The Players Era Festival has officially overtaken the Maui Invitational and the Battle 4 Atlantis as the best Feast Week event.
And our staff is back for day two of this stacked event with nine more matchups to bet on.
At Action Network, we're giving you Players Era Festival best bets — including nine predictions, picks and odds — for Tuesday, November 25.
Players Era Festival Best Bets
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 1 p.m. | |
  | 2:30 p.m. | |
  | 3:30 p.m. | |
  | 4:30 p.m. | |
  | 6 p.m. | |
  | 8:30 p.m. | |
  | 9:30 p.m. | |
  | 11 p.m. | |
  | 11:59 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. | ||
Rutgers vs. Notre Dame
By Evan Abrams
The Scarlet Knights are 4-2 straight-up this season and have lost two straight games to Central Connecticut State and Tennessee.
Before the Players Era Festival, the Scarlet Knights were clamping opponents to just 68 points per game on 47.4% shooting allowed — a notch above the 51.9% Notre Dame has surrendered in its four victories, though the Irish's pace has inflated those marks.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame sits at 4-2, riding a 86-79 nail-biter over Bellarmine, where Markus Burton erupted for 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting and Braeden Shrewsberry added 22 on 7-of-13 efficiency.
The Irish's backcourt has faltered in tighter spots, though, coughing up 79+ points in losses to Ohio State and Elon, both unranked squads that exploited their perimeter leaks.
Entering this tournament, the Irish's games have averaged a scorching 150.6 points, 6.1 over Tuesday's number, fueled by Burton's iso bursts and transition leaks. Meanwhile, Rutgers' contests clock in at 147.8 — both well clear of the line — against mid-major pads.
Rutgers' frontcourt physicality, led by Max Frazier's double-doubles, could grind that tempo. Still, with both teams on short rest from multi-game Vegas stints, fatigue tilts the scales toward offensive pops over defensive stands.
For this particular game, the angle comes on the total from Evan Abrams' "Day Games Over" system.
In college basketball, early-day games often create conditions that favor higher-scoring outcomes, especially when both teams are coming off short rest.
Quick turnarounds tend to limit defensive preparation and reduce energy on that end of the floor, while offensive rhythm remains relatively unaffected.
Mid-day start times can also lead to faster-paced contests driven by transition play and early shot-clock attempts, particularly in non-primetime settings with looser defensive intensity.
When both teams have played within a day, fatigue shifts the balance toward offensive efficiency rather than defensive discipline, producing a consistent edge on the over throughout recent seasons (62% hit rate in similar spots since 2020, per advanced metrics).
The real value lies in riding the over, as early-season volatility in high-pace, short-rest matchups creates a sharp counterplay against the venue's under bias.
In early-season college basketball, games featuring quick turnarounds and mismatched defensive prep often create value on the overperforming side. When both teams show offensive firepower while defenses gel slowly, public sentiment leans toward neutral-site grinds.
However, in fast-paced, fatigue-laden environments, volatility surges and scoring margins widen. Undersized lines undervalue the offensive surge, while efficient attacks are underpriced after modest runs.
Early in the season, with limited data and schemes still forming, these matchups frequently erupt toward totals, allowing the overvalued side to outperform deflated lines and cash at a profitable clip.
Pick: Over 141.5 (Play to 144.5)
Iowa State vs. Creighton
By Sean Paul
Iowa State has all the ingredients to hammer an undermanned Creighton squad.
The Bluejays' shooting is a real problem, and their rim-protection and rebounding are even bigger issues.
Plus, Creighton could give Iowa State plenty of easy buckets if it falls victim to the relentless Cyclones pressure.
Pick: Iowa State -8.5 (Play to -10.5)
Kansas vs. Syracuse
I'm generally going to stay away from betting either way on Kansas until Darryn Peterson is back in the lineup, but I'd consider making an exception here against a Syracuse team that fought hard against Houston before coming up short.
Those defensive shooting numbers are bound to regress and it might happen in a big way.
And after a 10-point win against Notre Dame, Kansas is in solid position to take out the Orange on Tuesday.
A hot Kansas shooting night would propel the Jayhawks to a win and cover here, and I'm counting on that.
Pick: Kansas -4.5 (Play to -5.5)
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St. John's vs. Baylor
By Sean Paul
Baylor is the proper play for me. St. John's still has issues to iron out, and I don't value it as KenPom and the oddsmakers do.
The Red Storm may have the talent of a top-25 squad, but they clearly have major defensive and minutes issues to iron out before handling teams like Baylor.
I expect Scott Drew to live and die by the ball screen. He loves the high-ball screens with his speedy guards to catch slower bigs off balance and finish high off the glass.
That's a Baylor staple, and it could lead to a cover in Vegas.
Pick: Baylor +5.5 (Play to +3)
Houston vs. Tennessee
By Jim Root
Houston was not as sharp as Tennessee in its Players’ Era opener. The Cougars also struggled to get by Auburn, and it’s easy to frame Houston’s start as something of a scuffle out of the gates.
With the Vols fully capable of suffocating a team still figuring out an offensive identity, that spells some concern for the favored Cougars.
That angle is amplified by the possibility of Emanuel Sharp being limited. He went to the locker room with an apparent ankle injury against Syracuse on Monday, and even though he returned, he may not be at 100% after potential swelling overnight.
From a total perspective, the obvious reaction to the total is to expect a brutal rock fight, considering how impervious both defenses are. Each defensive unit is much further along than its offensive counterpart, and the combined physicality will be off the charts.
A risk to the under could be an endless stream of free throws, but considering Houston rarely gets to the charity stripe, that possibility is mitigated.
The analysis leads me to agree with the under angle. If Sharp is limited, that hampers a key offensive weapon for the Cougars, furthering the concerns with how either team scores.
It is somewhat difficult to properly handicap the compounding effect of these two defenses squaring off, but I would bet this down to 132.
Pick: Under 134.5 (Play to 132)
Michigan vs. Auburn
By Jonny Jorcin
This is a pretty tough game to handicap. On paper, both teams matchup very nicely. But in this spot, I think I like the Auburn team getting points. Auburn finished its game early, and Michigan took the court afterward.
I’m thinking we have fresher legs for this start time, and considering the biggest weakness for Auburn really doesn’t placate to Michigan's strength, it has the advantage there.
I won’t take the moneyline as I did last time for Auburn, but I do think catching 3.5/4 points will be plenty of value. May's side has gotten a bit fortunate on a couple of wins, but funky things can happen in early-season tournaments.
And luck doesn’t last forever.
Pick: Auburn +4 (Play to +3)
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Gonzaga vs. Maryland
By Sean Paul
I'm backing Gonzaga here. A lot of underdogs have covered in the Players Era Festival, so I understand if you want to follow that trend.
For me, Maryland is totally overmatched, and Gonzaga plays the ideal pace to blow an inferior foe out.
Outside of the Alabama game, Gonzaga crushed all five of its opponents, and this feels like the same thing.
The Maryland guards will struggle against the Zags' on-ball defense, and Pharrel Payne will have to deal with Graham Ike's size on the block.
I'm going with the blowout.
Pick: Gonzaga -13.5
Oregon vs. San Diego State
Normally Oregon is known for offense under head coach Dana Altman, but the Ducks have issues on that end of the floor this season. While Jackson Shelstad and Nate Bittle are still in Eugene, there are a lot of questions beyond that duo.
The Ducks entered the Players Era Festival turning the ball over at a high rate (18% of their possessions) while shooting poorly from deep.
On the plus side, the Ducks have been solid defensively, and that goes perfect with what San Diego State wants to do.
And it's also perfect for our under pick.
Under head coach Brian Dutcher, the Aztecs are always focused on defending and toughness, but this season, most importantly, they're experienced — especially in the middle with Magoon Gwath.
I mentioned the Ducks' issues with giveaways; however, San Diego State has similar concerns. That's the only thing that could impact this pick. Even then, neither team necessarily wants to pick up the pace and run-and-gun.
Pick: Under 144.5 (Play to 141.5)
Alabama vs. UNLV
The Tide are big favorites here with a sky high total in this matchup between two of the fastest teams in the nation.
Alabama is due for some positive shooting regression, and I don’t expect this UNLV defense to offer much resistance on the ball to Labaron Philon Jr. and company.
Bama did struggle big time on the glass though against Gonzaga and Purdue, so UNLV could definitely pose some problems there.
It’s a big number, but I’m willing to lay it with the Tide. While I mentioned the rebounding advantage UNLV could have, Bama’s front line is well tested and will be ready to compete.
Pick: Alabama -13.5 (Play to -14.5)
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