College Basketball Betting Picks for Monday 11/6/23: A Pair of Top-25 Teams Can Flourish

The college basketball season always provides a flurry of twists and turns that few saw coming -- especially when March Madness comes around. This can make college basketball one of the most challenging sports to bet on.

Fortunately, we have plenty of tools available that can aid our chances of taking the most favorable college basketball bets. Bart Torvik and KenPom are excellent sources that give insights into team-level efficiency, and Sports-Reference provides a wide range of useful stats, as well.

Let's check out FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball odds and select some of the best bets of the day by utilizing the mentioned tools.

Please note lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published.

College Basketball Best Bets

Samford Bulldogs at No. 3 Purdue Boilermakers

Purdue -19.5 (-110)

The Purdue Boilermakers entered the 2023 NCAA Tournament as one of the national championship favorites. After winning the Big Ten Tournament and the Big Ten regular season, Purdue was on the losing end of one of the biggest upsets of all time against Fairleigh Dickinson as they became the second No. 1 seed to fall to a No. 16 seed.

But Purdue should be elite once again in 2023-24.

According to Bart Torvik, the Boilermakers return 83.8% of their minutes -- the highest mark among Bart Torvik's projected top-10 teams. Zach Edey returns as the reigning National Player of the Year after averaging 22.3 points per game (PPG) and 12.9 rebounds per game (RPG) in the 2022-23 season.

Edey's return plays a massive role in Purdue ranking first in KenPom's and Bart Torvik's preseason rankings.

Underwhelming guard play and three-point shooting proved to be the Boilermakers' downfall last season, but Purdue has a favorable season-opening matchup against the Samford Bulldogs.

Samford had one of college basketball's worst perimeter defenses last season, ranking in the top 10% for most three-point attempts allowed per game (325th).

Purdue could get plenty of open looks from deep, and the Bulldogs are replacing their top two scorers from last year -- Ques Glover and Logan Dye. Samford lacks frontcourt depth, too, which will make guarding the 7-foot-4 Edey a tall task.

I like the Boilermakers to roll to a cover in their season opener.

Princeton Tigers at Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Under 136.5 (-105)

The Princeton Tigers against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights is one of the most intriguing matchups on tonight's slate. Of course, Princeton enjoyed a Cinderella run last season as they made the Sweet 16 as a No. 15 seed. Rutgers failed to make the NCAA Tournament last season after appearing in the event in the previous two years.

The Scarlet Knights are a 5.5-point favorite in the in-state showdown (both universities are located in New Jersey). I'm avoiding the point spread, though, and targeting the total.

The line sits at 136.5 points. Rutgers basketball, at times, is like watching paint dry. This squad is built on winning ugly games with its scrappy competitiveness and sound defense. The Knights finished sixth in Kenpom's adjusted defensive efficiency last season, and they have been among the top third of slowest paces in college basketball in back-to-back seasons.

Princeton didn't play at a fast pace last year, either; they were among the top half slowest tempos. With both teams returning more than 50.0% of their minutes from last season, we could be in store for a slow-paced, defensive battle. Give me the under.

New Mexico State Aggies at No. 16 Kentucky Wildcats

Kentucky -15.5 (-114)

Despite the New Mexico State Aggies returning zero experience from last season, the No. 16 Kentucky Wildcats are favored by only 15.5 points.

It's a good thing the Aggies don't return experience, though. The 2022-23 season was a disaster for them as New Mexico State shut down its season in February due to a hazing incident. This led to the firing of coach Greg Heiar. This squad has been completely revamped with coach Jason Hooten and a pair of transfers in Femi Odukale and Brandon Suggs.

Look, I get it -- the Aggies used to be a mid-major powerhouse. They appeared in the NCAA Tournament four times from the 2016-17 season to the 2021-22 season. However, this program has completely changed -- especially with Chris Jans now coaching the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Kentucky is the typical John Calipari team: lots of freshmen and limited experience. The Wildcats return only 18.6% of their minutes and will likely feature at least four true freshmen in their rotation tonight. This roster has plenty of talent as UK landed 247 Sports' top recruiting class last year. But will they piece it together?

Ultimately, there are too many unknowns about New Mexico State. The Aggies come off a season filled with off-the-court distractions, and now they feature a new-look program. The Wildcats still boast one of the nation's most talented rosters, and Calipari remains at the helm.

Kentucky has consistently underachieved in recent years, but they are capable of covering against New Mexico State, which has a lot to figure out. The Wildcats' talent could reign supreme.

Looking for more college basketball betting opportunities? Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook to check out all of the upcoming college basketball odds.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.