NCAAM Basketball Best Bets (Jan. 20): Kansas vs. Colorado Betting Odds & Top Picks

Tuesday night’s NCAA Big 12 slate is loaded with spots worth circling, especially when you factor in momentum, matchup edges, and where these teams are at right now.

(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

Coincidentally, I’m backing both Kansas schools in games that set up well for different reasons. With that in mind, here are our best bets for Tuesday’s packed college slate.

You can find all the odds used in my predictions at DraftKings and FanDuel Sportsbook.

Kansas vs Colorado Prediction For January 20

On late Monday afternoon, it was announced that Kansas head coach Bill Self was hospitalized and would not make the trip to Boulder with his team. According to multiple team sources, Self has been through heart scares over the past few years, and this hospital stay is precautionary and not expected to keep him out of the job for a long time.

How much does Self’s absence matter?

Not having Self will be important for in-game decisions like lineups, defensive sets, and in-bound plays, but those all might not matter much if the game isn't very close. Aside from it being at a high altitude, there's little reason to believe the Buffs can hang with the star-studded Jayhawks.

From a pure metrics standpoint, the Jayhawks are operating on a different level and appear to be hitting their stride coming into this one. Kansas is looking for its third straight win after ending Iowa State’s undefeated season and following up with a convincing dub over Baylor.

Despite facing the second-toughest strength of schedule in the conference, Kansas grades out well across the board, ranking 13th nationally in defensive efficiency and 35th offensively. There’s a strong case that the offense is actually undervalued in the metrics, considering the team’s leading scorer missed half the season and is now healthy.

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Darryn Peterson’s Emergence Has Been huge for the Kansas Jayhawks.

Kansas has found a rising star in freshman guard Darryn Peterson. After missing time with an injury, Peterson has made an immediate impact in limited action, averaging 22.2 points per game along with 1.1 steals and one block.

Long term, this Kansas team is easy to trust because of its balance between young talent and experienced veterans. Seniors Tre White and Melvin Council Jr. have been steady contributors. White, a 6-foot-7 transfer listed at guard, adds versatility in the frontcourt and is averaging 14.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.

That veteran leadership will be especially important in a road game without their head coach. There’s also the possibility of an inspired effort from a team playing with its coach watching from the hospital.

Betting Pick: Kansas -3.5 (-114 FanDuel)

• In what looks like a potential trap game, trust the better team to continue their momentum on the road.

Texas Tech vs Baylor Prediction For January 20

Even on the road, it's hard not to trust Texas Tech to continue its hot streak in Waco on Tuesday night.

Year after year, the Red Raiders continue to find success under Grant McCasland. And although the roster has changed quite a bit this year, they still managed their superstar.

JT Toppin is Having a Career Year

After an elite eight run that fell at the hands of the eventual national champion, Toppin stepped up when it mattered most. After averaging about 17 points through the regular season, the versatile forward scored 20+ points in three of four tournament games last year.

This year, it looks like we're witnessing the early stages of a career year. The junior forward is currently averaging a double-double with 21.6 points per game and 11.6 rebounds, with some of his best performances coming in the last two weeks after a 31-point game in a win against Utah and a 27-point game in a convincing win against BYU.

Trust Tech's Star Power Despite a Thin Rotation

There are two factors that worry me a bit about Texas Tech this year.  To be fair, it hasn't necessarily shown itself yet. Tech has a razor-thin rotation so far, and it hasn't bitten them yet, but it might in one of these games. Against BYU, both Toppin and Christian Anderson played all 40 minutes, while the entire bench logged just 11 total minutes.

After a hot start to the year for the Baylor Bears, momentum has certainly slowed down in recent weeks as conference play begins. To be fair, the Big 12 is one of the hardest conferences in the country, and every road game truly feels like an uphill battle.

Texas Tech Should Expose Baylor in the Paint

The Bears' defense is the obvious thing to point to in their losing run recently. According to KenPom, the Bears currently have the 96th-best defense in the nation and rank among the worst in their conference.

The interior defense, especially, has been a big problem, and I expect the Red Raiders to take full advantage of that. The aforementioned Toppin, who's already red-hot recently, should feast inside the arc on Tuesday night.

Overall, the entire Red Raiders team is built to get easy buckets inside, so this could be a bad matchup despite being at home.

Betting Pick: Texas Tech ML (-130 DraftKings)

• This short line just doesn't make any sense for two teams who are headed in opposite directions. Trust the Red Raiders to play their game and convert high-percentage looks.

Utah vs Kansas State Prediction For January 20

One of these 9-9 teams will have a chance to grab a much-needed win and get back over .500 on Tuesday night.

Kansas State enters this matchup on a four-game losing streak with an underwhelming resume, so skepticism is understandable. This hasn’t been a team bettors have rushed to trust.

Utah's Struggles on the Road

However, this bet is more about how much Utah shouldn't be trusted.

There’s an old saying across just about every sport: Defense travels. If that’s the case, it helps explain Utah’s road issues. According to KenPom, the Utes rank 214th nationally in defensive efficiency, a number that shows up consistently away from home.

The Utes are 1-5 on the road this year, continuing a trend that started years ago. Over the past three years, the Utes have been a combined 6-30 on the road.

Kansas State is a Wagon at Home

On the flip side, Kansas State has a true home-court advantage that bettors have come to know and trust. The Wildcats have been dominant at Bramlage Coliseum in recent years, with a 49-14 record over the past three seasons.

This year's team certainly has less talent than some of those dominant teams we've seen recently. However, those teams didn't have star junior P.J. Haggerty, who transferred from Memphis to Kansas State and is having a career year.

Essentially, we're getting a better team that's historically dominant at home in a more desperate spot against a team that just can't find ways to win on the road.

Betting Pick: Kansas State -8.5 (-120 DraftKings)

• Trust the Wildcats to break their losing streak and bounce back at home in a big way.