NCAA Women’s Basketball Best Bets & Predictions for Thursday, January 29

There will be a lot of basketball on TV Thursday. However, the best basketball of the day will not be played by an NBA or men’s college basketball team. With several top 10 teams playing, women’s college basketball is where it’s at. Our best bets list can help you bet on them.

With the teams in action today, we can pick and choose from the best women’s college basketball teams to bet on. No. 3 South Carolina has to be in the conversation, of course, as does Caitlin Clark’s former team, No. 8 Iowa. Then there’s No. 9 Michigan, No. 4 Texas, No. 6 LSU … so many great choices.

(Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)

All the odds I used in making my picks for these NCAA women's basketball best bets can be found at DraftKings.

No. 4 Texas vs. Florida Prediction (Jan. 29)

Before the conference schedule got underway, Florida looked like a team with potential. It went 12-3 in nonconference play, but then SEC play started, and it lost five straight before beating Missouri. The Gators last played Monday and got crushed by LSU, 89-60. To be fair, four of the losses were to ranked teams: No. 3 South Carolina, No. 23 Tennessee, No. 7 Kentucky, and No. 6 LSU.

As for Texas, the No. 4 Longhorns won 18 in a row to start the season, with victories over five ranked teams, including No. 3 UCLA and No. 2 South Carolina, before dropping games to No. 12 LSU and the Gamecocks. But they have since bounced back by crushing Texas A&M, 80-35.

• Our Pick: Texas -25.5 at -110

Texas is one of the best basketball teams in the country, and one of the few that is excellent on the offensive (No. 5 in the country) and defensive ends of the court (also No. 5). About the only thing the Longhorns are not good at is 3-pointers, averaging four per game. Florida is not a 3-point shooting team, and its defense cannot contain the Longhorns for long (if at all).

Searching for other NCAA women's basketball and sports betting promotions? We have compiled a list of the best sports betting offers here. 

No. 9 Michigan vs. Indiana Prediction (Jan. 29)

Indiana is another one of those teams that looked good during its nonconference schedule, going 11-1 vs. nonconference opponents but also losing to Illinois. But then conference play got started, and everything went downhill. The Hoosiers have yet to win a conference game and have lost by double digits in seven of them.

Michigan, on the other hand, went 9-1 vs. non-Big Ten teams, losing to No. 1 UConn by three points, 72-69. The Wolverines opened 2026 with a loss to Washington, their only conference loss of the season, but then lost their third game to No. 5 Vanderbilt, 72-69 (January 19).

They have since bounced back with wins over Rutgers and USC.

• Our Pick: Michigan -17.5 at -110

Indiana has a decent offense, but has struggled on defense. It’ll be no match for Michigan’s fast-paced, solid shooting offense.

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Arkansas vs. No. 6 LSU Prediction (Jan. 29)

One thing is probably certain for this game — LSU will win (which is probably why moneyline odds are not listed with the game). Arkansas has one of the worst defenses in the country, No. 330 (73.3 points per game allowed), and LSU has the No. 1 offense in the land (99 points per game).

LSU also plays solid defense (No. 28, 56.8 points per game allowed). So, will their offense do enough while shutting down the Razorback offense to cover a 41.5-point spread?  Will Arkansas score enough in garbage time to send the final score over the total? Or to get within 41.5 points?

• Our Pick: LSU -41.5 at -110

The Tigers lead the nation in scoring margin at 42.2 points per game.

No. 3 South Carolina vs. Auburn Prediction (Jan. 29)

You don’t have to follow women’s basketball to know about the Gamecocks. What Ohio State, Alabama, and Georgia are to football, they are to women’s basketball. No matter who graduates and/or goes on to the WNBA, you can count on them to reload and be just as dangerous next season.

So, once again, they are one of the top teams in the country, great on the offensive end (No. 4, 89 points per game) and solid on the defensive end (No. 24, 56.6 points per game).

Auburn has a decent defense (No. 80) but struggles to put points on the board (62.6 points per game, No. 248). It is currently in the midst of a brutal schedule that has it playing seven ranked teams in eight games. So far, the Tigers have gone 2-4, losing to No. 16 Oklahoma in their last game.

• Our Pick: South Carolina -26.5 at -110

Auburn is completely overmatched in this game. This is going to be an easy cover for South Carolina.

No. 8 Iowa vs. USC Prediction (Jan. 29)

I can’t figure out why the spread for this game is so small. Iowa is a top-10 team with two losses, one to No. 1 UConn and the other to No. 10 Iowa State. The Hawkeyes are currently on an eight-game win streak, with victories over ranked teams in their last three contests. USC (11-9) has had a challenging schedule with half of its games to date against ranked opponents, of which it won three (3-7).

The Trojans have lost six of their last seven games. Playing at home will help, but enough to make them competitive with Iowa? I don’t think so.

• Our Pick: Iowa -1.5 at -118