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Top College Basketball Picks for Saturday

Mike Spector

Last Updated: December 4, 2021 4:46 AM EST • 2 min 39 sec read.

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 28: Head coach Greg McDermott of the Creighton Bluejays calls out to players against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen round game of the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse on March 28, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Andy Lyons/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by ANDY LYONS / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

Our top college basketball picks break down Saturday's slate with three against the spread bets.

A loaded Saturday college basketball slate is filled with a mix of early-season conference matchups and non-conference clashes that will carry enormous weight when it comes to NCAA Tournament seeding. 

Saturday's post makes a case for two favorites, one who is favored over an undefeated Top 25 team. In addition, we like a ranked 7-0 team to suffer its first loss against a conference opponent that matches up well.

Here are my top picks for Saturday’s college basketball schedule (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Top College Basketball Picks

Saint Mary’s vs. Colorado State -4.5 (-105) ????USC vs. Washington State -1 (-110) ????Iowa State vs. Creighton -5.5 (-120) ????

SEE ALSO: Wooden Award Odds and College Basketball Futures

College Basketball Predictions

Colorado State -4.5 (-105)

This is our second post in a row where we are fading the St. Mary's Gaels, as we mistakenly thought Utah State would prove too much for them at home on Thursday night.

However, we cannot help but feel there was a bit of a "bad beat" with that loss. The Aggies had a chance to win in regulation, but they committed a foul after a missed shot with 0.9 seconds left, and the Gaels made the two game-winning free throws instead of the game going to overtime.

As tough and disciplined as a team St. Mary's is, this is a difficult spot on a short turnaround after a physical game in the altitude at Utah State. While the Gaels held the Aggies to 37.7% field goal shooting, they are in for a much stiffer test defensively on Saturday.

Colorado State ranks second in the country in effective field goal percentage, per KenPom, and the Rams rank in the top eight in the country in both 2-point and 3-point shooting. Athletic guards like Isaiah Stevens will be able to get to the rim with ease.

Back Colorado State -4.5 with our college basketball picks.

Washington State -1 (-110)

USC is 7-0 and is coming off a 93-73 rout of Utah in its conference opener on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Washington State and Arizona State set college basketball back some years with their 51-29 snoozefest that had a halftime score of 18-10. 

Thus, many bettors will look at the aesthetics of these two games and ultimately side with the Trojans. However, USC benefitted from facing a depleted Utah roster without G Marco Anthony, who is the Utes' best defender and rebounder.

USC's massive frontline dominated the Utes but will have no such luck against a Cougars squad that matches up well to the Trojans' size. Washington State has three players 6-foot-10 or taller (Mouhamed Gueye, Dishon Jackson, Efe Abogidi) that can rotate onto USC's Isaiah Mobley.

The Cougars' mammoth frontcourt is a big reason why they rank in the top 20 in the country in both effective field goal percentage and 2-point shooting percentage allowed.

Washington State is 6-2 ATS in its last eight games against teams with a winning percentage above .600.

Creighton -5.5 (-120)

The Creighton Blue Jays almost stunningly lost to SIU Edwardsville last Saturday, as they had to claw back from a 12-point halftime deficit for the victory. Meanwhile, Iowa State has earned the respect of many bettors after a 7-0 start. The Cyclones really impressed with a sweep of Xavier and Memphis in the NIT Tip-Off Tournament.

Despite the varying perspectives on these two teams, we expect Creighton to turn in a solid performance at home. The Blue Jays' poor outing against SIUE is excusable since it was likely a hangover from the Paradise Jam tournament. At the same time, Iowa State's win over Memphis suddenly does not look as good as the Tigers followed that up with a surprising loss to Georgia.

Creighton C Ryan Kalkbrenner needs to stay out of foul trouble. If he does, he is a matchup nightmare for George Conditt IV and the rest of Iowa State's big men.

Look for the Blue Jays' home crowd to propel them to a big victory.

SEE ALSO: All picks and odds. Be sure to check out SportsbookReview.com’s community forums and betting tools.

College basketball picks made 12/04/2021 at 7:25 a.m. ET.

Written By:
Mike Spector
I have been in the sports writing industry for over three years, working for sites like BettingPros/FantasyPros, Oddschecker, and Sportsbook Review. In my first year writing for BettingPros, I finished with the #2 overall record in their annual NFL betting competition, which made picks against the spread, and from an over/under and moneyline perspective. I am an avid fan of the NFL, MLB, and all college sports. In my opinion, March Madness is the best sporting event there is, and I am especially euphoric starting with conference tournament time in college basketball. I am a big advocate of "fading the public" and making plays that are contrarian, constantly citing that "there are reasons why they have those big shiny buildings in Las Vegas." Follow me on Twitter for my best bets and commentary to go along with the wagers.