Friday CBB Best Bets Feb. 20: Can Purdue win big against rival Indiana?

Friday features a light college basketball slate with several mid-major teams and two high-major schools taking the floor on the 20th day of February 2026. Will VCU cover at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis against the Billikens in an A-10 clash on Friday night? Can Indiana cover a tough game against Purdue as sizable road underdogs? Read on for our Friday CBB Best Bets Feb. 20 article.

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CBB Best Bet: Saint Louis -7.5 over VCU

I like the Billikens here. Saint Louis is primed to cover the 7.5-point spread as home favorites against VCU, largely due to their dominant 11-4 ATS record at home this season. The Billikens’ consistency in conference play is equally impressive, posting an 8-4-1 ATS mark in Atlantic 10 matchups, while maintaining a high level of reliability as favorites with a 14-8-2 ATS record when giving points this season.

With an unblemished 16-0 straight-up home record and a top-tier offense, the Billikens have the efficiency needed to pull away from VCU late and validate their status as the class of the conference. Final score projection: SAINT LOUIS BILLIKENS 82, VCU RAMS 72.

CBB Best Bet: Indiana +11.5 over Purdue

I’m backing the Hoosiers in this one. Indiana is well-positioned to cover the 11.5-point spread as road underdogs Friday, because of their strong 7-3 ATS record in their last ten meetings against Purdue. Indiana thrives when afforded extra preparation, posting a 6-3 ATS mark with a rest advantage and a 3-2 ATS record when playing on 4+ days of rest this season.

Furthermore, the Hoosiers have remained competitive in league play with an 8-7 ATS record in conference games this season and have covered spreads well of late, as evidenced by their current 5-3 ATS stretch. The Hoosiers’ historical success in this rivalry suggests they will keep the game within a manageable margin throughout. Final score projection: PURDUE BOILERMAKERS 80, INDIANA HOOSIERS 71.