We're inching closer and closer to the unveiling of the field of 68 on Sunday.
But before we get to Selection Sunday, there's plenty of betting value to be had on Friday of Champ Week, specifically during the afternoon.
Read below for college basketball best bets, including three NCAAB expert picks and predictions for Friday afternoon on March 14.
(There's also a parlay option below for those of you that want a bit longer odds.)
College Basketball Best Bets for Friday Afternoon
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our college basketball betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 12 p.m. | |
  | 1 p.m. | |
  | 2:30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NCAAB Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Oregon vs. Michigan State
By Sean Paul
The Oregon Ducks picked up a nice “neutral” win in enemy territory to start the Big Ten Tournament, beating Indiana in Indianapolis. That marks the eighth straight victory for Oregon.
Meanwhile, Michigan State is on a seven-game winning streak of its own, meaning both teams have been scalding hot at the perfect time.
The Spartans have survived this stretch despite struggling offensively. They sit at 28th in KenPom’s offensive rankings for the year, but they've slipped to 57th in Bart Torvik’s offensive efficiency since February 1.
That’s a month-long sample of Michigan State struggling.
You’d expect it to be the shooting that's plagued the Spartans. However, Michigan State is shooting better than it has all year (over 32%). Its actually the 2-point percentage that's plummeted to 50% (217th nationally).
I knocked Michigan State regularly early in the season for not having a true go-to scoring option. It turns out, Michigan State always had a guy — he was just coming off the bench. Jase Richardson has been one of the top players in the Big Ten for a month, scoring 11+ points in nine straight games.
Richardson adds a different element to the Spartans' offense. For one, it relieves pressure off of guys like Jaden Akins and Tre Holloman. Plus, Richardson is a true three-level scorer. He erupted for 29 versus Oregon in their prior meeting, attacking both the rim and from deep.
Michigan State’s strength is on the defensive end. The Spartans rank fifth in KenPom’s defensive efficiency, with their biggest strength being limiting teams to just 28% from downtown. They can get exposed at the rim a bit, which is likely a byproduct of not having a true rim protector.
The Spartans often dictate the game’s pace due their elite rebounding ability, though.
Also, Michigan State can make up for poor shooting by grabbing 35% of its offensive boards. That’s possibly the biggest edge in this contest, as Oregon ranks just 153rd in defensive rebounding rate. I’d expect that to lead to some second-chance opportunities for the Spartans.
The Ducks have a pair of consistent go-to studs in guard Jackson Shelstad, who's a bit hit or miss, and Nate Bittle, a 7-footer with shooting ability.
I don’t see how Oregon scores enough in this matchup, though. The Ducks are just 45th in offensive efficiency (per Torvik) during their winning streak. Meanwhile, Oregon ranks 15th in defensive efficiency during the same span.
Offensively, Oregon has found its shooting stroke, connecting on 37% of its shots during the hot streak. A lot of the shooting success correlates with Bittle’s dominance, but the Ducks can also have an off shooting day if Shelstad goes cold.
I just don’t think a team can beat Michigan State at its own game, particularly if that team isn’t as good at that same game.
The Spartans were just 4.5-point favorites at open, which feels light. I’ll gladly take Tom Izzo’s squad up to six points in what promises to be an outstanding battle.
Pick: Michigan State -5 (Play to -6)
Ole Miss vs. Auburn
Ole Miss survived its first-round SEC Tournament matchup with a dramatic win over Arkansas thanks to a 3-ball from Sean Pedulla as time expired.
The Rebels now move to the quarterfinals and are set to face an Auburn team that swept them in the regular season.
I don’t know if the Rebels have enough firepower to pull off an outright upset, but I like their chances of making the third matchup the most competitive of the bunch against the Tigers.
Ole Miss should come out loose and flying around after the win on Thursday, and I think you’ll see guys like Pedulla, Matthew Murrell and others continue to make shots from deep.
Meanwhile, Auburn enters the SEC Tournament after losing its last two regular-season games and looking to get back on the right track.
Auburn has an advantage on the interior in this game and will look to lean on National Player of the Year candidate Johni Broome to feast in the paint.
Broome will certainly get his, but Chris Beard’s team has plenty of bigs who score the ball themselves when you look at Jaemyn Brakefield, Malik Dia and Dre Davis.
Beard is one of the elite coaches when it comes to tournament settings and has continuously shown the ability to get his team ready to go in short turnaround-type games throughout his career.
Bruce Pearl is one of the best as well, but laying double digits just feels like too much in a matchup between two high-level teams with plenty of familiarity with each other.
Give me the Rebels to keep this tight throughout and cover the 10.5-point spread in what should be a fantastic day of hoops in Nashville.
Pick: Ole Miss +11.5 (Play to +10)
Wisconsin vs. UCLA
By John Feltman
A great matchup is on deck for Friday afternoon’s Wisconsin and UCLA matchup, and I think we’re getting a decent price on the total. This number opened at 140.5 and has started to steam up, with some shops already touching at 142.5 (at the time of writing).
I like the Bruins here for many reasons, and it’s not because of the Wisconsin offense. The market has overrated the Bruins' defense for most of the season, but they’re not a good rebounding group.
The Badgers don’t force turnovers, so that should give the Bruins plenty of clean possessions on offense. UCLA ranks 36th in adjusted offensive efficiency.
