Bottom of the Barrel Picks for Saturday, November 26
There's nothing like college basketball's Feast Week. It presents a great opportunity to see how teams fair when matched up against stout competition on a neutral court. It's also a rare chance for teams that lack strength of schedule to earn wins against elite programs.
But with so many games on the slate, it can be easy to lose track of the matchups that might not be at the top of the thrill ranking, letting profit slide through the tracks.
That's what the Bottom of the Barrel is for.
Here's three games you don't want to overlook on Saturday.
Bottom of the Barrel Saturday College Basketball Best Bets
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that Keg is targeting from Saturday's slate of games. Click the team logos for one the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
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| Specific bet 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. | ||
Queens (NC) vs. George Mason
Saturday, Nov. 26 2 p.m. ET ESPN+ |
Queens (NC) Spread  |
By Keg
Say hello to Queens University, a team some people might not even know exists, much less that it has a game on Saturday.
The Royals will head to Fairfax, VA to square off against the George Mason Patriots.
Queens has already earned some impressive wins this season, having beaten Marshall and Morgan State, while keeping it especially close vs. La Salle.
The Royals have done two things well that I think can be enough for them to — at the very least — keep it close against the Patriots.
First and foremost, they are dominant on the glass. They rank inside the top 60 when it comes to both offensive and defensive rebounding. Not to mention, they are the 10th best team in the country when it comes to limiting opponents' defensive rebounds.
They also rank inside the top 75 when it comes to both effective field goal percentage and overall shooting efficiency.
I think this Queens team can beat George Mason based on its shooting ability alone, but the rebounding is huge — given the fact George Mason averages 12.2 second-chance points a game.
I expect the Royals to open as an 8-to-10 point underdog, and I would back them at any number, along with making a small wager on the moneyline.
Pick: Queens +8.5 (Play to Any Number Spread & ML)
Southern Indiana vs. Bowling Green
Saturday, Nov. 26 4 p.m. ET ESPN+ |
Southern Indiana -3 or Better  |
By Keg
I'm not going to lie: I was looking to include Southern Indiana here since last week. That's not because I think it's going to win the OVC (it is), but as more and more people become aware of Southern Indiana, I keep seeing them call the team the "Screaming Eagles."
These are the Screagles. I grew up maybe two hours from SIU and know plenty of people who went there. Never in my life have I heard someone call SIU the Screaming Eagles. It's always been the Screagles, and it's always going to be the Screagles. Please respect them as such.
Now, the Screagles boast an effective field goal percentage that ranks inside the 87th percentile (56.8%). They're also one of the best teams in the country from beyond the arc, as they hit 42.5% of their 3s, which puts them in the 97th percentile.
On the defensive side of the ball, Southern Indiana is ending 12.5% of opponents' possessions with a steal and 10% of them with a block.
This team should find success against a Bowling Green team that allows opponents to hit 35.3% from beyond the arc and owns a defense that struggles overall.
I'll be backing the Screagles as high as a three-point favorite.
Pick: Southern Indiana -3 or Better |
What is QuickSlip?
QuickSlip is an Action Network feature that allows users to automatically pre-load their bet slip at FanDuel Sportsbook.
Iona vs. Santa Clara
Saturday, Nov. 26 11:59 p.m. ET BeTheBeast PPV |
Iona -5 or Better  |
By Keg
At Midnight ET, Rick Pitino will lead his Iona Gaels against the Santa Clara Broncos in Orleans Arena. That's not a scene from Fear and Loathing; it's just the Las Vegas Holiday Classic.
Iona lives and dies with non-conference games due to the lack of competition it faces in conference. The Gaels need to win these games, and they need to win them convincingly.
And that's exactly what I expect the Gaels to do.
They may have some issues against a Broncos defense that is fifth in the country when it comes to limiting opponents' offensive rebounds, but it's nothing I don't think they can handle.
The Gaels are one of the best teams in the country when it comes to limiting mistakes, ranking second in turnover percentage and fifth in steal percentage, per KenPom.
Also, Iona has an pretty impressive defense of its own, holding opponents to an effective field goal percentage of 47.2%.
Back the Gaels as high as a five-point favorite to take care of business in Vegas.
Pick: Iona -5 or Better |
Beverage of the Week
In honor of the Gaels squaring off in Vegas, one bourbon in particular jumped out at me — one I actually picked up earlier this week for the first time and have enjoyed so far.
Lucky 7: The Jokester
Named in honor of the famous Warner Brothers Stage 7, Lucky Seven is a six-year bourbon that doesn't have much bite to it, but instead, has a great sweet flavor that has been surprisingly enjoyable.
Cheers, and good luck this weekend.
