Feast week rolls in to day two, and we’ve got another absolute banger of a slate. Whether you love or hate the Players’ Era tournament, there are a couple of plays on the board that you’ll want to tail. In fact, we’ve gone through today’s slate and found a trio of college basketball picks that you’ll want to lock in. Let’s keep eating!
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College Basketball Preview, Picks, and Best Bets for November 25
Matt Dewoskin ATS College Basketball Picks Record (Est 11/3/2025)
All ATS Selections: 38-27-1
Perfect 3-0 Cards: 2-19
Iowa State at Creighton
Start Time: 2:00 PM EST
Iowa State eked out a one-point win over St. John’s in their first Players’ Era game, while Creighton never led against Baylor. The Blue Jays lost their first game by seven.
Iowa State is better than Creighton all over the floor. The back court? The Cyclones have gritty Big 12 guards that can score and defend. Front court? Iowa State has better athletes who are built for the toughest conference in the country.
Creighton is already missing Jackson McAndrew from their rotation. McAndrew is out for the year with a foot injury. Iowa transfer Owen Freeman was benched in the first game after only eight minutes and got an earful from coach Greg McDermott. Will Freeman play better against the Cyclones? It’s possible, but he looked like he would rather be anywhere else than Las Vegas yesterday.
The handicap here is simple. Iowa State looks like they’re in Las Vegas to compete for the tournament title, while Creighton looks like they want to go back to Omaha. The Cyclones may need some style points for the next round, so look for Iowa State to run this up a little and put Creighton out of the tournament. Lock up the Cyclones to win by double-digits.
Best Bet: Iowa State -9
Loyola-Chicago at Northern Iowa
Start Time: 4:00 PM EST
This game is played at the Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, CA as a part of the Acrisure Holiday Invitational.
Loyola-Chicago comes into this game averaging only 69.7 points per game. They’re also a bottom-50 team in terms of pace of play.
Northern Iowa enters this matchup averaging 72.2 points per game. They’re a bottom-10 team in terms of pace of play.
We’ve got two slow-paced teams playing their first game on an unfamiliar floor. Loyola-Chicago’s offense has looked terrible at times. Their worst effort was a ‘neutral site’ game against North Texas in which they scored only 62 points. North Texas has the 45th-best adjusted defensive efficiency rating in the country. Northern Iowa has the 50th adjusted defensive efficiency rating in the country. We may be in for another 62-point effort from Loyola-Chicago.
Northern Iowa has gone higher than 70 points only once this year. The Panthers scored 86 points in their season opener at home against Cal State-Northridge. They shot 51% from the field and 42% from beyond the arc to score 86 points. It’s unlikely they’ll shoot that well away from Cedar Falls, IA. Lock up the game total under in this matchup.
Best Bet: Game Total Under 134.5
New Mexico State at UC-Irvine
Start Time: 8:30 PM EST
This game is played in Cancun, Mexico as a part of the Cancun Challenge MTE.
New Mexico State comes into this game on a four-game winning streak. They just beat Samford by nine and in-state rival New Mexico by eight. UC-Irvine has struggled and dropped two in a row. The Anteaters recently lost to Utah Valley in Orem, UT, and to Northern Iowa in Irvine, CA.
New Mexico State is one of the slowest-paced teams in the nation. The Aggies value efficiency over getting up and down the floor. They do an excellent job of limiting possessions, and their defense is solid enough to keep this game close.
UC-Irvine is still finding its identity on offense, and that’s the source of its recent struggle. A slow-paced, ‘drag it in the mud’ New Mexico State team on an unfamiliar floor isn’t the answer to their woes. However, UCI is capable on the defensive end. The Anteaters rank in the top 75 in adjusted defensive efficiency. Look for both teams to struggle offensively and end as a one-possession game. New Mexico State may need the hook to cover, but they should stay within the number or win outright. Lock up the Aggies to get the job done in their first game at the Cancun Challenge.
Best Bet: New Mexico State +3.5
The College Basketball Experience
For more analysis on every college basketball game for the 2025-26 season, make sure you tune into The College Basketball Experience. Colby Dant, Moneyline Mac, and Noah Bieniek talk about each game on the entire slate. Listen for input on ATS and moneyline college basketball picks every night!
