College Basketball Picks For November 8th – NCAA Basketball Banter & Best Bets Recap
The College Basketball Experience (@TCEonSGPN) on the Sports Gambling Podcast breaks down every game on the College Basketball slate on Sunday, November 8th. Colby Dant (@TheColbyD), Ryan McIntyre (@Moneyline_Mac), Noah Bieniek (@NoahB77_), and Michael Huffer (@michael_huffer3) discuss their favorite games and give out their best bets.
Noah Bieniek (@NoahB77_) and Pump Fake Pod co-founder Michael Huffer (@michael_huffer3) team up for college basketball picks for November 8th while Colby Dant (@thecolbyd) and Ryan McIntyre (@Moneyline_Mac) are out at games. Noah Bieniek’s favorite bet is Western Michigan minus 4.5 against Campbell, and Michael Huffer leads off with Western Kentucky at Tennessee Tech.
Memphis Survives The Foul Fest In Saturday’s Game Balls
Noah Bieniek hands the first game ball to Memphis, and it came out of a foul fest that ran two and a half hours. The Tigers got to the line 38 times and made only 25. But Jaden Reed, the Northwestern transfer, carried them with 32 points and hit the two game-winning free throws over VCU. VCU led by 10 in the second half, so this was a real comeback. Memphis now owns early wins over Iowa State and VCU, two NCAA tournament teams. That matters because Penny Hardaway came into the year as a possible hot seat candidate. Michael Huffer calls this one of the best Memphis rosters yet and says to look out for the Tigers.
Michael Huffer goes to IU Indy, which won as a two-and-a-half point dog against UT Martin in the new James T. Morris Arena. The press is the whole handicap with this team. It scrambles opponents early, so the first half is where to bet them. Then they gas out, and they scored only about 12 points in the first 10 minutes after halftime. The press stepped up late anyway, and Gus Etchison finished with 24. Noah Bieniek also adds Pacific, which went into Peoria and beat Bradley 63-52 outright as a dog. Dave Smart’s group held the Braves to 29% from the floor and led by 17 in the second half. Jane Winston led the team with 20 points and five steals.
Georgetown over Maryland was the most complete win on the board. Kentucky transfer Jalen Lowe scored 22 on 5 for 8 from three, and the Hoyas hit 15 of 30 from deep. Maryland’s biggest lead was two, five minutes into the game. Noah Bieniek took the Terps, VCU and Providence in the three biggest games and missed all of them. So the card still went six and six, with best bets at three and one. Nebraska’s defense is the reason Providence lost. Nebraska held the Friars to 31% shooting and created 12 steals. Then they scored off turnovers in transition instead of leaning on threes.
Dayton Drops One At Home And More Game Balls
Michael Huffer bet Winthrop minus nine and a half in the first game of the day, and North Dakota made that look silly. North Dakota went 34 for 41 at the line. They shot 3 for 20 from three, so driving the ball was the only plan, and it worked. They also climbed out of an 18-4 hole in the first five minutes. Then a Winthrop assistant ran halfway onto the court late and drew a technical. That was a bad look, but it did not decide the game. North Dakota led for most of the second half and earned this one.
The biggest money line dog to cash on Saturday was Northern Illinois, winning in overtime at UD Arena. The Huskies scored 14 points in the extra five minutes after three starters fouled out. Max Weisbrod went for 19 points, eight assists and six boards. Meanwhile David Douglas added 27, so it was a two-man show. Dayton took 41 free throw attempts and still lost, which is a no-no at home. Michael Huffer says Anthony Grant’s seat has gone from hot to the sauna. The schedule won’t help either, because Cincinnati, Northwestern, Memphis and Florida State are still ahead before A-10 play.
Morgan State was a triple lock on the previous night’s show at plus three and a half, and the Bears won outright at Niagara. They went 23 for 27 at the line once the foul game started. Toledo also gets a shout after winning 81-76 at Marshall. Minor Strong led the Rockets in minutes and points and added seven steals. Marshall turned it over 16 times, and Toledo only five. Then St. Bonaventure beat Canisius 88-49, a quadruple cover of the spread. Finally, Rhode Island beat Monmouth 84-66 for another triple cover. The Rams stay a flag-plant team for Noah Bieniek, because the market still looks a step behind them.
College Basketball Picks November 8th: The Early Window
Sunday tips at noon Eastern with Iona at St. John’s in Madison Square Garden, where Rick Pitino faces the program that brought him back. Michael Huffer takes Iona plus 28 and a half, and 29 and a half may be out there too. Iona can limit possessions, and a backdoor is always live at that price. Noah Bieniek picks St. John’s without betting it. Iona ranks 306th in turnover percentage, and the Johnnies had 14 steals against Monmouth. Next up, Fairfield at Bryant had no posted line. Both hosts still take Bryant as a likely short home dog. Bryant’s frontcourt can match Fairfield’s physicality, so the points look right.
Arkansas and Virginia at Capital One Arena is the biggest game on paper, with Virginia laying one and a half and a total of 162. Michael Huffer goes with the Cavaliers. Virginia has experience and an offense that can keep pace. So the swing factor is turnovers, because nobody wants Arkansas running in transition. Noah Bieniek goes the other way and locks Arkansas plus three and a half. The number has moved, with some books at three, so shop it. Jordan Smith is from the DMV area. This sets up as a homecoming where the freshman can be the best player on the floor. That gives the show its first lock battle of the day. Michael Huffer has a fix for it, a middle with Virginia winning by two.
Princeton at Siena turns into another split. Michael Huffer likes Siena’s offense in Nevada Smith’s first home game as head coach. Noah Bieniek locks Princeton minus one, the opening number, because of all that returning production. Siena has six or seven freshmen expected to play big minutes, and that is a lot to ask in November. Then the guys finally line up. Western Michigan minus four and a half against Campbell is a double lock in Khalil Fennell’s home opener. Rob Lee shot 40% from three on six attempts a game for Lamar last season. Boise State laying two and a half against Butler also gets both votes. Butler has scored 96 and 99, but Boise at home is a much tougher test.
The Double Locks And The Tahoe Split
Western Kentucky laying two and a half at Tennessee Tech, total 162, is a double lock. The Hilltoppers returned two starters and added older depth from the portal. So a short road number looks cheap for a real Conference USA contender. Idaho State is the other shared play. The Bengals catch five and a half against Air Force, and Noah Bieniek thinks the wrong team is favored. Looney is the better coach right now than Joe Crispin, who is three games into his Air Force tenure. The money line sits at plus 210 or better. St. Peter’s at NJIT also gets both votes as a foxhole spot. NJIT hasn’t topped 60 points this season, and the Peacocks defense is very good.
Richmond lays one and a half against Temple at the Palestra, and Noah Bieniek calls Temple an outright winner. The Owls have more proven production, including high-major transfers from the Big Ten in the backcourt. Next comes the second lock battle, in Bakersfield. North Dakota State is favored by one and a half, total 157.5, in its fourth game of the season. Michael Huffer backs the Bison to find a win at the end of the trip west. Noah Bieniek locks Bakersfield because this is the first Division I game under Todd Lee, so there is little tape to prepare for. UTEP catching one and a half against Incarnate Word is a shared play. UT Arlington plus nine and a half at Hawaii is also a double lock.
Lake Tahoe hosts three games, and the guys split on two of them. Nevada lays one and a half against St. Mary’s with a total of 145.5. Noah Bieniek likes the over because Mickey McConnell’s Gaels have scored 90 and 105. They also dragged two slow teams into firefights. Michael Huffer would rather take Nevada on the money line in the morning. Houston minus 17 and a half over Cal is a double lock. Cal’s young backcourt is walking into Kelvin Sampson’s defense. Then USC against Wichita State becomes the final lock battle of the night. Noah Bieniek lays five and a half and trusts the Trojans’ talent. Michael Huffer takes Wichita State plus five and a half and calls an outright win.
Best Bets And The Money Line Dog
Michael Huffer leads off the best bets with Western Kentucky in a good road spot. Next is UT Arlington plus nine and a half on the island. Boise State at home over Butler also makes the list. The Broncos should tighten up their three-point defense and look like the old Leon Rice teams again. The money line dog is Siena at home against Princeton, since Princeton’s luck has to run out sometime. That runs straight into the Princeton lock from Noah Bieniek, so one of them is wrong. A Nevada money line against St. Mary’s goes on the card as well. The joke is that Steve Alford runs the table in his final season.
Noah Bieniek starts with Western Michigan minus four and a half against Campbell. Khalil Fennell’s backcourt, brought over from UTRGV and Lamar, is loaded, and there is real excitement for the home opener. Next is UTEP plus one and a half against Incarnate Word. The Miners put up 76 on Northern Kentucky, which is a lot for a Joe Golding team. They also held NKU to 4 of 21 from deep. USC minus five and a half against Wichita State closes the list, because three McDonald’s All-Americans are playing role minutes. Finally, the money line dog is Idaho State at plus 210 over Air Force. Take the five and a half alongside it if you want some cover.
Podcast Chapters
00:00 Download the SGPN App Today!
00:41 Welcome to the College Basketball Experience
02:36 Saturday Game Balls: Memphis, Georgetown & Northern Illinois
26:38 Sunday November 8th Slate
27:56 Iona vs. St. John’s Picks
30:55 Fairfield vs. Bryant Picks
33:41 Arkansas vs. Virginia Picks
39:09 Princeton vs. Siena Picks
43:25 Sacred Heart vs. New Hampshire Picks
46:37 Manhattan vs. Maine Picks
48:54 Marist vs. UMass Lowell Picks
52:16 Southeast Missouri State vs. South Carolina Picks
55:09 Campbell vs. Western Michigan Picks
58:39 Butler vs. Boise State Picks
1:02:32 Merrimack vs. Albany Picks
1:05:42 Central Connecticut vs. Dartmouth Picks
1:08:36 Quinnipiac vs. Vermont Picks
1:11:55 Green Bay vs. St. Thomas Picks
1:15:19 Brown vs. Lehigh Picks
1:17:27 Western Kentucky vs. Tennessee Tech Picks
1:22:45 Idaho State vs. Air Force Picks
1:24:37 Southern vs. Drake Picks
1:27:34 St. Peter’s vs. NJIT Picks
1:29:11 Rider vs. Binghamton Picks
1:31:18 St. Mary’s vs. Nevada Picks
1:35:00 Richmond vs. Temple Picks
1:37:33 Norfolk State vs. William & Mary Picks
1:39:59 North Dakota State vs. Bakersfield Picks
1:43:45 Incarnate Word vs. UTEP Picks
1:46:20 Pitt vs. Penn State Picks
1:48:56 Cal vs. Houston Picks
1:52:41 UT Arlington vs. Hawaii Picks
1:55:03 USC vs. Wichita State Picks
1:59:17 Favorite Bets & Money Line Dog
2:05:33 Sign-Off & Socials
