College Basketball Picks For November 2nd – Opening Night Preview & Best Bets Recap
Colby Dant (@thecolbyd), Ryan McIntyre (@Moneyline_Mac) and Noah Bieniek (@NoahB77_) run through college basketball picks for opening night, game by game, before heading to Rock Hill with Troy Chewning (@Troychewning). Noah Bieniek calls Arizona minus 4.5 over UCLA his favorite lock, and Ryan McIntyre rides App State plus 3.5.
Notre Dame Gets The Season Started 1-0
The season already has a result on the ledger. All three hosts took Notre Dame against Villanova in Rome. The Irish closed on a 14-4 run to steal it, so the card opens 1-0. Colby Dant also sprinkled the money line, because his rule for games in Europe is to take the dog. Noah Bieniek, 96 hours off wisdom tooth surgery, pointed to 20 Villanova turnovers as the real story. Kwame Evans, who he thinks becomes the Wildcats’ best player, looked rusty with five turnovers and a minus nine. Meanwhile Notre Dame piled up 14 steals, and Brady Koehler earned a game ball. Then Ryan McIntyre called it a big ACC win. He also thinks Micah Shrewsberry needed it, since Mac has him on the hot seat.
Rock Hill Island Games And The First Battles
Colby Dant, Ryan McIntyre and Troy Chewning head to Rock Hill for 24 hours of hoops starting at midnight. The early games are all island games, so the guys lock every one. High Point and Liberty tip first, and it is a battle. Colby Dant takes Liberty and the points because their pack line defense is tough to prepare for. But Ryan McIntyre and Noah Bieniek both lay the 7.5 with High Point and call for a double-digit win. The case is the glass. High Point was built to rebound, and Liberty is still sorting out a front court that leans on D2 transfers. Then comes Grambling against Northern Illinois at 3 a.m. That line climbed from 4.5 to 6.5, and Colby Dant spotted 8.5 before grabbing Grambling. Ryan McIntyre is on the dog too, while Noah Bieniek stays with the Huskies.
App State at 6 a.m. is where the whole crew agrees. Everyone is on the Mountaineers plus 3.5 against Merrimack, and Colby Dant grabbed the money line around plus 150. Noah Bieniek also likes the under, because both defenses are stout and it could turn into a grinder. Queens and Winthrop split the room. Colby Dant and Ryan McIntyre lay the 1.5 with Queens on a revenge angle, since Queens should have won this game last year. But Noah Bieniek takes Winthrop on the money line. Mark Prosser is 3-0 against Grant Leonard over the last three years. Then everyone locks Tennessee State plus 10.5 against Murray State. The Tigers return four players from an OVC title roster and add transfers like Aaron Bradshaw from Memphis. So 10.5 at a neutral site is simply too many points.
UTEP minus 1.5 against Northern Kentucky gets backing from the whole booth, because the Norse lost their top five scorers. Noah Bieniek calls it one of his least confident picks, though. Next, Colby Dant and Ryan McIntyre lock UTSA plus 8.5 against San Jose State. Their view is that Tim Miles should not lay that number with this roster. UAB and McNeese is another battle. The line slid from 4.5 to 2.5, and Ryan McIntyre admits he bet a lot on UAB. His angle is Andy Kennedy against Bill Armstrong, who spent six years on his staff at Ole Miss. So he wants the dog outright. But Noah Bieniek locks McNeese instead. He sees an undersized Blazers front court against a team Armstrong had in the top 50 in offensive rebounding.
Florida, Miami And The Big Afternoon Locks
Florida against Miami in Tampa is the marquee early game. Colby Dant hates that it sits at a neutral site with no campus crowd, but he still lays 4.5 with the Gators. Noah Bieniek joins him. His read is that Florida’s defense is a little more reliable, and the Gators cover on free throws late. Ryan McIntyre locks Miami instead. He sees a one possession game and wants to fade a preseason No. 1 that has not played yet. Then Iowa State minus 13.5 against Memphis gets a double lock from Ryan McIntyre and Noah Bieniek. Sioux Falls is about two hours from Ames, so it plays like a road game for Memphis. Penny Hardaway also has a new staff and roster. Colby Dant lays it with Iowa State but stays off the lock.
The MAC and Sun Belt games are a running theme. Bowling Green plus 4.5 at Georgia State gets a double lock from Ryan McIntyre and Noah Bieniek, and Noah thinks the wrong team is favored. Todd Simon’s group blew out Texas State by 35 in last year’s opener, while Georgia State has a new coach. Colby Dant took the Falcons money line at plus 155 without locking. Meanwhile Coastal Carolina minus 1.5 against Eastern Michigan is a double lock for Colby Dant and Ryan McIntyre. Noah Bieniek also points to the under at 143.5. Then Marshall minus 1.5 against Buffalo becomes a triple lock. Noah calls it one of his favorite plays, because Buffalo lost its best players and he does not rate the coach.
Big numbers get poked at all day. Central Connecticut plus 15.5 at Temple is a double lock from Colby Dant and Ryan McIntyre, partly because Temple ranked 307th in tempo last year. Mac also locks Cornell plus 3.5 against Pepperdine, since he refuses to lay points three time zones away. Then Syracuse minus 27.5 against New Haven turns into a lock after Noah Bieniek shared that Jerry Mack’s father had just died. The guys expect the team to rally behind him in the home opener. At the Dean Dome, Noah locks Western Carolina plus 22.5 and calls for roughly a 14-point loss. His reason is rebounding, because Tim Craft had a top 40 offensive rebounding team. So Ryan McIntyre joins him and floats the first half money line too.
Youngstown, UMass And The Triple Locks
Colby Dant and Ryan McIntyre double lock Youngstown State plus 10.5 at St. Bonaventure, and they sprinkle the money line on top. Mac is fading the Bonnies on karma after how things ended with Schmidt. But Noah Bieniek goes the other way. New coach Mike McDonald brings three starters from Daemen, a D2 team that went 33-2, so Noah lays it with the Bonnies. Then UMass against Troy is where everyone agrees the wrong team is favored. Frank Martin has a Final Four on his resume, while Troy’s coach is working his first regular season game. So all three take UMass on the money line at plus 150. LIU at FAU is the bigger swing. Colby Dant and Ryan McIntyre back the Sharks at plus 430 on the money line.
Some games drew every hand in the booth. Marist minus 6.5 against Dartmouth is a triple lock, and Ryan McIntyre calls Marist his pick to win its league. St. Thomas minus 2.5 at Presbyterian is unanimous too, since Noah Bieniek sees the Tommies as a fair Summit League favorite. Then Penn State minus 21.5 against Canisius becomes a triple lock. Paired with the Pitt minus 27.5 lock against Rider, it also makes a front runner parlay. Noah is clear that the Penn State pick is about motivation, not quality. Loyola Chicago minus 14.5 against The Citadel is another triple lock, because the Ramblers are off a last place finish. Meanwhile UT Martin, catching 8.5, gets a triple lock on the money line at plus 270.
The battles keep coming. Ryan McIntyre takes JMU minus 1.5 against Miami Ohio, arguing the RedHawks are now the hunted. But Noah Bieniek and Colby Dant back Miami, and Noah notes Preston Spradlin’s defenses have mostly been weak. Next, Colby Dant locks Purdue plus 5.5 against Gonzaga in Las Vegas. Mac and Noah lock the Zags instead, because Noah thinks Purdue’s back court is a real question. Colby also locks Morehead State plus 17.5 against Western Kentucky, while Mac takes the Hilltoppers by 20. Then Mac and Noah double lock George Washington minus 16.5 against Navy, since Navy lost almost everyone. Noah adds locks on Mississippi State against Tennessee Tech and Kent State minus 5.5 at Louisiana Tech.
Late Night Locks Out West
The late window carries plenty of action. BYU minus 3.5 against Ohio State in Salt Lake City is a triple lock. Noah Bieniek thinks the Buckeyes get run off the floor after losing Bruce Thornton. Arizona against UCLA in Las Vegas is a battle. Colby Dant and Noah lock the Wildcats minus 4.5, and Noah calls it one of his favorite plays because of a front court mismatch. But Ryan McIntyre takes UCLA plus 4.5, because these games always come down to the wire. Then the Big Sky gets some love. Montana plus 17.5 at Oregon is a triple lock, and Noah calls it a coaching mismatch. Colby and Mac also double lock Eastern Washington plus 14.5 at Stanford, and they play the money line too.
A few more late locks round out the card. Colgate plus 14.5 at Washington is a triple lock, and Ryan McIntyre remembers Colgate hanging with Michigan State last year. Baylor minus 30 against Northwestern State is a triple lock as well, since it sets up as a front runner spot after Scott Drew’s worst year. Meanwhile Colby Dant and Mac lock Milwaukee plus 25.5 at USC. They also double lock Towson plus 15.5 at Santa Clara. Illinois State plus 6.5 at St. Mary’s gets a double lock from Mac and Noah Bieniek. Then Hawaii minus 1.5 against Seattle closes the slate as a triple lock. Mac expects the Rainbow Warriors to make a statement in their first game as a Mountain West member.
The Top College Basketball Picks On Opening Night
Each host closes with a top three and a money line dog. Colby Dant goes with Youngstown State against the Bonnies, then Florida A&M against Florida State and UT Martin. His money line dog is LIU at FAU. Ryan McIntyre rides three different 3.5-point dogs and expects each to win outright. He starts with App State against Merrimack, then adds UAB over McNeese and UMass at Troy. His long shot is Eastern Washington at plus 750 to beat Stanford. Noah Bieniek starts with Arizona minus 4.5 against UCLA. Next come Marshall minus 1.5 and High Point minus 7.5. His money line pick is Bowling Green at plus 154. So the three dogs together make a money line parlay that Noah priced at roughly 106 to 1.
Podcast Chapters
00:00 Download the SGPN App Today!
01:15 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Win in Italy
15:24 High Point vs. Liberty Picks
17:46 Grambling vs. Northern Illinois Picks
21:28 Merrimack vs. App State Picks
26:08 Queens vs. Winthrop Picks
28:58 Tennessee State vs. Murray State Picks
31:26 Northern Kentucky vs. UTEP Picks
34:06 UTSA vs. San Jose State Picks
36:05 UMBC vs. George Mason Picks
37:47 McNeese State vs. UAB Picks
41:19 Miami vs. Florida Picks
43:49 Oakland vs. Michigan Picks
46:19 Pepperdine vs. Cornell Picks
48:18 Bowling Green vs. Georgia State Picks
51:16 Loyola vs. Hoyas Picks
52:45 Army vs. Duke Picks
54:44 Monmouth vs. St. John’s Picks
56:46 Central Connecticut State vs. Temple Picks
58:20 Memphis vs. Iowa State Picks
1:01:49 Florida Gulf Coast vs. UCF Picks
1:02:49 Eastern Illinois vs. Bloomington Picks
1:03:11 Stetson vs. Clemson Picks
1:04:07 Bucknell vs. Maryland Picks
1:05:09 Eastern Michigan vs. Coastal Carolina Picks
1:07:41 Buffalo vs. Marshall Picks
1:09:37 Charlotte vs. Indiana State Picks
1:11:12 Charleston Southern vs. South Florida Picks
1:12:51 Western Michigan vs. ODU Picks
1:14:47 New Haven vs. Syracuse Picks
1:15:31 Western Carolina vs. North Carolina Picks
1:19:28 Mount St. Mary’s vs. Xavier Picks
1:20:57 Rider vs. Pitt Picks
1:22:30 Jack State vs. Texas Tech Picks
1:23:19 UNC Asheville vs. Richmond Picks
1:24:32 American vs. Cincinnati Picks
1:25:28 Youngstown State vs. Bonaventure Picks
1:26:48 Blarney vs. Vanderbilt Picks
1:28:21 Maine vs. Providence Picks
1:29:29 Northeastern vs. BU Picks
1:30:54 Vermont vs. New Rochelle Picks
1:32:12 NJIT vs. Dayton Picks
1:33:14 New Hampshire vs. Brown Picks
1:33:49 Dartmouth vs. Marist Picks
1:34:42 Miami Ohio vs. JMU Picks
1:38:12 Elon vs. Columbia Picks
1:38:58 South Carolina Upstate vs. ECU Picks
1:41:36 Ball State vs. Georgia Southern Picks
1:42:27 Niagara vs. Dub V Picks
1:43:47 Little Rock vs. VCU Picks
1:44:34 UMass vs. Troy Picks
1:46:02 LIU vs. FAU Picks
1:48:09 Quinnipiac vs. Sparty Picks
1:48:58 Air Force vs. Wright State Picks
1:49:53 St. Thomas vs. Presbyterian Picks
1:51:05 Denver vs. Wisconsin Picks
1:52:05 NC Central vs. Georgia Picks
1:53:58 Mercyhurst vs. Marquette Picks
1:54:34 Canisius vs. Penn State Picks
1:55:30 Le Moyne vs. Nebraska Picks
1:56:10 St. Peter’s vs. Seton Hall Picks
1:57:01 Tennessee Tech vs. Hail State Picks
1:58:26 Kent State vs. LaTech Picks
1:59:32 Morehead State vs. Western Kentucky Picks
2:00:45 Navy vs. George Washington Picks
2:01:38 Purdue vs. Gonzaga Picks
2:02:59 Central Michigan vs. Monroe Picks
2:03:57 Southern Indiana vs. Belmont Picks
2:05:04 Campbell vs. NC State Picks
2:06:01 Lipscomb vs. SEMO Picks
2:06:56 UT Martin Moneyline Pick
2:08:29 West Georgia vs. DePaul Picks
2:08:55 Lindenwood vs. TCU Picks
2:10:20 Fordham vs. Kansas Picks
2:11:10 Texas A&M Commerce vs. Oklahoma Picks
2:11:46 Siena vs. Bryant Picks
2:12:22 Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Illinois Picks
2:13:05 Toledo vs. Arkansas State Picks
2:14:22 Maryland Eastern Shore vs. Wake Picks
2:14:39 UMKC vs. Omaha Picks
2:15:22 Binghamton vs. Northwestern Picks
2:16:00 Western Illinois vs. Valpo Picks
2:16:56 Bethune-Cookman vs. Furman Picks
2:17:58 Louisiana vs. Akron Picks
2:18:49 Southern vs. SMU Picks
2:19:27 Corpus Christi vs. Texas State Picks
2:20:33 The Citadel vs. Loyola Chicago Picks
2:21:15 Ohio vs. South Alabama Picks
2:22:44 Florida A&M vs. Florida State Picks
2:23:24 Oral Roberts vs. Central Arkansas Picks
2:24:02 Alcorn State vs. Rebels Picks
2:24:30 Chattanooga vs. Louisville Picks
2:26:16 Ohio State vs. BYU Picks
2:27:15 Incarnate Word vs. Oklahoma State Picks
2:27:48 Utah Tech vs. New Mexico Picks
2:28:23 Chica vs. Texas Picks
2:28:59 Abilene Christian vs. Colorado Picks
2:29:37 Long Beach State vs. Utah Picks
2:31:42 Fighting Sioux vs. Gophers Picks
2:32:18 Texas Southern vs. Grand Canyon Picks
2:32:47 Gardner-Webb vs. UConn Picks
2:33:30 LaSalle vs. Houston Picks
2:34:49 Davidson vs. Wazzu Picks
2:36:21 Idaho State vs. Utah State Picks
2:37:00 Northwestern State vs. Baylor Picks
2:38:00 Bob Morris vs. Nevada Picks
2:39:00 Weber State vs. Oregon State Picks
2:39:38 East Tennessee State vs. Randy Bennett Picks
2:40:38 Towson vs. Santa Clara Picks
2:41:34 North Alabama vs. Davis Picks
2:42:00 Colgate vs. Washington Picks
2:43:11 Eastern Washington vs. Stanford Picks
2:44:06 Montana State vs. Colorado State Picks
2:44:30 UCLA vs. Arizona Picks
2:46:12 Illinois State vs. St. Mary’s Picks
2:46:55 Radford vs. San Francisco Picks
2:47:25 Montana vs. Oregon Picks
2:48:00 Milwaukee vs. USC Picks
2:48:51 Seattle vs. Hawaii Picks
2:49:47 Top Three Plays of the Day
2:54:09 Sign-Off & Socials
