This article is part of our College Basketball Picks series.
Another chapter in the Big East-Big 12 battle gets written today as Texas travels to Milwaukee for a duel against Marquette. Elsewhere, SMU heads to the desert for some Pac-12 after-dark action. Here are my best bets for the night.
Texas at 
Marquette
Texas enters Wednesday with just one loss on the season, an 81-71 defeat against UConn at Madison Square Garden. The Longhorns haven't played anyone else of note, but that hasn't stopped them from dominating the lower-level competition. Texas is shooting over 57 percent from inside the arc and 37 percent from behind it, giving them the nation's 25th-highest effective field goal percentage. It has similar numbers on defense, recording the 18th-lowest effective field goal percentage allowed.
Unlike its guest on Wednesday, Marquette has already played a gauntlet and solidified itself as a true contender come March. The Golden Eagles have wins over Illinois, UCLA and Kansas, so they can defeat any team on any given night. Marquette's only losses this season have come against Purdue and Wisconsin, respectable opponents, but these losses show that Marquette is still vulnerable just like seemingly every other college basketball team. Even still, Marquette is performing like a championship-caliber team, posting elite numbers on both ends of the court, and ranking in the top-20 of the country in both offensive and defensive efficiency.
Despite its daunting task on Wednesday, Texas still has a chance to take home a win thanks to advantages in a couple of key areas. First, the Longhorns are significantly better on the glass, especially on offense. Texas has the 75th-highest offensive rebounding percentage in the country, while Marquette ranks 293rd in defensive rebounding percentage, likely leading to many put-back opportunities for the Longhorns. This category favors Texas going the other direction, too, as Marquette ranks 270th in offensive rebounding compared to 157th for Texas on defense. Aside from the boards, Texas also has higher percentages in both three-point shooting and free throws, making 37 percent of the former and 72 percent of the latter. Marquette, in comparison, is making under 32 percent from behind the arc and 69 percent from the charity stripe.
It won't be easy, but I like Texas' odds of keeping the game close. The Longhorns are the eighth-most experienced team in the country, and they also returned a few key players from last year's run to the Elite Eight, so they know how to play on the big stage. I'm taking the points in this one.
Additionally, both teams are pushing the pace extremely hard this season. Texas has the 44th-quickest tempo on offense while Marquette has the sixth-fastest offensive pace. When we combine these preferred tempos with the fact that each team has explosive scoring capabilities, a high-scoring game is a likely outcome. It's always possible that Marquette's defense shuts down Texas, but I'm betting the Longhorns will make Marquette work for the win, giving us a back-and-forth game with tons of points. I'm on the over as well.
College Basketball Best Bet: Texas +8 and Over 148
SMU at 
Arizona State
The Mustangs are playing relatively well despite already having three losses on the season. All three defeats came against quality teams -- Texas A&M, Wisconsin and Dayton, so Wednesday's game will be a good test to see where this team truly stands. The Mustangs rank 106th on offense and 53rd on defense in the efficiency categories, but it's the latter where they truly shine. SMU is holding opponents under 43 percent on two-point shots, the 14th-lowest percentage in the nation. When factoring in their perimeter defense, the Mustangs have the 12th-lowest effective field goal percentage. They also rank 69th in defensive turnover percentage and 51st in block rate, so they are tough to score points against any way you look at them.
Arizona State similarly doesn't have any bad losses, only falling to Mississippi State and BYU thus far. But unlike their guests Wednesday, the Sun Devils have had major problems scoring. They are making under 29 percent from behind the arc, 49 percent inside the arc and under 59 percent from the charity stripe. All of these percentages rank near the bottom among all D1 teams, making Arizona State offensively challenged all across the board.
Furthermore, SMU has a key edge in one other important category -- rebounding. The Mustangs crash the offense glass with great success, recording the 21st-highest offensive rebounding rate, an important stat because the Sun Devils rank 256th in defensive rebounding. SMU isn't quite as strong on the defensive glass, but that's alright because Arizona State is still worse in that direction, recording an offensive-rebounding rate that ranks 318th in the nation.
It's tempting to take the under in a battle of two defensive-oriented teams, but ultimately I have to take the points with the team that's substantially better at scoring. I'm going with the Mustangs in this one.
College Basketball Best Bet: SMU +3
Wednesday College Basketball Best Bets:
Here's a recap of my best college basketball bets for Wednesday:
- Texas +8
- Texas at Marquette - Over 148
- SMU +3
For up-to-date information on the latest college basketball betting odds and props from multiple sportsbooks, check out the college basketball odds page on RotoWire.
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