We have an early-season juicy Saturday college basketball slate that features Alabama vs. St. John's at Madison Square Garden.
And that means one thing: a great early, noon game and a full day of betting (and hopefully winning).
Read below for college basketball best bets, including three NCAAB picks and predictions for Saturday, November 8.
College Basketball Best Bets
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our college basketball betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 12 p.m. | |
  | 3 p.m. | |
  | 6 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NCAAB Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Alabama vs. St. John's
I expect this to be a fast-paced game. Both teams will look to get shots early in the clock and push the attack to the basket.
We can also expect defense to play a major role in the overall pace of the game. That will mean we have an offense that can attack the basket and create opportunities to get to the line.
Both teams shoot well enough from the field, behind good shot selection. The Red Storm defense will be a focal point this season.
The only reservation I have is the early morning tip.
But a top 15 matchup should provide enough juice and adrenaline for this to be high octane all the way through.
Pick: Over 171.5
Towson vs. Houston
I'll be covering the best situational angles and backtested trends in Bet Labs throughout the college basketball season for PRO subscribers.
Saturday's 67% trend will become a staple – and it hinges on the court setup, lighting and other juicy factors.
A sharp, unique way to pick Towson vs. Houston is betting the game to land under the total of 132.5, which is popping up as of Friday late-afternoon at FanDuel.
Big shoutout to Action Director of Research Evan Abrams, who consistently builds out new and smart, data-fueled systems in Bet Labs.
On Saturday his "Stadium Unders" trend, hitting 67%, checks all the boxes for an under bet on Towson vs. Houston.
Pick: Under 132.5
Read the full PRO article here:
Florida Atlantic vs. Charleston
By Evan Abrams
This game is spotlighted by one of Evan Abrams' systems: "Bad Expectation Favorites."
This system focuses on early-season college basketball favorites that underperformed expectations the year before.
These teams typically won games outright but failed to cover spreads, leading bettors to view them as unreliable favorites.
The market often reacts by undervaluing them at the start of the new season, creating opportunity in games one through nine when rosters have matured and preseason adjustments take hold.
By limiting to spreads inside 10 points, the focus stays on competitive matchups where talent can outweigh perception.
These teams usually return enough production to remain strong straight-up, but now carry lighter betting pressure and more realistic lines.
In essence, "Bad Expectation Favorites" are teams that disappointed gamblers last season but have corrected their market price early, offering value before the betting public catches up.
Pick: FAU -4.5
