Before the weekly basketball feast that is the Mega Saturday slate, we get an appetizer on Friday. The schedule for January 30th has only 23 games listed, but we have a few bangers to choose from. There are also at least three college basketball picks that you’ll want to lock up before games tip off tonight. Let’s get into it.
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College Basketball Preview, Picks, and Best Bets for January 30
Matt Dewoskin ATS College Basketball Picks Record (Est 11/3/2025)
All Selections: 128-116-5
Perfect 3-0 Cards: 12-71
Kent State at Akron
Start Time: 6:00 PM EST
Kent State enters this game with a 16-5 overall record and a 3-3 mark on the road. The Golden Flashes are 8-11 overall against the spread and 2-4 ATS on the road.
Akron comes into this matchup with a 17-4 overall record and an 11-0 mark at home. The Zips are 11-8 overall ATS and 4-5 ATS at home.
Akron has owned this series. The Zips have won five straight games against Kent State and covered in four out of those five games. Akron has won seven in a row entering this game, but they’ve only covered in three out of those seven. Kent State has won four of its last five. However, they’ve also struggled to cover. The Golden Flashes have only covered two of their last five games.
The handicap here is simple. Akron hasn’t been covering double-digit spreads all that often this year. In their last five games as a double-digit favorite, the Zips have covered once. They’re just off a game against Toledo in which the Zips were a 12.5-point favorite. They won by ten. That’s a win, but no cover.
Both teams are coming into this matchup as top-20 scoring offenses. Akron is fifth in the nation in points per game, while Kent State is 19th in the nation in scoring. Akron is a bit more efficient than Kent State, but both teams are in the top-30 in pace of play. The goal for both teams is to get up and down the floor as quickly as possible. This one could get a bit chaotic and feature a ton of points.
However, Kent State can keep pace with Akron and should stay within 11.5 points. The Golden Flashes may not have enough firepower to win this outright, but they can shoot well enough to stay within the number.
Best Bet: Kent State +11.5
Michigan at Michigan State
Start Time: 8:00 PM EST
Michigan enters this matchup with a 19-1 record overall and a 5-0 mark on the road. The Wolverines are 9-11 ATS overall and 0-5 ATS on the road.
Michigan State comes into this game with a 19-2 record overall and an 11-1 mark at home. The Spartans are 12-9 ATS overall and 6-6 ATS at home.
The Spartans have owned this series recently, winning seven of the last 10 games played and four in a row. Michigan comes into this game on a five-game winning streak, but it hasn’t covered any of its last seven games. The Spartans have won seven straight games and covered five times over that stretch.
Michigan State enters this game playing the better ball. The Wolverines have been laying double-digit numbers and struggling to get past teams that they should smash. The Spartans are the better team at the free-throw line and at the perimeter, and they should have enough muscle inside to stay competitive with the Wolverines’ size. Both teams have been excellent defensively this year, but the Spartans pace allows them to limit possessions and keep games close. The Spartans will drag Michigan into the mud, slow the pace, and limit runs. The Spartans are also remarkably efficient when they have the ball, and should take advantage of their opportunities. Michigan State defends its floor, and Michigan has looked really shaky away from Ann Arbor. Lock up Sparty to cover and win this outright.
Best Bet: Michigan State +1.5
Boise State at Grand Canyon
Start Time: 9:00 PM EST
Boise State comes into this game with a 13-8 overall record and a 3-3 mark on the road. The Broncos are 12-7 ATS overall and 4-2 ATS on the road.
Grand Canyon enters this matchup with a 13-7 overall record and a 9-2 mark at home. The Lopes are 10-10 ATS overall and 6-5 ATS at home.
These two teams played in early January in Boise. The Lopes won by 17 points as an 8.5-point underdog. Boise State has won four in a row, but they’ve done it against four of the weakest teams in the Mountain West Conference. They’ve struggled against anyone in the upper half of the league, with the exception of a win at home against New Mexico. Grand Canyon is off a loss at Nevada. The Lopes had a three-game winning streak broken. They had wins over San Diego State and Utah State at home over that stretch.
Grand Canyon is the better defensive team, and they’re better at scoring on the inside than Boise State is. The Lopes are 37th in the nation in points allowed, and 143rd in the nation in shooting percentage on two-point shots. Boise State is 182nd in shooting percentage against two-point shots.
Grand Canyon’s home environment should be lit on a Friday night for Boise State’s first trip there in almost 10 years. The Lopes can defend and score on the inside. Let’s lock up Grand Canyon to win and cover the very short number at home. This is a weaker version of Boise State than years past, and they’re going into a tough environment against a chippy team. Lock the Lopes.
Best Bet: Grand Canyon -1.5
The College Basketball Experience
For more analysis of every college basketball game in the 2025-26 season, make sure to tune into 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!
