Top College Basketball Best Bets for Today
I've made it clear, I love the two weeks of conference tournaments even more than I love the first week of the NCAA Tournament. Watching kids from schools of every size pour their hearts out for one more chance to survive, and the unpredictability of the results from those emotions, is what this sport is all about. However, this is also a lesson that not everything you love comes easy, and the last two days of trying to handicap the insanity that is conference tournament time has proven that.
I didn't like Friday's slate at all, I loved yesterday's slate, but neither feeling mattered as we were slapped with an 0-6 slide. But today, my friends, today is the day we turn it around! Sunday's schedule is smaller, more manageable and ripe with opportunity. Let's seize the day, one week away from Selection Sunday!
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Central Arkansas Bears vs Queens Royals 
I know, I'm should stop picking at this fresh wound and let it heal, but I can't quit the fun in the A-Sun. We were on the wrong side of both of these teams yesterday as Queens raced past Austin Peay while Central pulled away from FGCU in a game they had no business covering. Those losses stung, but they were good data points to learn from for today. The Bears swept the season series between these teams with wins of 10 and five points, they have the best player on the floor in motivated senior leader Camren Hunter, and they are healthy. This should be a fun, fast-paced, high-scoring game, and I like the team with the best guard on the floor to take the A-Sun title today.
College Basketball Best Bet: Central Arkansas -2.5 (BetMGM)
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Michigan State Spartans at Michigan Wolverines 
You can forgive both of these teams for their sluggish performances leading up to this, the premier Power 5 game to end the regular season. Michigan let Iowa muck up the flow of their game, which resulted in a tight, 3-point win on Thursday while State showed very little interest in playing defense on Senior Night against a bad Rutgers team. You can bet that Coach Izzo will use that as motivation for the entirety of March, and that will start today in Ann Arbor. From a Big 10 standings and seeding perspective, this game is meaningless, but these are heated rivals where no game is meaningless. A focused Sparty squad will keep this game tight as both teams look to head to the Big 10 tourney playing well.
College Basketball Best Bet: Michigan State +10.5 (BetRivers)
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Merrimack Warriors vs Marist Red Foxes 
Merrimack was my pick to win the MAAC tournament, and I see no reason not to back them today. The Warriors swept the season series emphatically (wins of 13 and 25) and while I love how hard Marist plays on defense, they are limited by talent and injuries. The Red Foxes have struggled against better competition as evident by their 0-5 record against Top 200 teams this season. At KenPom No. 173, Merrimack is the lone MAAC school inside the Top 200, and it has proven why all year, especially down the stretch with their 9-1 record since February 1. I like the Warriors to cover this number today and continue their run to the title.
College Basketball Best Bet: Merrimack -3.5 (DraftKings)
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Sunday College Basketball Best Bets:
Here's a recap of my best college basketball bets for Sunday, March 8:
- Central Arkansas -2.5 (BetMGM)
- Michigan State +10.5 (BetRivers)
- Merrimack -3.5 (DraftKings)
For up-to-date information on the latest college basketball betting odds and props from multiple sources, check out the college basketball odds page on RotoWire.
