Only seven games to work with on today's college basketball betting slate, but that's quite alright, as we still have a few noteworthy teams in the mix. Here are my predictions for Friday's action.
Top College Basketball Best Bets for Today
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Creighton 
at Providence 
At first glance, Providence appears to have a slight edge offensively in this matchup. It ranks higher in adjusted efficiency and effective field goal percentage, though recent results tell a different story.
Since the conference season tipped off, Creighton has hit its stride offensively. Against Big East opponents, the Bluejays boast the highest effective field goal percentage and two-point FG percentage in the league, while also ranking second in turnovers and third in three-point FG percentage, having knocked down 37 percent against conference foes.
In the same span, Providence is nearly the worst defensive team in the Big East. During league play, the Friars' defense has the worst turnover percentage and three-point FG percentage allowed, and the second-worst efficiency rating and rebounding percentage.
At the other end of the court, both teams have performed at a very similar level. During league play, Creighton ranks fifth in the Big East in defensive efficiency, with Providence's offense matching it. Creighton also has the fourth-best effective FG percentage allowed, with Providence's offense again matching it.
Considering how each team has performed in recent weeks, I'm going with the Bluejays in this spot.
College Basketball Best Bet: Creighton pk
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Marquette 
at DePaul 
Marquette's season has spiraled into a nightmare, and it hasn't given us any reason to think it's about to turn it around.
During conference play, the Golden Eagles' offense ranks last in the Big East in efficiency and free-throw percentage, and second-worst in effective field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage. They are also third-worst in two-point field goal percentage, making 46 percent against conference foes. This last point is key for two reasons. First, Marquette attempts its two-pointers from the second-closest distance among all D-1 teams, per KenPom. It's hard to fathom how a team can have such a low conversion percentage from point-blank range. Second, DePaul has played elite interior defense since the conference season tipped off, holding Big East opponents to a league-best 42 percent on two-point attempts.
The Blue Demons, on the other hand, have played solid defense in recent weeks, posting the fourth-best efficiency rating among Big East opponents during league play. This is all the more impressive considering that DePaul has already played UConn (twice), Villanova, and St. John's, which are the only three Big East teams with adjusted offensive ratings in the top 30 nationally.
DePaul hasn't played quite as sharply at the other end of the court, but its offense has at least outperformed Marquette's in the same span, outranking the Golden Eagles in efficiency, effective field goal percentage, and free-throw percentage. Marquette's defense has been particularly vulnerable in the paint, posting the worst defensive rebounding percentage during conference play and allowing Big East opponents to make 53 percent of two-point attempts.
Overall, DePaul has been the much better team since early December, and it's not close. I'm taking the Blue Demons.
College Basketball Best Bet: DePaul -3.5
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Colorado State 
at Boise State 
The Rams have established themselves as one of the sharpest shooting teams in the nation.
Colorado State has made over 40 percent of its three-pointers, the nation's fourth-highest mark, an impressive feat given it attempts them at an extremely high frequency (24th). The Rams have five players who have made at least 40 percent of their three-pointers while attempting at least 30, making them even more challenging to guard than a team with only one star player.
The real challenge in playing against Colorado State's offense is that it can score in multiple ways. The Rams are making 58 percent of their two-point attempts (34th) and 77 percent from the foul line (32nd), a noteworthy stat given they often go to the charity stripe, ranking 118th in free-throw attempt rate. Additionally, Colorado State excels at collecting offensive boards, with a rebounding percentage that ranks near the top third of the nation.
Boise State, meanwhile, has posted underwhelming offensive numbers. The Broncos are converting under 49 percent of two-point attempts (267th) and 32 percent of three-point attempts (247th), resulting in an effective field goal percentage that ranks 272nd. They also haven't played any better in recent weeks, scoring a combined 126 points in their most recent two-game homestand against Grand Canyon and Utah State, both double-digit losses.
While Colorado State's defense may be a liability, I believe its explosive offense will score enough points to get the job done on Friday. I'm riding the Rams in this one.
College Basketball Best Bet: Colorado State +5.5
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Friday College Basketball Best Bets:
Here's a recap of my best college basketball bets for Friday:
- Creighton pk
- DePaul -3.5
- Colorado State +5.5
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.
