This article is part of our College Basketball Picks series.
Tuesday's college hoops slate is a bit slimmer than usual, but, thankfully, we still have a few notable teams taking the court. Here are my predictions for a trio of games on Tuesday.
Top College Basketball Best Bets for Today
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Lindenwood 
at Missouri State 
Lindenwood hasn't been the most efficient offensive team, but it does a couple of things at a very high level that should give it an edge in this matchup. First, the Lions are active on the glass, recording an offensive rebounding percentage that ranks in the top third of the nation. Second, the Lions often draw contact when driving to the basket, ranking 48th in free-throw attempt rate.
These are significant strengths in this matchup because Missouri State's defense is well below average from an efficiency point of view, and it's incredibly vulnerable on the glass. The Bears are one of the worst defensive rebounding teams in the nation, ranking near the bottom 10 percent of all D-1 teams. The Bears also rank 209th in free-throw attempt rate allowed, giving the Lions multiple areas they can exploit.
Missouri State will also have its hands full at the other end, where it will face a Lindenwood defense that is solid in many areas. The Lions rank above the D-1 average in effective field goal percentage allowed, turnovers, and two-point field goal percentage allowed, holding opponents to 49 percent, a mark that ranks in the top third of the nation. This is again important in this matchup because the Bears have struggled to knock down perimeter shots, having made under 27 percent of three-point attempts, the 13th-lowest mark among all D-1 teams.
Given how Lindenwood matches up against Missouri State, I believe the visiting team will earn a hard-fought road win. I'm taking the Lions.
College Basketball Best Bet: Lindenwood +3.5
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Harvard 
at St. John's 
The Crimson faces an uphill battle on Tuesday, but it has a few traits that should come in handy. Defensively, Harvard's adjusted efficiency rating won't impress anyone, but it does a nice job of limiting scoring opportunities in the paint. Specifically, the Crimson ranks in the top 20 percent of the nation in defensive rebounding and in the top 10 percent in free-throw attempt rate allowed. These are critical details in this matchup because St. John's ranks in the top 10 percent in offensive rebounding and free-throw attempt rate, so Harvard appears well-equipped to mitigate the Johnnies' greatest offensive strengths.
At the other end of the court, Harvard again faces a tough challenge, except that this time, its offense doesn't appear to have much going in its favor. The Red Storm's defense is highly vulnerable on the glass, but the Crimson doesn't usually collect offensive boards, so it's unlikely they will exploit that particular weakness. Outside of that area, St. John's is tough to crack. The Johnnies are near the top 10 percent of the nation in effective field goal percentage allowed, turnover percentage, and free-throw attempt rate allowed.
One last important note: this matchup is a clash of styles. St. John's often aggressively pushes the pace, ranking 54th in adjusted tempo, while Harvard is at the opposite end of the spectrum, ranking 329th in adjusted tempo. Given the spread of this matchup, one can expect Harvard will try to slow the game down more than usual and limit the number of possessions.
Considering Harvard's style of play and its traits on both ends of the court, I believe we'll have a low-scoring game on our hands. I'm on the under in this one.
College Basketball Best Bet: Under 145.5
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Villanova 
at Seton Hall 
Seton Hall is incredibly tenacious on defense, though seemingly to a fault. The Pirates have posted elite defensive numbers in several categories, but they rank in the bottom 15 percent in free-throw attempt rate allowed and 165th in defensive rebounding percentage. The latter is perhaps the biggest red flag for Seton Hall entering Tuesday, as Villanova has the 20th-highest offensive rebounding percentage among all D-1 teams. Second-chance opportunities might spell doom for the Pirates, as the Wildcats are proving to be a dangerous team from long range, having knocked down 37 percent of three-point attempts while attempting them at the 40th-highest frequency.
The Pirates will likely need their defense to maintain elite form because they have not been nearly as sharp on offense, ranking 115th in adjusted efficiency. The Wildcats, meanwhile, have respectable defensive numbers in many key areas. For example, they rank in the top 25 percent of the nation in adjusted efficiency, turnovers, and two-point field goal percentage allowed.
Seton Hall is unexpectedly putting together an impressive resume through these first two months of the season, but, getting points, I'd rather take the much better offensive team. I'm going with the Wildcats in this spot.
College Basketball Best Bet: Villanova +2.5
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Tuesday College Basketball Best Bets:
Here's a recap of my best college basketball bets for Tuesday:
- Lindenwood +3.5
- Harvard at St. John's - Under 145.5
- Villanova +2.5
For up-to-date information on the latest college basketball betting odds and props from multiple sources, check out the college basketball odds page on RotoWire.
