This article is part of our College Basketball Picks series.
With a doubleheader of Big Ten games on tap, here are the best bets of the day.
Bucknell at 
Rutgers
After being one of the worst teams in the country last year, the Bison have significantly improved this season. Bucknell's roster has the eighth-highest percentage of continuity from last season, per KenPom, so it's easy to see why a more experienced and cohesive team has taken a leap forward. Its defense is still a work in progress, but the offense has helped them win seven games up to this point, nearly matching its season total from a season ago. The Bison are a sharp-shooting bunch, making 39 percent of three-point attempts while also making 55 percent of shots inside the arc. Altogether, Bucknell has the 24th-highest effective field goal percentage in the country, so they know how to find open looks and make the most of all their opportunities. This is important as it will face its most difficult challenge to date in Friday's game.
Rutgers is coming off a dominant victory over Wake Forest, so it's no doubt feeling good about itself although it has had many highs and lows this season. back in November, Rutgers lost by six to Temple and then scored just 43 points in a home loss to Seton Hall almost two weeks ago. The Scarlet Knights rely on their defense to win games, recording the third-best adjusted efficiency rating. Their offense can struggle at times, as its recent game against Seton Hall showed, so they're liable to find themselves in a close game on days where their shots aren't falling.
Bucknell no doubt has a major test ahead, but then again, the Bison have played well against its two toughest defensive opponents prior to Friday's game. Bucknell only lost by four points to Georgia and then only lost by 10 points to Richmond, two teams that rank top-70 in defensive efficiency, per KenPom. Friday's matchup is projected to be a low-scoring game with fewer possessions, making it more difficult for a team like Rutgers to cover a huge spread. Given Bucknell's offensive capabilities and the likelihood of a low-scoring game, I'll take the points in this spot. I also like the under as well, considering Rutgers' elite defensive play, particularly at home.
College Basketball Best Bet: Bucknell +20.5 & Under 133
Kennesaw St. at 
Indiana
Indiana was looking like the team to beat after taking down North Carolina at the end of November, but since then the Hoosiers' stock has taken a dive. Indiana lost three of four games following that win, getting blown out against Rutgers, Arizona, and Kansas. The latter game was particularly devastating because the Hoosiers lost starting point guard Xavier Johnson due to injury, who's now out indefinitely. If that wasn't bad enough, Trayce Jackson-Davis was held out of the most recent game against Elon for "precautionary reasons," per IU Athletics, therefore making it likely that he'll be held out again in another matchup in which Indiana is favored by 20-plus points. Needless to say, we'll want to double-check the lineup and injury report closer to game time, but as things stand now it seems probable that the team will save him for the next game against Iowa on January 5. Indiana played fine against Elon without these two players, although it's worth noting that Elon is 0-11 against D1 teams this season, hardly a reliable test for assessing Indiana's performance without two key starters.
Kennesaw State might not win Friday's game but it should still put up a fight. The Owls have already played two stingy defensive teams in Florida and VCU, and they came within 10 points of both teams. Kennesaw St. mostly relies on its three-point shooting for offense, which isn't exactly ideal, but when a team has several great shooters like the Owls then it's less problematic. Kennesaw St. has six different players shooting over 40 percent from behind the arc on at least 9 shot attempts this season, so as long as one player gets open then the Owls have a fair chance at scoring three points in a possession. Another thing that will help Kennesaw St. is its roster continuity. According to KenPom, the Owls have the highest percentage of returning minutes from last season among all D1 teams, so this experienced group of players is extremely familiar with one another, which should help their cause as they enter Friday's game as significant underdogs.
Following its recent stretch of poor performances, Indiana looked better against Elon, winning by 24 points, but Kennesaw State is not Elon. Not even close. Indiana will need to play better if it wants to cover a big spread in Friday's game. Assuming Trayce Jackson-Davis sits again, I'm taking the points. And even if he plays, I wouldn't put it past the Owls to claw their way to a cover.
College Basketball Best Bet: Kennesaw St. +20.5
Friday College Basketball Best Bets:
Here's a recap of my best college basketball bets for Friday:
- Bucknell +20.5
- Bucknell at Rutgers - Under 133
- Kennesaw St. +20.5
For up-to-date information on the latest college basketball odds and props from multiple sportsbooks, check out the College Basketball odds page on RotoWire.
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