Men’s college basketball conference tournaments are in full swing across the country as March Madness draws closer. Thursday’s slate features games going on all day with plenty of intriguing matchups on tap. Check out these college basketball conference tournament predictions as you enjoy the action. 

We have top-tier teams like Creighton aiming to win their conference title. We also have NCAA Tournament bubble teams like Boise State hoping to improve their resumes. Lock in these college basketball picks before the games get underway! 

 

 

 

College Basketball Conference Tournament Predictions & Overview Today, 3/13

Our college basketball conference tournament predictions start with a Mountain West quarterfinal matchup between Boise State and San Diego State. There are plenty of NCAA Tournament implications on the line here. Boise State is trying to get on the right side of the bubble and have a great opportunity against a solid San Diego State team. 

Plus, our college basketball picks today take us to the Big East Tournament as Creighton takes on DePaul. Finally, let’s wrap it up with a fun late-night tip between Kansas and Arizona in the Big 12 Tournament. Enjoy these college basketball picks for Thursday, March 13th. 

 

 

 

Boise State vs. San Diego State Predictions & Free Picks

Boise State is currently among the first four teams out of the NCAA Tournament, according to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi. That motivation alone should have the Broncos ready to make noise in this Mountain West quarterfinal matchup. Plus, the revenge factor is on their side after losing both regular-season meetings with San Diego State. 

After losing four of six games back in January, Boise State has since been playing its best basketball of the season. The Broncos are 9-2 over their last 11 games and could move into the NCAA Tournament field with a win today. San Diego State is having a strong season itself, but the Aztecs are in a tough spot here. 

Boise State should have a notable advantage in the paint to win this game. The Broncos are the best offensive and defensive rebounding team in the Mountain West. They boast length and size at every position, led by Tyson Degenhart and O’Mar Stanley in the frontcourt. Degenhart (17.8 PPG) has been taking games over lately. 

San Diego State has an exceptional defense overall, but it may struggle to contain Degenhart and control the paint today. Aztecs 7-foot center Magoon Gwath is unlikely to play after missing the past five games. His absence has left San Diego State shorthanded in the frontcourt with a noticeable dip in talent. 

Take Boise State on the money line (-110 at FanDuel) to win this game outright. Even though San Diego State won the first two meetings, Boise is a stronger team right now and more trustworthy in a tight matchup. 

 

 

 

DePaul vs. Creighton Predictions & Free Picks 

Creighton was gifted an easy matchup in the Big East quarterfinals after DePaul pulled off a first-round upset yesterday. The Bluejays are a clear tier (or two) above the Demon Deacons and should win comfortably to advance.

Give props to DePaul for beating Georgetown, but it’s still a very flawed team. The Demon Deacons went 4-16 in conference play and are 128th in the latest NET rankings. They have the worst defense in the Big East and second-worst offense. 

As for Creighton, it went 15-5 in league play and ranks 38th nationally in the NET. The Bluejays won both regular-season meetings against DePaul, winning by 24 and 10 points. Their offense is the best in the country at scoring inside, shooting 60.8% from two-point range. The ‘Jays also lead the Big East in effective field-goal percentage (56.6%) during conference play. 

Creighton’s offense should set the tone for a big win today. DePaul will have no answer for containing Bluejays center Ryan Kalkbrenner, who dropped 25 points and 13 rebounds in this matchup last month. On the other end, the Demon Deacons are shooting a putrid 30.6% from three-point range in league play and will struggle to keep pace offensively. 

Let’s take Creighton to cover the 11.5-point spread (-120 at FanDuel). If you’re scared off by the large number, consider these trends. DePaul’s last nine losses have all been by at least 10 points. Meanwhile, eight of Creighton’s last 10 wins have come by double digits. 

Furthermore, Big East quarterfinal double-digit favorites are 12-2 ATS in the past 14 instances. Creighton is also 13-4 ATS over the last 17 games.

 

 

 

Kansas vs. Arizona Predictions & Free Picks

Thursday night brings us a treat as Kansas and Arizona face off in the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals. These teams just met in the regular-season finale with Kansas winning, 83-76, at home. Though that was a high-scoring game, expect this one to be more defensive-minded as we take the under 151.5 total points (-110 at FanDuel). 

Kansas barely squeaked by UCF last night, winning in overtime. It was a fast-paced and hard-fought battle that the Jayhawks easily could’ve lost. Expect some tired legs for Kansas having to turn around and play. Bill Self’s team will likely slow things down offensively and work through center Hunter Dickinson. 

On that note, Dickinson went off for 33 points against Arizona last weekend. The Wildcats should come in with a better defensive game plan to slow him down. They can throw multiple bigs at Dickinson and bottle up the paint. ‘Zona usually defends well inside and forces teams to the perimeter, which is the opposite of what Kansas prefers to do on offense. 

Meanwhile, Kansas has an elite defense itself. The Jayhawks are ninth in the country in defensive efficiency this season and boast the Big 12’s best effective field-goal percentage allowed (45.8%). They’re also first in the conference in two-point defense while holding opponents to 30.6% three-point shooting. Arizona struggles to shoot the three (31.8%) and could go on scoreless stretches.

Both teams will desperately want to win today to boost their NCAA Tournament resumes. It should be an intense atmosphere where defensive stops become paramount. Kansas games were 21-10 to the under in the regular season while Arizona is 5-3 to the under in its last eight.

 

 

 

College Basketball Conference Tournament Odds & Betting Lines Today

Now that you’ve read our college basketball conference tournament predictions today, let’s check out the college basketball conference tournament odds. Here are the current lines at FanDuel Sportsbook as of this writing:

  • Boise State Broncos (-110 ML) vs. San Diego State Aztecs (-110 ML)
    • Spread: Boise State -1.5 (-102) vs. San Diego State +1.5 (-120)
    • Game Total: Over 133.5 (-115) vs. Under 133.5 (-105)
       
  • DePaul Demon Deacons (+550 ML) vs. Creighton Bluejays (-820 ML)
    • Spread: DePaul +11.5 (-102) vs. Creighton -11.5 (-120)
    • Game Total: Over 144.5 (-106) vs. Under 144.5 (-114) 
       
  • Kansas Jayhawks (+100 ML) vs. Arizona Wildcats (-120 ML)
    • Spread: Kansas +1.5 (-110) vs. Arizona -1.5 (-110)
    • Game Total: Over 151.5 (-110) vs. Under 151.5 (-110)

 

 

 

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