Top 3 College Basketball Odds, Picks & Predictions: Friday (1/3)

The Michigan State Spartans travel to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the marquee matchup of Friday night. Who has the advantage in that contest? Meanwhile, in the Big East, the Marquette Golden Eagles host the Crighton Bluejays. Can the Bluejays pull off the upset? Or will the Golden Eagles cruise to victory? Finally, can the Chicago State Cougars pick up their first win of the year against the Wagner Seahawks?

Here are the best college basketball picks for Friday, January 3rd.

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Friday’s Best College Basketball Bets

(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)

Michigan State vs. Ohio State

The Buckeyes have been inconsistent, but their inconsistency seems to be coming to an end. From November 29 through December 14, they lost three of their four games. However, since then, they've won three consecutive, including a 20-point victory over the Kentucky Wildcats.

The Buckeyes are also much better in home games than they are when playing on the road or at a neutral site. They have just one home loss this season, and it came in overtime by one point against the Pittsburgh Panthers.

Meanwhile, the Spartans have focused on beating weak opponents. Their best win of the year was an overtime victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels, a team that has struggled considerably this year. Aside from that win, their resume isn't impressive at all, despite the fact they're 11-2. Both of these teams are averaging around the same amount of points. The Spartans have been a bit better defensively. But in a matchup where these two teams are pretty even, I give the edge to the home team with the more impressive performances. 

Pick: Ohio State -1.5 (-108)

Creighton vs. Marquette

It's been an up-and-down year for the Bluejays. They already have five losses, but they also defeated the Kansas Jayhawks by 13 points earlier this season. Additionally, they've played three ranked opponents this season, and they've yet to lose by more than eight. That said, they do have three double-digit losses on their resume, including an 81-57 loss to the Georgetown Hoyas in mid-December.

The Golden Eagles have rolled through their schedule thus far. They're 12-2 with victories over the Wisconsin Badgers and Purdue Boilermakers. While they defeated the Xavier Musketeers by just two in late December, their most recent game was a 28-point win over the Providence Friars.

Yet, for as good as the Golden Eagles have been, I'm taking the Bluejays to cover tonight. The Bluejays do most of their damage from beyond the three-point line, and the Golden Eagles have been prone to giving up easy looks from there. If the Bluejays can make some shots from deep, there's no reason to think they can't keep this game within 10 points.

Pick: Creighton +9 (-108)

Chicago State vs. Wagner

After writing about two very competitive games, it's time to turn my attention to arguably the worst game of the day. The Cougars have yet to win a game this season, and they haven't been close. Only one of their 15 games was decided by fewer than 10 points, and that was the first game of the season. 

The Cougars have the seventh-worst offense in the nation, as they're averaging just 59.9 points per game. Over their last three contests, they're averaging just 57.3. Tonight, they take on a Seahawks defense that ranks 10th in the country in points allowed. They're giving up just 61.7 points per game, and they've held four Division I opponents, including Seton Hall, below 56.5 points this season. 

Seeing a number set this low will likely cause a lot of bettors to blindly take the over. Don't fall for the trap. The Seahawks' defense is legitimate, especially when playing bad offenses.

Pick: Chicago State Team Total Under 56.5 Points (-105)

Phil Wood is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Phil, check out his archive and follow him @Phil_Wood_Jr.