Our free College Basketball Picks are out for Wednesday, November 24th, 2021! Make sure you check our College Basketball Picks before the action kicks off.
Look below to find our free College Basketball Picks for the best games on today’s schedule!
#19 Auburn v #22 UConn – 2:30pm ET
Our only battle with two ranked teams for the day sees the Auburn Tigers take on the Connecticut Huskies in the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament. Both sides are yet to taste defeat this season, however only one team can keep their streak alive and advance to the next round, where they play the winner of Michigan State v Loyola Chicago.
Denis Kirilov
After starting 3-0, Auburn will try to keep this streak against a tough opponent in the face of 22th-seeded Connecticut. UConn are also unbeaten so far with their 4-0 record after victories over weaker teams like Binghamton, Long Island University, Coppin State, and Central Connecticut. The team has been quite dominant in these games, but this could have been well anticipated. The Huskies rely much on approaches to the basket as most of them have the physique to dominate in the paint.
On the other hand, Auburn also looks quite dangerous with players like K.D. Johnson and Jabari Smith. The first one might be just 6’0’’, but he has the quickness and the explosiveness of a point guard. He is also quite accurate from the 3-point line as he made 47% of all the shots from beyond the arc. The latter has the athleticism and the toughness so that he can fight for every rebound in either offensive or defensive end. He is also quite successful from deep range with his 45%. I think this game will be a tactical one, but I am certain we will see a lot of buckets, so I will recommend picking the option for “over points”.
Denis’ College Basketball Pick: Over 143.5 (-110)
Stage is set. Big opportunity ahead. #WarEagle pic.twitter.com/abxhvdoYso
— Auburn Basketball (@AuburnMBB) November 24, 2021
Michael Lantz
The Auburn Tigers are off to a 3-0 start, after using a big second half against South Florida last Friday, to come from behind and beat the Bulls 58-52. The team will need more out of prized recruit Jabari Smith going forward, as the young star shot poorly against South Florida. Luckily, he has shown promise: against Louisiana-Monroe he exploded for a double-double. This team has its fair share of talent, but it’ll be up to Smith to push them over the edge.
On Wednesday night, the Tigers will play their toughest opponent yet as they face off against the Connecticut Huskies in the Bahamas in the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament. So far, UConn has cruised to a 4-0 record, beating all of their opponents by double-digits. They have a pretty balanced scoring attack, but it’s safe to say the stand outs have been guard Tyrese Martin and forward Adama Sanogo. Martin—a senior—has been averaging 13.5 points per game and 6.5 rebounds, while the sophomore Sanogo has been averaging nearly 16 points per game. While each team is facing their toughest opponent, I like what I’ve seen out of UConn a little more. I’ll pick the Huskies.
Michael’s College Basketball Pick: UConn (-178)
Tony Battalio
This game between Auburn and Connecticut is the only game where two top 25 teams will face off during the Wednesday slate. Both teams come into this game undefeated on the season as they get ready to face off in the Bad Boy Motors Battle 4 Atlantis. Through their first four games of the year the UConn Huskies have rolled over everyone in their path as they possess an average margin of victory of nearly 41 points with victories over Central Connecticut, Coppin State, Long Island, and Binghamton. This will be their toughest test at this point in the year by far as they welcome in the 3-0 Auburn Tigers.
The previously mentioned Auburn Tigers have had their fair share of blowout wins as well, as their average margin of victory sits at 19 points as they have picked up wins against Morehead State, Louisiana Monroe, and South Florida. As for the result of this game it looks to be on paper at least, the most competitive game of the Wednesday slate. When the final buzzer sounds, I have UConn coming out on top in this thrilling match up. As a part of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament the winner of this one will play the winner of unranked Michigan State and Loyola.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: UConn (-178)
Tarleton @ #20 Michigan – 7pm ET
The Michigan Wolverines, who made it to last season’s Elite Eight, have already suffered two losses in their first five games. They will now look to snap out of that funk by hosting the Tarleton Texans, who have just one win from five games and will need more than luck to compete in this one.
Denis Kirilov
Michigan has suffered a huge drop in their ranking as they have been #4 before this week, but at the moment they are 20th-seeded. It’s obvious that something isn’t clicking right for the Wolverines as they lost twice already. The first time came against Seton Hall by 2 points, while the second one was against Arizona in the final for the Roman Main Event. They didn’t have any chance to make a comeback after a disappointing first half. With Hunter Dickinson and Caleb Houstan, the team looks fresh, while players like Eli Brooks and DeVante’ Jones can add up some experience within the roster.
Tarleton State is off to a 1-4 start this season as they had to face some tough opponents in the likes of Kansas and Wichita State. They came agonizingly close to the victory over North Dakota State, but the Texans got themselves outplayed in the final minutes of the match. The team is looking at two really unachievable wins in their next games as they will consecutively play against Michigan and Gonzaga. I think Michigan will teach them a quick lesson in this upcoming fixture, so I will go with them covering the spread given by the bookmakers.
Denis’ College Basketball Pick: Michigan -21.5 (-120)
Michael Lantz
At the beginning of a season, Michigan was a favorite to win both the Big 10 and NCAA Tournament. There’s still plenty of time to do that, but Michigan has run into some early issues. They’re off to a 3-2 start, with losses to Seton Hall and Arizona, including the latter being an 18-point defeat. Michigan will look to turn their early season struggles around as they face Tarleton State on Wednesday.
The Tarleton State Texans sit at 1-4 on the year and after three straight double-digit losses to start the season, they’ve looked a bit better in their last two. They won by 27 over the Paul Quinn Tigers and then lost by only one to North Dakota State. When Tarleton face Michigan on Wednesday, it’ll be the second time that they’ve faced a ranked team this season, as they lost to Kansas by 26 points. I expect a similar result against Michigan, who despite some early uncertainties, will have too much power for the Texans to handle.
Michael’s College Basketball Pick: Michigan -21.5 (-120)
Tony Battalio
The relatively unknown Tarleton State is a member of the Western Athletic Conference, they are located in the state of Texas, and they come into this game against the Michigan Wolverines with a record of 1-4 on the year. Some of those four losses include games against Kansas, and Wichita State so it’s fair to say they have played a somewhat difficult schedule up until this point. They did however manage to pick up one victory over Paul Quinn by a score of 69 to 42 on November 19th. It will not get any easier for Tarleton State after this game against Michigan as they will play the Gonzaga Bulldogs next.
The Michigan Wolverines came into the season with a lot of hype however some of that hype has faded after a slow start to the year. They opened up the season as the number six ranked team in college basketball and now they find themselves barely cracking the top 25. They picked up victories in the opening two games against Buffalo and Prairie View before falling to Seton Hall and Arizona in the last week. They now sit at 3-2 early on in the year however they do have plenty of time to turn it around before Big Ten play starts. As for the result of this game Michigan should have no problem controlling this one from start to finish as they can use this one as a momentum boosting victory to potentially find the rhythm and jump start their season again.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: Michigan -21.5 (-120)
#25 Xavier v Iowa State – 7pm ET
The NIT Season Tip-Off kicks off with two 4-0 teams looking to continue with their hot starts. The Xavier Musketeers have played their way into the top 25 while the Iowa State Cyclones have won four straight as well, but against much easier competition.
Denis Kirilov
Xavier and Iowa State will face each other in what promises to be a very entertaining match on Wednesday in the NCAA. Both teams are 4-0 so far and they will be looking to keep their record that way after tomorrow’s head-to-head game. However, one of them would have to leave the court defeated. Xavier’s best player, Paul Scruggs, will do everything he can so that this team won’t be the Musketeers, while Tyrese Hunter and Izaiah Brockington will try to stop him for Iowa State.
At first sight, both teams look quite balanced and well distributed in terms of strength and skills. I would say that Xavier’s win over Ohio State on Thursday gives them a slight advantage for this game, although Iowa State also took the head of a good team in the face of Oregon State. Having in mind the conservativeness that shines from both rosters, I would say that they will continue using this strategy. If that happens, it will result in a slow game with plenty of focus on the defensive side. Hence, I will go with the option for “under points” in this one.
Denis’ College Basketball Pick: Under 136.5 (-110)
3️⃣3️⃣3️⃣3️⃣3️⃣3️⃣3️⃣3️⃣ @AKunK05#LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/QvLvEZVfjS
— Xavier Basketball (@XavierMBB) November 22, 2021
Michael Lantz
The Xavier Musketeers entered the Top 25 after a big win against in-state rivals the Ohio State Buckeyes last week. They followed that game with a 40-point win on Sunday against Norfolk State. Now, at 4-0 they’ll face another 4-0 team in the Iowa State Cyclones.
Iowa State has won all their games by healthy margins, with guard Izaiah Brockington leading the team in both points and rebounds (13.5 points/8 rebounds). Iowa State has their eyes on making a big run in the Big 12 this season with their eyes on making the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019. That being said, none of the Cyclones’s opponents have matched the talent of Xavier. The Musketeers’ defense has only allowed an average of 58 opponent points per game. I expect them to continue to clamp down on an Iowa State team that hasn’t exactly had a statement win yet.
Michael’s College Basketball Pick: Xavier (-400)
Tony Battalio
Xavier comes into this game ranked 25th in the country and sporting a 4-0 record on the year. They have picked up victories over Niagara, Kent State, Norfolk State and most notably an upset win over the Ohio State Buckeyes. They have looked tough so far this season having played three close games to open up the year before blowing Norfolk State out of the water by 40 points. Once again Xavier looks to be on their way to the NCAA tournament this season where they once again will look to crash the party and make a run at the national title.
The Iowa State Cyclones also come into this game with an undefeated record of 4-0 on the year. They have picked up victories over Kennesaw State, Oregon State, Alabama State, and Grambling with 3 of the 4 being by 10 points or more. Iowa State is looking to be a competitive team in a stacked Big 12 conference this season and they have lived up to the part with 4 wins in 4 games this year. However I think their undefeated streak ends in this one as I look for Xavier to pick up another big victory to open the year up. As a part of the NIT season tip off the winner of this game will face the winner of the #9 ranked Memphis and unranked Virginia Tech.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: Xavier (-400)
#6 Baylor v Arizona State – 7:30pm ET
Baylor and Arizona State are also taking part in the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament, however they are on the other side of the bracket to Auburn & UConn. While Baylor is a top-10 team that is yet to lose a game this season, Arizona State have split their four games and will need to find a spark against one of the best teams in the country.
Denis Kirilov
The reigning champions from Baylor are looking at a fantastic 4-0 start this season. They have been quite merciless in their opening games as they defeated each single team by at least 25 points. Teams like Stanford and Central Arkansas fell in the list with their victims. The Bears are looking to keep on going as much as possible, so that they can rest some of their players ahead of March Madness. LJ Cryer, Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua, and James Akinjo are the core of this team that will try to defend their title from last year.
Arizona State took a hesitant start to their campaign, having lost twice in 4 games. The team suffered an upset in their second match against UC Riverside which further proved that the Sun Devils won’t be any greater competitor this season. They are coming into this game with just 42.5% FG which is very low for Baylor’s standards. If the Bears find an easy way to stop Kimani Lawrence, then this match will turn into a walk in the park for them. I think they will assert their dominance yet once again and defeat Arizona State by at least 25 points. I am picking them to cover their spread.
Denis’ College Basketball Pick: Baylor -11.5 (-110)
Michael Lantz
At 2-2, the Arizona Sun Devils are a team that could almost be 4-0 on the season. Their two losses have been a 66-65 loss to UC Riverside and a 65-63 loss to San Diego State. Arizona State hopes to make some adjustments going forward so they can win those close games. Unfortunately, it might not happen on Wednesday, as they go up against a Baylor Bears team that’s continuing to ride on last year’s success.
Baylor have ripped past every opponent they’ve faced so far, winning by an average of around 35 points per game. They’ll look to continue that trend on Wednesday against an underrated Sun Devils squad. For Baylor, they’ve been led by breakthrough sophomore LJ Cryer. Cryer was part of last year’s National Championship team, but he only averaged 10 minutes per game and just over 3 points. Now, in his second year he’s playing 25 minutes and averaging 18.5 points. Cryer’s rise just shows how deep this Bears team is, and how any player can rise to the occasion. I’ll expect their winning ways to continue over ASU on Wednesday.
Michael’s College Basketball Pick: Baylor (-880)
Tony Battalio
The Baylor Bears come into this game as the number 6th ranked team in the nation according to the Associated Press poll. Baylor is currently 4-0 on the year as they have picked up wins over Incarnate Word, Nicholls, Central Arkansas, and Stanford. All four victories have come in blowout fashion as the Bears have an average margin of victory of nearly 35 points thus far. They have a couple more tune up games before their scheduled December showdown with the Villanova Wildcats and Baylor will be looking to take advantage of them as they look towards the Wildcats.
The Arizona State Sun Devils come into this game with a record of 2-2 on the year as they sit exactly on the .500 mark. They have picked up victories over Portland and North Florida however they have had close upsets against UC Riverside and San Diego State by a combined 3 points. When the final horn sounds in this game I expect the Baylor Bears to come out on top with another blowout victory. As a part of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament the winner of this game will play the winner of unranked VCU and Syracuse.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: Baylor (-880)
#9 Memphis v Virginia Tech – 9:30pm ET
The Memphis Tigers and Virginia Tech Hokies will face off in the other NIT Season Tip-Off clash, with the winner to face the winner of the earlier game, between Xavier and Iowa State. Neither side has lost a game so far this season, and both sides have dominated each game they have played. Who will continue their red-hot form tonight?
Denis Kirilov
Two teams who are yet to drop a game will face each other on Wednesday night in the NCAA. Virginia Tech takes on Memphis at a neutral location. Virginia Tech started off the season with 5 more than convincing wins. Not only this, but they also enjoy more than 50% FG performance so far. Justyn Mutts is a great all-around player as he leads the Hokies in rebounds, assists, and steals, having at the same time a decent number of points per game. The team is quite balanced and the head coach can rely on at least 8-9 players who can have a huge impact on the match.
Memphis, on the other hand, are 4-0 so far and they have also been merciless in their meetings. Jalen Duren is their key player as he displays incredible skills on both ends, grabbing rebounds and posting blocks, while putting in bucket after bucket. This can also be a great disadvantage for Memphis, if their opponent finds a way to stop him and destroy his game. However, the team seems quite balanced when we talk about the offensive side as Emoni Bates, Tyler Harris, and Jayden Hardaway are ready to punish Virginia Tech with plenty of 3-pointers. As a whole, I think that Virginia Tech might be able to give a decent fight this game and I will choose them to cover their spread.
Denis’ College Basketball Pick: Virginia Tech +3 (-110)
Focused on Virginia Tech.#GoTigersGo | #TunnelVision pic.twitter.com/WMPvUEW8gp
— Memphis Basketball (@Memphis_MBB) November 23, 2021
Michael Lantz
The Virginia Tech Hokies basketball team has gotten off to a 5-0 record, by playing outstanding basketball on both offense and defense. They’ve averaged 76 points per game on offense, while only allowing the opposition to score around 48 per game, as they’ve looked like one of the Power Five’s top two-way teams thus far. They’ll have a big test to prove they’re legit on Wednesday as they face a #9 Memphis team, littered with five-star recruits.
Memphis is off to a 4-0 start, with big thanks to their star freshmen Jalen Duren and Emoni Bates. The 6’11 Duren has been electric inside, averaging 15 points and nearly 11 rebounds per game. As for Bates, the 17-year-old already looks like a pro averaging just over 13 points per game. We’ll see how this team with young stars can handle a Hokies team that’s been thrilling on both sides of the ball. Kentucky may prevail in this one, but I’ll pick the Hokies to keep it close and cover.
Michael’s College Basketball Pick: Virginia Tech +3 (-110)
Tony Battalio
Both teams come into this one undefeated as the number ninth ranked Memphis Tigers take on the Virginia Tech Hokies in the NIT Season Tip Off Tournament with a spot in the finals at stake. As the winner of this game will play the winner of #25 Xavier and Iowa State to determine the champion of this early season tournament. Memphis is currently 4-0 on the season as they have picked up victories over Tennessee Tech by 24, North Carolina Central by 39, Saint Louis by 16, and Western Kentucky by 12 points.
The Virginia Tech Hokies come into this match up with a record of 5-0 on the season as they have Maine, Navy, Radford, St. Francis (PA), and Merrimack. The Hokies average margin of victory is 28 points thus far. This is by far Virginia Tech’s toughest test of the season to date as they look to rack up early season wins before entering the gauntlet of ACC play against Duke, Florida State, UNC and other high profile teams. As for the result of this matchup I expect the Memphis Tigers to pick up the victory and continue their undefeated season as we progress towards the month of December.
Tony’s College Basketball Pick: Memphis (-125)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
