Best Bets for This Weekend’s Top College Basketball Games – FREE PICKS

#2 HOUSTON @ #11 BAYLOR

With Houston’s four-game winning streak and a big win over No. 10 Iowa State in its last game, look for the Cougars to be a small road favorite against Baylor. The Bears are coming off a disappointing loss to BYU this week on the road. This is the first meeting between these two in-state schools since the 2021 Final Four. Baylor won that game 78-59 on its way to a national championship.

The Cougars have national title potential, but they are just 4-3 SU on the road and they are 1-6 ATS in those seven away games. Baylor plays well at home where they are 13-1 SU and 9-5 ATS. The Bears have covered in four of their last five games. Houston is just 1-4-1 ATS in its last six and 1-9 ATS in its last 10 road games. Look for Baylor to rebound and keep this huge Big 12 clash close. Click Here for This Pick

#13 ALABAMA @ #17 KENTUCKY

OVER 

These are two of the top-scoring teams in the country. Alabama is No. 1 at 91 points per game. Kentucky is third, scoring 87.6 per game. The last time these two played at Kentucky, they combined for 171 points. Kentucky desperately needs a win and that means they will have to match Alabama shot for shot and they are capable of doing so. Both teams are top-30 in the country in field goal shooting percentage and Alabama is No. 7 in free throw percentage.

The Over trends for both teams. The last five straight Alabama games have gone Over the total. That includes their last game against Florida with the total set at 174. Twelve of Kentucky’s last 17 games have cashed on the Over as have 10 of their last 15 SEC games. This number is going to be a big one and can be played up to 170. Both teams should be in the 80s in this one.

VILLANOVA @ #1 UCONN

UCONN covers

It really doesn’t matter what the spread is here. UConn is coming off a bad loss to No. 15 Creighton and the Villanova Wildcats get to feel the Huskies wrath. Villanova (15-11) has won four of its last five, and the Wildcats are fighting for their tournament lives. An upset would go a long way in securing an NCAA tournament bid, but it’s not going to happen. 

UConn hasn’t lost consecutive games all season. Villanova played the Huskies tough at home, losing 66-65. But, this is a great bounce-back opportunity for UConn in front of a home crowd in primetime. UConn is 14-0 at home and the Huskies have won those 14 games by an average margin of 25.3 points. Play this one into the double digits if the line gets there. UConn wins big and covers.

#15 CREIGHTON @ ST. JOHN’S

JOHN’S to cover

Creighton is coming off a huge win over UConn. This isn’t necessarily a let down spot, but Rick Pitino has lit a fire under his team and St. John’s needs another marquee win to nail down an at-large spot in the upcoming NCAA tournament. When these two teams played at Creighton in January, Pitino’s team fought the Bluejays down to the wire, losing 66-65. 

Expect some recency bias in favor of Creighton and the line to be similar to the last meeting when it was the Bluejays -6. St. John’s hasn’t covered in its last four straight, but the Red Storm is 10-4 at home. Expect Pitino to have his team ready to play the Bluejays tough. Back St. John’s plus the points. Bet it now at BetUS.com

#3 PURDUE @ MICHIGAN

DUG MCDANIEL UNDER 13.5 POINTS

The Boilermakers were anointed as the NCAA Selection Committee’s top overall seed in the current bracketology for the upcoming college basketball season-ending tournament. Then, third-ranked Purdue promptly went out and got beat by Ohio State, which was playing in its first game since firing head coach Chris Holtmann. The Boilermakers bounced back with a win over Rutgers on Thursday and now head to Ann Arbor where things aren’t looking good for the Wolverines.

Michigan (8-18) has lost three straight and eight of its last nine. One of those losses was a 99-67 blowout at the hands of Purdue on Jan. 24. The only plus for Michigan is that leading scorer Dug McDaniel will play. McDaniel is suspended from playing on the road this season, but his 16.6 average is misleading. He’s hit 16 points just twice in his last nine games and just four times in his last 15 games. His points prop checks in around 13.5 to 14.5 recently. Expect it to be in that range again on Saturday and play the Under, which has hit in five of McDaniel’s last eight games. Bet this now at BetOnline.ag