This article is part of our College Basketball Picks series.
The college basketball betting board is hot again Friday, and Steve Peralta is back with a five-pack of plays for the evening slate.
Michigan State vs 
Gonzaga
Gonzaga operates like a well-oiled machine. They will inevitably post an impressive record and score tons of points, however, this year's team is different than those of the past couple of years. The Bulldogs don't have a Jalen Suggs. And they don't have a Chet Holmgren. Gonzaga has always been a strong team under Coach Mark Few, although the team was noticeably elevated with the aforementioned players, both being top-five NBA draft picks. Without an elite pro prospect on the team, covering a double-digit spread against a disciplined and experienced Michigan State team becomes a tall task.
Coach Tom Izzo has many significant players returning his season, with Michigan State ranking within the top 20 percent of all teams in roster continuity. The Spartans feature a balanced attack, ranking top-40 in the country in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Gonzaga will probably win, but it's hard to imagine this group of players - and coach - going down without a fight.
It's also worth noting, this game will take place on an aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, based at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego. It's the first college basketball game on a battleship since 2012, and if you're wondering if it's hard to play basketball on a ship, then the answer is yes, if past history is any indication. In 2011, North Carolina defeated Michigan State, 67-55, and then the following year, Syracuse defeated San Diego State 62-49. The Sports Business Journal noted that these games "were tested by wet and windy conditions." Considering the time of year and the location, this game will probably have similar conditions.
College Basketball Best Bet: Spartans +11.5 & Under 145.5
Clemson at 
South Carolina
The Gamecocks are a bit of a mystery heading into this season, welcoming Lamont Paris as their new head coach and seeing significant roster turnover. Part of the intrigue with South Carolina comes in the form of Gregory "GG" Jackson. The blue-chip freshman was ranked as the sixth-best recruit in the entire country, per 247sports, and is projected by many to be a lottery pick in the 2023 NBA draft. Jackson put on a show in his first college game against South Carolina State, scoring 18 points while collecting 10 rebounds. South Carolina won that game by just three points, but the final score is deceiving as the Gamecocks effectively led the entire game. According to KenPom, South Carolina's minimum win probability at any point during the game was 96.3 percent. The outcome was never truly in doubt.
Looking at the other sideline, Clemson lost several starters from last year's team, so it remains to be seen if they'll improve over last year's middling results. KenPom currently has them projected to go 10-10 in conference play, suggesting they're likely to be a similar team.
Considering the potential upside in a player like GG Jackson, the Gamecocks have a decent chance of exceeding expectations. I'll take the home team in this one.
College Basketball Best Bet: Gamecocks +2.5
West Virginia at 
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh has been living near the bottom of the ACC standings over the past several years, failing to win more than six conference games in any season since 2016. Until they prove otherwise, I don't see any reason for it to change.
West Virginia, on the other hand, has consistently reached many high points over the course of Bob Huggins' career. The Mountaineers are attempting to bounce back after a rough season, which is a safe bet considering West Virginia has never posted consecutive losing seasons under Bob Huggins. Furthermore, West Virginia has dominated Pittsburgh in recent years, winning all four matchups since December 2017, with the Mountaineers winning by at least nine points in every game.
Given the rosters and coaches involved, I'm betting history will once again repeat itself.
College Basketball Best Bet: Mountaineers -2.5
Monmouth at 
Virginia
Virginia is the textbook "under" team. The Cavaliers consistently have one of the best defenses in the country while also finishing dead last, or next to dead last, in adjusted tempo. The perfect combo for hitting an under bet. The only hurdle with hitting a total bet is that we often need another team to cooperate. Monmouth fits the bill.
The Hawks aren't great on offense, ranking No. 300 in adjusted efficiency, but are slightly better on defense, ranking No. 194. Monmouth recently played Seton Hall in the opening game of the season, and lost 79-52 in an extremely fast-paced game, one that saw 63 free throw attempts, the second most combined free throw attempts in any D1 game so far this season. The game against Virginia will almost certainly be cleaner and played at a slower pace, giving us a much lower final score. I'll take the under.
College Basketball Best Bet: Under 127
Friday Night College Basketball Best Bets:
Here's a recap of my best college basketball bets for Friday night:
- Michigan State +11.5
- Michigan State/Gonzaga under 145.5
- South Carolina +2.5
- West Virginia -2.5
- Monmouth/Virginia under 127
For up-to-date information on the latest college basketball odds and props from multiple sportsbooks, check out the College Basketball odds page on RotoWire.
