Welcome to another college basketball Saturday.
Today's slate features a number of high-quality games, and our college hoops writers came through with 5 best bets for this loaded slate.
With that said, let's take a look at our college basketball picks and NCAAB best bets for Saturday, Feb. 14.
College Basketball Picks
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our college basketball betting staff is targeting from Saturday's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 12 p.m. | |
  | 1 p.m. | |
  | 4 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 10:30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NCAAB Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
TCU vs Oklahoma State Pick
By Evan Abrams
Saturday's TCU vs. Oklahoma State game in the Big 12 fits a historically profitable betting system from our Bet Labs database.
This system, called "Under the Radar Home System" is built on the belief that late-season conference games in major leagues often create quiet value on home teams that attract minimal betting attention.
By isolating regular-season matchups in February and March within power conferences where the home side isn't drawing outsized ticket volume compared to the daily average, the model targets spots where perception and media focus may overlook situational advantages.
As conference races tighten, familiarity intensifies and home-court edges become more pronounced, public bettors frequently gravitate toward ranked teams or recent headline performers — like TCU after its win over Iowa State — regardless of venue.
When the home team operates under the radar in terms of betting activity, the line may not fully reflect the impact of travel fatigue, scouting familiarity and urgency tied to postseason positioning.
Backing these understated home teams on the moneyline seeks to exploit inefficiencies that arise when narrative drives attention elsewhere while structural conference dynamics quietly favor the host.
Pick: Oklahoma State ML -135
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Kansas vs Iowa State Pick
By Sean Paul
In the first meeting between these teams, Kansas was the aggressor. It led by 26 in the first half and went 12-of-24 from deep, and the home crowd was very engaged.
Kansas ranks just 40th in offensive efficiency, per KenPom. Nothing about the Jayhawks' offensive attack is jaw-dropping. They shoot 35% from deep (89th) and 54% from 2 (86th).
Meanwhile, Iowa State most recently took a tough road loss to TCU, where it scored just 55 points after scoring only 72 against Baylor.
The Cyclones can be a bit shaky if forced to play in the half-court. While they shoot over 40% from deep, that number is largely boosted by Milan Momcilovic and his 52% mark.
Three of the five starters are poor shooters — Tamin Lipsey shoots 27%, and Killyan Toure comes in at 32% — and big man Blake Buchanan is a non-shooter.
I expect a more methodical approach on both ends here. Kansas won’t be able to push it the way it did in Lawrence. On the flip side, Kansas’ 15% turnover rate should lead Iowa State to play more possessions out instead of forcing turnovers.
To me, this reads as an under. The Cyclones are well-equipped to play a game in the 60s if their shots don’t fall, and Kansas has the defense to keep the game very low scoring.
Pick: Under 144.5
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Duquesne vs St. Bonaventure Pick
Projections signal value on Duquesne to beat St. Bonaventure.
It's a wrong-team-favored situation, according to PRO: Duquesne opened +2.5; Action projections released Duquesne -2.
The Bonnies rank just 234th in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom. That'll make it a bit harder to contain a Duquesne offense that ranks 117th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 54th in adjusted tempo.
We'll take the Dukes to win this game outright.
Pick: Duquesne ML +138
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Virginia vs Ohio State Pick
I unabashedly love Virginia head coach Ryan Odom. The guy is a winner, from LeNoir-Rhyne to UMBC to Utah State and VCU. He arrives, he wins, and his teams are ultra-competitive on both ends of the floor.
The Cavaliers are so disciplined in the half-court that they don’t take bad shots, and four starters are averaging in double figures. They're also super aggressive on the glass.
It helps that Thijs De Ridder has it all offensively, and he has the shooters around him when defenses collapse on him.
But this defense is just fantastic, ranking top-10 in effective field-goal percentage. The Hoos rarely send teams to the line, and the rebounding is finally up to Odom’s standard.
Ohio State has beaten exactly one team that I really respect this season: UCLA. It did it at home and shot 53% from the field and went 21-of-25 from the line.
When John Mobley Jr. and Devin Royal are bombing in 3s, the Buckeyes can beat people. But you’re asking them to do that on a neutral floor against an elite 3-point defense in the Wahoos.
Pick: Virginia -4.5
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Gonzaga vs Santa Clara Pick
By Jim Root
Gonzaga controlled the first meeting between these teams in Spokane.
Graham Ike was utterly unstoppable inside, going off for 34 points and 11 rebounds on 13-of-17 shooting from the field. Gonzaga shot 65% from inside the arc and won both the rebounding and turnover battles.
The Zags led by as many as 23 points in the second half, and all of that would indicate another easy victory for them.
Since Braden Huff got hurt, though, these two teams are dead even analytically.
Per Bart Torvik, since Jan. 15, the Bulldogs are 7-1 and rank 24th in the country; Santa Clara is 7-0 and 25th nationally. Using that month-long sample, the Broncos would surprisingly be nearly a four-point home favorite.
Is Huff’s absence enough for Santa Clara to get revenge? The Broncos must find a way to slow Ike. They have the bodies to throw at him, but he can simply be unstoppable at times thanks to his touch around the bucket.
I had a tough time with the side in this handicap. Based on Gonzaga’s new defensive identity, though, I’m going to back the under.
The Bulldogs play more than two possessions slower than normal when Ike plays without Huff, per to CBB Analytics, and the Zags are 7-1 to the under since Huff went out.
I’m going to keep riding that trend against a physical Broncos frontline. If they can slow Ike even a little, this game should struggle to get over the total. I would bet it down to 155.
Pick: Under 158.5
