This article is part of our College Basketball Picks series.
TGIF because we have some spectacular matchups on tap for Friday's college hoops slate. Here are my best bets for Friday's Marquee events.
Houston at 
Xavier
Houston has ascended to the top of KenPom's overall efficiency chart, entering Friday with the highest rating among all 362 D1 teams. The Cougars have played at an elite level for many consecutive years under head coach Kelvin Sampson, so this standing is familiar territory for them. That said, this year's team has played an easier schedule thus far, ranking 251st in difficulty, so Friday's game in Cincinnati represents their toughest test up to this point.
Xavier, meanwhile, is coming off a rough home loss to Oakland, 78-76, but the Musketeers have played relatively well otherwise despite a tougher schedule, ranking 138th in difficulty. Xavier previously lost at Purdue (but covered as 17-point dogs) before losing a tight game to Washington, 74-71. The Musketeers' record of 4-3 isn't pretty, but don't let the early and close losses deceive you -- this is still a feisty group. Xavier ranks 59th in offensive efficiency and 27th in defense, so it's still a balanced team that has been thoroughly battle-tested in this first month of the season. At their best, Xavier can hold a team like Saint Mary's to 49 points and then drop 100 points on a team like Bryant in the following game.
It often feels risky going against a juggernaut like Houston, but the Cougars have skated by this season without any close calls. Friday marks Houston's first true road game of the season in a hostile environment, so if there's ever a time for them to stumble, this is it. The Cougars will probably win the game, as everyone would expect, but I'm betting that Xavier's defense and home-cooking will enable the Musketeers to keep the game close. I'm taking the points with the home team in this matchup.
College Basketball Best Bet: Xavier +9.5
Connecticut at 
Kansas
I don't think the reigning national champs need much introduction, but in case anyone forgot, Connecticut is reminding everyone that it's still the team to beat until further notice. The Huskies are riding a 13-game win streak dating back to last season, the longest in the nation. They rank top-10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency, in addition to ranking top-10 in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentages. In short, this team is still performing at the same championship level as last season despite minor roster turnover.
Kansas, similarly, is also a familiar team. This squad was already returning several extremely talented players, and then the Jayhawks added star 7-footer Hunter Dickinson into the mix. The results so far are what we'd expect -- a 6-1 record and a seventh-place standing in KenPom's efficiency chart. This is all great on paper, but this team is still vulnerable, as we saw on November 21st when the Jayhawks lost to Marquette by a score of 73-59. The Golden Eagles are a great team, so we can't shame the Jayhawks too much for that loss, but even still, this blowout suggests Kansas still has some things to work on.
As many college hoops fans might be aware, the Huskies recently made history by setting an NCAA record in winning 24 consecutive non-conference games by double-digit margins. I wouldn't bet on UConn winning Friday's game by more than 10 points, but I still like their odds to earn a victory. I'm taking the defending champs in this one.
College Basketball Best Bet: UConn +2.5
Purdue at 
Northwestern
Similar to other high-profile teams playing on Friday, not much more needs to be said about Purdue and reigning Wooden Award winner Zach Edey. Purdue is arguably the best overall team in the country and plays like it on both ends of the court. Now, let's take a look at the team that's hosting them on Friday.
Overall, Northwestern is off to a decent start. The Wildcats sport a 5-1 record with the one loss coming against Mississippi State on a neutral court, so they still have reasons for optimism, as KenPom is currently projecting them to end the season with a 9-11 conference record, a respectable record against one of the best conferences in the country. Resume aside, Northwestern has posted outstanding numbers in one key category that will give it a good shot at staying in the game against Purdue. Turnovers.
Northwestern's defense is one of the best at causing turnovers, ranking 10th in the country in steal percentage, which is critical because Purdue's biggest weakness is arguably its sloppiness on offense. The Boilermakers are one of the worst teams at allowing stolen possessions, ranking 313th in offensive steal percentage. This gigantic discrepancy in turnover percentage also favors the Wildcats going the other direction, as Northwestern ranks 30th in offensive turnover percentage and Purdue ranks 297th in defensive turnovers.
Winning the game will be incredibly difficult for Northwestern, but thankfully for the Wildcats, they also have the advantage of playing at home. Friday will mark Purdue's first true road game of the season, one more factor working against them. Welsh Ryan Arena did not treat the Boilermakers kindly when they traveled to Evanston last year, as the Boilermakers lost straight up to Northwestern, 64-58. It's hard to ask the Wildcats to pull another upset, but this season's team is remarkably similar to last year's, ranking 57th in returning minutes, so they certainly have a shot. I'm going with Northwestern in this spot.
College Basketball Best Bet: Northwestern +7.5
Friday College Basketball Best Bets:
Here's a recap of my best college basketball bets for Friday:
- Xavier +9.5
- UConn +2.5
- Northwestern +7.5
For up-to-date information on the latest college basketball betting odds and props from multiple sportsbooks, check out the college basketball odds page on RotoWire.
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