College Basketball Best Bets – 2/20

I’m Back

After a brief hiatus, I’m excited to be back and ready to dive into the college basketball slate. During my time away, I received some incredible news—I was accepted into my dream school, the University of Michigan, where I’ll be attending this fall.

While I was away, I also spent time thinking about how to expand the site and grow the audience. With March right around the corner and conference races heating up, adding college basketball coverage felt like the perfect move. It’s arguably my favorite sport alongside MMA, and there’s no better time of year to get involved.

The Vision

My goal is simple: deliver the best bets available each day.

I also plan to incorporate an AI-based model that will generate its own picks and projected spreads. Alongside that, I’ll continue providing my own daily best bets based on film study, matchups, and statistical analysis.

The long-term experiment? Comparing human analysis versus computer-generated picks to see which performs better over time. More importantly, the objective is to keep both approaches profitable while exploring the efficiency of data-driven modeling versus traditional handicapping.

House Rules

Now, let’s get into tonight’s matchup.

Game Preview

The Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball head into Mackey Arena following a 20-point road loss to Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball. Awaiting them are the No. 7 ranked Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball, who are also looking to rebound after a home loss to Michigan Wolverines men's basketball.

Both teams need a bounce-back win—but the spot heavily favors Purdue.

Outright Pick: Purdue ML

Note: Outright Pick ≠ Best Bet or ML Bet

This is a straightforward call. Purdue is the better team on both ends of the floor and should be highly motivated after dropping their last game. Expect a focused response.

Mackey Arena on a Friday night is one of the toughest environments in college basketball. That home-court edge matters—especially in a rivalry matchup.

From a matchup standpoint, Purdue’s size inside is a significant advantage. Look for increased post usage, particularly through Trey Kaufman-Renn, to pressure Indiana’s interior defense. Purdue’s ability to space the floor with shooters while establishing a physical presence inside should create high-quality looks throughout the game.

Statistically, the teams are comparable in shooting efficiency, with Purdue holding a slight edge from three-point range while Indiana is marginally better at the free-throw line. However, Purdue’s rebounding advantage and defensive structure under head coach Matt Painter give them the upper hand.

Indiana has struggled offensively in hostile environments, and if Purdue controls the glass and tempo early, this game could get out of reach.

With NCAA Tournament seeding implications still in play, Purdue has every reason to come out sharp and assertive.

Projection: Purdue wins comfortably at home.

Best Bets

  • Best Bet: Purdue -11.5 (-110) — 1.5 Units

  • Parlau Bet: Purdue 1H Moneyline + Miami Ohio -4.5 = (-115) — 2.3 Units

Happy Friday!! Let’s cash!!