Today's college basketball slate features some intriguing matchups, and our college basketball predictions highlight the top picks to be made.
From Penn State looking to make a statement against Pitt, to a pair of Lake Tahoe Classic matchups featuring Houston and USC, we've rounded up our best college basketball picks for Sunday, Nov. 8.
College basketball top picks at a glance (Sunday, Nov. 8)
| Matchup & time | Top pick & analyst |
|---|---|
| Penn State vs. Pitt 8 p.m. ET |
Penn State +2.5 Colby Marchio |
| Houston vs. California 8:30 p.m. ET |
Under 146.5 Chris Hatfield |
| USC vs. Wichita State 11 p.m. ET |
USC -6.5 Colby Marchio |
Penn State vs. Pitt pick: Penn State +2.5
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- TV: ESPN2
- Location: The Palestra, Philadelphia, Pa.
- Analyst: Colby Marchio
Top pick: Penn State +2.5
Colby Marchio is backing Penn State as an underdog against Pitt, trusting Mike Rhoades' revamped roster and new approach to building through veteran transfers. The Nittany Lions finally have experienced talent coming through the portal, giving Marchio confidence that they can keep this game competitive.
Penn State also returns Ivan Juric, who should take a significant step forward, and Josh Reed, who averaged 11.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game last season. Freshman Roko Prkacin has already made an impression, leading the team in scoring through two games while averaging 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists. The Croatian brings considerable experience after spending the previous eight years playing professional basketball in Europe.
Pitt has undergone significant changes of its own, with Jeff Capel replacing his brother and much of last season's coaching staff. Marchio prefers the Nittany Lions as the underdog, believing their veteran additions give them an opportunity to pull off the outright win.
Read our full Penn State vs. Pitt predictions.
Houston vs. California pick: Under 146.5
- Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
- TV: The CW
- Location: Tahoe Blue Event Center, Stateline, Nev.
- Analyst: Chris Hatfield
Top pick: Under 146.5
Chris Hatfield is expecting a defensive battle in the Lake Tahoe Classic, backing the Under in a matchup between Houston and California. Houston should be efficient enough offensively to score, but its approach is built around controlling possessions and forcing opponents to execute against a set defense.
California is projected to attempt plenty of three-pointers, but Houston's defensive pressure could make those looks more difficult and create empty possessions before the Golden Bears get into their preferred offensive actions.
California's first two games produced a combined 199 points per game, but those came against Adams State and Radford. Houston offers a much more relevant defensive test after holding La Salle to 55 points and forcing 26 turnovers. Hatfield expects the Cougars to suppress California's efficiency and keep this game closer to the mid-140s than a shootout.
Read our full Houston vs. California predictions.
USC vs. Wichita State pick: USC -6.5
- Time: 11 p.m. ET
- TV: The CW
- Location: Tahoe Blue Event Center, Stateline, Nev.
- Analyst: Colby Marchio
Top pick: USC -6.5
Colby Marchio is backing USC to cover a 6.5-point spread against Wichita State in the Lake Tahoe Classic, pointing to the Trojans' experience and preparation advantage. The Shockers enter the season with defensive concerns, and their limited preseason schedule could leave them unprepared for USC's more battle-tested roster.
Wichita State faced only Murray State in its preseason exhibition, losing 93-87. USC, meanwhile, played North Carolina, UC San Diego, and San Diego State, gaining valuable experience against a variety of opponents. The Trojans lost 88-70 to North Carolina before bouncing back with wins over UC San Diego (80-74) and San Diego State (85-68).
Marchio believes those exhibition matchups have USC better prepared to play hard-nosed defense against a potentially one-dimensional Wichita State offense. The Trojans also have plenty of firepower, with Alijah Arenas, Rodney Rice, and Adonis Ratliff leading a loaded offensive attack.
Read our full USC vs. Wichita State predictions.
More college basketball picks
All of today's matchups are also on the college basketball scores and matchups page, and the full pick archive lives in free college basketball picks.
Check the college basketball injury report before finalizing today's picks.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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