The Saturday college basketball slate is massive, but that means the Friday schedule has got to give. There is only one ranked team in action out of the 16 games and two contests featuring Power Five schools.
However, as a bettor, any college basketball game is an excellent game to bet! We need to give the mid-major schools some love before Saturday comes around.
Akron vs Ohio -7
Akron vs. Ohio is the MACtion we need in our lives. Ohio is 23-5 compared to the Akron Zips at 18-9. This is an exciting game from a betting perspective. Neither team has any clear advantages against the spread or the total.
The Zips are 12-13 ATS, and the Bobcats are 13-15 ATS. The best play in this game could be Ohio on the ML in a parlay. The team is 20-1 SU as favorites this season, and they are playing at home.
Mark Sears is the player to watch for the Bobcats. In his first game against Akron, he scored 24 points and shot 57.1% from the field. If you would like to stay updated check out the BParlay.com latest sports betting news area.
PICK: Ohio ML (PARLAY IT)
Appalachian State vs Arkansas State -2
The mid-major schools do not receive a lot of credit, but they can compete. Appalachian State is 18-12, but they will match up against a good Arkansas State team. The Mountaineers are dominating as of late, going 6-0 ATS in their last six games.
The Red Wolves have struggled lately, going 1-4 SU, and they are laying two points in this matchup. Additionally, the Mountaineers are 7-3 ATS in their last ten against Arkansas State.
Adrian Delph, who is averaging 17.2 PPG, is the player to watch. He struggled against Arkansas State last time out, but he has been dominant in his past five games.
PICK: Appalachian State +2
Louisiana-Lafayette vs Georgia State -6.5
The Georgia State Panthers will host the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns. The Ragin Cajuns are 1-5 ATS in their last six games, and they will have a challenge heading on the road to Georgia.
The Panthers are undefeated ATS and SU in their last six games. They are favored by 6.5 points, but they could not cover this margin last time out against the Ragin Cajuns.
The teams last played on January 27, and the Panthers won 68-64. They have gotten much better since this matchup. The Panthers are 8-2 SU in their past ten contests.
PICK: Georgia State -6.5
Niagara vs Rider -1
Niagara and Rider will compete in a pick’em game on Friday. Rider and Niagara are both under .500, but the Purple Eagles are 14-11 ATS. The Broncs are 11-14 ATS and struggling to stay alive in most of their games against superior competition.
Home court advantage does not mean as much in mid-major games, but it’s always tougher to win on the road. I like Niagara with the free point, but it’s more because Rider is bad at home.
This season, the team is 2-7 ATS on their home floor, so I am siding with the Purple Eagles. Marcus Hammond must come up big and hit his 17.8 PPG to pull the slight upset.
PICK: Niagara +1
Manhattan vs Marist -6.5
The battle of mid-major New York schools will be showcased on ESPNU on Friday. Manhattan and Marist are even in every aspect of the word. However, the Red Foxes are favored by 6.5, which is a lot of points.
Marist does have a relatively strong home court, but it’s not worth six points, in my opinion. Both teams are playing strong basketball as of late SU, but spreads have not been beneficial to bettors for either team.
The Jaspers are dogs because they are 2-6 ATS and SU in their last eight games against Marist. However, it’s tough to beat a team twice, and Manhattan covered this number earlier in the year when they were not playing well. I am going to take the points.Why not follow BParlay on Youtube!
PICK: Manhattan +6.5
Best of luck with your Friday college basketball betting!
