We went 4-1 on college basketball's opening day. And while we're not doing daily best bets, we'll give out plays on marquee days throughout the season.
Friday night brings a loaded slate with some of the top teams in the country facing off. Let's get to some bets we like.
Arizona @ Duke (-5.5, O/U 155)
This is, by far, the best game on Friday's schedule. Duke enters play as the No. 2 team in the country, while Arizona stands as No. 12. Duke has the advantage of playing at Cameron Indoor Stadium, but Arizona matches up particularly well against the Blue Devils.
Duke's big man, Kyle Filipowski, is a dominant force - but there's not much depth behind him. Arizona center Oumar Ballo is a capable 7-footer and will be up to the task of stopping Filipowski.
I trust Arizona's guard play, headlined by North Carolina transfer Caleb Love, more than Duke's right now. A 5.5-point spread is too large for teams that, to me, are essentially even.
Pick: Arizona +5.5
Southeastern Louisiana @ Auburn -(23.5, O/U 152.5)
Despite losing its opener to Baylor, Auburn has a lot to be encouraged about. The latter led for most of the game until the team fell apart late in the second half, which can happen early in the season.
In the first half, Auburn scored at will against a usually sound Baylor defense. But poor shooting down the stretch derailed the team's chances.
This is the perfect bounce-back spot for Auburn against a far inferior opponent. The Tigers should dominate from start to finish, especially given their difficult schedule for the rest of November.
Pick: Auburn -23.5
Princeton @ Hofstra (-1.5, O/U 146.5)
Princeton is overvalued in this spot after its epic NCAA Tournament run last season and an upset win over Rutgers in this campaign's opener.
Princeton is a good team and difficult to defend, but Hofstra is significantly better. The Pride had an encouraging season last year and, even though their best player, Aaron Estrada, transferred to a high-major, they reloaded and are a serious contender to win the CAA.
They should take care of Princeton at home.
Pick: Hofstra -1.5
Central Connecticut State @ Quinnipiac (-6.5, O/U 145.5)
Note: Game starts at 4:00 p.m. ET.
Quinnipiac is coming off its first 20-win season in a decade. The team lost its coach but returned much of its core from last season so, this year, it's projected to finish towards the middle of the MAAC.
This line opened at 5.5 and is up to 6.5 now, meaning bettors are taking Quinnipiac. I would still take it up to seven. The Bobcats like to play fast, so they should easily score points against a bad team.
Pick: Quinnipiac -6.5
Texas A&M @ Ohio State (-1.5, O/U 138.5)
This is another highly anticipated opening week game between two major conference opponents. Injuries and inexperience derailed Ohio State last season, but many expect the school to be more competitive in the Big Ten this year.
However, Ohio State didn't look great in its opener, only defeating Oakland by six. On the other side, Texas A&M has a ton of experience and depth as a top-15 team in the country, which should bode well in an early-season road game.
It's tough to fade Ohio State at home, but I'll go with the more talented, more experienced group.
Pick: Texas A&M +1.5
Davidson vs. Maryland (-10.5, O/U 135.5)
A Kevin Willard-coached team will always pride itself on defense first and let the offense come second.
Davidson has played a fast brand of basketball in seasons past, but it simply doesn't have the talent this year. The team is expected to finish towards the bottom of the A10 standings. Maryland will likely press and use a multitude of defenses to shut down Davidson's offense.
Maryland has the talent to compete with anyone in the country, but its weakness is shooting. Jahmir Young and DeShawn Harris-Smith make for an explosive backcourt, but neither is considered a quality shooter. Even in their opener against a weak opponent, the Terps managed to score just 68 points.
Maryland's offense was also much better at home than on the road or in neutral settings last season.
Pick: Under 135.5
Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @soshtry for more betting coverage.
