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!
#1 Gonzaga @ San Francisco – 9pm ET
The Gonzaga Bulldogs travel south to the bay for this one to take on the Dons of San Francisco. Gonzaga’s spot in the NCAA Tournament is likely clinched, but San Fran could use a win in this one to make a late push for a shocking at-large berth into the tournament.
Marko Nadin
The Gonzaga Bulldogs are the top-ranked team in the nation and nothing will change that by the end of the season. The Zags are first in the WCC with a 23-2 record. They haven’t lost in almost three months as they have won the last 16 games. The Bulldogs are coming off an 81-69 win over Santa Clara. Gonzaga is the top offensive team in the league with 89.5 points per game on 52.9% shooting from the field. The Bulldogs have won the last 10 games against San Francisco, most recently 78-62 in January.
The San Francisco Dons are 22-7 for the season, a record that puts them third in the WCC. They have won 3 of the last 4 games and are coming off a blowout victory 104-71 over Pacific. San Francisco is 14-3 at home but despite the promising record, they are simply not on Gonzaga’s level. San Francisco has lost 21 of the last 27 games following a straight-up win. They have covered the spread only once in their last 5 home games. San Francisco has played over the total point margin in 8 of the last 11 games against teams with winning records.
Marko’s College Basketball Pick: Gonzaga -9.5 (-110)
Tony Battalio
The number one team in the nation may have their hands full in this game. They are getting ready to face a tough San Francisco team that will likely put up a much tougher fight than they did when they played them at home last time. Gonzaga comes into this game with a record of 23-2 on the season. They are virtually locked into the NCAA tournament at this point regardless of what happens throughout the rest of the season. However, they could grab the top overall seed if they win out and win the West Coast Conference tournament.
Still reliving Saturday night 🎊 pic.twitter.com/7Ij3hQhXBw
— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) February 23, 2022
The San Francisco Dons come into this game with an impressive record of 22-7 on the season. As previously mentioned the first time these two teams met it was Gonzaga who came out on top at home over San Francisco. The Dons will be looking to build and learn from that last contest and give themselves a better shot at an upset in this game as the regular season comes down to its final two weeks. As for the result of this one, however, I have Gonzaga getting the win.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: Gonzaga -9.5 (-110)
Noah Dunlap
Ugliness. That’s all I can give you for this matchup. The San Francisco Dons aren’t necessarily a bad team, as they come in with a 22-7 record, which is good for third place in a decent West Coast Conference, but that record comes with no signature wins so far, and they just don’t have the talent to contend and compete with what Gonzaga is going to throw at them. They aren’t a tournament team, barring a huge run through the WCC tournament, and going up against the nation’s best team, I just think this could get out of hand.
The Bulldogs of Gonzaga come into this one as the country’s best team, ranked first, unanimously, in this week’s poll, sitting with a 23-2 record. They have two borderline lottery picks in this year’s NBA Draft, including a guy in Chet Holmgren who could go number one, and are deep enough to run through what is a mediocre WCC this year. As for this one, even going on the road to the Bay Area, I like the Zags with ease.
Noah’s College Basketball Pick: Gonzaga -9.5 (-110)
#22 Ohio State @ #15 Illinois – 9pm ET
The 22nd ranked Buckeyes will travel to Illinois to play the 15th ranked Fighting Illini in this huge Big Ten regular-season clash. Both teams will be looking to pick up huge resume-worthy victories in this one.
Marko Nadin
The Illinois Fighting Illini are second in the Big Ten with a 19-7 record including 11-2 at home. They have won 6 of the last 8 games and are coming off a 79-74 win over Michigan State. They have four games left against difficult opponents and will have to win them all if they want to stand a chance to reach the top of the conference. Illinois has won the last two games against Ohio State and has won 6 of the last 10. Illinois has covered the spread in 3 of their last 10 games. They have covered the spread in 5 of the last 6 games facing an opponent with a losing road record.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are 4th in the Big Ten with a 17-7 record. They have won 3 of the last 4 games and are coming off an 80-69 overtime win over Indiana. The Buckeyes are playing pretty well lately and have a chance to win when they visit Illinois where they have won 3 of the last 5 games. The Buckeyes have covered the spread in 7 of their last 9 games. They have covered the spread in 5 of the last 7 games against a team with a winning record. The Buckeyes have played over the total points margin in 20 of the last 27 road games against teams with winning records.
Marko’s College Basketball Pick: Ohio State +6 (-110)
Tony Battalio
The Ohio State Buckeyes are looking for a huge win in this game. They come into this contest with a record of 17-7 on the season. They are currently 10-5 inside of the Big Ten and could find their way into the top four with a victory in this one, which would earn them a double-bye for the Big Ten conference tournament in a couple of weeks. Ohio State is on a one-game winning streak after beating Indiana in overtime in their last contest. The Buckeyes are currently ranked 22nd in the nation.
Fun times in overtime! 😄 pic.twitter.com/JziHryJfD8
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) February 23, 2022
The Illinois Fighting Illini are coming into this game with a record of 19-7 on the season. They are currently a half-game behind Purdue for the lead in the Big Ten with a conference record of 12-4 on the season. They are ranked 15th in the country at the moment. As they will be looking to keep fighting for the possibility of a one-seed in the NCAA tournament as selection Sunday is quickly approaching. Illinois is also currently on a one-game winning streak after picking up a win over Michigan State on the road in their last game. As for the result of this one I have Illinois getting their second straight win.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: Illinois (-255)
Noah Dunlap
This Big Ten matchup should end up being the best game of the night, as we get two ranked teams getting together for a clash. The Ohio State Buckeyes have been a difficult team to figure out this year, as they come in at 17-7, with quite a few really solid wins, but also a few head-scratching losses. I think their resume is good enough to get them in the tournament regardless of the outcome in this one, but a win would greatly improve their seeding.
The Illinois Fighting Illini have been a bit more consistent, at least as of late. They started the year by struggling a bit through non-conference, okay, but once they reached Big Ten play they really turned it on, and have been playing well ever since. They’re sitting at 19-7, and while the record isn’t necessarily great, I do think they’re a better team than the record shows. Behind Kofi Cockburn, a guy who is in the conversation for national player of the year, I like them to get a tight win in this one, as they host a somewhat desperate Ohio State squad.
Noah’s College Basketball Pick: Illinois (-255)
Belmont @ #19 Murray State – 9pm ET
This one could be a mid-major regular-season classic. As two of the best mid-majors in the nation get set to face off when Belmont takes on 19th ranked Murray State. As both teams look to improve their resume before selection Sunday.
Marko Nadin
The Murray State Racers are on top of the OVS with a 26-2 record including a perfect 14-0 at home. They lost for the last time on December 22 to Auburn and have won 16 straight games ever since. Murray State is coming off a 62-60 win over UT Martin. They are among the best 25 teams in the nation with 79.8 points per game on 47.9% shooting from the field. The Racers have covered the spread in 7 of the last 8 games coming off a game in which they didn’t do that. Murray State has played under the total points margin in 5 of the last 6 games.
The Belmont Bruins are second in the OVC with a 24-5 record including 10-3 on the road. They have won the last 10 games, most recently 73-62 against SIU Edwardsville. Belmont ranks sixth in the nation in field goal shooting with 49.5% and is 13th with 80.4 points per game. Belmont has not covered the spread in any of the last 6 games and has done that in only one of their last 6 games played on Thursday. Belmont has won 4 of the last 5 games against Murray State but the Racers won the last one 82-60.
Marko’s College Basketball Pick: Murray State (-146)
Tony Battalio
Belmont comes into this game with a record of 24-5 on the season. There is a chance they could get an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament but they would certainly need a resume defining victory, which they could grab in this game against Murray State. Belmont has not lost a game since January 20th, as they are currently on a ten-game winning streak at the moment. They will be looking to put together a much better performance against the Racers this time around after losing to them by double digits the last time these two teams met at Belmont.
‼️SENIOR NIGHT‼️
‼️ GOLD OUT‼️
‼️ NATIONAL TV‼️
Tomorrow night is the last home game of the season! Let’s pack The Bank and wear gold! #GoRacers pic.twitter.com/tUCx7II03M— Murray State MBB (@RacersHoops) February 23, 2022
Murray State is currently on a sixteen-game winning streak as they have not lost a game since December, they have not lost an Ohio Valley Conference game all season long. They come into this contest with a record of 26-2 on the season. They will be looking to complete the sweep against Belmont in this one as well and officially clinch the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season conference championship. They are currently ranked 19th in the nation and will likely get a top 5 seed in the NCAA tournament if they win out. As for the result of this game I have the Racers getting the win at home.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: Murray State (-146)
Noah Dunlap
This is a matchup between the two best teams in the Ohio Valley Conference, and it gives us the chance for a great contest in the mid-major ranks on Thursday night. Belmont enters at 24-5, sitting at 2nd in the conference, and having won ten straight, which should give them plenty of confidence as they come into this one.
Murray State just keeps racing along (pardon the pun.) The Racer’s offense has been one of the best in the country, which has pushed them to lead the OVC at 26-2, having won 16 straight, following a December loss to Auburn. They’re one of the few mid-majors out there right now that I don’t think needs to win their conference tournament title, as I think they’re virtually a lock to at least get an at-large bid. With that being said, a big win on Thursday would reinforce that viewpoint, and I think that’s exactly what happens. Give me Murray State to get a nice win, as they play host to Belmont.
Noah’s College Basketball Pick: Murray State (-146)
#12 UCLA @ Oregon – 9:30pm ET
This Pac-12 clash should be a good one. As the 12th ranked UCLA Bruins travel to Eugene to play the Oregon Ducks. Oregon will be looking to complete the sweep over UCLA in this one after being the last time.
Marko Nadin
The Oregon Ducks are fourth in the PAC 12 with a 17-10 record. They have lost the last two games against Arizona State and Arizona. The Ducks have played over the total points margin in the last seven games against a team with a straight-up losing record and 21 of their last 26 games overall. The Ducks have won 4 of the last 5 games against UCLA but that will simply be impossible as the Bruins are picking up their form as the playoff is coming closer.
The UCLA Bruins are second in the PAC with a 20-5 record. After losing in back-to-back games in back-to-back games against Arizona State and Arizona, the Bruins have picked up their form to win 4 of the last 5 games. UCLA has covered the spread in 4 of the last 5 games but has done that only twice in their last 7 road games. Tyger Campbell, Peyton Wayson, and Mac Ettiene will not play for UCLA but that will make no difference since they are an absolute favorite to win this one.
Marko’s College Basketball Pick: UCLA (-144)
Tony Battalio
The UCLA Bruins come into this game ranked just outside the top ten of the nation at 12th in the country. The Bruins started the season hot but Covid-19 postponements and untimely losses have derailed their season a little bit. They still come into this game with a record of 20-5 on the season. They are currently in third place in the Pac-12 conference with a record of 12-4 on the year. The Bruins are currently on a three-game winning streak at the moment after picking up wins over Washington State, Arizona State, and Washington.
Back on the road … headed to Eugene, Ore.#GoBruins 🏀✈️ pic.twitter.com/1mUKxqD5kK
— UCLA Men’s Basketball (@UCLAMBB) February 24, 2022
The Oregon Ducks enter this game sitting on the bubble with a record of 17-10 on the season. With a huge top 25 victory in this one at home, they could move one step closer to qualifying for the NCAA tournament with an at-large bid. That is if they don’t win the Pac-12 conference tournament, as they are very capable of getting the job done if they get hot at the correct time. Oregon will also look to complete the sweep over UCLA after beating them in Los Angeles earlier this year by a score of 84-81 in overtime. As for the result of this one, however, I don’t see it happening as I have the Bruins getting the win on the road to even the season series.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: UCLA (-144)
Noah Dunlap
Despite a 17-10 record, it’s hard to not view this Oregon Ducks season as a disappointment to this point. They were a borderline preseason top-15 team, and almost as soon as the season started you realized there were legitimate issues with the team. They’ve rebounded since then decently, as they’re currently on the bubble, but losing their last two, including one to a lowly Arizona State team hurt those chances. A win in this one over a top-12 UCLA squad would be a good resume-boosting win and could be one that catapults them squarely into the tournament field.
The Bruins looked good early in the year, but then Covid, and just an extremely long layoff seemed to knock them off their rhythm just a bit. However, they’ve responded well, as they’ve won four of five, pushing their record to 20-5. One concern is the status of Johnny Juzang, who has missed a few games due to a bizarre injury, but even if he doesn’t play I like this Bruins team to have enough to get past a decent Oregon squad, even with them having to travel up to Eugene. Give me UCLA in reasonably easy fashion.
Noah’s College Basketball Pick: UCLA (-144)
#16 USC @ Oregon State – 11pm ET
The second featured Pac-12 matchup of the evening has the 16th ranked Trojans playing Oregon State. This one could get ugly very quickly as the Trojans are much better than the Beavers.
Marko Nadin
The Oregon State Beavers are having one of the worst seasons in the last 20 years as they are only 3-22 for the season in Pac 12. They still haven’t won in 2002 losing the last 12 games. The Beavers are coming off a 73-53 loss to Arizona State. They shoot 43.8% from the field and 30.2% from deep which are some of the main reasons for this year’s failure. The Beavers have covered the spread in only 7 of the last 26 games and none of their last 4 home games. To make their chances against USC even lower goes the fact that Oregon State has 7 injured players who will miss the game against USC.
The USC Trojans are second in the Pac 12 with a 23-4 record. After losing to Arizona, USC has won the last four games. They are 11-point favorites going into this game and will cover it since this game will be more of a scrimmage than a two-teams game. USC is a great defensive team as they allow only 63.7 points per game on 45.7% shooting from the field. USC has covered the spread in 7 of the last 9 games.
Marko’s College Basketball Pick: USC (-650)
Tony Battalio
Southern Cal comes into this game just looking to sure up their resume before selection Sunday and get themselves a better seed in the Pac-12 conference tournament and NCAA tournament. USC comes into this game with a record of 23-4 on the season as they are tied with rivals UCLA for second place in the Pac-12 with a record of 12-4. USC is currently on a four-game winning streak that they will be looking to extend in this one. The last time these two teams played USC came away with a double-digit win.
The Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Tournament tips off ✌️ weeks from today! pic.twitter.com/LpwDhEKs8W
— USC Men’s Basketball (@USC_Hoops) February 23, 2022
Oregon State has been the worst power five team in the nation this season. As they come into this game with a record of 3-22 on the year. They are in last place in the Pac-12 and will almost certainly miss the NCAA Tournament and every other postseason tournament unless they miraculously win the Pac-12 conference tournament. Oregon State is currently on a 12 game losing streak that likely won’t be broken this season. Their lone conference win this year came against Utah back in December. As for the result of this game I have USC getting the easy win.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: USC (-650)
Noah Dunlap
Much like our first pick of the night, I would expect this one to get ugly quickly. The Oregon State Beavers are far and away from the worst team in the Pac-12 and are also one of the worst teams in the country. They’re 3-22 on the season, and it doesn’t get any easier in this one, as they take on USC, without multiple players due to injury.
USC has been solid, but a not great team this year. Their record looks good, at 23-4, but I think it is partially boosted due to an extremely favorable schedule for virtually the entire year. They play good defense, which gives them the ability to hang in any game regardless, of the opponent, but the good news for Trojans fans in this one is the fact that I don’t think it matters in this matchup. They’re simply too good and too physical for a Beaver team that is one of the worst in the nation. USC travels north to Corvallis and takes care of business in an impressive fashion.
Noah’s College Basketball Pick: USC (-650)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
