Even though we only have one ranked team in action on Thursday in college basketball, mid-major conference tournaments are in full swing.
Plus, there's plenty of betting value that our staff has highlighted.
Read below for college basketball best bets and odds, including four predictions and picks for Thursday, March 6.
(Our official recommendation isn't a parlay, but the option is below.)
College Basketball Best Bets
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 |
|---|---|---|
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 8 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. | ||
Kansas City vs. Omaha
By John Feltman
Summit League Quarterfinal
Omaha wasn't expected to win the regular-season Summit League title, and the market has been low on it throughout the year.
Now, the Mavericks have opened as short favorites against Kansas City, but it’s too small of a number.
Omaha was steamed to -3.5, and I’m happy to take it at that number.
Both defenses aren't the greatest, ranking outside the top 160 in adjusted efficiency. However, the Omaha offense makes a big difference.
The Mavericks are the far superior unit and are an excellent 3-point shooting team.
The Roos rank outside the top 250 in most offensive metrics, according to KenPom, and they won’t be able to keep up here.
They also lost both regular-season matchups to Omaha, and neither one suggested we’ll see a change in result on Thursday afternoon.
The Roos ranked first defensively against the 3, but the Mavericks' ability to shoot from deep should combat that with no issues.
If the Kansas City offense was slightly more efficient, this would be a completely different conversation.
There are far too many questions for the Roos' offense, so I’ll follow the sharp money here and back the Mavericks.
Pick: Omaha -3.5 (Play to -4)
Michigan State vs. Iowa
The Michigan State Spartans and Iowa Hawkeyes will clash in Iowa City on Thursday night.
The Spartans roll into the contest with a record of 24-5 and a ranking of eighth in the nation. The Spartans clinched at least a share of the Big Ten regular season title after Michigan's loss to Maryland on Wednesday.
On the other side, Iowa has struggled this season with a record of 15-14.
In order to go dancing, the Hawkeyes would need to go on a miracle run, winning the Big Ten Tournament. Fran McCaffery's team will likely miss March Madness for the second consecutive year for the first time since 2017-18.
Thursday is a good spot to ride with the underdog at home.
Michigan State is in a look-ahead spot, with a matchup against Michigan looming on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Iowa will lean on its 3-point shooting to keep this contest close. The Hawkeyes can heat up from deep and give this Spartans defense issues.
We’ll fade the Spartans in a classic letdown spot on the road.
Pick: Iowa +7.5 (Play to +7)
Oakland vs. Milwaukee
By Sean Paul
Horizon League Quarterfinal
Another March could mean another surprise run by Greg Kampe’s club. He can throw a wrench into a lot of teams’ plans with his different zones that can often rattle opponents on short rest.
In this matchup, the zone should give a poor-shooting Milwaukee team some headaches. The Panthers scored fewer than 0.8 points per possession on spot-up jumpers versus zone during the regular season.
Plus, they shoot just 31% from deep and neither of their go-to guards — Themus Fulks or AJ McKee — are high-volume shooters.
Fulks wants to drive, and the zone should take away most of his lanes.
Oakland’s ability to hit 3s is key, as well. The Golden Grizzlies shoot just 31% from deep, but we saw during the Diamond Head Classic that all it takes is Malcolm Christie getting hot to change the tide.
The other key is rebounding. Playing primarily zone allows for a ton of offensive boards, and Milwaukee is the second-best offensive rebounding team in America.
It’s pivotal for Allen Mukeba and Buru Naivalurua to hold the Milwaukee bigs in check.
I think Oakland is a very live 'dog here. It split the regular-season series against Milwaukee and lost the second game by just five points.
This should be a tight one.
Pick: Oakland +6.5 (Play to +5)
Wichita State vs. Rice
I believe this is a get-right spot for the Shockers, who are coming off two frustrating close losses and are now entering the final week of the regular season.
Other than Memphis, which Wichita State beat just a couple of weeks ago, this is arguably the most talented team in the AAC.
