Best College Basketball Bets Today: NCAAB Picks for December 28

It isn’t the most packed Saturday slate of the season by any stretch of the imagination.

However, there are still a few eye-popping matchups, including a ranked game between the No. 14 Gonzaga Bulldogs and the No. 22 UCLA Bruins.

Further, the roller-coaster Memphis Tigers (9-3) host the 16th-ranked Ole Miss Rebels (11-1), a team whose only loss came by two points to Purdue.

So, what are our best college basketball picks today for these two matchups? Keep reading below to find out!

No. 14 Gonzaga @ No. 22 UCLA

• Date: Saturday, December 28

• Time: 4:00 pm EST

• Moneyline: Gonzaga -182 | UCLA +150

• Spread: Gonzaga -4.5 (-102) | UCLA +4.5 (-120)

• Total: Over 148.5 (-110) | Under 148.5 (-110)

All odds are available via FanDuel Sportsbook but are subject to change.

PICK: Gonzaga Moneyline (-182)

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A top-five offense takes on a top-five defense. How much better can it get?

After a hot start, including a near-40-point decimation of the Baylor Bears, Gonzaga has since struggled a bit, dropping games to West Virginia, Kentucky, and UConn.

The two losses to the Wildcats and Huskies make enough sense, as one team is a back-to-back national champion and the other has logged several top-notch wins.

Still, the ‘Zags have the fourth-best offense, per KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency metric, and a boatload of offensive talent, including Ryan Nembhard, Graham Ike, Braden Huff, Khalif Battle, Nolan Hickman, and Ben Gregg.

All six players average double-digit points.

Gonzaga has proven that it is not quite the juggernaut that it was on offense last year but it has improved on the defensive end of the floor overall even though it lost its most elite and versatile defender, Anton Watson, from the 2023-24 season.

Meanwhile, UCLA has emerged as one of the best teams in the Big Ten, particularly because of their defense, which ranks fourth in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency metric.

The Bruins rely on their pesky full-court pressure to force turnovers (first in opponent turnovers per game), get opponents out of their half-court sets, and disrupt their offensive rhythm.

While they are a fantastic defensive team overall, they have still allowed their past three opponents to shoot 46.4% from the field and 33.3% from behind the arc.

And teams that protect the ball (9.8 turnovers per game), rebound the ball (20th in total rebounding rate), and defend the 3-point line (second in opponent 3-point percentage) as well as Gonzaga won’t have as much trouble against UCLA.

The Bruins have a tendency to keep games close, win or lose, so 4.5 points might be too many to lay. But I’ll take the ‘Zags' moneyline in this spot.

No. 16 Ole Miss @ Memphis

• Date: Saturday, December 28

• Time: 2:00 pm EST

• Moneyline: Ole Miss +104 | Memphis -125

• Spread: Ole Miss +1.5 (-110) | Memphis -1.5 (-110)

• Total: Over 151.5 (-110) | Under 151.5 (-110)

All odds are available via FanDuel Sportsbook but are subject to change.

PICK: Ole Miss +1.5 (-110)

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Once again, it has been a season of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows for the Penny Hardaway-led Memphis Tigers despite the fact that we have not even entered the month of January.

During the Maui Invitational, Memphis secured wins over UConn and Michigan State before losing to the now-second-ranked Auburn TIgers, arguably the best team in the country.

When the Tigers returned home, they beat Louisiana Tech before dropping a double-digit loss to the Arkansas State Red Wolves.

To be fair, the Red Wolves have roared to a 10-3 start and appear to be one of the Sun Belt’s best; however, Memphis should not lose to them by double-digits at home.

Then, the Tigers bounced back, rattling off impressive wins against Clemson and Virginia before losing to a ranked Mississippi State team.

Highs and lows.

The Tigers can’t point to their 3-point shooting as the issue, considering they rank 10th in 3-point percentage, but their two-point shooting (260th) has been a problem.

They often take tough shots offensively and rely on the talent of their trio of guards (PJ Haggerty, Colby Rogers, and Tyrese Hunter) to bail them out.

The Tigers also have a fairly non-existent 3-point defense, allowing opponents to knock down close to 36% of their attempts from deep (281st).

Additionally, Memphis has issues clearing the glass defensively, ranking 317th in defensive rebounding percentage.

Sure, the Tigers have had a brutally tough schedule to start the season, and their overall performance thus far shows some promise, but this Ole Miss team can cause them problems.

The Rebels have actually shot the ball substantially better from 3-point land (40.5%) on the road than on their home floor and have the third-highest unadjusted offensive efficiency away from home in the country.

I’ll take Ole Miss with the points.

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