College Basketball Betting Picks for Friday 2/9/24

The college basketball season always provides a flurry of twists and turns that few saw coming -- especially when March Madness comes around. This can make college basketball one of the most challenging sports to bet on.

Fortunately, we have plenty of tools available that can aid our chances of taking the most favorable college basketball bets. 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.

College Basketball Best Bets

No. 18 Dayton at VCU

Dayton -1.5 (-110)

Let's put some respect on the No. 18 Dayton Flyers (19-3) name and look for them to cover this close spread against the VCU Rams (15-8).

The Flyers started this season with a 3-2 record, and since that time, have gone 16-1, putting them atop the A-10 standings and handing them a national ranking. Led by DaRon Holmes II, Nate Santos, and Koby Brea, they boast what KenPom qualifies as the 12th-best adjusted offensive efficiency rating in all of college basketball.

VCU comes in with a solid defense (70th-best, per Bart Torvik), but I can't imagine they'll be able to keep up with the Flyers in this one. Dayton's lone conference loss came at the hands of Richmond, a team that touts the 16th-best adjusted defensive efficiency marker.

In fact, it seems you have to be among the best defenses in basketball to stop this Dayton team. Houston, a team that seems to feature the unanimous best defense in college ball, joins Richmond as two of just three teams to beat the Flyers this year.

VCU failed to get past St. Bonaventure on two occasions this season and dropped a matchup against George Washington. Dayton, on the other hand, won both their showdowns against these programs by an average margin of 13.5 points. The Flyers have the pound-for-pound upper hand in tonight's matchup and have shown little issue competing on the road, so I know where my faith lies.

No. 24 San Diego State at Nevada

Under 141.5 Points (-110)

The No. 24 San Diego State Aztecs will visit the Nevada Wolf Pack for a Mountain West showdown that features a 2.5-point spread.

While this evenly-matched game leaves me little opinion on a specific side, I do think these juggernaut defenses will show up and create a defensive battle that trends toward the under.

According to BartTorvik, both of these team's strengths are their defense. San Diego State comes in with the 22nd-best adjusted defensive efficiency rating, while Nevada doesn't sit too far behind at the 37th spot.

Neither the Aztecs nor Wolf Pack features stellar shooters, especially from long range. Nevada struggles with a 34.5% team three-point percentage (148th), while SDSU is shooting the three-ball at a 33.2% clip (193rd).

However, both of these defenses fare in the top 65 of three-point percentage allowed to opponents. If we combine their slow paces and add in a game that doesn't seem primed to favor three-point shooting, it seems the under is the way to go in this one.

Looking for more college basketball betting opportunities? Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook to check out all of the upcoming college basketball odds.

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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.