NCAAB Weekly Predictions: Games, Odds & Best Bets

The college basketball season tipped off in Rome on Sunday. Notre Dame knocked off Villanova 74-72 in the Eternal City thanks to a strong defensive performance that saw the Fighting Irish record 14 steals and force 20 Wildcats’ turnovers.

Virtually every other team will be playing college basketball games today as Monday, November 2, is the traditional start of the season. There will be plenty of NCAAB picks for today since 20 teams ranked in the Top 25 will take the court for the first time. 

The action will start with a quadruple header from Rock Hill, South Carolina, tipping off at midnight. The most anticipated matchups will be the Orion180 Tipoff Classic between No. 1 Florida and No. 14 Miami (FL) in Tampa, and the Hall of Fame Series doubleheader in Las Vegas featuring No. 15 Gonzaga and Purdue squaring off in the early game followed by a former PAC 12 showdown between No. 5 Arizona and No. 22 UCLA in the late game. Florida, Gonzaga, and Arizona are the favorites in these games by the college basketball lines.

College Basketball Games Today and This Week

Below are the college basketball lines for the top college basketball games today.

Florida -4.5 vs. Miami (FL), O/U 161.5 (BetCris Arizona)
Gonzaga -5.5 vs. Purdue, O/U 155.5 (BetCris Arizona)
Arizona -4.5 vs. UCLA, O/U 149.5 (BetCris Arizona)

Some of the other great games that will be played later this week include Preseason AP No. 16 Michigan and No. 4 UConn squaring off in Boston on Friday, and No. 12 Arkansas and No. 9 Virginia facing off in Washington, DC on Sunday.

Biggest NCAAB Matchups This Week

One of the biggest basketball games today will pit in-state rivals Florida and Miami (FL) against each other. Florida’s Thomas Haugh is a potential first-round pick and a Naismith College Player of the Year contender, while Miami’s Shelton Henderson has the potential to be a First Team All-American. This will be an early test for the Gators, while the Hurricanes are looking to continue to build under second-year head coach Jai Lucas. This game will tip off on Monday, November 2, 2026, at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

Arizona is on the short list of national championship contenders. The Wildcats boast an elite big man in 7’2 senior Motiejus Krivas, and Caleb Holt is seen as a guaranteed lottery pick in the 2027 NBA Draft. They will face a challenge in their season opener as the UCLA Bruins have been very competitive under Mick Cronin’s tenure. These former PAC 12 rivals will play on Monday, November 2, 2026, at 10 p.m. ET on TNT.

UConn has been a perennial contender under Dan Hurley. The Huskies won back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024, and they made it to the title game last year where they fell to a great Michigan team. The Wolverines and Huskies will meet in a national championship rematch on Friday, November 6, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET on TNT.

Finally, Virginia will look to prove that last season was no aberration. The Cavaliers went 30-6 in their first season under Ryan Odom and looked like they had fully moved on from the Tony Bennett era. They will face John Calipari and a very good Arkansas team on Sunday, November 8, 2026, at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN. 

NCAAB Preview for This Week’s Top Games

Early season tests are the theme for the best games this week and in college basketball games today. Florida, Gonzaga, and Arizona all have lofty aspirations this season, and there will be a lot of emphasis placed on how each of those teams look on Monday night.

Ranked College Basketball Matchups

Maybe the best of the basketball games today will feature the Preseason AP No. 1 Florida Gators. Florida starts the season ranked No. 2 in Ken Pomeroy’s ratings, and the Gators are expected to have one of the best offenses in the country. Thomas Haugh eschewed the NBA to come back to Gainesville for his senior season, and the Preseason First Team All-American is coming off a season where he averaged 17.1 PPG and 6.1 RPG while shooting 46% from the floor.

Haugh is one of four starters returning from last season alongside Alex Condon, Boogie Fland, and Rueben Chinyelu. Haugh, Condon, and Chinyelu are all at least 6’9, and that should ensure the Gators are one of the best rebounding teams in the nation.

Miami (FL) will have First Team All-ACC Malik Reneau back after some doubts about his eligibility last month. Reneau was the top scorer for the Hurricanes last season, averaging 18.9 PPG while knocking down 54% of his field goals. The ceiling for the Hurricanes is high if Shelton Henderson can make a jump in his sophomore season, and five-star recruit Caleb Gaskins has Miami fans thinking this program can make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

One of my favorite NCAAB picks for today is Arizona to cover the number against UCLA. The Wildcats are ranked No. 5 in the Preseason AP Poll, and there is a lot of buzz surrounding this team. Freshman Caleb Holt is already turning heads with his performance in the preseason, and there are high expectations for returning starters Ivan Kharchenkov and Motiejus Krivas.

Kharchenkov averaged 10.4 PPG while making 49.2% of his field goals as a freshman last season for Arizona, while Krivas is the Preseason All-Big 12 Player of the Year due to his double-double potential and defensive prowess. Krivas averaged 10.4 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 1.9 BPG as a junior, and he is a big man that can swing outside and knock down threes.

UCLA is ranked No. 22 in the Preseason AP Poll. The Bruins lost their top two scorers from last season, and there are real concerns about their guard play coming into this year’s campaign. Trent Perry will be asked to play more of a point guard role after being an off-ball guard last season, so it might take some time for the Bruins to come together as a unit.

Conference Games to Watch

There are no conference games early in the season. Instead, teams are testing their strength in the non-conference slate. There are several great early season tournaments to keep an eye on across the country, and Preseason AP Poll No. 2 Duke is involved in many of those games. 

The Blue Devils are a 42.5-point favorite per the college basketball lines against Army on Monday night. Duke’s non-conference slate kicks into overdrive next week when the Blue Devils face No. 6 Michigan State on Tuesday night. They will proceed to play three other teams in the Preseason AP Top 25 over the next three weeks as Duke takes on No. 3 Illinois, No. 4 UConn, and No. 1 Florida.

Gonzaga will no longer be dominating the West Coast Conference. The Bulldogs moved to the PAC 12 in the offseason, increasing their strength of schedule. Mark Few has never shied away from taking on major programs in non-conference play, and Gonzaga will take on Purdue, LSU, Kansas State, UCLA, Creighton, and Michigan State before playing their first conference game.

College Basketball Lines This Week

There are currently college basketball lines for every game on Monday, November 2. Bettors are able to make point spread bets, moneyline bets, and over/under bets, and we will have some NCAAB picks for today below.

Point Spreads and Moneylines

Florida is a 4.5-point favorite over Miami (FL) at BetCris Arizona. Originally, Florida was favored by 5.5 points over Miami, but the odds have moved in favor of the Hurricanes. The Gators are -205 on the moneyline in this game, so the oddsmakers think that the Hurricanes have a decent chance of pulling off the upset.

Gonzaga is a 5.5-point favorite over Purdue at BetCris Arizona. Bets have come in on the Bulldogs before their season opener, as they were originally a 4.5-point favorite over the Boilermakers. Gonzaga is -235 on the moneyline in this game, so the oddsmakers believe that the Bulldogs have a better chance of winning than the Gators.

There has been no line movement at BetCris Arizona on the point spread in the nightcap between UCLA and Arizona. The Wildcats opened as a 4.5-point favorite, and they are still favored by that amount against the Bruins. Arizona is a -200 moneyline favorite in this game.

College Basketball Totals

The oddsmakers expect Florida and Miami(FL) to play one of the highest scoring games of the day. The Gators are rated the best offense in the country by Ken Pomeroy, so BetCris Arizona has set the total for this game at 161.5 points.

Gonzaga and Purdue are expected to be solid offensive teams, so the total in this game has been set at 155.5 points. Conversely, Arizona and UCLA are projected to be two of the best defensive teams in the nation so the over/under is currently listed at 149.5 points at BetCris Arizona.

College Basketball Predictions This Week

I like the favorites in my NCAAB picks for today. I believe that Florida, Gonzaga, and Arizona will all win outright and cover the number per the college basketball lines. There will certainly be upsets in other college basketball games today, but I am backing all of the favorites in our featured games.

Predictions for the Biggest Games

Florida Gators 83, Miami Hurricanes 75

Florida’s big men are going to be too much for Miami on Monday evening in Tampa. Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu both recorded double-doubles for the Gators in last season’s 14-point win over the Hurricanes as Florida outrebounded Miami 50 to 42. Condon and Chinyelu combined to go 15 of 23 from the field in the victory, overcoming a subpar performance from Thomas Haugh. That’s an extremely tough test for freshman Caleb Gaskins no matter how talented he might prove to be this season, and 6 '11 center Somto Cyril is going to have his hands full.

Gonzaga Bulldogs 78, Purdue Boilermakers 70

Although the Gonzaga Bulldogs lost all five of their starters from last season, I expect Gonzaga to win its season opener against Purdue. Mark Few is one of the best coaches in the country, and he was able to reload with plenty of talented players in the transfer portal including Xaivian Lee. The Florida transfer was granted an extra year of eligibility in August, and that will give Gonzaga a huge boost at point guard. The Boilermakers are in a similar situation with just one returning starter, but they have not been able to replenish the ranks with talent nearly as well as the Bulldogs.

Arizona Wildcats 80, UCLA Bruins 67

The loss of Donovan Dent is going to be huge for UCLA. Dent was one of the best point guards in the country, and the Bruins will start this season with a giant hole at that position. Trent Perry is expected to be the primary ball handler for UCLA, but it’s hard to imagine him running the offense well against an Arizona defense that is ranked fourth in the nation according to Ken Pomeroy. The Wildcats have an incredible shot blocker in Motiejus Krivas, and that will make things much more difficult for the Bruins.

Potential Upsets to Watch

Michigan Wolverines 75, Connecticut Huskies 73

Michigan topped UConn to win the 2026 men’s college basketball national championship. The Wolverines lost four starters including lottery picks Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr., and Aday Mara, and head coach Dusty May left for the NBA too. However, Final Four Most Outstanding Player Elliot Cadeau returns to Ann Arbor for one more season, and he will team up with Trey McKenney. We saw McKenney play big minutes during last year’s title run, and Cadeau and McKenney have what it takes to lead the Wolverines over the Huskies.

Arkansas Razorbacks 81, Virginia Cavaliers 77

It's unlikely that we will see a big spread when Virginia faces Arkansas on Sunday. However, the Cavaliers are ranked above the Razorbacks in both the AP Poll and Ken Pomeroy’s Ratings, so it’s likely that Virginia will be favored for this neutral site game in Washington, DC. John Calipari brought in the top recruiting class in the country, and Arkansas boasts four five-star recruits that have the talent to score a big early season win for the Razorbacks.

NCAAB Picks for Today and This Week

You will find college basketball lines for the weekend games later in the week since sportsbooks don’t look too far ahead when it comes to NCAAB lines. There is some value in Monday’s games though, so here are the NCAAB picks for today.

Against-the-Spread Picks

Florida Gators -4.5 vs. Miami (FL) Hurricanes

The Florida big men are going to be too much for Miami on Monday night. The Gators have spent the entire offseason stewing after being upset by Iowa in the second round of March Madness last season, and they are both experienced and talented. That is a great combination early in the season when you are asking teams to cover the number, and there will be no problems with taking the Miami Hurricanes a little too lightly.

Gonzaga Bulldogs -5.5 vs. Purdue Boilermakers

This is more of a bet against the Boilermakers than a bet on Gonzaga. Purdue has a lot of questions it needs to answer early in the season. Long-time head coach Matt Painter only returns one starter, and he is used to having veteran teams. Gonzaga head coach Mark Few has done a better job adapting to the new era of college basketball, and that is why the Bulldogs have a lot more talent although they are returning even fewer players than Purdue. 

Arizona Wildcats -4.5 vs. UCLA Bruins

Mick Cronin and UCLA have some major questions heading into the season. Cronin has made the Bruins a conference title contender, but the offense could be very inconsistent in the first few weeks. UCLA does not have an experienced point guard that can handle the ball up and down the court, and the Bruins have to face an elite Arizona defense in their first game of the season.

Moneyline Picks

The favorites are the teams to back in the three featured Monday night games. In order, I like Arizona to win outright the most, followed by Florida, and then Gonzaga even though the Bulldogs are the largest favorite of the three teams. Purdue is the only unranked team playing in one of our featured games, but I think the Boilermakers have a better chance of pulling off the upset than the Hurricanes or Bruins.

College Basketball Best Bets This Week

It’s a clean sweep for favorites in our best NCAAB picks for today. There is good value in Florida, Gonzaga, and Arizona, so those are the teams we are backing in the college basketball games today. 

Best Bet of the Week

The best bet this week is Arizona -4.5 vs. UCLA. The Wildcats are simply a lot more talented than the Bruins. Caleb Holt might be the most talented freshman in the country, and he will have the luxury of being the off-ball guard after Tommy Lloyd was able to bring in transfer Derek Dixon from North Carolina. Although it is unlikely that R.J. Godfrey is able to suit up for Arizona due to continued legal questions about his eligibility, the Wildcats have a lot more talent than the Bruins led by Motiejus Krivas.

Best Value Betting Opportunities

Unders tend to be solid bets early in the season. Teams haven’t been able to build a lot of chemistry to this point, and the preseason can only help you adjust to the speed of the game so much. Along those lines, I like the Under in the game between Gonzaga and Purdue. There is only one returning starter on the court between these two teams, so both of these offenses could sputter throughout the night. The total per the college basketball lines at BetCris Arizona in this game is 155.5 points, and I don’t believe this game will have more than 150 combined points.

Key Factors Behind This Week’s NCAAB Picks

The NCAAB picks for today are largely fueled by preseason rankings and previews. You can’t value preseason performance too much, so we will see some shifts in the college basketball lines for games later in the week after every team plays their opener.

Injuries, Rotations and Player Availability

There are few injuries to report early in the season aside from Illinois’ David Mirkovic needing an emergency appendectomy. The preseason first-team All-American underwent surgery on Saturday night, and he is still recovering from foot surgery.

The bigger questions with player availability revolve around eligibility. We have seen a myriad of court rulings over the last few months, and players can see changes in their eligibility status happen multiple times in the season.

Recent Form and Home-Court Advantage

Most of the top teams in the country will be playing their toughest opponents in neutral site games until conference play starts next month. That means there won’t be much of a home court advantage for any team just yet in the season.

Final NCAAB Picks and Weekly Outlook

The best NCAAB picks for today are the favorites. Arizona is the best bet of the bunch, followed by Florida, and then Gonzaga. The Under in the Purdue-Gonzaga game is a solid play per the college basketball lines considering neither team has much in the way of returning talent.