College Basketball Best Bets: Picks, Odds, and Predictions for Friday, March 6

Find today's top college basketball picks and expert betting insights as conference tournaments forge on ahead of the Big Dance.
College Basketball Best Bets: Picks, Odds, and Predictions for Friday, March 6

Top College Basketball Best Bets for Today

Alright, alright... another winning day for us on Thursday with Fairfield and USF coming through! I will say up front, today's slate was a lot tougher to negotiate, so while I am red hot, I suggest taking it relatively easy today and enjoying the chaos that is sure to ensue with 25 conference tournament games on tap. Let's get right to it!

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Illinois State Redbirds vs Northern Iowa Panthers

ISU swept the season series over UNI, but the wins were by 5 and 2, and I expect another tight game here. Close contests are easy to explain here as both teams are in the upper half of the MVC in 2-point and 3-point shooting, and both defend well, with the Panthers the top 3-point defenders and the Redbirds the top 2-point defenders. I don't think it mattered which team was favored here. I'd take any points available, but I do love that the team that won both regular-season meetings is getting them. And, of course, first-half and full-game unders are always in play during Arch Madness, so have those on your radar as well. 


College Basketball Best Bet: Illinois State +1.5 (Bet365)

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SEMO Redhawks vs Morehead Eagles

Nobody comes into the OVC Tournament hotter than Morehead, who took full advantage of a front-loaded conference schedule to win seven straight to finish the regular season. That means the Eagles are favored, right? Wrong! SEMO gets the nod here, and I agree with the smelly line. These teams split in the regular season, with the home teams winning, Morehead by two and SEMO by 12. To me, that's an indication that the Redhawks are the stronger team in the matchup, and they aren't exactly cold coming in, winners of 11 of their last 13. I think SEMO is the better team, and I like the value of this small number. 


College Basketball Best Bet: Southeast Missouri -1.5 (BetRivers)

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Seattle Redhawks vs San Diego Toreros

In hindsight, I guess I should have taken Miami (OH) as my first pick so we could have a Redhawks sweep of the board. But, we will concentrate on the WCC's version in Seattle, a squad that has not lost to a conference team outside of the KenPom Top 200 all season, including an 11-point win over this San Diego squad on January 15. San Diego is a lame-duck team, having announced that coach Steve Lavin will not be returning, and the Toreros got their swan song victory over deeply disappointing Loyola Marymount last night in the first round. Seattle comes into the WCC Tournament playing very well, and while I don't love the value at this number, I think there's enough to warrant a play. 


College Basketball Best Bet: Seattle -8.5 (DraftKings)

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Friday College Basketball Best Bets:

Here's a recap of my best college basketball bets for Friday, March 6:

  • Illinois St. +1.5 (Bet365)
  • Southeast Missouri -1.5 (BetRivers)
  • Seattle -8.5 (DraftKings)

For up-to-date information on the latest college basketball betting odds and props from multiple sources, check out the college basketball odds page on RotoWire.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Eric is celebrating his 23rd season as a featured handicapper with Nelly's Sportsline! He specializes in the NFL, College Football, College Basketball, and MLB. His sarcastic-yet-positive demeanor coupled with a steady and measured approach has helped his clients attain both short and long-term success, making him one of the most respected handicappers in the Midwest.
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