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The UMass Minutemen take on the Boston College Eagles in Boston, MA. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Boston College is favored by 5.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -235. The total is set at 145.5 points.
Here’s my UMass vs. Boston College prediction and college basketball picks for November 6, 2026.
UMass vs Boston College Prediction
Pick: Boston College -5
My UMass vs. Boston College best bet is on the Eagles to cover the spread. Be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page and download the Action Network app for the latest picks and analysis.
UMass vs Boston College Odds
| UMass Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5.5 -110 | 145.5 -115o / -105u | +190 |
| Boston College Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5.5 -110 | 145.5 -115o / -105u | -235 |
- UMass vs Boston College spread: UMass +5.5 (-110), Boston College -5.5 (-110)
- UMass vs Boston College over/under: 145.5 (-115o / -105u)
- UMasas vs Boston College moneyline: UMass +190, Boston College -235
UMass vs Boston College Basketball Preview
UMass Basketball
The UMass Minutemen looked mighty impressive at the start of the season. They held a solid Troy team to 0.88 points per possession and just 60 points, earning a season-opening win.
The Minutemen got a balanced scoring effort. Junjie Wang, a former San Francisco big who felt like a terrific add in the MAC, scored 18 points with 13 rebounds. Plus, Northwestern transfer Jordan Clayton stepped up, scoring 16 points and hitting four 3s.
One area I'm not sold on with UMass is shooting. The Minutemen start Danny Carbuccia at the lead guard spot, a savvy passer and elite defender, but he's not a scorer. At the three, Dwayne Wimbley Jr. shot 18% from deep last season, and Abdullah Ahmed has made zero college 3s.
UMass is best when Carbuccia can attack downhill. It's harder to attack when defenses can sag off and dare UMass to shoot.
I don't know how much I trust UMass' bench, too. Two bench players played 10+ minutes (Noa Zemljic and Cheick Sylla) in the Minutemen's first game. Sylla played spot minutes at the five when Ahmed was off the floor, so expect a steady diet of him. Zemljic scored 11 points in 15 minutes, so his role could grow.
Rim protection could be a big key for UMass, as Ahmed swatted seven shots in 18 minutes.
Between Carbuccia's pesky on-ball defense and Ahmed's rim protection, the Minutemen should defend at a high level.
Boston College Basketball
Boston College fans have to be excited about the Luke Murray era. The Eagles beat Wagner 76-50 in the season opener, a big deal because Boston College struggled to beat mid-majors in the past.
Murray was Dan Hurley's right-hand man for years, and the best UConn teams defended at an elite level. That seems to be the DNA of Murray's first team in Chestnut Hill, as the Eagles held Wagner to 0.76 points per possession and 50 points.
The positional size from 1-5 is intimidating. The smallest starter is Money Williams at 6-foot-4, with the other four starters standing 6-foot-5 or taller.
Neither of Boston College's two bigs are stars, but Luke Hunger scored nine points with five rebounds and Brandon Benjamin scored 10 points with eight rebounds in game one.
I also think Boston College has some decent offensive upside. Williams starred at Montana, and his scoring chops should translate anywhere. He's adept at getting to the foul line (15 FTA's) and scored 22 points against Wagner.
Although Carbuccia is a good defender, he's an aggressive defender, and Williams tends to make aggressive defenders pay.
Also keep an eye on Ernest Shelton and Zak Smrekar. Shelton is the best shooter on the team and hit three triples to start the season.
Meanwhile, Smrekar, a 20-year-old Slovenian, gives Boston College another 6-foot-6 ball-handling option who can score from all three levels. He's a ceiling booster for this BC team.
UMass vs. Boston College Pick, Betting Analysis
I'm taking Boston College.
I see the vision with UMass being a middle-tier MAC squad, but the shooting woes push me away from the Minutemen in this matchup.
The Eagles can match UMass' height, and I trust Boston College's guards more, especially Williams against the smaller Carbuccia.
Pick: Boston College -5
