Three Best College Basketball Bets For Feb. 25th's Slate

We’ve got another exciting slate of college basketball action on tap today. There are games with blowout potential, upset potential, and, of course, some good old-fashioned competitive matchups. 

But which ones make our Best College Basketball Bets list?

Let’s break them down (odds via FanDuel):

Georgia vs. No. 25 Vanderbilt

Georgia has been an up-and-down team this season. After a 91–80 win over Texas last Saturday, the Bulldogs have won two straight, but they’ve also dropped five of their last eight overall. Vanderbilt has lost six of its last 11 games, including its last two.

Both teams have something else in common besides recent inconsistency — they score points. Georgia averages 90.2 points per game, while Vanderbilt averages 87.2. However, Georgia has struggled defensively, ranking No. 302 in the country, while Vanderbilt has been slightly better at No. 179.

My Pick: OVER 163.5 (-110)

I lean toward Vanderbilt winning, but the Commodores have been unreliable in recent weeks. Covering an 8.5-point spread isn’t out of the question, but it’s difficult to trust. With both teams playing fast and struggling defensively, this matchup should turn into a high-scoring affair.

Maryland vs. No. 12 Nebraska

It hasn’t been a great season for Maryland, but the Terrapins have shown some fight recently with wins in three of their last five games. Scoring has been a major issue all season, though, as Maryland ranks No. 286 nationally in points per game. The defense hasn’t been much better, ranking No. 280 in points allowed.

Nebraska spent a few weeks inside the top ten before dropping to No. 12 after losing four of its last seven games, including three losses to ranked opponents. However, the Cornhuskers have been excellent at home with a 14–2 record. Their defense has been especially strong lately, holding their last three opponents to 64, 57, and 49 points. Nebraska currently ranks No. 15 nationally in defense.

My Pick: Nebraska -16.5 (-120)

Large spreads are always uncomfortable, especially when the line has moved toward the underdog (Nebraska opened at -18.5). Still, Maryland has struggled on the road and doesn’t have many strengths to lean on. Nebraska’s defense should control this game from start to finish.

Portland vs. No. 9 Gonzaga

This matchup might not draw much attention since it features a national contender facing a sub-.500 team. However, Portland handed Gonzaga its only conference loss of the season just a couple of weeks ago. The question is whether that result was meaningful or simply a fluke.

Portland has lost three of its last four games since that upset and failed to score 60 points in three of those contests. Gonzaga, meanwhile, has gone 5–0 with victories by 20, 30, 8, 21, and 9 points.

My Pick: UNDER 150.5 (-110)

Gonzaga is clearly the better team and should win comfortably, but covering a 27.5-point spread isn’t guaranteed. Portland’s struggling offense should have trouble scoring against Gonzaga’s defense, which makes the under the safer play.