Our free College Basketball picks are out for Thursday, February 17th, 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!
Austin Peay @ #21 Murray State – 7pm ET
Austin Peay and Murray State are both looking for a crucial Ohio Valley Conference conference win in this game on Wednesday evening. Both teams’ seasons have gone in completely different directions as Austin Peay is under .500 and Murray State is a likely NCAA Tournament team.
Marko Nadin
It’s been almost two months since the Murray State Racers lost their last game. They are on top of the OVC with a 24-2 record including a perfect 13-0 at home. Murray State will go for their 15th consecutive win when they host Austin Peay on Thursday. The Racers have won 8 of the last 10 games against the Governors. They have covered the spread in 4 of their last 6 games against a team with a losing record. Murray State is among the top 25 teams in the nation in points scored and field goal percentage.
The Austin Peay Governors are 5th in the OVC with a 10-14 record and 4-10 on the road. For the first time this season, the Governors have won three consecutive games but it is pretty unlikely that run will continue when they visit the Racers. Austin Peay is ranked under 300 spots in every important offensive stat. They score 65 points per game, three less than they allow. The Governors have played under the total points margin in 10 of the last 11 games against a team that has a winning record of over 60%.
Marko’s College Basketball Pick: Murray State (-4500)
Tony Battalio
Austin Peay comes into this game with a losing record of 10-14 on the season. However, they have won their last three games in a row. As they will come into this huge upset opportunity with some positive momentum on their side. They will still need to play a perfect forty minutes of basketball if they want a chance at an upset in this one. With Austin Peay being all but officially eliminated from the NCAA Tournament this season, they will be trying to play spoiler the rest of the way.
#1 in wins ‼️
Tied for the longest winning streak‼️
National TV‼️
We need Racer Nation to pack the CFSB Center Thursday night at 6:00PM when Austin Peay comes to town! #GoRacers 🐎🐎🐎 pic.twitter.com/lHw55grOC4— Murray State MBB (@RacersHoops) February 16, 2022
Murray State comes into this game in the middle of having a record breaking season for their program. They are currently ranked 24th in the nation and have a record of 24-2 so far this season. They are well on their way to winning the Ohio Valley Conference regular season championship, but first, they have to avoid being upset down the stretch. They are currently undefeated at 14-0 inside of conference play and also 13-0 when playing on their home court. They will be looking to extend their current 14 game win streak as well. As for the result of this game I have Murray State picking up another victory in this one at home.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: Murray State (-4500)
Noah Dunlap
Our first preview for Thursday’s slate of college hoops gives us a matchup that shouldn’t be remotely close. The Murray State Racers are far and away from the best team in the Ohio Valley Conference, a league that is almost certainly going to be a one-bid league come tournament time. They’re 24-2 on the year, having won 14 straight, which has also allowed them to remain perfect through conference play so far. I wouldn’t expect that change in this one, as they host the Austin Peay Governors, a team that has struggled in all facets this season.
Austin Peay comes into this one at 10-14, with a rough 6-8 record in OVC play. If you wanted to find one bit of optimism that they could pull off the massive upset, it’s the fact that they’ve won three in a row coming into this one, which should give them a bit of momentum as they travel north for this matchup. However, the fact remains that I just don’t think they have the talent to stick around with the Racers and their athleticism for 40 minutes. Give me Murray State with relative ease at home, as they extend their winning streak to 15.
Noah’s College Basketball Pick: Murray State (-4500)
Oregon State @ #3 Arizona – 7:30pm ET
In the first featured Pac-12 game of the Thursday evening slate, the Oregon State Beavers will take on the Arizona Wildcats. These teams’ seasons have gone in totally different directions as Oregon State has just about as many wins as Arizona has victories.
Marko Nadin
The Arizona Wildcats are one of the top candidates to win the NCAA championship this season. Arizona is on top of the Pac 12 with a 22-2 record including a perfect 13-0 at home. They have won the last six games by at least 9 points difference. The Wildcats are the best rebounding team in the nation with over 40 rebounds per game. They score almost 85 points per game which ranks them third in the nation. Arizona has won 9 of the last 10 games against Oregon State with the last loss being in 2020. This one will be a one direction game with the Wildcats easily winning by a double-digit margin.
The Oregon State Beavers are having their worst season in the past decade as they have won only 3 of 23 games which put them 11th in the Pac 12. They have lost the last 10 games and are still chasing their first win in 2022. The Beavers are among the 5 worst teams in the nation with only 27 rebounds per game. They score 67 points per game and allow 75. To make things even worse for Oregon State, they will miss 6 players when they visit Arizona on Thursday.
Marko’s College Basketball Pick: Arizona (-10000)
Tony Battalio
The Oregon State Beavers come into this game with a record of 3-20 on the season as they have been one of the worst power five teams in all of college basketball. It won’t get any easier for them in this one as they will be facing one of the best teams in college basketball when they travel south to play the Arizona Wildcats on Thursday evening. Oregon State has not only lost the majority of their games, but they also haven’t been close to competitive in them either. They are currently on a ten game losing streak and only have a single win in the Pac-12 at this point in the season.
The center of the college basketball universe, Live From McKale ‼️
This Saturday from 9am-10am ahead of our game vs Oregon.#BearDown #RunWithUs pic.twitter.com/W2qS66CWpm
— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaMBB) February 15, 2022
The Arizona Wildcats are coming into this game with a record of 22-2 on the season. They are currently ranked third in the nation and will likely get a number one seed in the NCAA tournament barring any type of upset or mishap throughout the rest of the season. The Wildcats come into this game sitting on top of the Pac-12 conference with a record of 12-1 inside of conference play. They have won their last six games in a row as well. As for the result of this game I have the Arizona Wildcats picking up the victory over Oregon State.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: Arizona (-10000)
Noah Dunlap
I’m all in this Arizona team and have been for quite some time. I think they’re the best team in a much improved Pac-12 (they are currently first in conference), but more importantly, I think they have the balance to create problems for anyone they run across come March. Behind two potential first round picks in Bennedict Mathurin and Christian Koloko, they are solid from everywhere on the floor, regardless of offense or defense, and they have real size to challenge physicality they may run across with teams like Baylor and Auburn. This has pushed them to 22-2 on the year, and now they take on a below average Oregon State team in this one.
The Beavers of Oregon State haven’t been fortunate to have the same success as their opponents here. They come in as one of the worst teams in not only the conference, but also the country, sitting at 3-20 on the year, and it’s not getting any easier with this matchup. This one is going to get ugly in a hurry, as the Beavs just don’t have the talent, size, or athleticism to come anywhere close to what they’re going to face from Arizona, especially seeing as they’re having to travel south to Tucson for this one. Easily give me the Wildcats, as this is going to resemble nothing less than demolition.
Noah’s College Basketball Pick: Arizona (-10000)
UCF @ #14 Houston – 9pm ET
The Central Florida Golden Knights will be taking on the Houston Cougars in this crucial American Athletic Conference matchup. The Knights come into this game unranked while Houston is ranked inside of the top 15 of the country at number 14.
Marko Nadin
The Houston Cougars are on top of the American Conference with a 20-4 record and 12-1 at home. Houston is the absolute favorite going into the match against UCF as the Cougars have won the last 4 and 8 of the last 10 games against them. Houston scores 18 points per game more than they allow. They are ranked 22nd in the nation in rebounds per game. Marcus Sasser who averaged 17.1 points per game has suffered a season-ending injury but the Cougars will dominate this game even without him.
The UCF Knights are 5th in the American conference with a 15-8 record including 4-5 on the road. They are coming off back-to-back wins over Wichita State and Tulsa. The Knights still have a chance to make it to the NCAA tournament but it is hard to believe that they can escape Houston undefeated. They may have a chance if they manage to keep the game s=close since the Knights have covered the spread in the last 4 games. A good sign is that UCF is 29-11 in the last 40 games played on Thursday.
Marko’s College Basketball Pick: Houston (-1600)
Tony Battalio
The Central Florida Golden Knights come into this game with a record of 15-8 on the season as they will look to continue to rack up wins to improve their case for the NCAA Tournament selection committee. Central Florida is currently on a two game winning streak after picking up back to back wins over Tulsa and Wichita State, as they have won three of their last four games down the stretch run. With a win in this game, Central Florida could increase their chances at an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament tremendously.
PREVIEW – Coogs get back to work vs UCF at 8 pm THURSDAY in Fertitta Center#ForTheCity x #GoCoogs
🔗 – https://t.co/tbRjBZ6O7n
🎟️ – https://t.co/EykMQa63Yx pic.twitter.com/iFzk8YnTFh— Houston Men’s Hoops 🏀 🐾 (@UHCougarMBK) February 17, 2022
The Houston Cougars are coming into this game with a record of 20-4 on the season. Regardless of what happens the rest of the season, the Cougars are likely a lock for the NCAA Tournament. However, they are currently on a two game losing streak which has seriously hurt their case and likely taken them out of the running for a potential number one seed. They have lost back to back games to the Memphis Tigers and SMU Mustangs so they will be desperate to get back into the winner’s column in this game against Central Florida. As for the result of this game that is exactly what I expect as I have Houston picking up the victory in this one over the Knights.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: Houston (-1600)
Noah Dunlap
This is the first preview of the night that should be a competitive game. The UCF Knights enter this one at a good, not great, 15-8, and they currently find themselves in the middle of the pack in terms of AAC standings. As of right now, I think they’re on the outside looking in regards to the tournament, but with roughly three weeks to play, if they continue the modest two-game winning streak they’re on right now, I think they have a real chance to sneak in late.
That isn’t going to be easy, as they now take on a Houston team that, while sitting in a bit of a lull right now, has spent much of the year in the top-10. The Cougars have lost two straight, but I wouldn’t expect that stretch to continue, as there’s just too much talent on this roster to make me think this tough run lasts. In the end. I think Central Florida plays well and keeps it reasonably close, but ultimately a motivated Houston team gets the win in front of their home crowd.
Noah’s College Basketball Pick: Houston (-1600)
Washington State @ #13 UCLA – 11pm ET
In the third featured Pac-12 game of the evening, Washington State’s tournament hopes to rest on this after a three game losing streak has dashed most of them. While UCLA is looking to cap off a long season with some momentum in this crucial pac-12 clash.
Marko Nadin
The UCLA Bruins are 4th in the Pac 12 with a 17-5 record including 10-1 at home. They had a shot at the top spot in the conference but lost 3 of the last 4 games, most recently 67-64 to the local rival USC. The Bruins have covered the spread in the last 4 games following a road trip of at least three games. They have also covered the spread in 7 of the last 10 games against a team with a winning road record. UCLA has won 7 of the last 10 games against Washington State but the Cougars have won the last one.
The Washington State Cougars are 6th in the Pac 12 with a 14-10 record. They were on their way to the NCAA tournament but since they have lost the last 3 games they will have to fight for it until the end of the regular season. The loss from Arizona was expected but the last two against Arizona State and Oregon have taken a toll on their confidence. The Cougars have covered the spread in 9 of the last 13 road games against a team with a winning record of over 60%. Four players from the rotation will not be available for the Cougars which decrease their chances for an upset against UCLA.
Marko’s College Basketball Pick: UCLA (-530)
Tony Battalio
The Washington State Cougars will be looking to a huge top 25 upset victory on the road in this one to improve their resume for the NCAA Tournament selection committee. The Cougars come into this game with a record of 14-10 as they are a fringe team for the bubble watch. They have lost three straight games in a row to Oregon, Arizona, and Arizona State which has put their tournament hopes in danger as conference tournament time quickly approaches. They will be desperate to break this losing streak in this one.
A new look for the screen … 📲, with @ReggieMillerTNT.#GoBruins | #WallpaperWednesday pic.twitter.com/SIvFggRSsh
— UCLA Men’s Basketball (@UCLAMBB) February 16, 2022
The UCLA Bruins come into this game ranked 13th in the nation as it has been a little rough as of late for the Bruins. It has been a long season for them as they’ve had Covid delays and untimely losses as well, which is likely to keep them out of the one seed line for the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins come into this game with a record of 17-5 on the year. They are currently in fourth place in the Pac-12 with a record of 9-4 as well. Their hopes of a Pac-12 regular season title are likely dashed but they are still very capable of winning the Pac-12 conference tournament. As for the result of this game I have UCLA picking up the win over Washington State.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: UCLA (-530)
Noah Dunlap
Washington State has come into this one as one of the more pleasant surprises of the season. They enter at 14-10, but were even better than that, before dropping their last three, which comes at a horrible time, as we start winding our way down towards conference tournaments and the NCAA tournament. Before this rough weeklong stretch, I think they were in the field, but now they’re in the position of needing to make up some ground, as I think they’re on the outside of the bubble. The other problem for the Cougars is that it doesn’t get any easier for them, as they take on a UCLA team that is one of the most talented in the country.
UCLA comes in at 17-5, and while they’re only ranked 13th due to a few minor struggles of late, they’re a team that talent-wise is almost certainly a top-6 or 7 team. They have two almost sure-fire first round draft picks in Johnny Juzang and Jaime Jaquez Jr., and with those two playing well, I think the Bruins have the potential to make a deep run come March. I think that shows in this one, as I have UCLA picking up a tight win at home, sending another blow to the Cougs tournament chances.
Noah’s College Basketball Pick: UCLA (-530)
Washington @ #17 USC – 11:30pm ET
In the final featured Pac-12 clash of the evening, the Washington Huskies will be facing off with the USC Trojans. This is a game that could have major NCAA Tournament implications for both teams.
Marko Nadin
The USC Trojans are second in the Pac 12 with a 21-4 record including 11-2 at home. The Trojans started the season with 13 consecutive wins and are 8-4 ever since. They are coming off a 67-64 win over the local and conference rival the UCLA Bruins. The Trojans have covered the spread in only 2 of the last 10 home games and only once in the last 8 games against a team with a losing record on the road. Still, they are controlling the score most of the time and can win. USC has played under the total point margin in 5 of the last 7 games.
The Washington Huskies are fifth in the Pac 12 with a 13-10 record and 3-4 on the road. They have won 7 of the last 10 games but have lost 2 of the last 3 games against Stanford and Arizona in the last round. Senior Terrel Brown Jr. is having an amazing season for the Huskies with 22.1 points per game. The Huskies have covered the spread in 7 of the last 10 games and have played over the total points margin in the last 5 games.
Marko’s College Basketball Pick: USC (-550)
Tony Battalio
The Washington Huskies NCAA Tournament hopes could very well be on the line when they take the court for this game on Thursday evening. The Huskies come into this game with a record of 13-10 on the year. Washington will be desperate for a huge top 25 wins in this one, but even if they get the win they will still likely need to win out and make a run in the Pac-12 conference tournament to make themselves a serious bubble contender for the NCAA Tournament selection committee.
The Trojans are now 7️⃣th nationally in field goal percentage defense after holding the Bruins to a season-low 30.2% shooting. 🚯 pic.twitter.com/W5dn67D5Fb
— USC Men’s Basketball (@USC_Hoops) February 16, 2022
The USC Trojans had a fantastic start to the season but have taken some bumps and bruises along the road as of late. They come into this game with a record of 21-4 on the season. They are currently ranked 17th in the nation and should end up with a favorable seed in the NCAA tournament if they win out the rest of the way. The Trojans are on a two game winning streak that they will be looking to extend in this one as well. As for the result of this game I have USC picking up the win over Washington at home.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: USC (-550)
Noah Dunlap
This game is a must win for the Washington Huskies, and even if they do get the win, they’re going to have to virtually win out to potentially pick up a tournament bid. They’re 13-10 on the year, but they don’t have any real signature wins to hang their hat on. While this would be a huge win to improve their resume, I don’t see a way possible a win over a top-20 USC team would be enough to change the committee’s view of the Huskies as we near March.
The Trojans of USC enter this one at 21-4 on the year, and currently sit at 17 in the latest polls. A lot of people would look at the record and think they should arguably be ranked higher, but the issue is that outside of a win over UCLA, they don’t have a resume boosting win on the year. I do still think they’re one of the best teams in the Pac-12, but I don’t think they’re a team that has enough to make a run deeper than potentially the Sweet 16 come tournament time. However, for this particular matchup, I do think they take care of business against a mediocre Washington team, especially with this one taking place in LA.
Noah’s College Basketball Pick: USC (-550)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
