensive end, but Towson really struggles to find the basket. Towson is one of the least efficient offenses in the nation, with a 45.7% effective field goal percentage. That’s 358th in the nation.
Elon has the tougher defensive matchup against the Tigers, but they also get to play on their floor. They’ll know the sightlines and the lighting. Look for Elon to hit shots early, get out ahead, win, and cover against Towson.
Best Bet: Elon -3
Little Rock at SEMO
Start Time: 8:30 PM EST
Little Rock enters this game with a 9-10 overall record and a 4-8 mark on the road. The Trojans are 7-10 overall ATS and 5-7 ATS on the road.
SEMO comes into this game with a 10-10 overall record and a 6-4 mark at home. The Redhawks are 7-10 overall ATS and 2-5 ATS at home.
SEMO won two out of three matchups last year. However, Little Rock clipped SEMO at Cape Girardeau in the first game they played. SEMO is off a 15-point win at home against UT-Martin. The Redhawks also just ended a three-game losing streak. Little Rock comes into the games on a four-game winning streak. The Trojans’ current run includes wins at SIUE and Lindenwood.
Neither of these offenses will light the world on fire, but Little Rock does have a clear advantage. The Trojans are 61st in the nation in three-point shooting percentage. SEMO ranks 240th in three-point shooting percentage against. On the defensive end, Little Rock has a clear advantage in athleticism. The Trojans are 52nd in the nation in steals and 84th in opponent turnovers. Little Rock can hit shots from deep range and get a little handsy on defense.
Little Rock managed to win outright against SEMO on its court last season. This year’s SEMO team isn’t nearly the same as last year’s team. The Redhawks won the regular season title and played for the conference tournament championship. SEMO is at 5-4 in conference and looks like they’ll be stuck in the middle of the table. Little Rock looked terrible in the non-conference slate, but has figured out how to win in conference. This should be a one-or two-possession game, and the Trojans are catching two possessions. They’re also getting SEMO off a blowout win against one of the favorites in the OVC. Lock up Little Rock to stay within the 6.5 points.
Best Bet: Little Rock +7.5
Long Beach State at Cal State-Fullerton
Start Time: 10:00 PM EST
Long Beach State comes into this matchup with an 8-11 overall record and a 1-8 mark on the road. The Beach is 10-7 overall ATS and 5-4 ATS on the road.
CSUF enters this game with an 8-12 overall record and a 5-3 mark at home. The Titans are 10-8 overall ATS and 3-3 ATS at home.
These teams played twice last year, and each won on the other’s home court. Both underdogs won outright. Long Beach State has won three games in a row and is coming off a win at CSUN as an underdog. CSUF returns home after back-to-back losses on the road. The Titans are 2-1 in their last three conference home games.
CSUF averages over 80 points per game on offense this year. The Titans aren’t very efficient on offense, but they really push the pace and go out of their way to get up and down the court. CSUF also excels at getting into passing lanes and turning over the opposition. The Titans are 61st in steals per game and 22nd in opponent turnovers.
Long Beach State is playing faster this year than in years past, but its offense isn’t very efficient, and they give up a lot of open looks. Stylistically, this is a bad matchup for The Beach, and they’re playing on an unfamiliar floor. CSUF should push the pace, disrupt on defense, and force Long Beach State into turnovers and transition opportunities. Lock up the Titans to win and cover the 3.5 points.
Best Bet: CSUF -3.5
The College Basketball Experience
For more analysis on every college basketball game for the 2025-26 season, make sure you tune into The College Basketball Experience. Colby Dant, Moneyline Mac, and Noah Bieniek talk about each game on the entire slate. Listen for input on ATS and moneyline college basketball picks every night!
