NCAAB Pick: BYU -2½ (-110) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
The best thing about the first couple of months of a college basketball season is there are great matchups on Friday nights, and our handicapper at the top sportsbooks is looking at the NCAAB odds for three of those contests on the first Friday fixture.
Arizona Wildcats vs. Duke Blue Devils
Friday, November 10, 2023 – 07:00 PM ET at Cameron Indoor Stadium
And on the fifth day of the 2023-24 college hoops season, the basketball gods said, “Let there be a bona fide Final Four clash for bettors!” And there was much rejoicing.
We certainly have one of those Friday evenings when the Arizona Wildcats and Duke Blue Devils – two teams with lofty rankings and favorable college basketball futures – collide in Durham where the Cameron Crazies will be out in full force.
‘Cats & Dookies Cover Big Spreads in Openers
Arizona and Duke tuned up for this meeting with what amounted to nothing more than glorified scrimmages to begin their seasons. The Wildcats shot better than 55% and came away with 16 steals in a wire-to-wire win over Morgan State, 122-59. Arizona was favored by 40.
The Blue Devils took on Dartmouth and also never trailed in a 92-54 final while giving up 27½. Led by Kyle Filipowski’s 25 points on 10-of-12 shooting, Duke shot 64.4% (38-59) in the game.
1st Meeting in 10 Years
This is the 10th meeting between the two schools, and the first since 2013 when Arizona beat Duke 72-66 in the NIT Season Tip-Off Championship. The Wildcats were favored by 3 in handing the Blue Devils a rare Madison Square Garden loss, and Arizona holds a 5-4 edge in the rivalry.
Expect BetOnline and other shops to inflate Duke to chalk in the range of 5-5½, and that’s a little fat for this Arizona team. Take the points.
NCAAB Pick: Arizona +5½ (-110) at BetOnline
Texas A&M Aggies vs. Ohio State Buckeyes
Friday, November 10, 2023 – 07:00 PM ET at Value City Arena
Is this the season Buzz Williams and the Aggies take the next step to be a legit Sweet 16 squad, or better? Texas A&M has come up short of expectations in recent years, and this team can show it’s ready to follow through with a road win against an Ohio State team anxious to return to the NCAA Tournament.
OSU 7-7 ATS Last 14 Non-Con Home Games
The Buckeyes should find themselves favored by a bucket on the NCAAB odds boards with the total in the low-140s.
The Aggies and Buckeyes have only met three times, with Friday’s collision the first since they squared off in the 2007 Preseason NIT Championship. Texas A&M coasted to a 70-47 decision as 1½-point chalk. The teams split the other two contests, which took place in 1947 and 1957.
Ags & Buckeyes Each Down a Key Player
The Aggies were tested early by their sister squad Texas A&M-Commerce, but pulled away midway through the first half of their opener for a 78-46. Favored by 21½, the Aggies smoked the Lions on the boards 47-21, including pulling down 16 offensive rebounds.
Chris Holtmann and the Buckeyes were more than tested in their season opener on Monday, but survived for a 79-73 win against Oakland. Ohio State was favored by 19½ and trailed most of the first 30 minutes, and ultimately won the game at the foul line by outscoring the Grizzlies 24-11.
Julius Marble of Texas A&M missed the opener and is questionable to play Friday as he goes through what his head coach called a “university process.” Prize freshman Taison Chatman is questionable for Ohio State with a knee injury.
This should be a close game, and one that doesn’t make it out of the 130s for the total.
NCAAB Pick: Under 138 (-110) at Heritage Sports (visit our Heritage Sports Review)
San Diego State Aztecs vs. BYU Cougars
Friday, November 10, 2023 – 09:00 PM ET at Marriott Center
The Arizona-Duke contest deservedly tops all of the Friday matchups, but the late tip in Provo between BYU and San Diego State is equally intriguing to yours truly.
Underdogs Cover 3 of Last 4 Meetings
Former rivals in both the Mountain West and Western Athletic Conferences, these two teams are well acquainted with each other with Friday’s tussle the 78th in the rivalry. Brigham Young owns a pronounced 50-27 lead in the series, but the last 10 contests have been split down the middle.
San Diego State hosted BYU last November, and the Aztecs prevailed by an 82-75 count. The Cougars covered with the generous 10½ they were getting, and the final went ‘over’ for the fifth time in the last six meetings.
Raining 3’s is Marriot Center Forecast
If their season openers were any indication of what’s to come, then we should see a deluge of 3-point shots in Friday’s affair. BYU put up 44 shots from beyond the arc, making 15, in a 110-63 romp past Houston Christian, while San Diego State canned 9-of-31 attempts from 3-point land in an 83-57 win over Cal State Fullerton.
The Aztecs could get Darrion Trammell on the floor at least for a few minutes in this one. Trammell, the leading scorer back from last year’s SDSU squad, is dealing with a shoulder injury and will be a game-time decision.
Simply put, this is not the San Diego State team that played for the National Championship seven months ago, and BYU is the smart play as a small favorite.
NCAAB Pick: BYU -2½ (-110) at BetOnline
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
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