We’re into the final week of the 2025-26 college basketball regular season. Let’s dive into the top college basketball best bets today for Saturday, March 7th. We have plenty of Top 25 teams in action, along with NCAA Tournament implications in play. 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! 

College Basketball Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 3/7

Our college basketball best bets today begin with an intriguing Big 12 matchup between Cincinnati and TCU. Plus, we break down a Big Ten rivalry showdown as USC hosts UCLA. Check out more college basketball predictions below for other games today, including Arkansas vs. Missouri and Texas Tech vs. BYU. Let’s jump in.  

 

Cincinnati vs. TCU Prediction: Saturday, 3/7

Cincinnati and TCU are both scorching hot ahead of this weekend’s matchup. The Bearcats are 6-1 in their last 7 games, while the Horned Frogs are 7-1 in their last 8 contests. The pair has played themselves right onto the NCAA Tournament bubble, and Saturday’s result could impact whether either Big 12 school makes it into the bracket or not. 

TCU is the slight favorite at home this weekend after upsetting Texas Tech earlier this week. However, Cincinnati could easily win this game with how well it’s playing. The Bearcats just dominated BYU and recently beat Kansas on the road. Let’s stay away from the spread, but target the total.

Both teams will be hungry for the resume-boosting win. That should create a more defensive-minded game, especially considering the styles of these squads. It should also result in a lower-scoring battle, so let’s grab the under. 

Cincinnati has one of the more underrated defenses in the country. The Bearcats rank 10th nationally in defensive efficiency (per KenPom) while allowing 67.5 PPG this season. They’ve also given up fewer than 70 points in 5 of the last 6 games entering the weekend. The veteran-laden roster has bought into Wes Miller’s defense-first philosophy, and it’s paying off. 

Cincy’s defense can limit a TCU offense that’s been inconsistent with obvious flaws. The Horned Frogs rank dead last in the Big 12 in effective field-goal percentage. Plus, in conference play, they’re shooting just 32.6% from three-point range and 49.2% inside the arc (both 14th in the league). The Bearcats, meanwhile, have the size to lock up the paint and boast good on-ball defenders in the backcourt. 

TCU’s latest string of wins has mostly come against weaker defenses, including Kansas State, Oklahoma State, and Arizona State. In recent tougher matchups, though, the Frogs were held to 60 points by West Virginia and 62 by Iowa State. We could see Cincinnati having similar success in quieting the TCU attack, which can sometimes become too reliant on getting to the free-throw line with a bunch of missed shots. 

On the other end, TCU also brings in an upper-tier defense. It ranks 19th in defensive efficiency (per KenPom) while allowing 71.6 PPG this year. The Horned Frogs force the 5th-most turnovers per game among power-conference teams, and rank 32nd nationally in defensive block rate. They’ve also given up just 66.9 PPG at home this season. 

Cincinnati’s offense has been hot lately, but it’s been just average for most of the season. The Bearcats are 120th in the country in offensive efficiency, while being ranked 224th nationally in three-point shooting and 209th in two-pointers. Cincy has been leaning on its perimeter scoring more in conference play, which is an issue against a TCU defense that forces teams inside. 

Let’s take the under as these Big 12 foes battle it out to improve their NCAA Tournament resumes. TCU is 5-2 to the under in its last 7 games, while 60% of Cincinnati’s games have hit the under this season so far. 

  • PICK: Under 140.5 Total Points (-110 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
 

UCLA vs. USC Prediction: Saturday, 3/7

UCLA has been living on the NCAA Tournament bubble for months. After upsetting No. 9 Nebraska earlier this week, the Bruins should be safely into the bracket now. However, it’s far from a done deal based on how the conference tournaments shake out. UCLA wraps up the season with a rivalry matchup against USC, and it’s another opportunity to boost the resume. 

UCLA’s 20-point win over Nebraska on Tuesday was very impressive. It’s now the Bruins’ third home victory over an AP Top 10 opponent this season, adding to the Purdue and Illinois wins. Mick Cronin’s squad is clearly much better when it doesn’t have to travel across the country in league play. UCLA is 9-1 at home vs. Big Ten opponents, and 3-6 on the road. Notably, two of those road conference wins came against Washington and Oregon – when the Bruins were able to stay on the West Coast. 

Today’s matchup at USC is technically a road game, but UCLA will benefit from staying local. The Bruins’ ugly performances and blowout losses in Big Ten play have all come on longer road trips to the Midwest. At home and on the West Coast, though, they’ve been a completely different team and nearly unbeatable. Their only home conference loss was in double overtime to Indiana. 

As for USC, things have gone from bad to worse. It’s on a 6-game losing streak entering the weekend, with 4 of the last 5 losses by at least 15 points. Andy Enfield’s squad was 18-6 and on the bubble before this collapse, but it’s now fallen out of the NCAA Tournament picture entirely. Plus, the Trojans’ best player (Chad Baker-Mazara) recently left the team – further complicating the situation. 

These teams just faced off a couple weeks ago, and UCLA took the comfortable 81-62 victory. We could see a similar result in this rematch, even with the Bruins on the road. USC seems to have quit on the season amid this losing streak. The Trojans’ latest loss was especially concerning. They led Washington at halftime, and still ended up losing by 19 points. 

UCLA has some key advantages on both ends of the floor. Firstly, the Bruins should win the turnover battle easily to build a lead. They rank second and third in the Big Ten in offensive and defensive turnover rates, respectively. Meanwhile, USC is 17th in the conference and 246th nationally in offensive turnover rate. Defensively, the Trojans rank 11th in the league and 179th overall at forcing turnovers. That discrepancy was evident in the first meeting when USC turned it over 14 times, compared to just 5 for UCLA. 

The Bruins also have a clear edge from three-point range. UCLA is shooting 37.8% from deep this season (24th in Division I), while holding opponents to 31.3% on threes (41st). USC has a solid three-point defense, but it’s shooting just 31.7% from beyond the arc (297th nationally). Plus, that percentage drops to 28.4% in conference play, which is dead last in the Big Ten. 

It’s hard to imagine USC scoring much in this game. Baker-Mazara was averaging a team-high 18.5 PPG before departing. He was the Trojans’ offensive catalyst and best three-point shooter. Plus, over the past 5 games, USC is averaging just 67.2 PPG while giving up 85.2 PPG. Meanwhile, UCLA is allowing only 65 PPG over its past 10 conference wins. 

Furthermore, the Bruins have owned this rivalry in recent years. They are 7-2 vs. USC in the past 9 meetings, including 3 straight wins and covers against the spread. Let’s back UCLA to get it done and build some momentum heading into the Big Ten Tournament this week. 

  • PICK: UCLA -6.5 (-110 on BetMGM Sportsbook)

Best College Basketball Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 3/7

  • Iowa State -14.5 (-120 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
  • BYU Moneyline (-126 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
  • UNC Team Total Under 64.5 Points (-118 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
  • Colorado +14.5 (-110 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
  • Alabama Team Total Over 92.5 Points (-118 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
  • Missouri Moneyline (-122 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
  • Morehead State +3.5 (-110 on DraftKings Sportsbook)

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