College Basketball Best Bets Tonight: Predictions for Friday (Nov. 7)

Two of my college basketball best bets tonight are centered around No. 19 Kansas facing No. 25 North Carolina, as I look to build on the nearly two units of profit from my last two college basketball best bets articles.

Jayhawks freshman Darryn Peterson lived up to the hype in the team’s first game, but my college basketball predictions also expect another Tar Heel to stay under his projected points total.

🏀 Best college basketball bets tonight: Nov. 7

See all of our experts' college basketball picks based on the latest college basketball odds.

💰 Best college basketball predictions for Friday

⬆️  Darryn Peterson player prop: Over 18.5 points (+125 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kansas star freshman and Wooden Award contender Darryn Peterson scored 21 points while chipping in another seven combined rebounds and assists in the team’s easy 94-51 victory over Green Bay on Monday. But that impressive stat line came in just 22 minutes, as he had 24 of the 28 points, rebounds, and assists in just 17 minutes in the first half.

Thus, despite all the publicity surrounding Peterson, his line was actually lower than what it could have been if head coach Bill Self needed him more in the second half on Monday.

I am backing Peterson’s points total at bet365, as the plus-money odds at a 44.44% implied probability at bet365 are a great value compared to the -114 odds for the Over at 19.5 at FanDuel. Using that number after taking advantage of a bet365 bonus code, my $10 wager would net $12.50 in profits if Peterson scores 19-plus points.

⬇️  Caleb Wilson player prop: Under 16.5 points (-105 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐

While Peterson’s projected totals seem low, opposing Tar Heels freshman Caleb Wilson’s point total seems inflated coming off a spectacular first game. Wilson scored 22 points on an 80% field goal percentage and became just the fifth North Carolina freshman to score 20-plus in a collegiate debut. 

But many of those points came on easy dunks against an undersized Central Arkansas frontcourt that boasts one player taller than 6-foot-6 in its starting lineup. In addition, the Bears ranked 340th in adjusted defensive efficiency last year, so Wilson will face a much more stern test from a physical Jayhawks defense.

Wilson’s O/U is as high as 18.5 at bet365, but the -180 odds carrying a 64.29% implied probability are too steep. Even though the line at FanDuel is a full two points lower, the return on a winning $10 wager ($9.52 in profits) is much more appealing.

We have more plays on this game in our Kansas vs. North Carolina prediction.

⬆️  Purdue team prop: Over 92.5 points (-118 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Purdue guard Fletcher Loyer put the team on his back in the season opener. He scored 30 points, 21 of which came on 3-point attempts, and was the only Boilermaker to drop more than 11. His lethal perimeter shooting was much-needed, as the team was missing its best inside presence, Trey Kaufman-Renn, who was out with a hip injury.

Purdue now faces an Oakland team that allowed 121 points to Michigan in its season opener. The Wolverines connected on 54.3% of their 3-point attempts (19 of 35), with four players making multiple 3-pointers and dicing up Greg Kampe’s zone.

The Boilermakers have a team total as high as 93.5 points on the high end of the market. That makes paying up slightly in juice at FanDuel at 54.13% implied odds worth it. Through its -118 odds, my $10 wager would net $8.47 in profits if Purdue scored at least 93 points.

⬇️  Valparaiso vs. Kentucky prediction: Under 157.5 (-110 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kentucky plodded its way to a 77-51 win over Nicholls in Tuesday’s season opener. It got off to a slow start with just nine points over the game’s first 10 minutes, and did not crack 30 by halftime.

Perhaps head coach Mark Pope needs to tweak things about his substitution patterns going forward, as it looked like the nine Wildcats that played between 17 and 24 minutes had difficulty getting into a rhythm.

Valparaiso has ranked 133rd and 152nd in adjusted tempo in the two seasons under head coach Roger Powell, and should bring this game to a snail’s pace tonight. The Under also cashed in 56.2% of Kentucky’s non-conference games since the start of last season. 

BetMGM’s -110 price at 52.38% implied odds would return $9.09 on a winning $10 wager if the Under cashes.