Saturday saw over 150 college basketball games played. Sunday? We only have six games after IPFW vs. IU-Indianapolis got canceled. College hoops doesn’t want to go up against championship Sunday in the NFL. We may have a limited slate, but that doesn’t mean we can get a little action on the hardwood. It’s a small slate today, but we have three college basketball picks that you’ll want to lock in before the games tip off.
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College Basketball Preview, Picks, and Best Bets for January 25
Florida Atlantic at South Florida
Start Time: 1:00 PM EST
Florida Atlantic enters this game with a 14-6 overall record and a 3-3 mark on the road. The Owls are 12-6 against the spread overall and 3-3 ATS on the road.
South Florida comes into this matchup with a 12-7 overall record and a 7-2 mark at home. The Bulls are 8-10 ATS overall and 4-4 ATS at home.
Florida Atlantic won and covered both games last year, but South Florida has won six of the last 10 overall. The Owls have won five games in a row, including road wins at UAB and Temple. South Florida has won four of their last five, but dropped a game at home against Wichita State.
South Florida scores the 13th most points per game in the country. The Bulls are also 307th in points per game allowed, but they try to get up and down the court as quickly as possible. They aren’t the most efficient offense in the country, but they can put the ball through the hoop. The Bulls are also better defensively than most would think. South Florida is 35th in the nation in opponent turnovers per game and 23rd in the nation in steals per game. The Bulls are really good at scoring AND taking the ball away.
Florida Atlantic is tough at home, but tends to struggle on the road. South Florida needs this game to get back into the conference race, and they’re doing a beer giveaway at the Yuengling Center. The Owls aren’t the best at staying in front of their opponent, and they can play loose with the ball at times. Let’s lock up South Florida to run away with this one at home. Take the Bulls and lay the 4.5 points.
Best Bet: South Florida -4.5
Chicago State at Mercyhurst
Start Time: 2:00 PM EST
Chicago State comes into this game with a 2-18 overall record and a 1-13 mark on the road. The Cougars are 7-12 ATS overall and 6-8 ATS on the road.
Mercyhurst enters this matchup with a 9-11 overall record and a 6-2 mark at home. The Lakers are 12-6 ATS overall and 4-2 ATS at home.
Mercyhurst and Chicago State split their series last year. However, the Lakers won and covered a six-point spread at home last year. Chicago State comes in on a nine-game losing streak, including conference road losses against Fairleigh Dickinson, Stonehill, and St. Francis (PA). Mercyhurst has won three of its last four, but has a home loss against Stonehill over that stretch.
Mercyhurst and Chicago State are both really poor offensive teams, but the Lakers are actually solid on defense. The Lakers allow the 35th fewest points to opponents so far this year. Also, Mercyhurst may not score often, but they are more efficient with the possessions they do get.
Chicago State hasn’t been terrible ATS on the road this year, but it’s usually because they’re catching double-digits and manage to do enough to hang around. They’re laying 9.5 points in a game that they might only score 50 points. Can Mercyhurst score more than 60? They’ve dropped more than 60 points in six of their last nine. Chicago State will give up good looks to Mercyhurst and struggle to score against the Lakers’ defense. Lock up Mercyhurst to win and cover this line.
Best Bet: Mercyhurst -9.5
Southern Illinois at Evansville
Start Time: 4:00 PM EST
Southern Illinois enters this game with an 8-12 overall record and a 2-8 road record. The Salukis are 8-11 ATS overall and 5-5 ATS on the road.
Evansville comes into this matchup with a 5-15 overall record and a 3-7 mark at home. The Purple Aces are 8-10 ATS overall and 3-5 ATS at home.
These teams split this series last year, with each team winning and covering on the other’s home court. Southern Illinois is on a four-game losing streak that includes losses at UIC and Valparaiso. Evansville is 1-9 in its last 10 games. Their only win? On the road in Indiana State. They covered as a dog at home against Belmont and Bradley over that stretch.
It’s hard to build a case for Evansville with metrics here. The only reason Evansville is the play is that they are dying for a home win, and this line is a few points shorter than it should be. Southern Illinois has been terrible on the road, and a trip to Evansville in the cold should be miserable. Let’s fade the stinky short line here. The books indicate that this is the one for Evansville to come up and get. Let’s lock up Evansville and stay away from the short favorite against the bad team.
Best Bet: Evansville +4.5
Matt Dewoskin ATS College Basketball Picks Record (Est 11/3/2025)
All Selections: 123-111-3
Perfect 3-0 Cards: 12-67
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!
