We’re into the penultimate weekend of the 2025-26 college basketball regular season. Let’s dive into the top college basketball best bets today for Saturday, February 28th. There are multiple Top 25 teams on the schedule with plenty of intriguing matchups with NCAA Tournament implications. Check out the best college basketball picks below as you cash your own bets. Note that all odds and betting lines are accurate as of this writing, but are always subject to change. Good luck! 

Beat the fast-paced basketball market using our Data Edge Picks and verified Expert Picks to navigate daily rotation changes. Find soft lines on player stats instantly with the Prop Finder and Odds Finder. Stay ahead of the books by tracking situational spots and streaks with our comprehensive Betting Trends.

College Basketball Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 2/28

Our college basketball best bets today begin with a West Coast Conference rivalry matchup between Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s. Plus, we break down a marquee Big 12 showdown as Iowa State hosts Texas Tech. Check out more college basketball predictions below for other games today, including Kansas vs. Arizona and Arkansas vs. Florida. Let’s jump in.  

 

Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary’s Prediction: Saturday, 2/28

This West Coast Conference rivalry has been one of the best in college basketball over the past decade. This year is no different, with Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s sitting atop the league standings ahead of Saturday’s matchup. The Zags have already clinched a share of the WCC regular-season title, but the Gaels can join them with a win here. 

When these teams first met a month ago, Gonzaga won 73-65 at home. It was a lower-scoring contest as both defenses set the tone. Saint Mary’s shot just 34% from the field and mustered its third-lowest point total of the season. The Zags got the win, but were also held well below their season-long scoring average (86.9 PPG). 

In this rematch, let’s count on the defenses once again having the edge on both ends of the floor. This has been a theme in many Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary’s showdowns recently. The under has cashed in 8 straight meetings between the WCC rivals, with an average of 127.3 total combined points scored in this stretch. Considering the current total is above 140, the under is firmly in play. 

Defense has been a calling card for both teams this year. Gonzaga ranks 12th nationally and 1st in the WCC in defensive efficiency, per KenPom. The Zags are allowing just 66.1 PPG this season (19th), including 61.5 PPG over their past 6 games. They’ve also held conference opponents under 70 points in 10 of their last 12 contests. 

Gonzaga forces turnovers at the 15th-best rate in the country, and it’s 8th nationally in defensive rebounding rate. The Zags’ three-point defense will be especially key in this matchup. They’re allowing opponents to shoot just 30.4% from deep this year (26th in Division I). Saint Mary’s, meanwhile, is shooting a lights-out 40.9% on threes in conference play. However, perimeter scoring will be tougher to come by this weekend. 

As for Saint Mary’s, it brings in an exceptional defense as well. The Gaels rank 20th in the sport in defensive efficiency while giving up only 64.4 PPG this season (7th in Division I). Their interior defense can be a difference-maker in slowing down the potent Gonzaga offense here. 

The Zags rely on two-point scoring at the 2nd-highest rate in the entire country. They lean heavily on big man Graham Ike to dominate inside, and the wing scorers like Tyon Grant-Foster are at their best scoring in the paint. Conversely, Gonzaga is shooting a poor 31.9% from three in conference play. 

Saint Mary’s, meanwhile, ranks 21st nationally in two-point defense and 3rd in defensive rebounding rate. The Gaels have the size and enough depth down low to match up with Ike and force the Zags outside. Plus, they’re 281st in overall tempo and will try to make this a slower-paced game. 

Another Gonzaga trend is also worth noting here. The under is 9-2 in the Zags’ last 11 games, which coincides with Braden Huff’s injury. The big man played a major role on offense, and his absence has forced them to rely more on defense. Saint Mary’s, by the way, has played to the under in 8 of its last 11 games. 

  • PICK: Under 143.5 Total Points (-105 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
 

Texas Tech vs. Iowa State Prediction: Saturday, 2/28

After losing JT Toppin for the season last week, Texas Tech seemingly has not missed a beat. The Red Raiders have since bested Kansas State and Cincinnati by 28 and 12 points, respectively. It’s certainly an impressive response for a team that’s now without its All-American and one of the best players in college basketball. 

However, we’re fading Texas Tech on the road this weekend as the competition ramps up. The Red Raiders’ past two wins are encouraging, but they also both came at home and were against notably lesser opponents. Kansas State is 2-13 in the Big 12 amid a season to forget, and Cincinnati has one of the worst offenses in the conference. 

This is now the real test for Texas Tech, and it comes on the road against an elite Iowa State squad. The Cyclones lost to BYU a week ago, but they bounced back with a 16-point victory at Utah on Tuesday. ISU now returns home, where it recently beat both Houston and Kansas with the difference-making Hilton Magic. T.J. Otzelberger’s team is now 24-2 SU at home in conference play over the past 3 seasons. 

Iowa State can lean on its 7th-ranked defensive efficiency in the country in this matchup. Texas Tech’s offense has been good without Toppin, but facing the Cyclones’ elite defense on the road is a different beast. ISU boasts the 6th-best defensive turnover rate nationally, and it’s holding Big 12 opponents to 31.8% three-point shooting in conference play. 

That three-point defense will be key against Texas Tech this weekend. The Red Raiders are shooting a league-best 40.9% from deep in Big 12 play, and 39.2% this season overall (7th in Division I). They also rely on three-point scoring at the 7th-highest rate in the entire sport. However, Iowa State can limit that perimeter offense. Tamin Lipsey is one of the best on-ball defenders in the country, and his suffocating style can quiet Texas Tech point guard Christian Anderson, who’s been on fire lately. 

Meanwhile, Toppin’s absence will be felt more defensively. Texas Tech now severely lacks size and talented depth inside. The Red Raiders’ defense also tends to force teams to the paint as well. As for Iowa State, it ranks 18th nationally in offensive efficiency while shooting 56.9% from two-point range. The Cyclones’ frontcourt duo of Joshua Jefferson and Blake Buchanan can feast inside without Toppin manning the middle. 

Iowa State also boasts a potent perimeter offense. It’s shooting 39.2% from three this season (6th in Division I). That ability to stretch the Texas Tech defense will be crucial this weekend, especially if Jefferson is dominating inside. It doesn’t help that the Red Raiders rank 302nd nationally in defensive turnover rate, which will only aid the Cyclones in being more efficient offensively. 

Let’s take Iowa State to cover the spread in a comfortable home win. Texas Tech is due for a down game since losing Toppin, and it likely comes here in one of the toughest road environments – and in a less-than-ideal matchup on both ends, too. The Cyclones are 5-2 ATS at home in conference play this season. They’re also 10-3 ATS at home as a single-digit favorite or underdog in Big 12 games over the past 3 seasons combined. 

  • PICK: Iowa State -8.5 (-105 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
 

Best College Basketball Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 2/28

  • St. John’s -5.5 (-110 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
  • Kansas vs. Arizona Over 148.5 Total Points (-112 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
  • Houston -18.5 (-120 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
  • Clemson ML (+110 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
  • Texas vs. Texas A&M Over 161.5 Total Points (-110 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
  • Arkansas +9.5 (-102 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
  • UC Santa Barbara vs. UC Irvine Under 140.5 Total Points (-105 on FanDuel Sportsbook)

Get $1,500 in Bonus Bets Today at BetMGM Sportsbook When You Sign Up

Before you lock in our college basketball best bets today, take advantage of this awesome offer from BetMGM Sportsbook. Click here to sign up and use our BetMGM promo code ALARM to get $1,500 in bonus bets today. 

All you have to do is deposit a minimum of $10 and place your first wager. If your bet wins, great! If it loses, then you can receive up to $1,500 back in bonus bets from BetMGM Sportsbook. Just click here to get started and use promo code ALARM.

Â