Sunday CBB Best Bets Jan. 11: Can UCF cover at home against Cincinnati?

Sunday features a light college basketball slate with a few high-major schools in action on the second Sunday of the 2026 calendar year. Can Cincinnati hang tough and cover on the road against UCF? Will Rutgers defend its home court against a scrappy Northwestern team? Read on for our Sunday CBB Best Bets Jan. 11 article.

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CBB Best Bet: Cincinnati +3.5 over UCF

I like the Bearcats here. Cincinnati’s elite defense, currently ranked 8th nationally in adjusted efficiency, is the primary reason they will cover the 3.5-point spread as road underdogs on Sunday. By holding opponents to just 65.3 PPG, the Bearcats can stifle UCF’s high-powered transition game and force the game to become a half-court grind. History also heavily favors the Bearcats in this matchup; Cincinnati is 5-1 straight up and 5-1 ATS in its last six games against UCF. This psychological edge, combined with their ability to limit second-chance points, ensures that the Bearcats will stay within a possession or pull off the road upset. Final score projection: CINCINNATI BEARCATS 71, UCF KNIGHTS 69.

CBB Best Bet: Rutgers +4.5 over Northwestern

I’m backing the Scarlet Knights in this contest. Rutgers is well-suited to cover the 4.5-point spread as home underdogs because of their elite offensive rebounding, where they rank 5th in the Big Ten. Jersey Mike’s Arena remains one of the toughest environments in the conference, which should be made tougher given Northwestern’s recent slump from beyond the arc. Furthermore, the Scarlet Knights have dominated this series lately, going 7-2 straight up and 6-3 ATS in their last nine games against the Wildcats. This historical edge and Rutgers’ ability to generate second-chance points through Tariq Francis should make this game a high-intensity, one-possession battle. Final score projection: RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS 69, NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS 66.