College Basketball Best Bets for Friday: A Pair of Mid-Major 5-Star Picks

The college basketball schedule is getting interesting as conference title races come more into focus with each passing game. Friday’s schedule is light, with no ranked teams and power conference action on the slate. Still, there is value on the board!

Here are SportsGrid’s favorite picks for Friday’s college basketball action. 

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6:00 p.m. ET – Kent State at Akron

Spread: Akron (-6.5) | Moneyline: – | Total: 137.5

Where to Watch: CBSSN | Location: James A. Rhodes Arena in Akron, OH

The evening starts with an in-state showdown between MAC rivals Akron and Kent State. Akron is tied with Toledo for the conference lead, sitting at 11-2 after splitting the season series. Akron has lost two of three games, and they need a win over the Golden Flashes to get back on track. These two met earlier this season at Kent State, and Akron won 77-71. Kent State struggles to rebound (250th nationally) and averages only 76.1 points per game. 

The SportsGrid model loves the Zips in this contest, placing a five-star projection on them to win and cover the spread. The line is set at 6.5, but the model has them winning this game by 9.3 points. 

SportsGrid’s Best Bets: Akron (-6.5) | SportsGrid Projections: 5-stars

7:00 p.m. ET – Iona at Rider

Spread: Rider (-1.5) | Moneyline: Rider (-113) | Total: 145.5

Where to Watch: ESPN+ | Location: Alumni Gymnasium in Lawrenceville, NJ

From MAC to MAAC, next up is a pair of struggling squads meeting in New Jersey, and the Rider Broncs host the Iona Gaels. Rider is only 10-16 and 7-8 in the conference, but they are favored by 1.5 over 13-12 Iona. Rider has won two straight games, including a 42-point victory over Manhattan the last time out. Mervin James is a tough matchup, leading the Broncs with 18.6 points per game. 

Iona has lost two out of the past three games, and they only beat Rider by one point (94-93) the first time they played. The SportsGrid model has a strong play on the home team in this game. The moneyline is an intelligent bet, with Rider listed at -113 and projected to win 70% of the time. The Broncs are only 1.5-point favorites, but the model has them winning by a comfortable 7.3 points. 

SportsGrid’s Best Bets: Rider (-1.5) and Rider (-113)  | SportsGrid Projections: 5-stars

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