3 Best Bets and Player Props for Friday's Men's College Basketball Tournament Games

The final four spots in the regional finals are up for grabs on Friday. Following four contests in the East and West regions on Thursday, the Midwest and South region will be in action tonight.

This features two SEC-Big Ten clashes in the South while the Midwest will have a Big 12-Big Ten battle and an SEC matchup between rivals. Both 1 seeds are favored by at least 8.5 points, but the two remaining games feature tighter spreads with lines of 3.5 and 4.5 points.

If you want thoughts on specific games, check out our best bets for each game in the men's college basketball tournament. But here are the bets that stand out most in FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball betting odds.

College Basketball Betting Picks for Today

Ole Miss vs. Michigan State

Ole Miss Moneyline (+140)

My favorite pick of the night is a hungry, underdog team in Ole Miss taking on Michigan State.

The Spartans haven't been anything special, for they led No. 15 Bryant by only five points at halftime and trailed No. 10 New Mexico by two points at halftime. Meanwhile, the Rebels led both No. 11 North Carolina and No. 3 Iowa State by at least 20 points in each game. Following a dominant win over Iowa State from start to finish, Ole Miss is a team to watch.

Compared to their second round matchup against the Cyclones, this Round of 16 just feels like a more favorable matchup for the Rebs. Winning the turnover battle is perhaps Mississippi's biggest strength, logging only 9.0 turnovers per game (99th percentile) while forcing 14.2 per contest (91st percentile). Michigan State isn't strong in either category, sitting in the 59th and 38th percentiles of the two categories.

Additionally, Ole Miss is shooting nearly 49% from three in the men's college basketball tournament. The Rebels are in the 67th percentile of three-point shots per contest, and MSU is in the 33rd percentile of three-point shot distribution allowed (per Bart Torvik). The Spartans are officially on upset alert.

Kentucky vs. Tennessee

Over 144.5 Points (-105)

Over two regular-season meetings between Kentucky and Tennessee, the Wildcats averaged 76.5 points per game (PPG). Considering we are getting a 144.5-point total with the Volunteers ranking 3rd in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency while sitting in the 95th percentile for the slowest pace, I'm thrilled with the over in this matchup.

One could argue that UK could have even more scoring success in this matchup as forward Andrew Carr (10.4 PPG) played for one minute in the first meeting and Lamont Butler (11.1 PPG) left early with a shoulder injury in the second go around.

The Vols are in the 7th percentile of three-point shot distribution allowed, and the Wildcats launch 25.6 three-pointers per contest (80th percentile). On the other end of the court, Kentucky is in the 12th percentile of three-point shot distribution allowed. Tennessee has been on fire, shooting 42.0% from beyond the arc in the tournament.

This also goes hand-in-hand with the Volunteers' star Chaz Lanier, who is recording 24.5 PPG while making 10 of 18 looks from three (55.6%) in the tournament. In the previous two matchups against the Cats, Lanier shot a combined 29.6% from the field. Lanier feels bound to turn in an improved performance this time around.

Purdue vs. Houston

L.J. Cryer to Make 4+ Threes (+154)

Houston has a backcourt full of three-point specialists. L.J. Cryer (15.6 PPG) is the leader of the group with 257 three-point attempts on the season.

With 58.5% of his shots coming from deep, Cryer has been like the Human Torch, converting 10 of 20 three-point attempts (50.0%) in the tournament. This spells bad news for Purdue, which is in the 17th percentile of three-point shot distribution allowed and the 27th percentile of three-point attempts allowed per contest.

We've seen Cryer throw up 10.0 three-point shots per game through the first two rounds. Plus, he's averaging 7.1 three-point attempts per contest on the season. Pair that with Cryer averaging 5.0 made threes per game in the tournament while reaching four makes in three of last four and I'm firmly on 4+ made triples against the Boilermakers.

You can also click here to get our updated printable Men's College Basketball Tournament bracket for the Round of 16.

FanDuel now lets you parlay picks across multiple rounds! Think your team will take their region? You can stack that with your picks for every round—all in one bet. Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.

Which bets stand out to you for the upcoming games? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest college basketball betting odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.