Top 3 College Basketball Odds, Picks & Predictions: Friday (11/8)
11 ranked teams are in action tonight, and we get a top-10 meeting between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Kansas Jayhawks. What should we expect from the marquee matchup? Out west, the New Mexico Lobos visit the UCLA Bruins. Are the Bruins being undervalued in that game? And can the Purdue Boilermakers cover a huge spread against the Northern Kentucky Norse?
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College Basketball Odds, Picks & Predictions: Friday (11/8)
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
North Carolina (+7.5) vs. Kansas (-7.5) | O/U 160 (-110/-110)
Tonight's headliner features the ninth-ranked Tar Heels traveling to Allen Fieldhouse to take on the top-ranked Jayhawks. Both teams picked up wins to move to 1-0, with the Tar Heels defeating the Elon Phoenix 90-76 and the Jayhawks defeating the Howard Bison 87-57. While the Jayhawks cruised in the typical fashion that we've come to expect from early-season mismatches, the Tar Heels struggled.
With just 6:48 remaining in the game, the Phoenix actually led the Tar Heels 71-69. The Tar Heels ultimately ended the game on a 21-5 run, but are the Tar Heels a little overrated to start the season?
Up until they let the Phoenix back into the game, the Tar Heels had played most of the contest with a comfortable lead of 10 points or more. Perhaps they fell asleep early in the season, and they’re still getting used to playing 40 minutes? Whatever the reason, I refuse to count them out in a huge top-10 matchup.
Therefore, my play for Friday's marquee matchup is the Over. The number opened at 154.5, and it has gone all the way up to 158.5, with tipoff just hours away. These teams both averaged over 75 points per game last season, and with the Tar Heels allowing 76 to Elon in their first game, the Jayhawks could easily end up with 90 or more points in this contest. Whether the Tar Heels keep it close or get blown out, they'll score at least 75 points in what is sure to be a high-scoring back-and-forth game.
Pick: Over 160 (-110)
New Mexico (+5.5) vs. UCLA (-5.5) | O/U 153 (-108/-112)
The Lobos' first game of the season has me very concerned about their future. They defeated the Nicholls Colonels by a final score of just 91-84, and while they never trailed in the second half, they also never led by more than 12 points at any point throughout the game.
Meanwhile, the Bruins did exactly what they were supposed to in their opening game, defeating the Rider Broncs 85-50 and outscoring them by at least 17 points in each half.
This should be a very high-scoring contest based on how each team played in their first games. However, the Bruins will be the ones who determine the pace of this game. The Lobos scored 91 in their first game, but did they score that many because their offense is that good or just because they played a weak opponent? Look for the Bruins' defense to stifle the Lobos as the game wears on, as they win this game by double digits.
Pick: UCLA -5.5 (-110)
Northern Kentucky (+20.5) vs. Purdue (-20.5) | O/U 147.5 (-108/-112)
The Boilermakers began life without Zach Edey by defeating the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders 90-73. While the Boilermakers shot 56.4% from the field, they only outscored the Islanders 41-40 in the second half of the game.
The Boilermakers take on a Norse team that hung pretty tough with the Florida State Seminoles in their first game tonight. They were never actually a threat to win, but starting the year with a 12-point loss on the homecourt of a Power 5 team is something to be proud of.
The Boilermakers will likely be one of the best teams in the Big Ten again this season. However, trusting them with spreads over 20 points is a little early in the year. I don't truly know what this team is without Edey. And while Fletcher Loyer, Trey Kaufman-Renn, and Braden Smith will lead this team to many wins, they need to prove themselves consistently before being favoured by this much.
Pick: Northern Kentucky +20.5 (-110)
Phil Wood is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Phil, check out his archive and follow him @Phil_Wood_Jr.