Night three of the college basketball season doesn't bring any massively intriguing matchups to the table.
But that doesn't mean there isn't opportunities to find betting spots.
Read below for college basketball best bets, including three NCAAB expert picks and predictions for Wednesday, November 5.
College Basketball Best Bets
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 6 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 10:30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NCAAB Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Rider vs. Rutgers
A new Rutgers era begins without Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey. Steve Pikiell returns to his roots with a more workmanlike team, without the star power of that luminary one-and-done duo.
For a Big Ten team, though, the Scarlet Knights’ talent level is low, particularly on offense.
Two international mystery men — Harun Zrno and Denis Badalau — need to provide some scoring juice, as the returning Knights core (guard Jamichael Davis, wing Dylan Grant, center Emmanuel Ogbole) is tilted heavily towards the defensive end.
That gives scrappy underdog Rider a chance to hang around.
Rider battled for a half in Charlottesville on Monday, trailing by only 10 at the break. The Broncs managed a dismal four points in the first 13 minutes of the second half, though, and Virginia was able to pull away.
Still, facing some “live bullets” – and handling the situation well for 20 minutes – should give Rider some confidence as it takes on a much less talented power conference foe.
Plus, that game only had 64 possessions — a great tempo for a 'dog to stay within the number.
With this shaky new Rutgers roster, I need to see it as a heavy favorite.
For what it’s worth, I also bet the under on this game, as I think both offenses could have a real struggle finding points. The market bet it down hard, but I would still consider it at 139 or higher.
Pick: Rider +19.5 (Play to +18)
Tarleton State vs. LSU
Like Rider above, Tarleton State is playing its second game of the season, while this is LSU’s debut. That can be beneficial, particularly for an underdog that's already seen a hostile environment.
In Tarleton’s case, the Texans held up well in their road debut. They were down single-digits at SMU with five minutes to play before a late Mustangs surge pushed the game out of reach. However, the Texans still covered the +21.5 spread.
This early in the season, I have no concerns about fatigue. The travel could be a drawback — as it's a long bus ride from Dallas to Baton Rouge — but the advantage of having already played a game that counts overrides that for me.
I buy that considering the talent on this roster. Dior Johnson was once a top-30 high school recruit and was the top junior college player available a year ago before he committed to UCF. He lit up SMU for 23 points in just 23 minutes.
Tarleton State returns Freddy Hicks, a super-veteran whose career began in 2020 and received an injunction against the NCAA to play this year, and added Cam McDowell, a big-time scorer from the Division II level who got looks from Kansas and other power-conference schools.
LSU isn't going to massively outclass the Texans there.
Lastly, Billy Gillispie thrives in these situations. Since joining Division I in 2020, Tarleton State has been an underdog of 15+ points 16 times, and Gillipsie’s Texans are 11-5 against the spread in that span with an average cover margin of +2.8 points per game.
His teams know how to hang around and will battle late.
Pick: Tarleton State +17 (Play to +16)
Eastern Washington vs. Loyola Marymount
The nightcap takes us to Los Angeles, where we have a third instance of the underdog playing its second game against a favorite making its season debut (well, against a Division I opponent).
This time, though, I'm riding with the under.
Eastern Washington battled with UCLA on Monday, but notably, the Eagles played long possessions on offense. Considering they lost leading returning scorer Andrew Cook to a season-ending injury in the preseason, slowing the game down as an underdog makes a lot of sense.
They scored efficiently, but that was largely due to a sleepy Bruins defense that gave up too many layups. Loyola Marymount’s massive starting lineup – three players standing 6-foot-6, plus a frontcourt of 6-foot-8 and 7-foot-1 – should limit such easy opportunities.
LMU, meanwhile, dominated Lincoln (CA), a ragtag basketball team for a school that's only in its third year of sponsoring sports. Lincoln isn't even affiliated with any sporting body — NCAA, NAIA, etc. That contest, a 137-54 blowout in favor of the Lions, is hardly a representation of a real basketball game.
To that point, Loyola Marymount played a 78-possession game against a non-Division I foe in its opener last season. The following game was only 69 possessions.
I expect a similar drop in pace, especially against Eastern Washington, an underdog that's missing a key offensive piece and will want to shorten the game.
Pick: Under 154.5 (Play to 150)
