Best College Basketball Bets Today | NCAAB Picks November 13

It’s a new week of college basketball, and there are some massive matchups coming over the next few days. #4 Michigan State battles #2 Duke, and #1 Kansas takes on #16 Kentucky on Tuesday, but there are critical games on Monday as well. 

The night begins with Michigan and St. John’s in what should be a tightly contested game from New York. Additionally, #12 Arizona and #3 Purdue are also in action against Southern and Xavier, respectively. Let’s break down our favorite picks for the Monday Slate!

Michigan @ St. John’s

• Date: Monday, November 13

• Time: 6:30 pm EST

• Moneyline: Michigan +110 | St. John’s -132

• Spread: Michigan +2.5 (-114) | St. John’s -2.5 (-106)

• Total: Over 155.5 (-115) | Under 155.5 (-105)

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

PICK: Michigan +2.5

Michigan and St. John’s enter Monday’s neutral site game at Madison Square Garden with perfect records. The Wolverines are 2-0, while the Red Storm are 1-0. This contest is part of the Gavitt Tipoff Games, where the Big East matches up against the Big Ten. 

The Wolverines efficiently handled Youngstown State in their last win, prevailing by 30 points and covering the -16.5 line. St. John’s beat Stony Brook by 16 in their first game, but nothing came easy in this contest. They must play a lot better tonight to take down Michigan as a 2.5-point favorite. 

The Wolverines are going to struggle at times this season because of their age. The team has typically been loaded with returners with experience, but this isn’t the case in 2023. Their best player is Oliver Nkamhoua, who transferred from Tennessee, where he averaged 10.8 PPG.

He has quickly burst onto the scene for the Wolverines, becoming the player Juwan Howard can trust in high-leverage moments. Yet, the problem for Michigan is on the defensive side of the ball. Their strength in the backcourt will be a concern in 2023. 

The Rick Pitino St. John’s era started with a win, and he has a good team. He was able to bring in a ton of transfers, which should help his early winning case. However, the group isn’t from significant programs, so it will be interesting to see how they play out throughout the year. 

This game is in St. John’s backyard, but we expect a heavy Michigan crowd. The KenPom rankings have Michigan as the 35th overall program compared to St. John’s in 60th. 

The Red Storm has the team to beat the Wolverines, but we haven’t seen this Rick Pitino team handle adversity. While Michigan is younger than in years past, we still trust Howard’s team to find a way to win on the road. This game could come down to the wire, so grab the 2.5 points. 

Xavier @ #3 Purdue 

• Date: Monday, November 13

• Time: 8:30 pm EST

• Moneyline: Xavier +1200 | Purdue -3000

• Spread: Xavier +17.5 (-110) | Purdue -17.5 (-110)

• Total: Over 151.5 (-110) | Under 151.5 (-110)

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

PICK: Purdue -17.5

Purdue is looking to make a statement at home, and they should do this once again versus Xavier in the second game of the Gavitt Tipoff. Xavier is a decent program, which is evident by their 2-0 record, but Purdue is one of the best teams in the country. 

Xavier is 1-1 against the spread compared to Purdue. Both teams are undefeated SU on the year, which will end at Madison Square Garden on Monday.

The Musketeers beat Jacksonville 79-56 in their last contest. They weren’t excellent in this contest, though, shooting less than 25% from beyond the arc. If they bring this same effort, they will lose by 20+ against Purdue. 

The Boilermakers are one of the most physical teams in the country. They dominated the paint with Zach Edey, and he was no match for Morehead State. Edey finished with an effortless 18 points and eight rebounds in that game. 

This game is going to come down to efficiency and experience. Purdue is better in both of these areas and while +17.5 points is a big spread for a team that was 27-10 one year ago, we expect the Boilermakers to shine. Lay the points before this number climbs even more.