College Basketball Best Bets Today: ATS & Over/Under Picks for Friday (Dec. 19)
Get the weekend started with my college basketball best bets today for Friday’s slate.
The headliners for tonight’s action feature Villanova vs. Wisconsin and Seton Hall vs. Providence. Both games are projected to come down to the wire and lead Friday’s college basketball picks.
🏀 College basketball best bets today: Dec. 19
See all of our experts' college basketball picks based on the latest college basketball odds.
| Bet | Best odds | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Seton Hall +2 | -110 via Caesars | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Villanova +4.5 | -105 via FanDuel | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Seattle +8.5 | -110 via bet365 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Abilene Christian first-half Under 25.5 points | -108 via FanDuel | ⭐⭐⭐ |
💰 College basketball expert picks today
Want more college basketball betting advice? Check out all of our college basketball analysis and expert predictions this season.
Seton Hall vs. Providence prediction: Seton Hall +2 (-110 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I’ll take the points with Seton Hall (10-1) in its conference opener on the road against Providence (7-5). I expect the Pirates’ defense to travel.
Seton Hall leads the country in block rate (21.8%) and steal rate (16.2%). The team also ranks fifth in 2-point defense and 13th in adjusted defensive efficiency. Providence, meanwhile, has lost to every top-100 team it has faced this year (per KenPom).
Seton Hall ranks 48th.
I’ll take the points with the better team on Friday.
Villanova vs. Wisconsin prediction: Villanova +4.5 (-105 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This line stands out compared to most projections. KenPom forecasts a 77-76 win for Wisconsin, while the difference at Bart Torvik and Evan Miya is less than a whole point.
The Badgers will have more fans at Fiserv Forum (home of the Milwaukee Bucks), but that’s not worth much. There is value in taking the points, especially if Villanova can slow this game down.
The Wildcats rank 347th in adjusted tempo, producing an efficient offense (25th) at that pace. The Badgers would prefer to play quicker (59th in tempo). This matchup could be determined by who sets the pace.
Our Mike Spector takes a different stance in his Wisconsin vs. Villanova predictions.
Washington vs. Seattle prediction: Seattle +8.5 (-110 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐
Chris Victor’s Seattle Redhawks (9-2) will host Washington (7-3) for an intriguing in-state showdown on Friday. Most projections show greater respect for Seattle, with KenPom forecasting a 75-71 finish.
The Redhawks rank 11th nationally in 3-point shooting at 40.1%. The Huskies are below average at defending the long ball, surrendering 20-plus attempts in two of their three defeats.
If the shots fall for Seattle on Friday, this team could push Washington at home in its biggest test of the season.
Abilene Christian vs. BYU prediction: Abilene Christian first-half Under 25.5 (-108 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐
BYU (10-1) should have no problem dismantling Abilene Christian (7-4) on Friday, and the betting line (-33) reflects that.
But I’m more interested in backing a strong start by the Cougars. They have held their last two opponents (Pacific and UC Riverside) to 20 points in the first half.
The Wildcats might struggle to reach 20, as they are somehow bad and slow on offense. They rank 285th in offensive efficiency and 300th in adjusted tempo. Their 2-point shooting is 353rd. It could be a long night for Abilene Christian.
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