Thursday College Basketball Betting Odds & Picks: UNC Wilmington vs. Hofstra, Arizona State vs. Colorado

For Thursday's college hoops action, we take a deep dive into the CAA and Pac-12.

Will UNC Wilmington right the ship with a new head coach against Hofstra And can Colorado keep its stellar season on track at Arizona State?

Thursday College Basketball Odds & Picks

Odds as of Thursday morning via PointsBet, where Action Network users can access an exclusive promotion to get a 200% deposit match (deposit $50, bet with $150).No strings attached. No rollover required.

UNC Wilmington vs. Hofstra

• Spread: Hofstra -9
• Over/Under: 143
• Time: 7 p.m. ET
• TV: FloSports

UNC Wilmington (5-14) has struggled to replicate the success under former coach Kevin Keatts.

When Keatts took the job at N.C. State, the Seahawks pivoted to longtime Roy Williams assistant coach C.B. McGrath. After a two-year record of 21-44 was followed by a poor start this year, they fired McGrath on Monday after an 11th straight loss.

The Seahawks are 3-6 at home, with four straight losses. UNC Wilmington is just 5-10-1 against the spread and 0-4 in their last four home contests.

Hofstra (13-5) has been a nice surprise again after losing two-time CAA Player of the Year Justin Wright-Foreman to graduation. The Pride have won seven of their last eight games, and are 12-5 ATS.

UNC Wilmington struggles on both sides of the ball and I don't see that changing under a new coach.

The Seahawks rank 309th in adjusted defensive efficiency and 321st in adjusted offensive efficiency. They have one of the worst rankings in effective field goal percentage and shoot just 42.6% (343rd) from inside the arc.

The Pride have superior offensive metrics, including a fantastic 76.7% from the free-throw line and a Top 50 ranking with only 11.9 offensive turnovers per game. Senior Desure Buie (19.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 5.3 apg) is lethal from 3P range, shooting 42.7% on 82 attempts.

Already with three conference road wins at James Madison, Towson, and preseason CAA favorite Northeastern, the Pride look like a conference contender yet again.

Hofstra will not overlook the Seahawks, having lost their last three at Wilmington, and with their coach just fired, it's hard to envision UNC Wilmington quickly reversing their losing fortune here.

I'll take the road warriors from Hofstra to cover this line and keep pace in the competitive CAA.

I would take this line up to -9.5

THE PICK:  Hofstra -8

Arizona State vs. Colorado

• Spread: Colorado -2
• Over/Under: 141
• Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
• TV:  ESPN2

Arizona State (10-6) is playing its first home game in Pac-12 play. The Sun Devils are 1-2 in conference and 6-1 at home on the season. They are 8-8 against the spread but have covered their last two games.

Colorado (13-3) has enjoyed a fantastic start and currently sits at 2-1 in the Pac-12 with home wins over Oregon and Utah. However, the Buffaloes are only 8-7-1 ATS including 1-1 in true road games.

The Sun Devils host Colorado in their conference home opener after starting league play with three consecutive road games. They scored an impressive 82-76 win at Oregon State, shooting 50% (8 of 16) from 3P range. This will be a valuable weapon against the Buffaloes who only allow opponents to shoot 44% from inside the arc but their pack defense will allow open shots from beyond the arc.

Junior guard Remy Martin (19.1 ppg. 2.1 spg) has been fantastic on both ends of the floor, while 6-foot-8 forward Romello White (10.5 ppg, 9.6 rpg) has been dominant inside.

Arizona State's defensive pressure has them ranked inside the Top 40 with 16.4 turnovers per game. This will be a major problem for Colorado who averages 14.3 (231st) on offense per game.

Tempe has been a tough place to play for the Buffaloes, who have lost their six games at Arizona State by an average of 13 points per game.

Colorado has played well, but with only an eight-point win at Colorado State on their road resume, they will face a significant challenge in the Sun Devils first home opener.

I would bet this line to Arizona State PK.

THE PICK:  Arizona State +2