After an opening night that featured Gonzaga looking unstoppable against top-10 Baylor and Texas A&M and Texas getting upset, we're moving on to a rather thin slate on Tuesday.
That doesn't mean there isn't betting value, though.
In fact, here's our college basketball best bets and predictions, including three picks for Tuesday's NCAAB games on November 5.
College Basketball Best Bets
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our college basketball betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 10 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. | ||
Evansville vs. North Texas
There may be no bigger discrepancy on experience than what is expected when North Texas tips against Evansville.
The Mean Green enter the season with one of the most experienced rosters in the nation, led by transfer guard Rondel Walker of Oklahoma State and TCU. Head coach Ross Hodge has an additional haul from the transfer portal that includes three guards who scored in double figures last season.
Although Hodge ran a 2023-24 offense that was near dead last in tempo, there are plenty of scorers on the latest roster that can knockdown shots.
With a spread north of 13 points, the biggest question is if Evansville can contribute to the total. The Purple Aces are on the upswing, winning 20 games in a three-year span since the pandemic. They posted 17 wins last season.
Head coach David Ragland believes the Purple Aces can exceed last year's win total despite just one returning starting.
There is good news from a total perspective: Ragland prefers a faster-paced game. In two seasons with the Purple Aces, Ragland has complied an adjusted tempo of 59th and 118th.
Look for the experience of North Texas to come into play when knocking down shots and cleaning the offensive glass.
Evansville prefers a faster-paced game, so it should assist to the total. But the Purple Aces' inexperience could result in a few Mean Green baskets after a ranking 46th in defensive turnover rate last season.
Pick: Over 133 (Play to 137)
Bethune-Cookman vs. Texas Tech
By John Feltman
Despite the departures of sensational guard Pop Isaacs to Creighton and Joe Toussaint, the Red Raiders are loaded entering the 2024-2025 season. It's the second year of the Grant McCasland era in Lubbock, and his team has NCAA Tournament hopes.
The Red Raiders kick their season off tonight against Bethune-Cookman, which is ranked 312th in KenPom entering the year.
There are many questions regarding who will fill the backcourt void for Texas Tech, but the loaded frontcourt is going to provide plenty of offensive production.
Darrion Williams, New Mexico transfer JT Toppin and Devan Cambridge can all score at will at the rim. The Red Raiders also brought in reliable reinforcements in the backcourt in Elijah Hawkins (Minnesota) and Kevin Overton (Drake).
Last season, the Red Raiders were a terrific physical team, and there is no reason why they can't repeat that in 2024-2025. They also have terrific 3-point shooters in Williams, Chance McMillian and Kerwin Walton, who all shot above 39% from deep last season.
The Wildcats are going through a rebuild after finishing 17-7 in the SWAC last season. Despite making some additions through the portal, they only have one returning starter.
The Wildcats were one of the worst teams in the country in foul rate last season, so it would not be surprising to see that trickle into this year before they establish their identity with a completely new rotation.
Many folks are underrating the Red Raiders entering the year, and the line has already begun to steam up. I expect a big performance tonight in Lubbock to tip-off the season with a statement win.
Pick: Texas Tech -30.5 (Play to -31)
UC Davis vs. Washington
By Sean Paul
I’m very out on the Washington Huskies this year. It feels like they had a fair amount of NIL resources to divide across their roster, but they opted on backing up the truck for Great Osobor.
This isn’t some overwhelming talented team besides Osobor, who is a very good player. But the question is, who is the Huskies' second-best player? Tyler Harris? DJ Davis? Mekhi Mason?
There's a lot of questions marks with guys jumping up levels, so I do think the Huskies are very overvalued here.
UC Davis is a middle-of-the-pack team with upside to finish third or fourth in the Big West. The main reason for that is guard TY Johnson, who added over 17 points per game a season ago.
Besides Johnson — and the now departed Eli Pepper — the Aggies' offense was dreadful in 2023-24. It’ll need to find more scoring outside of Johnson this season.
You can hang your hat on a Jim Les team forcing turnovers, though. The Aggies ranked in the top 50 in defensive turnover percentage last year and brought in defensive-menace Nils Cooper from Pepperdine.
I think the Aggies' defensive intensity will keep them close enough to Washington to secure the cover.
