3 Best College Basketball Bets and Player Props for Friday 3/14/25

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

BYU vs. Houston

BYU Under 63.5 Points (-110)

Putting the ball in the basket is easier said than done when facing the Houston Cougars. Entering Friday's matchup versus the BYU Cougars in the semifinals of the Big 12 tournament, Houston is third in adjusted defensive rating (88.9), via KenPom, and they are giving up the fewest points per game in the nation (58.1).

BYU is certainly a dangerous team on the offensive end of the court, but they're reliant on their outside shots falling, registering a whopping 47.6% three-point rate and 37.5% three-point percentage. To combat BYU's barrage of shots from beyond the arc, Houston has a defense that is permitting just a 31.5% three-point percentage.

In addition to Houston being capable of slowing down BYU's outside shooting, they create extra possessions with a 36.8% offensive rebound rate and 19.2% defensive turnover rate. This should limit the number of times BYU possesses the ball, which should also -- at least in theory -- lead to fewer points for the No. 4 seed in the Big 12 tourney.

Across their 32 games up to this point, Houston has surrendered 64-plus points in only 10 of those contests, and 4 of those outings went into overtime. Whenever BYU faced Houston back in early January, they tallied only 55 points with a 20.3% turnover rate and 45.8% effective field-goal percentage, and I'm expecting a similar result in Friday's rematch.

Kent State vs. Miami (OH)

Miami (OH) +3.5 (-110)

We'll be treated with some MACtion on Friday, with the Kent State Golden Flashes taking on the Miami (OH) RedHawks in the semifinals of the MAC tournament. Kent State defeated the Western Michigan Broncos 73-66 on Thursday, while Miami secured an 81-75 victory over the Eastern Michigan Eagles to advance to this round.

During conference play in the regular season, the RedHawks seemed to have the Golden Flashes' number, beating them in both meetings, including a 96-92 win in overtime back on February 21. Miami has also gone a conference-best 12-6-1 against the spread (ATS) when facing MAC opponents this season.

In comparison, Kent State is a conference-worst 7-11-1 ATS against MAC teams this season, and 6-11-3 ATS following a win. The RedHawks also have the better offensive unit, averaging 78.1 points per game, compared to the Golden Flashes putting up 72.8 points per game.

Additionally, Miami moves the ball well with a 55.9% assist rate, and they make their shots from the charity stripe, converting 73.1% of their free throws. As for Kent State, they allow a 57.2% assist rate and a 30.6% free-throw rate (23.8% is the Division I average), so the RedHawks have enough of an edge in multiple categories to keep this game close -- or even win.

Purdue vs. Michigan

Purdue -2.5 (-115)

Just because Zach Edey isn't roaming the paint for the Purdue Boilermakers anymore doesn't mean they aren't still a team that has their sights on making noise in the NCAA Tournament. But before the Boilermakers look ahead to the NCAA tourney, they'll hope to take care of business versus the Michigan Wolverines in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament.

On Thursday, Purdue took down the USC Trojans by the score of 76-71, as they've now won three of their last four contests following a four-game losing streak. Meanwhile, Michigan is amid a three-game losing streak ahead of their first matchup in the conference tourney, so there could be a bit of rust for the Wolverines.

The Boilermakers are an efficient offensive group, posting a fantastic 57.0% effective field-goal percentage and 38.6% three-point percentage, leading to them sitting at eighth in adjusted offensive rating (124.5). Purdue has also thrived in conference play this season, going 13-8 ATS versus Big Ten programs.

At the same time, Michigan has gone 6-14 ATS against conference opponents. The Wolverines squeaked out a narrow 75-73 victory against the Boilermakers in early February, but I envision Purdue avenging that loss to earn a spot in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament.

Get a 30% Profit Boost Token to use on a pre-live straight moneyline wager, with odds of +100 or longer, placed on any college basketball game taking place on March 14th! See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.

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

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

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.