There are some incredible games on the college basketball slate tonight. The biggest game of the night is the North Carolina-Kansas matchup. It’s a top-ten matchup that all college basketball fans will be watching. We asked the AI Model about that specific game and a couple of others.
Let’s get right to it!
Picks Summary
- Kansas -7.5 (-110)
- George Mason-Marquette Under 146 (-110)
- UCLA -5.5 (-110)
*All odds from Caesars Sportsbook (check our Caesars Sportsbook Review)
North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Kansas Jayhawks
Friday, November 08, 2024 – 07:00 PM ET at Allen Fieldhouse
The AI Model believes Kansas will earn an eight-point win over North Carolina. However, you can find Kansas at -7.5 (-110) via Caesars. Kansas has some value in this game.
Not Impressed With North Carolina
The North Carolina Tar Heels began the season with a 90-76 win over Elon. The Tar Heels didn’t cover the spread and barely got to the foul line.
Beyond that, North Carolina shot below 40% from shots inside the arc. That’s inexcusable. They were saved from 40% to three. But that’s also very unsustainable for this group. Ultimately, it’ll be much harder against Kansas than against Elon.
Kansas Impressed Way More
Kansas earned a 30-point win in their debut against Howard. The No. 1 team in the country shot a 70.8% effective field goal percentage and nailed 50% from three and 67.7% from inside the arc.
Again, don’t expect these numbers to last against North Carolina. But Kansas is much deeper than North Carolina heading into this game.
After all, North Carolina allowed Elon to shoot 44.8% from three. If Kansas feels it at home, this game could be over quickly.
I’ll side with the AI Model and take Kansas at -7.5.
NCAAB Pick: Kansas -7.5 (-110) at Caesars Sportsbook
George Mason Patriots vs. Marquette Golden Eagles
Friday, November 08, 2024 – 09:00 PM ET at Fiserv Forum
Our AI Model believes Marquette and George Mason will combine for just 134 points. However, at Caesars, the total is set at 146. That’s a 12-point gap and a good reason to back the Under for this game.
George Mason Had Some Struggles In Game 1
The George Mason Patriots added a 75-58 win over North Carolina Central. All was well, right?
Wrong.
George Mason turned the ball over 24.9% from the time and shot an effective field goal percentage of 43.1% after hitting just 11.8% from downtown. The turnovers will likely remain high against Marquette, and the Patriots certainly won’t get better looks from three against the Golden Eagles.
Marquette Won’t Win By 40 Every Game
The Marquette Golden Eagles dominated Stony Brook to begin the season, earning a 102-62 victory. The offense shot 83.8% from inside the arc and gained 41.9% of offensive rebounds.
These numbers are unsustainable. George Mason is way stronger inside defensively and won’t allow for nearly as many second chances.
Side with the AI Model and grab the Under 146 at -110 betting odds.
NCAAB Pick: Under 146 (-110) at Caesars Sportsbook
New Mexico Lobos vs. UCLA Bruins
Friday, November 08, 2024 – 11:00 PM ET at Lee’s Family Forum
The AI Model suggests UCLA will add an 82-71 win over New Mexico. However, UCLA is only a five-point favorite at home. There’s plenty of value on UCLA in tonight’s late-night matchup.
New Mexico’s Spotty Offense
The New Mexico Lobos already played a game against Nicholls this season. In that game, New Mexico earned a 91-84 win. However, the offense wasn’t elite. Simply put, the pace of play got them a lot of buckets.
After all, New Mexico shot just 19.4% from three and a 42.6% effective field goal percentage. That won’t cut it against UCLA on the road.
UCLA Looks Much Better
You would’ve liked to see UCLA get to the foul line more against Rider. Yet, despite the minimal foul shots, UCLA still added an 85-50 win over Rider in its first game of the season.
UCLA shot an effective field goal percentage of 60% and hit 66.7% from inside the arc. The Bruins were dominant on the offensive glass, rarely turned the ball over, and hit 34.5% from three.
That’s big, especially after Nicholls already knocked down 40.5% from deep against New Mexico earlier this season.
Take UCLA at -5.5. I’m with the AI Model.
NCAAB Pick: UCLA -5.5 (-110) at Caesars Sportsbook
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*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
