Sam Avellone
It may be Valentine’s Day, but if you’re in love with hoops then there are no days off. I’m sure your valentine will understand.
Friday’s college basketball slate is pretty small. However, there are a few interesting matchups — headlined by a Big Ten showdown between UCLA and Indiana, that will serve as an appetizer for yet another monstrous Saturday card. After this weekend, there are only 3 weekends left in the college basketball regular season — so be sure to enjoy every bit of the hoops action, even the small Friday slates!
Tuesday’s 2-1 result was a profitable one and extended my best bet run to 16-5 since the start of the calendar year. Let’s keep that momentum going with my 2 favorite picks on Friday’s card, and don’t forget to check out Pickswise’s college basketball predictions for the staff’s opinions on the biggest games of the night.
Friday college basketball best bets
Odds courtesy of Bet365 at the time of publishing.
If you’re looking for a new sportsbook, check out Bet365, the world’s #1 sportsbook. They have an amazing sign-up offer where you can INSTANTLY receive $100 in bonus bets from a $5 wager, regardless of whether that bet wins or loses! There’s no catch, it’s really that simple. Join Bet365 right now ⏰ in time to fade or follow our experts’ Friday CBB predictions.
Princeton Tigers vs Brown Bears Under 140 (-110)
These teams played on February 1 at Princeton, where the Tigers won an ugly one 69-49. The total closed around 145 for that matchup, and as you can see, oddsmakers have adjusted the total down about 2 possessions. I don’t think it’s enough. Princeton plays at the slowest pace in the Ivy League with its patented and continuous motion offense, and the Tigers aren’t very consistent on that end of the floor. They have connected on fewer than 43% of their 2-point attempts in conference play, and they get the free throw line at the lowest rate in the league. Defensively, they sit just behind Yale atop the Ivy League in defensive efficiency and two-point defense, in addition to being active in the passing lanes and preventing second-chance points. This defensive pressure is likely to disrupt an inconsistent Brown offense that is outside the top 225 in turnover rate, as well as bottom 2 in the Ivy League in 2-point and free-throw percentage. Playable to 138.5.
Loyola Chicago Ramblers -2.5 over Saint Louis Billikens (-110)
The Billikens’ conference schedule has done them no favors, as this will be their sixth straight game against a team in the top half of the Atlantic 10. They come into this matchup with Loyola having lost 4 of their last 6, while struggling to find any sort of offensive consistency. In fact, St. Louis has scored fewer than 75 points in all but 1 game since the start of the new year and it’s not going to get any easier against a gritty Loyola squad that is fifth in defensive momentum and has surpassed defensive expectations in 6 of its last 7 according to Haslametics.
St. Louis’ biggest issue offensively, along with being unable to consistently hit 3s, is its inability to take care of the ball. The Billikens are last in the conference in turnover rate, and the Ramblers tend to punish opponents that continuously make mistakes — boasting a 6-1 SU record against teams outside the top 250 in turnover rate like Saint Louis. The Billikens have a much needed week off after this game, which should do wonders for them considering they have the least amount of depth in the country. However, it may be another ugly outing in Chicago before they get to their break. Playable to -3.
