The ACC/SEC Challenge begins on Tuesday, providing this week with some intriguing matchups for our post-Feast Week excitement.
But before we get to UNC vs. Kentucky and more, there's value on the college basketball betting board on Monday.
Read below for college basketball best bets, including three NCAAB picks and predictions for Monday, December 1.
College Basketball Best Bets
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 6:30 p.m. | |
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 8 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. | ||
Temple vs. Villanova
The Owls continue to be a "whack-a-mole" team under Adam Fisher. There's no better example than their 1-2 MTE performance last weekend, when Temple’s porous defense surrendered 90 points on two separate occasions while also mustering a respectable victory over Princeton in between.
The key to that victory over Princeton reveals the ideal matchup opponent for this undersized, perimeter-oriented Owls squad.
On Monday, Villanova may be forced to trot out a four-guard lineup and perhaps five-out looks if Duke Brennan remains out (Brennan is nursing a sprained ankle but could return to action this evening).
This could turn into a shootout at the Pavilion, but Fisher’s Owls are potent enough offensively to keep pace for 40 minutes and stay inside the number.
Remember, Fisher lost to Nova by a million last season, so it’s fair to assume he should be extra dialed for this shot at redemption.
Pick: Temple +13 (Play to +12)
UAB vs. Middle Tennessee
A longtime rivalry dating back to the old Conference USA days has continued under Nick McDevitt and Andy Kennedy. The last two campaigns McDevitt has outdueled Kennedy, despite having the inferior team both seasons.
The matchup familiarity is notable here, especially with UAB’s willingness to mix and match man-to-man and zone defenses, a chess move McDevitt countered ably the last two seasons.
The Blue Raiders aren't a prolific zone-busting shooting team, but they can shoot, and boast a few skilled forwards who can operate in the creases of whatever scheme Kennedy deploys on Monday.
The Blazers are heating up after a dominant win over High Point a week ago, but Kennedy’s teams tend to be highly volatile operations.
On Monday, I’m betting the MTE hangover manifests in a lackluster performance against the hungrier Raiders at home, where Middle Tennessee is 35-19 against-the-spread since 2021.
Pick: Middle Tennessee +3.5 (Play to +2)
Bowling Green vs. Kansas State
Kansas State has looked both dangerous and dreadful over the first month of the season. This revamped roster is flushed with shooting and shotmaking but shy on defense and physicality.
This line looks short, but Kansas State’s DNA isn't built to blow teams away, barring a historic 3-point shooting barrage (which is possible).
Bowling Green is long and athletic at all five positions and shouldn't be outmanned or outgunned from a sheer physicality perspective.
Additionally, Todd Simon’s shapeshifting defenses (including a unique zone curveball) could present adjustment challenges for this Wildcat backcourt.
Finally, Bowling Green's lackluster schedule year-to-date omits its preseason exhibition contest against Michigan State. Reportedly, Bowling Green competed with the vaunted Spartans, evidence that this roster is capable of holding its own in hostile territory.
The Falcons’ elite ability to force turnovers should be the difference in winning the possession battle on Monday, and that'll help them keep this game within arm’s reach.
Pick: Bowling Green +12.5 (Play to +10)
