One of the first things you should know about the 2022-23 college basketball season is that the Big 12 is the best league
The 10 teams in the league are all ranked in the top 41 on KenPom.
Every game in the Big 12 will be a battle and that will be showcased on Tuesday night.
Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Oklahoma are underdogs of five points or more on the road.
All three teams could win their respective games outright, but at minimum, they will give Kansas State, Iowa State and Kansas challenges as they try to hold serve on home court.
Tuesday CBB Picks
Overall Record: 34-38-3
Butler at St. John’s (-3) (6:30 p.m. ET, FS1)
St. John’s needs a league win in the Big East badly.
The Red Storm are on a five-game losing streak, but they have scored 80 points in the last two games.
The Johnnies do not have a broken offense. Their defense could bring them a boost against a Butler team that struggled away from Indianapolis.
Butler was blown out by Creighton and Seton Hall in road Big East games and it suffered three non conference defeats away from Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Oklahoma State (+5) at Kansas State (7 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
I think everyone is a tad bit high on Kansas State in the moment.
K-State scored 116 points on the road at Texas and then beat Baylor in overtime in Waco.
This smells like a huge letdown spot for the Wildcats against an Oklahoma State team that almost stunned Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse on New Years’ Eve.
I will swear by the defense travels mantra. OK State is sixth in two-point defense, 14th in three-point defense and 11th in defensive adjusted efficiency on KenPom.
Belmont (-5) at Valparaiso (7 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
Belmont is tied for the seventh-best three-point percentage in Division I.
Valparaiso ranks 339th from 3-point range at 29.4 percent.
There’s your difference in this game.
Texas Tech (+5.5) at Iowa State (8 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Texas Tech is coming off close losses to TCU, Kansas and Oklahoma.
All of those defeats were by six points or less.
Iowa State is coming off two wins in which its combined margin of victory was five points.
Both teams have strong defenses, but Tech gets the edge to keep it close in Ames because it shoots 2.5 percent better from the field. Tech needs to be efficient to hang inside Hilton Coliseum.
Oklahoma (+10.5) at Kansas (9 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
Keeping with the theme of defense travels.
Oklahoma is sixth in three-point defense. The Sooners also rank 345th in adjusted tempo, so they can slow down Kansas and turn this into a grind.
Kansas can win the game, but getting 10.5 in its favor after close wins over Oklahoma State and Texas Tech seems like a bit much until the Jayhawks beat someone other than West Virginia by double figures in league play.
Auburn at Ole Miss (Under 133) (9 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
Auburn and Ole Miss both rank in the top 70 in points allowed per game.
Auburn ranks 27th in two-point percentage against and third in three-point percentage against.
Add in the fact that Auburn and Ole Miss both rank in the bottom tier of three-point shooting teams and you have the perfect combination for the under to hit.
Nevada (+9.5) at San Diego State (11 p.m. ET, CBSSN)
I’m not sure if Nevada can win at Viejas Arena, but it can certainly hang with San Diego State.
The Wolfpack held five of their last six opponents under 70 points. If they can do that again, they will be within single digits of the Aztecs