Best College Basketball Bets for Monday, March 2: Featuring No. 1 Duke, No. 2 Arizona, and No. 4 Iowa State

• Duke leads the all-time series vs. NC State,   83-52; the Wolfpack won two of the last three

• Arizona leads the all-time series vs. Iowa State, 5-4; the Cyclones won the last game (March 1, 2025), but Arizona won the previous four in a row

March is here, but we are not ready for March Madness just yet. First, we have to play out the final week of the regular season and give teams one last chance for a statement win. A victory in today’s “College Basketball Best Bets” games could go a long way if certain teams win.

Should NC State pull off an epic upset over No. 1 Duke, such a big win could help them make the Tournament field. The stakes are as big for No. 4 Iowa State vs. No. 2 Arizona, but it could be the best game of the week.

No. 1 Duke Blue Devils vs. North Carolina State Wolfpack Odds & Pick

• Spread: Duke -9.5 (-118) | NC State +9.5 (-104)  

• Moneyline: Duke -600 | NC State +430

• Total: OVER 148.5 (-110) | UNDER 148.5 (-110)

Odds from FanDuel Sportsbook. Join FanDuel and claim your welcome offer: Bet $5, Get $100 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet Wins. Get more info on the FanDuel Promo Code in our detailed overview.

Duke has been one of the best teams in the country all season. But since beating Michigan and taking over the No. 1 spot, the Blue Devils have taken their game to another level. First, there was the 44-point win over Notre Dame (Feb. 24), followed by a 77-51 victory over Virginia (Feb. 28).

The Blue Devils have an elite defense and an efficient, balanced offense led by Wooden Award favorite Cameron Boozer (22.5 points per game, 10 rebounds per game). Their only loss came on the road, and they have excelled against ranked teams this season (10-2).

As for NC State, the Wolfpack has had a good season. However, they’ve hit a rough patch in recent weeks, losing four of their last five. They lost in their last game, vs. Notre Dame, in overtime, 96-90. Their defense has been a problem (No. 221, 75.1 points per game allowed).

In their last five games, they allowed 90+ points allowed in three of them and 100+ in one. The offense chipped in an average of 77.2 points per game.

• My pick: Duke -9.5 at -118 via FanDuel

Duke is getting the job done on both sides of the court right now, and NC State is not. The Blue Devils are better than the Wolfpack and should easily cover this spread.

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No. 4 Iowa State Cyclones vs. No. 2 Arizona Wildcats Odds & Pick

• Spread: Iowa State +7.5 (-114) | Arizona -7.5 (-106)         

• Moneyline: Iowa State +270 | Arizona -345

• Total: OVER 147.5 (-115) | UNDER 147.5 (-105)

Odds from FanDuel Sportsbook

Any concerns over Arizona’s brief two-game losing streak should be gone; after all, since losing to Kansas and Texas Tech, the Wildcats have gone 4-0 with wins over three ranked teams, including a seven-point win over No. 2 Houston and a revenge win vs. Kansas, 84-61.

With a balanced, efficient offense (87.1 points per game) and a tough defense 68.6 points per game allowed), it will take an incredible game from any opponent to beat them.

Iowa State could be just such a team. Their offense is certainly capable (No. 52 in the country, 82.5 points per game), and they play stellar defense (No. 17 in the country, 65.5 points per game allowed). 

If they can move the ball around well and heat up from three-point range, the Cyclones could pull off an upset.

At the least, they’ll keep it interesting.

• My Pick: Iowa State +7.5 at -114 via FanDuel

With the exception of the beatdown they handed Kansas,  Arizona hasn’t been blowing out ranked teams. They beat Houston and BYU by seven and beat BYU by three the first time. Their early-season wins over No. 3 Florida, No. 15 UCLA, and No. 3 UConn were all by six points or less.

Iowa State is arguably the best team they’ve faced all season. There is no way the spread for this game should be 7.5 points.

Home court advantage helps, but Iowa State is a solid team, especially on defense. The Cyclones' road record is not great (5-4). The loss in their last game (82-73) vs. Texas Tech is not encouraging. But if the defense can bring its ‘A’ game on the road, they’ll keep this one close.

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