This article is part of our College Basketball Picks series.
College basketball betting is not slowing down even after a jam-packed opening night, and Steve Peralta is zeroing in on three more plays for the Tuesday slate of action.
Rider at 
Providence
Providence is coming off one of its best seasons in recent memory, but coach Ed Cooley, the reigning Naismith Coach of the Year, has his work cut out for him because he lost all five starters from last year's team. Providence added several players from the transfer portal, so long-term the Friars should be fine, but their offense might be choppy in the first game of the season with a brand new group of players. While their ability to score might be questionable entering the first game, the Friars' defensive capabilities are never in doubt. Dating back to 2015, Ed Cooley has led the Friars to a top-50 finish in defensive efficiency in every season except for one. Additionally, the Friars typically play at one of the slowest tempos in the Big East, so this should also help our cause in hitting the under.
Unlike Providence, Rider returns an experienced team, with four starters back for another season. Last year, Rider was stronger on defense than offense, ranking No. 194 in defensive efficiency compared to No. 251 in offensive efficiency -- not a bad combination if you're rooting for a low-scoring game.
Add everything up, two defensive-oriented teams in a slow-paced game, and I like our chances with the under.
College Basketball Best Bet: Under 139
Wisconsin-Milwaukee at 
Purdue -- Over 141
Purdue may have lost Jaden Ivey and Trevion Williams to the NBA, but they still have Zach Edey and Mason Gillis to help carry the torch. Head coach Matt Painter often finds a way to get his offensive attack clicking, as Purdue has finished top-four in KenPom's offensive efficiency rankings in three of the past five seasons, including last year's second-place finish. KenPom is currently projecting Purdue's offense at No. 11 in the country, still an elite ranking even after losing many significant players.
Wisconsin-Milwaukee, on the other hand, reset its team by hiring a new head coach, Bart Lundy, previously coach of Queens University. As it turns out, Lundy prefers a quick-tempo style of play. Describing his team, Lundy said "We've got good depth and you have to have good depth for the way we play. And then when we get the ball back, we're going to run, make or miss." (per Field Level Media)
Wisconsin-Milwaukee might not score a ton of points tonight, but one thing's for sure, the Panthers are going to play at a fast pace, giving us plenty of possessions en route to hitting the over.
College Basketball Best Bet: Over 141
Mercer at 
East Carolina -- Under 137
East Carolina is full of uncertainty. Not only do the Pirates have a new first-year head coach, Michael Schwartz, but they also bring in 10 new players to their roster, including seven freshmen. With so many new faces, it's reasonable to think they'll struggle to score, and KenPom agrees, ranking their offense at No. 300 entering the new season. The other key for hitting the under is the coaching philosophy. Schwartz was hired after working under Rick Barnes at Tennessee for the previous six seasons. In that time, Tennessee finished ranked top-six in the country in defensive efficiency in three different seasons. There is little doubt that his team will focus on defense first, as the coach recently said as much at a Pirates media day on Oct. 19 -- "We want to establish a true identity of who our program is defensively."
On the other sideline, Mercer lost its best two offensive players from last season's team, two players they relied on, so the Bears will need to prove that they can find that production elsewhere. In the first game of the season on the road, Mercer will likely have its hands full against a scrappy team set on establishing a new defense-first identity. Last season, Mercer managed just 61 points at Arkansas in the season opener, followed by a 58-point outing at Saint Louis a couple of weeks later. If we see a similar performance from them on Tuesday night, then the under should hit without too much stress.
College Basketball Best Bet: Under 137
Tuesday Night College Basketball Best Bets:
Here's a recap of my best college basketball bets for Tuesday night:
- Rider at Providence, Under 139
- UW Milwaukee at Purdue, Over 141
- Mercer at East Carolina, Under 137
For up-to-date information on the latest college basketball odds and props from multiple sportsbooks, check out the College Basketball odds page on RotoWire.
