College Basketball Picks for Friday: UConn vs. Texas and Best Bets

With 365 Division I men’s college basketball teams, there are almost always a good number of games on any given day. 

As for this Friday, we’ve got 13, with only one ranked team seeing action (No. 5 UConn vs. Texas). But who should you bet on from this slate?

We’ve got a few ideas for you. The following are our favorite picks for Friday, December 12.

Texas vs. No. 5 Connecticut

Texas got the season off to a rough start, losing to a ranked Duke team, 75-60. But since then, they have bounced back, going 7-2 with losses to Arizona State (87-86) and Virginia (88-69). At this stage of the season, their most notable win is a 102-97 victory over then-No. 22 NC State.

Connecticut is a bit more battle-tested than the Longhorns, with five of its 10 games (9-1) against ranked teams, including its last one against No. 12 Florida (a 77-73 win). Their loss came at the hands of then-No. 4 Arizona (71-67); the Wildcats are now the No. 1 team in the AP Poll.

Our Pick: UConn -13.5 at -113 (BetRivers)

Texas is a good team with a solid offense, but the defense has been unreliable. UConn is among the best in the country on both ends of the court and has the depth to keep the pressure on the Longhorns.

East Tennessee State vs. Austin Peay

East Tennessee State is currently 8-2 atop the Southern Conference standings. They’ve won their last two in dominant fashion since losing to Dayton by 17 on Dec. 2, beating South Alabama by 26 and Tusculum by 16.

They’ll be in for a tough one after playing Austin Peay with No. 14 North Carolina on deck.

Austin Peay has had a tougher start to the season. After opening with a pair of wins, they’ve lost five of seven games, including their last two (96-84 vs. Kent State and 63-50 vs. UT Rio Grande).

Our Pick: East Tennessee State -2.5 at -105 (DraftKings)

From a statistical perspective, Austin Peay is not a bad team; they average 76.3 points per game while allowing 68.6. But East Tennessee State has been better and more consistent (81.3 ppg and 64.4 ppg allowed). ETS will have no problem covering the spread.

East Texas A&M (formerly Texas A&M -- Commerce) vs. McNeese State

East Texas A&M had a rough start to the season, dropping three in a row after opening the season with a win. But they have bounced back since then, winning four of five and improving to 5-4 with their last win, 75-68 over Central Arkansas. To be fair, the loss came against No. 5 UConn on the road.

McNeese State has had a different journey to start the season, going 8-2 with victories in their last two games following their second loss of the season, 71-67 vs. Incarnate Word.

Our Pick: East Texas A&M +18.5

Both teams have gone 4-1 in their last five games, but the two losses don’t compare (UConn and Incarnate Word). Consequently, I can’t see why the Cowboys are expected to be so much better than the Lions that an 18.5-point spread is warranted.