Our free College Basketball picks are out for Thursday, February 24th, 2022! Make sure you check our expert College Basketball picks before the action kicks off.
Look below to find our free College Basketball picks for the best games on today’s schedule!
#4 Purdue @ Michigan State – 12pm ET
This huge Big Ten conference matchup has NCAA tournament implications for both of these teams. As the top five ranked Purdue Boilermakers travel to Michigan to take on the Michigan State Spartans, who are sitting on the bubble still looking for the win that could lock their spot in.
Marko Nadin
The Michigan State Spartans were in a situation to reach the top of the Big Ten conference just a couple of weeks ago but with 5 losses in the last 6 games, they have failed to 6th place with an 18-9 record. The Spartans are coming off a blowout 86-60 loss to Iowa in their last game as they shot only 35% from the field. Michigan State has covered the spread in only 2 of the last 8 home games and only once in their last 7 games overall. The Spartans have played over the total point margin in 7 of the last 11 home games
The Purdue Boilermakers are on top of the Big Ten with a 24-4 record. They have won 9 of the last 10 games losing only to Michigan in that span. Purdue is coming off an 84-72 win over Rutgers in the last round. The Boilermakers have won the last 4 games against the Spartans and will continue that series even though the Spartans are 10-3 at home. Purdue has covered the spread in 3 of the last 5 games against teams with a winning record. They have played over the total points margin in 10 of the last 13 games following a win.
Marko’s College Basketball Pick: Purdue (-194)
Tony Battalio
The Purdue Boilermakers come into this game ranked inside of the top five of the country at number four in the nation. A win in this game for Purdue could bring them one step closer to clinching the Big Ten regular-season championship or at least a share of it as they are currently tied with Wisconsin for the top spot. Both schools are 13-4 in the conference at the moment. Purdue’s overall record on the season is 24-4, as they are lined up to snag a potential number one seed in the NCAA Tournament. Purdue is currently on a three-game winning streak.
✈️ Next stop: East Lansing. pic.twitter.com/JxfknKJnDN
— Purdue Mens Basketball (@BoilerBall) February 25, 2022
The Michigan State Spartans come into this game with a record of 18-9 on the year. They currently sit in the middle of the pack of the Big Ten with a conference record of 9-7 and could use a win to improve their resume with selection Sunday only a few weeks away. Michigan State is having a down year by their standards but we have seen them get hot at the right time before and make a deep run in March Madness, so only time will tell how this season will play out. As far as this one goes, however, I have the Boilermakers getting the victory on the road in East Lansing.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: Purdue (-194)
Noah Dunlap
After being one of the more surprising teams in the Big Ten, and even the country for the first three months of the year, the Michigan State Spartans have collapsed, and are now simply trying to hang on to a tournament spot. They’ve lost five of their last six, which has dropped them to 18-9 and has them much closer to the bubble than they were ever planning on being, and if they continue to struggle over the last week of the season there are serious concerns that they could find themselves on the outside looking in.
It doesn’t get any easier for them in this one, as they take on the Purdue Boilermakers, a team that is currently ranked fourth, with a 24-4 record. They come into this one having won nine of their last 10, and they’re currently on the edge of earning a one-seed in the NCAA tournament. Purdue is one of the most balanced teams in the country and led by Jaden Ivey, they can compete against anyone. Even with them having to travel to East Lansing, I like the Boilermakers in this one, furthering the concerns for the Spartans.
Noah’s College Basketball Pick: Purdue (-194)
#6 Kentucky @ #18 Arkansas – 2pm ET
This huge SEC matchup won’t even be the best game of the weekend. Which shows how loaded this weekend’s lineup is. As the 6th ranked Kentucky Wildcats will take on the 18th ranked Arkansas Razorbacks for second place in the conference.
Marko Nadin
The Arkansas Razorbacks are third in the SEC with a 22-6 record including 15-1 at home. Arkansas has won 12 of the last 13 games losing only to Alabama in that span. They are coming off an 82-74 win over Florida. Arkansas defeated Kentucky by 81-80 at the beginning of the month, which was their first win over the Wildcats after 2014. The Razorbacks are quite a good offensive team, all they lack is a three-point shooting as they shoot only 31.3% from deep which ranks them 300th in the country. Arkansas has covered the spread in 12 of the last 13 games.
The Kentucky Wildcats are second in the SEC with a 23-5 record. Kentucky has won 8 of the last 9 games and is coming off a 71-66 win over LSU. The Wildcats were on eight consecutive wins run over Arkansas but the Razorbacks put an end to that series earlier this month. Kentucky is among the top 15 teams in the country with 80.6 points per game, 48.6% shooting from the field, and 37.6 rebounds per game. The Wildcats have covered the spread in the last 4 games following the spread loss and the last four Saturday games.
Marko’s College Basketball Pick: Kentucky +3 (-110)
Tony Battalio
As usual, the Kentucky Wildcats are in the national championship picture. They come into this one as the number six team in the nation. Their current record on the season is an impressive mark of 23-5. They are in second place in the SEC, as they are one game behind the Auburn Tigers with a conference record of 12-3 on the season. They are likely to snag a number one seed in the NCAA tournament as long as they don’t manage to lose the rest of their games this season. If they can manage to remain healthy this team has a shot to make a series run in March.
“We’re looking forward to the challenge.”
PREVIEW >> https://t.co/edYDcigfZF pic.twitter.com/nK2x4YZCPd
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) February 26, 2022
The Arkansas Razorbacks come into this game ranked 18th in the nation. They currently have a record of 22-6 on the season. Arkansas is in third place in the SEC with a conference record of 11-4 as well and could likely jump Kentucky with a victory in this one at home. Their spot in the NCAA tournament is in my opinion locked in, but with a strong finish to the season they have the chance of making a move for a top-two seed in the brackets. As for the result of this game, I have them getting the win, as I believe homecourt advantage will play a factor in the outcome of this one.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: Arkansas -3 (-110)
Noah Dunlap
On a normal day of college hoops, this would be one of the best matchups you find. However, with the loaded slate on schedule for Saturday, this is just one of the numerous huge games. The Kentucky Wildcats come into this one at 23-5 and are still just on the edge of a one-seed for the tournament. They have one of the best duos in all of the country, with Oscar Tshiebwe and TyTy Washington, though Washington has missed a bit of time as of late. When fully healthy, they’re one of the best teams in the nation, and in this one, they take on a solid Arkansas Razorbacks squad.
Arkansas enters at 22-6, including a few massive wins lately, one of which came over the then number one Auburn Tigers. Under Eric Musselman, they’re a physical, athletic team that looks to create by playing with a defense-first mindset that has worked extremely well to this point. That’ll be tested in this one, however, as Kentucky does have the size to potentially cause problems. As for the result in this one, give me the Wildcats to travel to Fayetteville and sneak out with a close win, in a game that I could easily see going into overtime.
Noah’s College Basketball Pick: Kentucky +3 (-110)
#3 Auburn @ #17 Tennessee – 4pm ET
The second featured SEC matchup of the Saturday slate features the 3rd ranked Auburn Tigers taking on the 17th ranked Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville. As both teams look to better their resumes with selection Sunday looming.
Marko Nadin
The Tennessee Volunteers will face a huge challenge to stay undefeated at home as they host Auburn on Saturday night. Tennessee is currently 3rd in the SEC with a 20-7 record and 14-0 at home. After losing to Arkansas, the Volunteers bounced back with an 80-61 win over Missouri which was their 6th win in the last 7 games. Tennessee has covered the spread only once in their last 5 games coming off at the spread win. They have played under the total points margin in 14 of the last 19 games against teams with a winning record.
The Auburn Tigers are on top of the SEC with a 25-3 record and 7-2 on the road. Two of their three losses this season have come in the last five games in the matches against Arkansas and Florida. Auburn is coming off a 77-64 win over Ole Miss. The Tigers have won the last 6 games over Tennessee, a series that might come to an end as the Volunteers are 3.5 points favorites. Auburn has covered the spread in 9 of the last 11 games against teams with a winning record of over 60%,
Marko’s College Basketball Pick: Auburn +3 (-110)
Tony Battalio
The Auburn Tigers come into this game only a few victories away from clinching the regular-season SEC championship. They are currently in first place in the conference with a record of 13-2 inside of conference play. With a win, they could keep the one-game lead they currently have over Kentucky or a two-game lead over Arkansas pending the results of the Wildcats and Razorbacks game earlier in the day. Auburn has an overall record on the year of 25-3 as they are a lock for the NCAA tournament and potentially a number one seed pending some sort of slip up before the regular season ends.
Tough challenge on the road tomorrow! #WarEagle https://t.co/jsa9p0fhnS
— Auburn Basketball 🦚 (@AuburnMBB) February 26, 2022
The Tennessee Volunteers come into this game with a record of 20-7 on the season. They are likely already going to be a part of the 68 team field for the NCAA tournament regardless of what happens in this one, but with a victory, they could greatly improve their seeding opportunities. They are currently in fourth place in the SEC and could move into second or third with a huge win in this one at home. Tennessee has yet to lose at home in Knoxville this season, as they are 14-0 so far. However, as for the result of this game, I look for that streak to come to an end as I have Auburn winning.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: Auburn (+125)
Noah Dunlap
Can Tennessee keep up the magical run at Thompson-Bolling Arena? They come into this matchup undefeated at home on the year, with a 20-7 record overall. They’re a team that has done this primarily under the radar, as they’ve quietly positioned themselves in really good shape in terms of winning the conference, and a win over Auburn in this one would help even more with that goal. They’re led by Kennedy Chandler, a freshman who has already shown to be ready for the big stage, and a guy who is expected to be a sure-fire first-round pick in this year’s NBA Draft.
Now they take on the Auburn Tigers, a team that has spent quite a bit of the year ranked number one and is being led by a guy in Jabari Smith who many expect to be the number one pick in this year’s draft. The Tigers are 25-3 on the year, though it may be worthwhile to point out that two of those losses have come in the last week and a half, which shows that their play has slipped just a touch as of late. As for this game, I’m going to take the upset, as I like the Vols to stay unbeaten at home and pick up a massive win as we wind our way towards tournament time.
Noah’s College Basketball Pick: Tennessee (-150)
#5 Kansas @ #10 Baylor – 8pm ET
This one is going to be the best game of the weekend, in a weekend full of great games. As the fifth-ranked Kansas Jayhawks travel to Waco, Texas to play the 10th ranked Baylor Bears. As both teams look for a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Marko Nadin
The Baylor Bears are second in the Big 12 with a 23-5 record. The defending champions have won 4 of the last 5 games losing to Texas Tech in that span. The Bears are coming off a 66-64 overtime win over Oklahoma. Baylor is among the top 50 teams in the nation with 77.1 points per game and 46.7% shooting from the field. They will face a difficult challenge as Kansas is visiting but they will have a chance to prove that they are capable of defending the title. Baylor has three injured players which may make the difference against Kansas.
The Kansas Jayhawks are on top of the Big Twelve with a 23-4 record and 6-2 on the road. They are on a four-game winning streak coming off a 102-83 win over Kansas State. That was only the second time this season the Jayhawks scored over 100 points. They have won 3 of the last 4 games against Baylor including an 83-59 win earlier this month. Kansas will not have an easy job as they had in that game but are going in with their confidence to the top which will prevail at the end.
Marko’s College Basketball Pick: Kansas +3 (-110)
Tony Battalio
The Kansas Jayhawks are still the top dog in the Big 12 conference regardless of who is nipping at their heels. They have continued to prove it year after year as well. Once again this season they are only a couple of victories away from closing in on another Big 12 regular-season championship. Kansas comes into this game with an overall record of 23-4 on the season. They hold a 1.5 game lead over Texas Tech and Baylor inside of conference play as they sit at 12-2 at the moment. With a win and a Texas Tech loss, the Jayhawks would officially clinch the Big 12 regular-season title and a number one seed in the Big 12 conference tournament.
Headed to Waco for a top-10 showdown ✈️@MidwestFord x #KUbball pic.twitter.com/tGV2eyAlcp
— Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) February 25, 2022
The Baylor Bears come into this game with a record of 23-5 on the season. As of right now, they may be on the outside looking in for as far as a number one seed is concerned for the NCAA tournament. A win in this top 10 clash would certainly change that, however. A win would also keep their faint Big 12 regular-season title hopes alive as it would pull them within a half a game of the Kansas Jayhawks. Baylor has been a hard team to beat at home this year as they are 13-2 inside their building. However, I have them taking loss number three in this one. As I have the Jayhawks getting the win.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: Kansas +3 (-110)
Noah Dunlap
This has the potential to be the best Big-12 game of the year, and I think it will live up to its billing. The Baylor Bears come into this one as the defending champions, and for much of the first half of the year, they played like it, as they held the number one spot for virtually the entire first part of the season. They then went through a rough stretch that saw them drop pretty substantially, but have since responded nicely, winning four of their last five, pushing their record to 23-5.
Now they take on the conference-leading Kansas Jayhawks, who sit at 23-4 and have their eyes set on earning a one-seed in the NCAA tournament. One bizarre stat to think about for this matchup is the fact that, despite Baylor’s success last year, and the year before, for that matter, the Jayhawks have won three of the last four in this series. They’ll have their hands full in this one, as they have to travel south to Waco, but in the end, I like KU’s consistency a bit more than the Beats, so give me the Jayhawks in a tight, possibly somewhat low-scoring affair.
Noah’s College Basketball Pick: Kansas +3 (-110)
#1 Gonzaga @ #23 Saint Mary’s – 10pm ET
This ranked mid-major contest is sure to be a good one. No team in the nation has given the Gonzaga Bulldogs more problems in the last few years, than the Saint Mary’s Gaels. Both teams will be looking for a big win in this one.
Marko Nadin
The Saint Mary’s Gaels are second in the WCC with a 23-6 record including a perfect 15-0 at home. They have lost 2 of the last 6 games but are coming off 3 straight wins including 60-46 against San Diego. The Gaels are a solid shooting team as they score 69.7 points per game on 46.3% shooting from the field but are even better defensively allowing only 59.5 points, which ranks them 11th in the nation and are ninth allowing only 26.8 rebounds per game
The Gonzaga Bulldogs are the best-ranked team in the nation and are on top of the WCC with a 24-2 record. The last time Gonzaga lost was on December 4th as they lost 9182 over Alabama. Gonzaga ranks first in the nation with 89.5 points and 53% shooting from the field. They are second in the nation with 39.6% from the field. Gonzaga has won 9 of the last 10 games against SMC, most recently 74-58. Gonzaga is the clear favorite against any team this season and a top favorite for the champions trophy
Marko’s College Basketball Pick: Gonzaga (-550)
Tony Battalio
The number one team in the nation, the Gonzaga Bulldogs come into this game with a record of 23-2 on the season. If they finish the year out with less than 2 more losses it is fair to say that they will be the number one overall seed in the NCAA tournament. The Gonzaga Bulldogs have already locked up the West Coast Conference regular-season championship. Now they will look to start their quest to win the West Coast Conference Tournament championship and then finally the national championship they’ve chased for years. As long as Chet Holmgren and Drew Timme remain healthy the Zags are the national title favorites.
On to the next. #UnitedWeZag x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/igTBToZ271
— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) February 25, 2022
The Saint Mary’s Gaels come into this game ranked 23rd in the nation. They currently have a record of 23-6 on the season and will likely claim an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament if they make a run in the West Coast Conference tournament. The Gaels and the Bulldogs will likely meet again in the conference tournament finals. As far as this one is concerned Saint Mary’s will look for the huge upset win at home to cap off the regular season. However, as for the result of this one, I just can’t see that happening as I have Gonzaga getting the win.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: Gonzaga (-550)
Noah Dunlap
The two teams that always stay on top of the West Coast Conference standings meet up for our last pick of the night, and I think the result ends up being the same as virtually every other meeting in this series. Saint Mary’s, virtually every year, ends up finishing second in the WCC, as they just can’t quite leap the Gonzaga hurdle, and this year is no different. The Gaels enter at 23-6, including being perfect at home, at 15-0, but I think that streak ends here. I think their resume is probably enough to sneak them into a tournament bid, assuming their only losses the rest of the way comes at the hands of the Bulldogs, which is exactly what this will be.
The Zags come in as the number one team in the country, sitting at 24-2 on the year, including being perfect in conference. Not only are they currently undefeated in WCC play, but they’re doing so in an utterly dominant fashion. This is large because they have two almost certain lottery picks on their roster, including a guy in Chet Holmgren that is expected to potentially go in the top-3 picks. St. Mary’s May arguably be a team good enough to be ranked this year, but that doesn’t mean they’re ready to take down a loaded Gonzaga team. The Gaels undefeated run at home ends in this one, as the Zags continue to roll.
Noah’s College Basketball Pick: Gonzaga (-550)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
