NCAA Basketball Best Bets (Mar. 13): Betting Odds & Predictions for No. 8 Michigan State vs. UCLA, No. 20 Arkansas vs Oklahoma

We're into the late rounds of Power Four NCAA basketball conference tournaments, and that means the fat has been trimmed down and only the best remain. We should expect to get the best matchups we've seen all year this weekend and Friday's slate certainly lives up to that.

With that, here are our best NCAA basketball bets for Friday’s matchups across the Big Ten and SEC.

(Photo by Adam Ruff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

You can find all odds used in my NCAA basketball predictions at DraftKings and BetMGM.

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NCAA Basketball Best Bets: No. 8 Michigan State vs. UCLA prediction for March 13

Yes, this is a rematch of the game where UCLA head coach Mick Cronin ejected his own player and almost fought a reporter in the postgame interview. Michigan State won that game by 23, and now we’re only giving them 5.5 points here?

This clash of styles should give MSU an advantage

Aside from the theatrics, Friday's matchup heavily favors the Spartans defensively and that showed in the last matchup. Michigan State currently owns the eighth-best defense in the country, while UCLA owns the 44th-best defense according to KenPom Analytics.

The mentality from both teams differs in a lot of ways, and it gives Michigan State an edge based off the last matchup. The Spartans are more willing to push the pace and create fast-break points while dominating the boards, providing a distinct edge over UCLA's more controlled, half-court style.

Fears Jr. and Carr led the way over UCLA earlier this year

Jeremy Fears Jr. and Coen Carr are pivotal to Michigan State's success, acting as a high-level, athletic tandem that drives both ends of the floor. Fears, a consensus All-Big Ten point guard, unlocks the offense as an elite facilitator. He leads the Big Ten in total assists (204) this year and ranks second in assists per game (8.9).

Fears is a legit two-way threat and easily the most important man on the floor for MSU, as their games often depend on his performance. However, Carr is what gives this Michigan State team its identity, in my opinion. The uber athletic junior forward gives this team elite defensive ability and provides a spark on offense with his finishing ability and dunk package.

Against UCLA’s spotty defense, the duo led the Spartans in points in the last meeting. Each scored 16, with Fears adding 10 assists and Carr adding 2 blocks and a steal.

My Pick: Michigan State -5.5 (-108 DraftKings)

• Another fun parlay to throw a small wager on might be taking UCLA to cover in the first half and Michigan State to win the game. Over the years, Michigan State has made a living on its second-half defensive performances. Not only that, but it might come out a little bit flat after not playing for a few days, while UCLA just picked up a blowout win Thursday night.

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NCAA Basketball Best Bets: No. 20 Arkansas vs. Oklahoma prediction for March 13

Coming off six straight wins, with two blowouts, to open the SEC conference tournament, Oklahoma has played its way into the conversation to go dancing.

However, Joe Lunardi's ESPN Bracketology still has the Sooners leading his "first four out," which means there’s roughly a 50/50 chance they get into the field. So a win here would go a long way.

Oklahoma's Offensive Tendencies Can Expose The Arkansas Defense

Oklahoma led the SEC in 3-point percentage during league play at 39%. It's safe to say that this team lives and dies beyond the arc, and that was evident in the last matchup between these two teams, where the Sooners lost a close game at home and shot 27 threes.

The angle that intrigues me is how poor Arkansas is at defending the three, ranking 15th in the SEC allowing opponents to connect on 37.5% from deep. Pair that with how hot the Sooners have been over the past two weeks and it's hard to not imagine the underdog raining down threes Friday night.

Oklahoma guard Nijel Pack leads the team with 16.1 PPG and is the Sooners' primary scoring threat, shooting 45.3% from 3-point range (No. 5 nationally). Going back to that first matchup, Pack went off for 22 points and executed the game plan I expect tonight from Oklahoma, going 6 for 11 on threes.

With NCAA Tournament hopes still alive for Oklahoma and a ton of momentum fueled by a six-game win streak against good competition (Texas A&M, Texas, Missouri and Auburn), trust that the senior guard will again be at his best when it matters most.

Reasons to like the over in Friday's game

Both of these teams profile as "over" teams based off all the metrics, sporting incredibly efficient offenses paired with below average defenses and a fast pace.

In the last matchup, the total ended at 162 points. Although the Razorbacks put up 83 points in that game, they could have put up a lot more as they went an uncharacteristic 2 for 17 from three.

That last game was just a couple of threes away from cashing this total. It’s fair to expect better shooting from a team that has proven to be lethal from deep this year with a 37% 3-point percentage.

The Pick: Oklahoma +7.5 (-110 BetMGM), Over 167.5 (-115 DraftKings)

• Don’t be afraid to sprinkle on the Sooners moneyline (+260 BetMGM) and expect points in this game.