CBB Picks: Take Wisconsin, Iowa State on the spread Tuesday.

There are two questionable point spreads on Tuesday's college basketball slate that I'm going to bite on.

Wisconsin is only a three-point favorite on the road at Northwestern and Iowa State is once again a large underdog on its travels in Big 12 play.

The Badgers are a juicy play because Northwestern is in a rare let down spot, while Iowa State can easily keep it close with Texas Tech.

Most of Tuesday's plays come from the power-conference slate since we have so many fascinating games, but I did find two mid-major gems.

Tuesday CBB Picks

Overall Record: 97-128-1 (3-2 Monday)

Butler at UConn (-13.5) (7 p.m. ET, FS1)

Butler has not fared well during its gauntlet of a schedule against the best Big East teams.

The Bulldogs managed just 42 points against Villanova on Sunday and they lost by double figures to Seton Hall and Xavier

UConn sits in the upper echelon of the Big East alongside some of those programs. The Huskies can easily blow past a Butler team that averages 17.5 points per game fewer than them.

UConn ranks fifth in two-point defense and 12th in defensive effective field-goal percentage on KenPom. That is even worse news for a Butler team that can't wait until this brutal stretch of games ends.

North Carolina at Miami (+125) (7 p.m. ET, ACC Network)

I can't trust North Carolina on the road yet.

Tuesday's trip to Miami could change my opinion on the Tar Heels, but I'm not willing to put money on them yet.

North Carolina was blown out by Kentucky and lost to Notre Dame in two of its last three road games. Miami beat Duke on the road and lost on a last-second shot to Florida State in its last two trips to the hardwood.

Miami has a single loss at home from its second game of the season against UCF and it posted at least 88 points in its last three home games.

I'm willing to bet on the Hurricanes money line because of the home record, UNC's okay road mark and how important a win would be for Miami's ACC regular-season title hopes.

South Carolina at Arkansas (-12) (7 p.m. ET, SEC Network)

Arkansas is starting to turn a corner in its season.

The Razorbacks blew out Missouri and then went on the road to defeat LSU on Saturday. That was the quality win the team's resume needed badly.

South Carolina has been awful away from home lately and it is running into a buzz saw that is an in-form Arkansas team.

The Gamecocks failed to score more than 56 points in their last three road losses. They produced a road win over Vanderbilt in the middle of that stretch.

An upset will not be in the cards on Tuesday for a South Carolina side headed in the wrong direction.

Missouri at Ole Miss (-7.5) (7 p.m. ET, ESPNU)

Missouri has not produced more than 65 points in its last four road games.

The Tigers managed just 43 points in their last contest away from home against Arkansas, so you see why I'm so confident in an Ole Miss team that lost four of its last five games.

Ole Miss suffered defeats to Auburn, Texas A&M and Tennessee in that stretch, so a matchup with Missouri is a very welcome sight.

Iona (-3) at Monmouth (7 p.m. ET, ESPN3)

Just a week ago, Monmouth was one of the most profitable teams against the spread in Division 1.

The Hawks lost three straight games outright and failed to cover in all of those contests. That is not the direction you want to be headed in with Iona coming to your home floor.

Iona is cruising to the MAAC regular-season title and it can bury one of its closest competitors with a win on the Jersey Shore.

Loyola Chicago (-12) at Evansville (8 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

Loyola Chicago is once again the class of the Missouri Valley Conference and ready to cruise up the Top 25.

The Ramblers should have a relatively easy night against Evansville, who is the only MVC team without a conference victory.

Loyola averages 17.5 more points per game than the Purple Aces. Evansville ranks 354th in three-point defense on KenPom. Loyola has the 12th-best three-point offense on KenPom.

That puts a potential blowout in play here.

Wisconsin (-3) at Northwestern (9 p.m. ET, BTN)

I will gladly take the bait here.

Wisconsin is way more than three points better than Northwestern and I love the situation the Badgers are going into on Tuesday night.

Northwestern experienced an emotional high with a road upset over Michigan State on Saturday. That sets up a prime let down spot at home against a Top 10 foe.

Greg Gard's Badgers have not been great on the road in Big Ten play. They lost to Ohio State and beat Maryland by one, but they also beat Purdue by five.

I'm betting on the great version of the Badgers showing up in Evanston.

Iowa State (+8) at Texas Tech (9 p.m. ET, ESPNU)

I'm going to keep betting on Iowa State as long as it is undervalued on the point spread.

The Cyclones covered as a 13-point underdog against Kansas and won outright over Texas as a 2.5-point underdog last week.

Iowa State will go into Lubbock and compete with Texas Tech. The Red Raiders are in a bounce-back spot after a loss to Kansas State, but it will be difficult for them to get separation from the Cyclones, who rank fourth on KenPom in defensive adjusted efficiency.


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