College basketball picks for Nov. 18-24: Predictions for every Top 25 game
Another week is in the books and the college basketball landscape continues to produce dramatic results as a number of top programs vie for the status of team to beat in the early season. Last week's Champions Classic produced a memorable night cap as Kentucky produced a second half rally to stun Cooper Flagg and Duke, leading them to surge inside the Top 10 of the latest AP Top 25 poll.
That result was also costly for the Blue Devils, who slipped six slots to fall out of the Top 10 down to No. 12. The other new team to join Kentucky inside the Top 10 was Purdue, which made a statement of its own by defeating No. 2 Alabama by 9 at Mackey Arena on Friday to jump seven spots to No. 6 in the poll.
The loss led to a six spot slip for Alabama, which is now No. 8 in the poll, although head coach Nate Oats appreciates the challenge of a hard non-conference schedule to try and prep his squad for the rigors of March Madness. The top of the poll was relatively unchanged as Kansas held onto the No. 1 ranking for a third straight week while UCONN, Gonzaga, Auburn and Iowa State round out the top five.
There are a lot of big games on tap this week, but how will the newly ranked teams fare over the next seven days? Read on for a look at picks for every game involving at least one Top 25 team on the schedule over the next week.
College Basketball Week 3 Top 25 Predictions
Monday, Nov. 18
Away Team | Home Team | Time | Network | Prediction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
IU Indianapolis | No. 5 Iowa State | 8:00 p.m. ET | ESPN+ | Iowa State |
UT Rio Grande Valley | No. 19 Wisconsin | 8:00 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network | Wisconsin |
Pacific | No. 20 Arkansas | 8:00 p.m. ET | ESPN+ | Arkansas |
North Alabama | No. 4 Auburn | 9:00 p.m. ET | SEC Network | Auburn |
No. 3 Gonzaga | San Diego State | 10:00 p.m. ET | CBS Sports Network | Gonzaga |
Tuesday, Nov. 19
Away Team | Home Team | Time | Network | Prediction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
East Texas A&M | No. 2 UCONN | 7:00 p.m. ET | FS1 | UCONN |
Lipscomb | No. 9 Kentucky* | 7:00 p.m. ET | ESPN+ | Kentucky |
No. 18 Cincinnati | Northern Kentucky | 7:00 p.m. ET | ESPN+ | Cincinnati |
Florida A&M | No. 21 Florida | 7:00 p.m. ET | ESPN+ | Florida |
UNC Wilmington | No. 1 Kansas | 8:00 p.m. ET | ESPN+ | Kansas |
No. 6 Purdue | No. 15 Marquette | 9:00 p.m. ET | FS1 | Marquette |
*BBN Invitational at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY
Wednesday, Nov. 20
Away Team | Home Team | Time | Network | Prediction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Southern | No. 23 Texas A&M | 8:00 p.m. ET | ESPN+ | Texas A&M |
Merrimack | No. 24 Rutgers | 8:00 p.m. ET | Peacock | Rutgers |
Long Beach State | No. 3 Gonzaga | 9:00 p.m. ET | ESPN+ | Gonzaga |
No. 25 Illinois | No. 8 Alabama* | 9:00 p.m. ET | SEC Network | Alabama |
*C.M. Newton Classic at Legacy Arena at BJCC in Birmingham, AL
Thursday, Nov. 21
Away Team | Home Team | Time | Network | Prediction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
UNC Greensboro | No. 16 Indiana | 6:30 p.m. ET | FS1 | Indiana |
No. 13 Baylor | No. 22 St. John's* | 7:00 p.m. ET | CBS Sports Network | Baylor |
Virginia | No. 11 Tennessee* | 9:30 p.m. ET | CBS Sports Network | Tennessee |
*Baha Mar Hoops - Bahamas Championship at Baha Mar Convention Center in Nassau, Bahamas
Friday, Nov. 22
Away Team | Home Team | Time | Network | Prediction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 19 Wisconsin | UCF* | 5:00 p.m. ET | CBS Sports Network | UCF |
Jackson State | No. 9 Kentucky** | 7:00 p.m. ET | ESPN+ | Kentucky |
Southern Illinois | No. 21 Florida | 7:00 p.m. ET | SEC Network | Florida |
Hofstra | No. 7 Houston | 8:00 p.m. ET | ESPN+ | Houston |
Nebraska | No. 14 Creighton | 8:00 p.m. ET | FS1 | Creihgton |
Little Rock | No. 20 Arkansas | 9:00 p.m. ET | SEC Network | Arkansas |
No. 12 Duke | No. 17 Arizona | 10:30 p.m. ET | ESPN2 | Duke |
No. 10 North Carolina | Hawai'i | 12:30 a.m. ET | ESPN2 | North Carolina |
*Greenbrier Tip-Off - Mountain Division at Colonial Hall in White Sulphur Springs, WV
**BBN Invitational at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY
Saturday, Nov. 23
Away Team | Home Team | Time | Network | Prediction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 15 Marquette | Georgia* | 11:00 a.m. ET | Flohoops | Marquette |
Marshall | No. 6 Purdue | 12:00 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network+ | Purdue |
No. 18 Cincinnati | Georgia Tech | 2:00 p.m. ET | ESPN+ | Cincinnati |
Maryland-Eastern Shore | No. 25 Illinois | 4:00 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network+ | Illinois |
*At Imperial Arena in Nassau, Bahamas
Sunday, Nov. 24
Away Team | Home Team | Time | Network | Prediction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 22 St. John's | Georgia* | 11:00 a.m. ET | CBS Sports Network | St. John's |
No. 24 Rutgers | Kennesaw State | 1:00 p.m. ET | CBS Sports Network | Rutgers |
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