Thursday CBB Best Bets Feb. 12: Can UCSD cover at home?

Thursday features a full college basketball slate with several mid-major teams and zero high-major schools taking the floor on the 12th day of February 2026. Will Northern Iowa cover at Curb Event Center Arena in Nashville against Belmont in an MVC clash on Thursday night? Can UC San Diego cover a tricky game against Cal Davis as small home favorites? Read on for our Thursday CBB Best Bets Feb. 12 article.

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CBB Best Bet: Northern Iowa +5 over Belmont

I like the Panthers here. Despite being road underdogs, Northern Iowa is primed to cover the 5-point spread against Belmont. The Panthers have been elite for bettors in this role, posting a stellar 5-1 ATS record as underdogs and a 6-3 ATS mark as the road team this season. Their reliability extends to Missouri Valley Conference play, where they are 8-6 ATS in conference games. What’s more, the Panthers enter Thursday as one of the nation’s hottest teams, going 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall. With a solid 5-3 ATS record in their last eight meetings with Belmont, expect UNI’s defense to keep this matchup within the number. Final score projection: NORTHERN IOWA PANTHERS 82, BELMONT BRUINS 79.

CBB Best Bet: UC Davis +4.5 over UC San Diego

I’m backing UC Davis in this one. The Aggies are in an excellent position to cover the 4.5-point spread as road underdogs on Thursday night. UC Davis has proven their mettle in this role all season, boasting a 7-5 ATS record as an underdog and an impressive 8-5 ATS mark in conference play in 2025-26. The Aggies’ steadiness is further highlighted by a 7-6 ATS record following a win and a strong 5-3 ATS run in their last eight games overall. Historically, UC Davis has also held the edge against UC San Diego, going 6-3 ATS in their last nine meetings with the Tritons. Expect a tight, competitive battle that goes down to the wire. Final score projection: UC DAVIS AGGIES 74, UC SAN DIEGO TRITONS 72.