Best College Basketball Bets Today: Picks, Odds & Predictions for Friday, November 7
Two powerhouse programs take Center Stage on Friday, and we also have another marquee matchup taking place for big-time bragging rights in the DMV area.
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Top College Basketball Best Bets for Today
Kansas 
at North Carolina
Here we have arguably the best matchup of the season so far. Two blue bloods facing off at the iconic Dean E. Smith Center.
From a stats perspective, KenPom gives the overall edge to Kansas. The Jayhawks and Tar Heels are comparable in offensive proficiency, with the former ranking 35th in adjusted efficiency and the latter ranking 25th. At the other end of the court, we have a bit more separation. KenPom projects Kansas to be elite defensively, boasting the seventh-highest adj. efficiency rating, with North Carolina much further down the list at 42nd.
College hoops fans undoubtedly know Kansas always has a loaded roster, although it's even more true this season, with Kansas having Darryn Peterson, the number one recruit in the nation, per 247sports. I would be remiss if I didn't note that North Carolina has its own five-star freshman in Caleb Wilson, but even still, Peterson seems to have the edge at this point in time.
It's tough to go against North Carolina at home, but recent history shows the Tar Heels are fallible at the Dean Smith Center. They lost to Alabama at home last year and also dropped a game to Florida in Charlotte. The Jayhawks, meanwhile, won neutral-site games last year against Michigan State and Duke, so they know how to get the job done away from Allen Fieldhouse.
Considering that the Jayhawks appear to be the better team, I'm taking Kansas in this matchup.
College Basketball Best Bet: Kansas +1.5
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Georgetown 
at Maryland 
On paper, Maryland has the upper hand in this matchup. The Terrapins rank 38th on KenPom's overall efficiency chart, with the visiting Hoyas coming in at 88th. That said, the uncertainty is arguably much greater with the home team.
Maryland hired Buzz Williams, former Texas A&M head coach, to lead the team, and consequently, the entire roster was reset. Aside from junior guard Lukas Sotell, not one player on the roster had played a minute of Maryland basketball before.
In contrast, Georgetown is entering the third year under head coach Ed Cooley, who doubled the team's win total in his second year, after taking over a program that was in utter disarray. The Hoyas' current overall efficiency ranking isn't particularly great, although Cooley demonstrated a consistent ability to coach up his teams in his final years at Providence. In his penultimate season, the Friars started the year at 85th in overall efficiency and finished 32nd as they made the Sweet 16. In his last year at Providence, Cooley's team started 57th and finished 40th, and they again made the NCAA tournament.
It's possible Maryland will pull away late in the second half, but with a brand new roster and head coach, I'm not so certain that will happen. This early in the season, I'd rather try our luck with the points and the team that has greater continuity. I'm going with the Hoyas in this one.
College Basketball Best Bet: Georgetown +7.5
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Rice 
at Oregon
This pick was inspired by my Hawaii pick earlier this week on Tuesday. The Rainbow Warriors traveled to Eugene and had the Ducks on the ropes. Hawaii took the lead in the final minute, but Oregon made a game-winning layup in the final seconds to steal the win, 60-59.
I picked the Rainbow Warriors to cover the double-digit spread in part because Oregon's star point guard Jackson Shelstad broke his hand in early October and seemed all but certain to miss the season-opener. It's not unusual for programs like Oregon to have great depth, but the team's performance in the season-opener suggested otherwise. Hawaii eventually focused all its effort on denying the ball to Ducks star center Nate Bittle, and the points for Oregon dried up, scoring just 27 total in the second half.
Regarding Friday's matchup, Rice isn't a bad team, although it's ranked a bit lower than Hawaii on the efficiency standings, coming in at 168th, per KenPom. This is the Owls' second season under head coach Rob Lanier, and in his first year, his team had a penchant for slowing the game down. Rice ranked 289th in adjusted tempo, including 251st in average offensive possession length, so we can likely expect them to try and limit the number of possessions on Friday, especially because they're a big underdog.
I wouldn't bet on Oregon losing Friday's matchup, but its offense was significantly weaker without Shelstad leading the action. Considering its stunted offensive attack and Rice's preference for a slower game, I like our odds of seeing a low-scoring game. I'm on the under.
College Basketball Best Bet: Under 147
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Friday College Basketball Best Bets:
Here's a recap of my best college basketball bets for Friday:
- Kansas +1.5
- Georgetown +7.5
- Rice at Oregon - Under 147
For up-to-date information on the latest college basketball betting odds and props from multiple sportsbooks, check out the college basketball odds page on RotoWire.
