College Basketball Odds, Picks & Predictions: Saturday (2/17)

by Daniel Dobish |
Feb 17, 2024

Itâ€™s a big slate on the college basketball hardwood Saturday. Weâ€™ll try to provide some winners with a nice six-pack for the slate of games. Weâ€™re starting to round the corner and head toward March Madness, with just two weeks until the conference tournaments begin. Time is running out to build that bankroll for the Big Dance. Letâ€™s get started!

Saturdayâ€™s College Basketball Best Bets

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. | All wagers are for 1 unit

Morehead State at Tennessee-Martin - 4:30 p.m. ET

The Eagles (20-6) were on the short end of a 69-68 score against Little Rock on the road Thursday night. Thatâ€™s par for the course lately for Morehead, as it was the fifth Under result in the past six games, and the total has now gone low in eight of the past 10 outings dating back to Jan. 11. That includes an 84-66 win over UTM in the first meeting at home, cashing the Under (151.5) just barely. The Skyhawks (16-10) know a little something about going low, too, hitting the Under in three in a row, and 11 of the past 12 outings.

Bets: Under 145.5 (-105)

Lipscomb at Central Arkansas - 4:30 p.m. ET

The Bisons (16-11) travel to meet the Bears (9-19) in an Atlantic Sun (ASUN) conference battle. While Lipscomb cashed the Under last time out at North Alabama in a 75-70 loss, the Over is still a rather impressive 9-2 across the previous 11 outings. For Central Arkansas, it will be looking to avenge a 96-86 loss in Nashville on Jan. 18 in the first meeting, as the Over (155.5) easily connected. After a 3-0 Under run, CARK has hit the Over in the past two games, allowing 77.0 PPG in those two outings. The Over is still 6-3 in the past nine games for the Bears.

Bet: Over 157.5 (-105)

Idaho State at Idaho - 5:00 p.m. ET

The Bengals (11-15) head into this game as a slight favorite over the Vandals (9-16), and thatâ€™s likely due to the dominance of Idaho State in this series in recent years. The Bengals have won seven in a row between these Big Sky Conference rivals, while covering the past five meetings. Idaho State has won the past two trips to Idaho, too, with the Vandals last winning in the series, and on its home floor, on March 7, 2020. ISU also enters with a rather impressive 5-1 ATS mark in the past six games, while going 8-3 ATS across the past 11. The Bengals have covered four in a row on the road, too.

Bet: Idaho -2.5 (-105)

Illinois at Maryland - 5:30 p.m. ET

The No. 14 Fighting Illini (18-6) invade College Park to battle the Terrapins (14-11). Illinois is coming off a convincing 97-68 win against Michigan as a 15-point favorite, taking out its frustration on the lowly Wolverines after suffering a loss at Michigan State in the previous outing. Illinois is 10-4-1 ATS in the past 15 games as a favorite. Maryland, on the other hand, has lost three of the past four games outright, while also going 1-3 ATS during the span. Maryland did trip up Illinois in Champaign on Jan. 14 by a 76-67 score as a 9-point underdog, so that might give Illini bettors some pause. However, that was a game the Illini had just seven players, and leading scorer Terrence Shannon Jr. was still sidelined.

Bets: Illinois -2.5 (-102)

Austin Peay at North Alabama - 8:15 p.m. ET

The Governors (14-13) have been vetoing Under bettors lately. Austin Peay has rolled up four straight Over results, while the total has ended up going high at a 11-2 clip across the past 13 games. That including an 83-80 OT win at home against UNA back on Jan. 18 with a total of 140 on the board. For the Lions, theyâ€™ve actually cashed the Under in two in a role, and four of the past five outings. However, the Over still outpaces the Under in six of the past 10 games for North Alabama.

Bets: Over 141.5 (-113)

Colorado at USC - 10:00 p.m. ET

The Buffaloes (16-9) head to Los Angeles looking to add to the woes of the struggling Trojans (10-15). Colorado has had some issues itself lately, dropping two in a row, and four of the past five outings. But three of those losses were on the road against decent teams, while the home loss last Saturday came against a ranked Arizona. CU dumped USC 68-58 back on Jan. 13 in the first meeting, failing to cover as a 12-point favorite. The spread in this road matchup is much more manageable.

Bets: Colorado -2.5 (-110)

Make sure to check out our other best bets for Saturday:

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