CBB Best Bets Today: 5-Star Model Picks & Feb. 2 Expert Value

College hoops is back in full swing. With 2026 off and running, there are betting opportunities nearly every day between now and April. We’ve got you covered for Monday!

Analysis by Gabe Santiago, leveraging the SportsGrid 5-star predictive model. Our SportsGrid predictive model doesn’t stop at the spread. See which player props have a 5-star rating tonight. Unlock your betting edge!

SportsGrid Edge: North Carolina -11.5 (-106)

Where to Watch Syracuse Orange vs. North Carolina Tar Heels

• SportsGrid Matchup Page: SYR vs. UNC
• Venue: Dean E. Smith Center
• Location: Chapel Hill, NC
• Where to Watch: ESPN
• Date: February 2, 2026
• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET

SYR vs. UNC Betting Odds & Market Value

SYR vs. UNC Win Probability & Prediction Market Trends

Real-time market data via Kalshi Prediction Exchange

For a meeting of proud ACC institutions, the Syracuse Orange (13-9) will head down to Chapel Hill for a Monday-night bid at the No. 16 North Carolina Tar Heels (17-4). KenPom’s rankings has these conference rivals placed rather far apart. UNC ranks 29th, while Syracuse ranks 70th overall.

Three of North Carolina’s four losses this season have come against fellow ACC teams. Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis is looking to get more from his squad, but they have been strong on offense. After 21 games, UNC has posted a 119.1 offensive rating, which ranks 35th in Division I.

The Orange have been up and down in 2025-26. Syracuse lost three of its first seven contests in the current campaign. More recently, head coach Adrian Autry and company have dropped four of their past eight outings. They have also gone without a win on the road since early January. Transparently, it seems rather unlikely that Syracuse stops that skid tonight at the Smith Center.

SportsGrid’s prediction model shows a 92% chance of victory for the Heels. Subsequently, North Carolina (- 13.5) is a five-star wager. It may seem like a tall task, but laying 13.5 on the home side feels like the wisest betting angle for SYR vs. UNC.

SportsGrid Edge: Under 154.5 (-110)

Where to Watch Kansas Jayhawks vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders

• SportsGrid Matchup Page: KU vs. TTU
• Venue: United Supermarkets Arena
• Location: Lubbock, TX
• Where to Watch: ESPN
• Date: February 2, 2026
• Time: 9:00 p.m. ET

KU vs. TTU Betting Odds & Market Value

College basketball’s game of the night will take place in Lubbock, Texas, by way of the No. 14 Kansas Jayhawks (16-5) vs. No. 11 Texas Tech Red Raiders (16-5). These Big 12 foes enter this bid with identical records, but KU is riding a five-game winning streak, while Texas Tech lost its most recent contest.

Kansas head coach Bill Self is in his 23rd year at his post. The Jayhawks are not dominating opponents as we are used to seeing. They are ranked outside the nation’s top 40 teams in offensive (115.0) and defensive (99.2) ratings. Still, they will surely put up a fight on the Llano Estacado.

Texas Tech has been powered by a high-octane offense in 2025-26. The Red Raiders are producing 84.0 PPG at this juncture. From there, they have compiled a 120.4 offensive rating, which lands 27th in men’s Division I basketball. However, TTU has been poor on the defensive side, where they are tagged with a 106.7 rating.

According to SportsGrid, Tech has a 59% probability of winning at home tonight. That’s quite close, especially for a well-coached group like Kansas. Incidentally, under 153.5 combined points is viewed as a five-star play. FanDuel Sportsbook has this total slightly higher, so I will take under 154.5 points while I can!

College Basketball Best Bets: February 2

• North Carolina -11.5 (-106)
• Kansas-Texas Tech Under 154.5 (-110)

Monday brings numerous opportunities to set a profitable tone on the hardwood. Best of luck!

Gabe Santiago is a Senior Betting Analyst at SportsGrid, where he bridges the gap between advanced algorithmic modeling and real-world wagering. Specializing in high-conviction plays, Gabe focuses on the SportsGrid Predictive Model, meticulously cross-referencing its “Five-Star" outputs with situational market data.