Friday CBB Best Bets Jan. 9: Can USC end its road trip with a win?

Friday features a light college basketball slate with just 2 high-major schools in action on the second Friday of the 2026 calendar year. Can undefeated Miami Ohio cover on the road against Toledo? Will Minnesota defend its home court against a struggling USC team? Read on for our Friday CBB Best Bets Jan. 9 article.

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CBB Best Bet: Miami Ohio -1.5 over Toledo

I like the RedHawks here. Miami Ohio is poised to maintain its perfect season and cover the narrow 1.5-point spread as road favorites against Toledo this Friday night. The RedHawks enter the matchup with a flawless 16-0 straight-up record, but more importantly for bettors, they have been highly reliable in this specific spot: they are 8-3 ATS as a favorite and a dominant 5-1 ATS on the road this season. Furthermore, Miami has shown no signs of a “let-down” game, boasting a 9-3 ATS record following a win in 2025-26. Miami’s ability to exploit Toledo’s defensive vulnerabilities—the Rockets allow nearly 79 points per game—combined with their own top-35 scoring offense, should allow them to outpace the Rockets in a high-scoring affair. Final score projection: MIAMI OHIO REDHAWKS 84, TOLEDO ROCKETS 79.

CBB Best Bet: Minnesota -2.5 over USC

I’m backing the Golden Gophers in this contest. Minnesota is primed to cover the 2.5-point spread at Williams Arena, where they remain undefeated straight-up this season. The Gophers enter Friday with strong momentum, having gone 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games overall and boasting a 3-1 ATS record in conference play this year. At home, Minnesota has been a reliable bet with a 6-3 ATS mark. Meanwhile, a fatigued USC squad is reeling, currently playing its third straight road game after back-to-back blowout losses to Michigan and Michigan State. The Gophers’ defensive consistency and home-court dominance should prove to be too much for the travel-weary Trojans. Final score projection: MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS 75, USC TROJANS 71.