3 Best College Basketball Bets and Player Props for Friday 2/21/25

The college basketball season is rolling along, giving us plentiful betting options with so many teams in action each day.

Fortunately, we have abundant tools available that can aid our chances of finding good betting value. Bart Torvik and KenPom are excellent sources that give insights into team-level efficiency, and Sports Reference provides a wide range of useful team stats, as well.

Let's check out FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball odds and select some of the best bets of the day by utilizing the mentioned tools.

Please note lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published.

Today's Best College Basketball Betting Picks

Dayton at Loyola Chicago

Over 140.5 Points (-115)

Outside of the two high-major games, Dayton-Loyola is Friday's game to watch. The Flyers and Ramblers have identical 8-5 conference records, sitting in third and fourth place in the Atlantic 10. With the A10 tournament awarding double byes to the top four seeds, tonight's matchup means a great deal for next month's conference tourney bracket.

Dayton is favored by 2.5 points -- right in line with most of the top projection models. That doesn't offer much value either way, but the projections show value in the over. KenPom, Bart Torvik, and Haslametrics all project this game for at least 142 total points -- a sentiment I can get behind given how uninspiring both defenses are.

Both Dayton and Loyola sit outside the top 100 nationally in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency, and they're each in the bottom half of the A10 in conference scoring defense. Though both sides are below the league average in terms of average pace, that hasn't stopped them from partaking in high-scoring games. Dayton's A10 games have averaged 145.1 total points; Loyola's have averaged 141.3.

This matchup sets up well for both sides to score in their preferred spots, too.

Dayton's gotten an A10 high 22.4% of their league points from the free-throw line while Loyola's right at the conference average for percentage of points allowed from the charity stripe. When they first faced Loyola in January, the Flyers netted 21 of their 83 points (25%) from the line.

Loyola, meanwhile, has scored 37.8% of their points from three (second highest in the A10) and shot 35.1% from three (fourth) in conference play. Dayton's surrendered the A10's highest three-point field goal percentage (35.8%) and given up the third-highest percentage of points from beyond the arc (38.1%). In that first matchup, the Ramblers drained 12 threes, scoring 44% of their 81 points from distance.

With that, I think we'll see a fair number of points tonight. That played out the first time these sides met as they combined for 164 points in overtime. Granted, they totaled only 136 in regulation, but we saw the game open up after a low-scoring opening half. Had they played a full regulation game at the same scoring pace of the second half and overtime period, they'd have combined for 168 points.

Now, I'm not sure we get that much scoring tonight, but points shouldn't be at a premium considering the lackluster defenses. As such, I'll happily play over 140.5 at -115 odds, and we can even consider an alternate over, too.

As of Friday afternoon, over 143.5 carries +116 odds while over 149.5 is +215 on FanDuel Sportsbook.

Enoch Cheeks (DAY) Over 15.5 Points + Rebounds (-113)

If we're under the assumption Dayton-Loyola has a higher point total than expected tonight, that naturally opens up value in the prop market. Considering how well Flyers' wing Enoch Cheeks played the last time these sides met, his -113 odds to go over 15.5 combined points and rebounds (PR) are mighty appealing.

Cheeks has averaged 12.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in A10 play, good for 16.7 PR. Though he's notched at least 16 PR in just six of 13 conference games, he exploded for a season-high 26 points in Dayton's first date with Loyola, adding 7 rebounds to boot.

The senior has struggled with consistency, but he's begun to level out of late. Cheeks has cleared 15.5 PR in four of his last five games, creeping up to 20 PR in two of those. He's registered a 20% usage rate and averaged 6.4 free throw attempts during this stretch -- a noticeable uptick on the 1.7 free throw attempts he averaged over his first 20 games.

Cheeks didn't get to the line when they first faced Loyola, but he offset that with 6 threes. We shouldn't expect another 3-point barrage to that degree, but he could supplement a lesser shooting night with a newfound affinity for the charity stripe.

We've seen him reach 16 points in eight games this season, and that alone makes this prop worth considering. But his work on the glass is what really seals this for me. Cheeks leads the Flyers with 6.0 rebounds per game on the year and has reached 5 rebounds seven times in 13 conference games.

With that, we could just consider the over on his 4.5-rebounds prop. But at -113 odds for Cheeks to go over 15.5 combined points and rebounds, this combo is a touch more appealing in a matchup he already proved capable of thriving in.

Marquette at Villanova

Wooga Poplar (VILL) Over 21.5 Points + Rebounds (-120)

Marquette-Villanova is the undercard for Friday night's two Power Conference clashes. And while it may not carry as much intrigue as Michigan State vs. Michigan, there's still value to be had in the player prop market.

The road Eagles are favored by 1.5, with the total slotting in at 142.5. In what's expected to be a back-and-forth affair, we can consider 'Nova guard Wooga Poplar to go over 21.5 combined points and rebounds (PR).

Poplar enters Friday averaging 15.9 points and 6.5 rebounds (22.4 PR) in Big East games -- an even more impressive number considering that accounts for a three-minute appearance which saw him net just three points.

The Miami transfer has been on roll of late, however, putting up 19.7 points and 6.6 rebounds (26.2 PR) across his last six games. He's cleared 21.5 PR in five of those six, going over that mark with points alone in three of them.

Now, maybe this is just a hot stretch. But Poplar's become a much bigger part of this 'Nova offense this month. He's averaged a team-high 15 shot attempts per game in February, sitting right behind Erc Dixon with a 28% usage rate.

That scoring uptick hasn't impacted his rebounding, and Marquette has been a plus rebounding matchup for wings. The Golden Eagles have ceded the most rebounds (per 40 min) to wings in Big East play, and they have the fourth-worst rebound rate in the conference.

If you're considering just Poplar's points (15.5) or rebounds (6.5) props, I'd lean toward his rebounds over. He's snagged at least 7 rebounds in four of 10 Big East games where he saw 30 minutes but went for at least 6 boards in seven of those.

Still, I'd rather get exposure to both markets if possible, making the over on Poplar's 21.5-PR prop my preferred bet for Marquette-Villanova.

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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.