This article is part of our College Basketball Picks series.
Conference play heats up for a few more ACC and Pac-12 teams on Friday's slate. Steve Peralta examines the key college basketball matchups and brings you his best bets for the day.
N.C. State at 
Clemson
NC State travels to Clemson with an 11-3 record, having already matched its win total from last season. The Wolfpack played well against non-conference opponents, although two of their losses were against ACC teams. First, NC State lost by eight points at home to Pittsburgh before then losing by seven at Miami in its only true road game so far this season.
In contrast, Clemson is 2-0 against conference opponents, dominating Wake Forest by 20 points before taking down Georgia Tech on the road by 13 points. These were solid performances, but perhaps Clemson's most impressive game was its victory over Penn State at the end of November. Like most teams, Clemson has been extra sharp at home this season, winning all seven of its home games. Both teams are having success thanks to their scoring abilities, although one team has the edge when it comes to shooting. Clemson has recorded higher percentages over NC State in three-point shooting, free throws and effective field-goal percentage. Playing at home should help the Tigers maintain this advantage in Friday's game as well.
Clemson defeated NC State in both matchups last season, the first time on the road and the second time in the ACC tournament. A couple of key Tigers will again be on the court for Friday's matchup, so these results are still worth noting. All things considered, I'll take the home team with a short line.
College Basketball Best Bet: Clemson -1.5
USC at 
Washington
USC has won 10 of its last 12 games, with the only blemishes being a pair of losses in the Bahamas, first to Tennessee then to Wisconsin. It's worth pointing out that the Trojans were in a good position to win both games. First, USC had a 63 percent chance of defeating Tennessee with under two remaining before ultimately losing in overtime, per KenPom. Then, in a similar situation, USC had a 72 percent chance of defeating the Badgers with just under six minutes left before going on a scoring drought and losing by five points. A loss is a loss but, at the same time, these were competitive games. Since returning from the island country, USC has won six straight games, including a victory over Auburn. The Trojans still have a lot to improve upon, but they appear to be in good shape as conference season begins.
Washington, meanwhile, has been wildly inconsistent, with highs and lows throughout this first part of the season. Washington lost to Cal Baptist at home by nine points and then lost to a lowly Oregon State team by a point. During their high moments, the Huskies defeated Saint Mary's and Colorado, two teams with promising NCAA tournament hopes. It's hard to know which Washington team we'll see on Friday, but its most recent result was not encouraging. Playing at home, Washington got absolutely dominated by Auburn, which was an interesting outcome considering USC defeated the same Auburn team just three days prior.
Looking at how USC and Washington matchup against each other, both teams are defensively oriented with the Trojans ranking higher in both offensive and defensive adjusted efficiency. Furthermore, while both teams had some roster turnover since last year, it's still worth noting that USC beat Washington in both matchups last season. Overall, the Trojans appear to have the upper hand. Playing on the road can be difficult at times, but it seems likely that USC will outlast Washington when it's all said and done. I'll take USC in what is effectively a pick 'em.
College Basketball Best Bet: USC -1
UCLA at 
Washington State
UCLA is a scoring machine. The Bruins enter Friday's game with the fifth-highest adjusted offensive efficiency rating, per KenPom, and have scored at least 80 points in six of its last eight games. The only exceptions were a 65-point performance against Oregon and a 63-point output against Kentucky, two teams that are stout on the defensive end. Washington State, Friday's opponent, would have fit that description last year but its defense has taken a step back this season, ranking more than 40 spots lower than last season's team in KenPom's adjusted efficiency standings. UCLA played Washington State two times last season and scored 75-plus points in both games. The Bruins are posting better offensive numbers than last year's team, so it seems likely the they will once again put up a similar number of points.
Washington State enters Friday's game with a 5-8 record, but these two numbers are slightly misleading, as Washington St. has played the 38th most difficult schedule in the country, per KenPom, and has also played in just four games at home. Teams often play better at home, especially on offense, so it seems that the Cougars are in a prime position to score more points than usual. Friday's matchup will be Washington State's first home game in over three weeks, so it will undoubtedly be amped up to play in front of the home crowd for the first time in a long time. One interesting note, Washington State has noticeably better offensive and defensive rebounding rates over UCLA, so the Cougars should see a few extra put-back opportunities in this game.
All in all, it's tempting to take the points with the home team, especially considering the difficult schedule it's played so far, but ultimately I have a hard time fading UCLA with the way it's played over the past month. In looking at how this matchup will play out, UCLA's offense should continue rolling with Washington State playing as hard as it can to keep pace. The over/under number isn't too high, so I like our chances of hitting the over.
College Basketball Best Bet: Over 133.5
Friday College Basketball Best Bets:
Here's a recap of my best college basketball bets for Friday:
- Clemson -1.5
- USC -1
- UCLA at Washington - Over 133.5
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