Conference tournament season for college hoops is still warming up, and we still have a few conferences wrapping up regular season play. The slate for March 4th has 40 games scheduled, and it’s a solid mix of early-round tournament play and the end of regular-season games. We’ve gone through the lines and found three college basketball picks that you’ll want to lock up before tip-off. Let’s get into it.
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College Basketball Preview, Picks, and Best Bets for March 4
Matt Dewoskin ATS College Basketball Picks Record (Est 11/3/2025)
All Selections: 180-162-5
Perfect 3-0 Cards: 17-99
UL-Lafayette at James Madison
Start Time: 6:00 PM EST
This game is in the second round of the Sun Belt Conference tournament, and it’s being played at a neutral site in Pensacola, FL.
UL-Lafayette enters this game with an 11-21 overall record and a 15-17 overall mark against the spread.
James Madison comes into this matchup with a 17-14 overall record and a 12-18 overall mark ATS.
UL-Lafayette beat James Madison in Harrisonburg, VA as a 9.5-point underdog. The Ragin’ Cajuns just played Georgia State in the opening round of the tournament. They not only won, but they managed to cover as a 1.5-point favorite. James Madison has won seven of its last 10 games overall, and covered six times over that stretch.
James Madison enters the Sun Belt conference tournament as a much more well-rounded team than UL-Lafayette. The Monarchs can score and defend, while UL-Lafayette uses a slow pace to limit possessions and can’t really shoot. JMU has a clear advantage from beyond the arc on offense, and the Ragin’ Cajuns have struggled to defend the perimeter. The Monarchs are 77th in the nation in three-point shooting percentage, while the Ragin’ Cajuns are 294th in three-point shooting percentage against. James Madison is also the better rebounding team and a bit tougher on the inside.
The line is a little short, but UL-Lafayette has been playing better and beat JMU outright on the road. The Ragin’ Cajuns will likely have heavy legs after the quick turnaround, and James Madison can shoot them out of the building. Lock up the Monarchs to win and cover tonight.
Best Bet: James Madison -4.5
Colorado State at New Mexico
Start Time: 10:00 PM EST
Colorado State enters this game with a 19-10 overall record and a 5-5 mark on the road. The Rams are 17-11 overall ATS and 5-5 ATS on the road.
New Mexico comes into this matchup with a 22-7 overall record and a 14-2 mark at home. The Lobos are 15-13 overall ATS and 8-7 ATS at home.
These two teams played in late January, and New Mexico beat Colorado State by 10 as a 1.5-point favorite in Fort Collins.
Colorado State has won seven straight games coming into this matchup. The Rams have covered in five of their last seven games and won three straight on the road.
New Mexico has won seven of its last 10 games, but only covered four times over that stretch.
Colorado State is a good enough shooting team that if they get hot, they can beat anyone in the Mountain West on any floor. The Rams are the sixth-best three-point shooting team in the nation, and the 23rd-best shooting team on two-point shots. New Mexico can defend the perimeter, but struggles on the inside. The Lobos are 230th in the nation on two-point shooting percentage against.
Both teams need this game for seeding purposes. New Mexico is in the mix for first place in the Mountain West with two games left, but Colorado State is in the bottom of the blob. Wins in their last two games should get the Rams in the upper half of the bracket. This will likely be a chippy, close affair, and the Rams should stay within the number. Lock up Colorado State to cover the 9.5 points.
Best Bet: Colorado State +9.5
USC at Washington
Start Time: 10:30 PM EST
USC enters this matchup with an 18-11 overall record and a 5-5 mark on the road. The Trojans are 13-15 overall ATS and 5-5 ATS on the road.
Washington comes into this game with a 14-15 overall record and a 9-6 mark at home. The Huskies are 17-12 overall ATS and 8-7 ATS at home.
Washington beat USC as a 4.5-point underdog in Los Angeles last December. USC is 4-6 outright and ATS in their last 10 games. Washington has dropped three of its last four home games and has only covered once over that stretch.
USC will play this game without forward Chad Baker-Mazara. Baker-Mazara has left the program. This leaves USC without its two best offensive options from its pre-season roster. It’s also senior night for Washington tonight.
Washington has scoring on the inside, a better rebounding team, and takes care of the ball better than USC. However, the handicap here is that it sounds like USC is a mess right now. The Trojans lost Rodney Rice early in the year, built a resume, but have fallen apart over the last month. The Trojans are supposedly outside the tournament bubble, looking in, and are now further undermanned. Let’s lock up Washington to win and cover as they honor their seniors.
Best Bet: Washington -5.5
The College Basketball Experience
For more analysis of every college basketball game in the 2025-26 season, tune in to The College Basketball Experience. Colby Dant, Moneyline Mac, and Noah Bieniek talk about each game on the entire slate. Listen for input on ATS and moneyline college basketball picks every night!
