Friday's college basketball schedule is topped by a rematch of last season's national championship game, as Michigan meets UConn at TD Garden in Boston. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET, and the SportsLine Projection Model expects a competitive contest, backing Michigan to cover as a 7.5-point underdog.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters the 2026-27 season on an 11-1 run on its top-rated over/under picks dating back to 2025, and has gone 28-22 on top-rated college basketball side picks over that span.
The model's top Friday best bets include Michigan (+7.5) against UConn, Saint Louis (+2.5) against Missouri, and Oklahoma State (-18.5) against Queens. Combined into a three-leg parlay, those picks would pay out at +601, meaning a $100 wager would return $601 in winnings. Odds are subject to change.
Michigan beat UConn 69-63 in last year's title game. The Wolverines lost their top three leading scorers from that team, but retained their fourth and fifth leading scorers and put together one of the best offseasons in the country. Michigan's combined class of freshmen and transfer portal additions ranked No. 3 in the nation for the Class of 2026, according to 247Sports.
Tennessee transfer J.P. Estrella made an immediate impact for the Wolverines, scoring 15 points in Michigan's season-opening 84-68 win over Oakland. UConn, meanwhile, saw its top two scorers from last season depart for the NBA. The model projects Michigan to cover the spread in 51% of its simulations.
In Saint Louis vs. Missouri, SportsLine expert Bob Konarski noted that Robbie Avila "will be in uniform tonight for the Billikens." Missouri brings a size advantage as the second-tallest team in the country and more offensive firepower than a season ago, but Konarski favors Saint Louis. "Saint Louis has the better continuity and chemistry, and has the guard play that can take advantage of the Tigers size through their cuts and distribution," he said.
For Oklahoma State vs. Queens, SportsLine expert Thomas Casale pointed to the schedule as a major factor. "Queens is in a tough spot, playing its third game in five days," Casale said. The Royals won their first two games by scoring a combined 199 points, but they also allowed 193 points to Winthrop and Loyola Marymount.
Casale expects Queens to struggle stepping up in class against an Oklahoma State team featuring a star-studded recruiting class and a highly rated transfer haul. He called the Cowboys his Big 12 sleeper and predicted they could score 100 points on Friday night. Queens lost six games to Villanova, Virginia, Wake Forest, Arkansas, Auburn and Purdue by an average of 31 points last season. "I think Oklahoma State rolls at home," Casale said.
