PURDUE FORT WAYNE vs UCLA
When: 9:00 PM  ET, Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Where: Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, California

TV: 9:00 PM
LINE: -13.5
PREDICTION: UCLA , IUPU-FT WAYNE

Oddsmakers currently have the UCLA listed as -13.5 point favorites versus the IUPU-FT WAYNE, while the game’s total is sitting at 162.

After beginning last season with an international incident in China, No. 20 UCLA is hoping for a much smoother start for Tuesday’s opener against visiting Purdue Fort Wayne. Picked to finish second in the Pac-12 preseason poll, the Bruins received a boost when guards Jaylen Hands and Kris Wilkes withdrew their names from NBA draft consideration to return for their sophomore seasons.

Hands will take over as the Bruins’ starting point guard after ranking fourth on the team in scoring (9.9 points) and second in assists and steals last season. UCLA coach Steve Alford expected to have a deep rotation after signing a top-five recruiting class, but 6-foot-9 freshman Shareef O’Neal will sit out the season due to a heart defect and point guard Tyger Campbell is out for the year with a torn knee ligament. Fellow freshman Moses Brown gives the Bruins a strong inside presence and made a strong first impression with 20 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in a 125-73 exhibition win over New York Institute of Technology on Oct. 27. “There’s nothing weak about him,” coach Steve Alford told reporters. “You don’t see a lot of guys who are 7-2, who can move like that, and I think that’s what makes Mo special.”

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network

ABOUT PURDUE FORT WAYNE (2017-18: 18-15): The Mastodons have averaged 20.6 wins over the last five seasons and boast a strong backcourt led by senior John Konchar, a preseason All-Summit League first team selection who averaged 14.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists last season. Konchar recorded 10 points and 13 rebounds with six assists in a 90-64 exhibition victory over DePauw on Oct. 30. The team is also looking for immediate contributions from transfers Matt Holba (Lehigh) and Marcus DeBerry, who led Northern Arizona in assists as a sophomore.

ABOUT UCLA (2017-18: 21-12): The Bruins return five of their eight rotation players from last season’s team, including junior guard Prince Ali, who scored a team-high 25 points in the exhibition victory over NYIT. Wilkes was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team last season after averaging 13.7 points and 4.9 rebounds in 33 games (32 starts). With no seniors on the roster, Alford will lean on newcomers such as freshmen guards Jules Bernard and David Singleton, who averaged 23.8 points for Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance, Calif., last season.

TIP-INS

1. UCLA went 14-2 at home last season and has won 30 of its 33 games in Pauley Pavilion over the past two seasons.

2. Purdue Fort Wayne was picked to finish fourth in the Summit League preseason poll.

3. UCLA freshman forward Cody Riley will miss at least the first three weeks of the season with a jaw injury.

PREDICTION: UCLA 86, Purdue Fort Wayne 67

The post IUPU-FT WAYNE vs. UCLA 11/6/2018 Free Pick & CBB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

PORTLAND ST vs OREGON
When: 11:00 PM  ET, Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Where: Matthew Knight Arena, Eugene, Oregon

TV: 11:00 PM
LINE: -20
PREDICTION: OREGON , PORTLAND ST

Oddsmakers currently have the OREGON listed as -20 point favorites versus the PORTLAND ST, while the game’s total is sitting at 156.5.

Oregon freshman Bol Bol’s dynamic offensive game is highlighted by a surprisingly strong perimeter shot, but coach Dana Altman is quick to remind everyone that his 7-foot-2 phenom is far from a finished product. Bol makes his collegiate debut Tuesday when the 16th-ranked Ducks host Portland State, which was picked to finish fifth in the Big Sky preseason coaches poll.

After settling for an NIT bid last season, the Ducks are setting their sights higher with a mix of youth and veterans such as junior point guard Payton Pritchard, who led the team in scoring (14.5 points per game) and assists (4.8) last season. The Ducks were picked to finish first in the Pac-12 preseason poll and boast two of the best shot blockers in the country in Bol and 6-foot-9 sophomore Kenny Wooten, who led the conference with 2.6 blocks per game last season. Bol figures to be a centerpiece of the Oregon offense, but there have been questions about his inconsistent play in the past. “We said from the start he’s a unique player, unique talent,” Altman told reporters. “There’s a lot more there. He coasts a lot. But he’s getting better. He’s working at it. He’s going to be a work in progress all year but there’s a lot more that he can do.”

TV: 11 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network

ABOUT PORTLAND STATE (2017-18: 20-14): The Vikings’ impressive backcourt features seniors Michael Mayhew, Deante Strickland and Holland Woods, who was named Big Sky freshman of the year after averaging 10.5 points and 5.6 assists last season. Strickland and Woods scored 18 points apiece in last Friday’s 119-89 exhibition win over Multnomah. Second-year coach Barret Peery said his team’s up-tempo approach will be similar to last year, when the Vikings finished third in the nation in scoring (85.2 points per game) and second in steals (9.8) and turnovers forced (18.1).

ABOUT OREGON (2017-18: 23-13): Bol had 19 points and freshman forward Francis Okoro added 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench to lead five players in double-figures in last Thursday’s 77-58 exhibition win over Western Oregon. The Ducks’ backcourt received a boost with the addition of graduate transfer Ehab Amin, who led the NCAA with 3.4 steals per game in 2016-17 for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi before sitting out last season due to injury. Altman doesn’t expect to settle on a starting lineup until December, but senior wing Paul White (9.4 points last season) figures to be a key part of the team’s imposing frontline.

TIP-INS

1. Oregon has won 20 straight home openers – including last season’s 70-54 victory over Coppin State.

2. Portland State beat two Pac-12 schools (Stanford and California) in the same season for the first time in school history last year.

3. Pritchard sat out last Thursday’s exhibition game due to bruised ribs but is expected to be available for the opener.

PREDICTION: Oregon 97, Portland State 76

The post PORTLAND ST vs. OREGON 11/6/2018 Free Pick & CBB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

IDAHO ST vs GONZAGA
When: 9:00 PM  ET, Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Where: McCarthey Athletic Center, Spokane, Washington

TV: 9:00 PM
LINE: -27.5
PREDICTION: GONZAGA , IDAHO ST

Oddsmakers currently have the GONZAGA listed as -27.5 point favorites versus the IDAHO ST, while the game’s total is sitting at 153.

Fourth-ranked Gonzaga opens the season without one of its top players when it hosts Idaho State on Tuesday. Junior forward Killian Tillie underwent surgery on his right ankle to repair a stress fracture last week and will be sidelined approximately eight weeks.

Tillie, who averaged 12.9 points last season, is one of the reasons the Bulldogs are so highly ranked despite aggravating a previous ankle injury during a recent practice. “It’s been hurting for a while,” Tillie told The Spokesman-Review. “It wasn’t really bad so I was just playing through it, but the last week it was really bad.” Gonzaga is looking to reach the NCAA Tournament for the 21st consecutive time with last season’s foray ending with a loss to Florida State in the Sweet 16. Idaho State has just one winning campaign in the past 15 seasons and is predicted to finish eighth in the Big Sky.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ROOT (Gonzaga)

ABOUT IDAHO STATE (2017-18: 14-16): The Bengals don’t figure to be able to keep the game close, but coach Bill Evans is eager for the challenge. “I’m really excited,” Evans told the Idaho State Journal. “We’re going up to play a really good team in a really great environment, and it’s exciting to me. I don’t fear Gonzaga. I don’t fear other teams. Sometimes, other teams are more talented, but that doesn’t mean you have to fear anybody, and I don’t fear anybody.” Idaho State’s top players are junior swingman Jared Stutzman and junior guard Brandon Boyd, who shared the team leadership by averaging 14.9 points last season.

ABOUT GONZAGA (2017-18: 32-5): The loaded Bulldogs have three other returning players who averaged in double digits last season in sophomore guard Zach Norvell Jr. (12.7 points per game), senior guard Josh Perkins (12.3 points, 5.3 assists) and junior forward Rui Hachimura (11.6). Perkins (83) and Norvell (77) combined for 160 3-pointers last season and both players recorded over 40 steals — 44 for Perkins and 42 for Norvell. Gonzaga has two transfers who are expected to be strong contributors in senior guard Geno Crandall (16.6 scoring average at North Dakota last season) and junior forward Brandon Clarke (17.3 average at San Jose State in 2016-17).

TIP-INS

1. The Bengals hold a 33-25 series lead over the Bulldogs but the last meeting was during the 1996-97 season, shortly before Gonzaga turned into a national power.

2. The Bulldogs have won more than 30 games in four of the past six seasons.

3. Stutzman made a Big Sky-leading 52 percent of his 3-point attempts last season.

PREDICTION: Gonzaga 104, Idaho State 66

The post IDAHO ST vs. GONZAGA 11/6/2018 Free Pick & CBB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

BYU vs NEVADA
When: 11:00 PM  ET, Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Where: Lawlor Events Center, Reno, Nevada

TV: 11:00 PM
LINE: -14
PREDICTION: NEVADA , BYU

Oddsmakers currently have the NEVADA listed as -14 point favorites versus the BYU, while the game’s total is sitting at 154.

With four starters back from a team that won its second consecutive outright Mountain West regular season championship and advanced to the Sweet 16, Nevada is garnering plenty of support as a potential Final Four sleeper team this season. The ninth-ranked Wolf Pack open their season on Tuesday night when they host a BYU squad that has its sights set on returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015.

Nevada placed three players on the five-man preseason all-Mountain West team including reigning conference Player of the Year Caleb Martin and twin brother Cody Martin, the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, along with senior forward Jordan Caroline, who notched Mountain West Tourney MVP honors in 2017. All three tested the NBA waters during the spring before electing to return and will be joined by preseason Mountain West Freshman of the Year Jordan Brown, a 6-11 McDonald’s All-American who choose the Wolf Pack over schools like Arizona, UCLA and California, and 6-11 grad transfer Trey Porter, who averaged 13.2 points and 6.2 rebounds last season at Old Dominion. “We’re a talented team, for sure; we’ve got a lot of guys back, and we’re a veteran team,” Nevada coach Eric Musselman said. “But we have a lot of moving parts, a lot of new pieces that we’ve got to figure out how they’re going to fit.” BYU returns six players with starting experience from a team that finished third in the West Coast Conference and lost to Stanford in the first round of the NIT, including junior forward Yoeli Childs, a WCC Player of the Year candidate.

TV: 11 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network.

ABOUT BYU (2017-18: 24-11): The Cougars, picked to finish third in the WCC coaches’ preseason poll, did get one first place vote — from Gonzaga’s Mark Few —- while Childs, who averaged 17.8 points and 8.6 rebounds last season, was voted to the 10-player preseason all-WCC team. The Cougars lost leading scorer Elijah Bryant (18.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg) who decided to bolt early and is now playing professionally in Israel, but return three other players who started including guard TJ Haws, 6-10 forward Luke Worthington and guard Jahshire Hardnett. Junior guard Nick Emery, who garnered all-WCC honors as a freshman, has been reinstated by the NCAA after missing all of last season due to extra-benefits allegations but must sit out the first nine games of the season.

ABOUT NEVADA (2017-18: 29-8): Caleb Martin, a preseason All-American, ranked third in the Mountain West in scoring with an average of 18.9 points per game and connected on 40.3 percent of his 3-point shots to go along with 5.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals. He moved from his natural small forward spot to point guard when starter Lindsey Drew, who averaged 8.1 points, 4.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds and is expected back later in the season, ruptured his Achilles’ tendon in February. The 6-7, 235-pound Caroline, the son of former NFL star Simeon Rice, gets overshadowed at times by the Martin twins but has scored 1,483 points in his career and finished second in the Mountain West in rebounding as a sophomore with a 9.2 average.

TIP-INS

1. The Wolf Pack are 32-2 in their last 34 home games at Lawlor Events Center.

2. Brown is the first five-star recruit in Nevada program history and just the second McDonald’s All-American to sign with the school.

3. Nevada is 21-0 in nonconference home games under Musselman.

PREDICTION: Nevada 92, BYU 80

The post BYU vs. NEVADA 11/6/2018 Free Pick & CBB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

DUKE vs KENTUCKY
When: 9:30 PM  ET, Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana

TV: 9:30 PM
LINE: -1
PREDICTION: KENTUCKY , DUKE

Oddsmakers currently have the KENTUCKY listed as -1 point favorites versus the DUKE, while the game’s total is sitting at 155.

A major showdown will take place on the opening night of the season when No. 2 Kentucky faces No. 3 Duke in the State Farm Champions Classic in Indianapolis on Tuesday. The Wildcats have a deep incoming class while also landing Stanford transfer Reid Travis, and the Blue Devils unveil the nation’s top three recruits in RJ Barrett, Zion Williamson and Cam Reddish.

Travis brings 98 games of experience to a young roster and is looking forward to a top-level opponent in his first game at Kentucky. “The mood is a lot of excitement,” Travis said in a press conference. “Taking it game by game, but obviously we’re getting to the real big games so it’s a lot of excitement in the locker room. We want to get better, and just continue to prepare to grow.” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski is still defining roles but will throw his freshman trio of stars into the fire and see how things play out. “We’ll face different tempos and obviously Kentucky will be one of the most talented teams that we will play, but we just have to keep moving,” Krzyzewski said during a press conference. “We’re developing really good habits.”

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT DUKE (2017-18: 29-8): The college debut of Williamson has been an anticipated event since early in his high school career and Kentucky was one of the schools he shunned. The 6-foot-7, 285-pound Williamson has mixed well with fellow forwards Barrett and Reddish as well as another incoming freshman in point guard Tre Jones while also impressing his older teammates. “He’s so much more than just an incredible athlete,” junior forward Jack White said during a press conference. “One thing that sticks out to me is his passing ability. He can really pass the ball. He’s a really smart player. He always seems to make the right play. He makes his teammates better.”

ABOUT KENTUCKY (2017-18: 26-11): Travis (19.5 points, 8.7 rebounds) and sophomore forward PJ Washington (10.8 points, 5.7 rebounds) give the Wildcats a solid frontcourt duo that ranks among the best in the nation. Sophomore guard Quade Green (9.3) was a part-time starter last season and freshman Tyler Herro is expected to be a major 3-point threat, but Kentucky may get some answers about some of the other newcomers during the game against the Blue Devils. “We’ve got a couple of days to prepare for this next one, that will be a hard game,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said at a press conference. “Now may be harder than I thought. We need more energy defensively and the game Tuesday will be great for film to see who needs to do what.”

TIP-INS

1. Kentucky leads the series 12-9, but Duke has prevailed in seven of the past nine meetings.

2. Junior C Marques Bolden (3.9 average) is the Blue Devils’ leading returning scorer.

3. Travis scored 20 or more points on 18 occasions and posted 16 double-doubles in his final season at Stanford.

PREDICTION: Kentucky 76, Duke 75

The post DUKE vs. KENTUCKY 11/6/2018 Free Pick & CBB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

WI-MILWAUKEE vs BOSTON COLLEGE
When: 7:00 PM  ET, Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Where: Conte Forum, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

TV: 7:00 PM
LINE: -17
PREDICTION: BOSTON COLLEGE , WI-MILWAUKEE

Oddsmakers currently have the BOSTON COLLEGE listed as -17 point favorites versus the WI-MILWAUKEE, while the game’s total is sitting at 146.

Boston College is coming off its first winning season in seven years and has one of the nation’s most exciting players in junior guard Ky Bowman. He and the rest of the Eagles will try to continue the program’s steady rise in 2018-19, beginning with a home game against Milwaukee of the Horizon League on Tuesday.

Bowman averaged 17.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists during a sparkling sophomore season and will be relied upon even more after the departure of fellow guard Jerome Robinson, who was a lottery selection in the NBA after leading Boston College in scoring (20.7). “Going into my first year we all had to believe in one thing and that’s just being able to compete against other teams, but also being able to know that we have each other’s backs,” Bowman recently told reporters of the program’s rebuild. “We knew what we were getting ourselves into, but also knowing that every day we were going to fight.” Bowman is one of four returning starters for a team that won seven ACC games in 2017-18 after going 2-34 in conference play over the previous two seasons. The Panthers were 16-17 in coach Pat Baldwin’s first year at the helm and were picked to finish eighth in the Horizon preseason poll after being hit hard by transfers.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ACC Network

ABOUT MILWAUKEE (2017-18: 16-17): The team’s top three scorers – guards Jeremiah Bell and Brock Stull and forward Bryce Nze – all transferred from the program last spring and the fourth-leading scorer (Brett Prahl) graduated. That leaves junior guard Bryce Barnes (6.5 points) as the top returning scorer, but the program hopes to get a nice boost from DeAndre Abram, a 6-8 wing player who redshirted last season after two at George Mason. Junior guard Darius Roy is making his program debut after one year at Mercer and another in junior college, and the Oklahoma native put up 22 points and seven rebounds in the team’s exhibition win over Concordia Wisconsin.

ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE (2017-18: 19-16): Bowman, an All-ACC preseason first team selection, is joined by returning starters Jordan Chatman, Nik Popovic and Steffon Mitchell, a trio that combined for 29.2 points and 17.4 rebounds. Mitchell, a sophomore, ranked seventh in the ACC with 8.3 boards per game and will be joined along the front line by heralded freshman Jairus Hamilton, an athletic 6-8 player who is ranked as the program’s best recruit since Craig Smith in 2002. Chatman was second in the conference from beyond the arc (39.5 percent) and averaged over 15 points in the team’s final seven games before its NIT loss to Western Kentucky.

TIP-INS

1. Milwaukee won the only prior meeting with an upset win in the second round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament.

2. Bowman averaged 22.7 points over his final six games last season.

3. Panthers G Jake Wright, a transfer from Miami (Ohio), has made 192 3-pointers at a 38.9 percent clip in his collegiate career.

PREDICTION: Boston College 79, Milwaukee 62

The post WI-MILWAUKEE vs. BOSTON COLLEGE 11/6/2018 Free Pick & CBB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

IL-CHICAGO vs NOTRE DAME
When: 7:00 PM  ET, Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Where: Purcell Pavilion, South Bend, Indiana

TV: 7:00 PM
LINE: -14
PREDICTION: NOTRE DAME , IL-CHICAGO

Oddsmakers currently have the NOTRE DAME listed as -14 point favorites versus the IL-CHICAGO, while the game’s total is sitting at 148.

Notre Dame looks to forget about a 2017-18 season that was derailed by injuries as it tips off the 2018-19 campaign by hosting Illinois-Chicago on Tuesday. The Fighting Irish were ranked as high as fifth last season before key injuries to Bonzie Colson, Matt Farrell and D.J. Harvey sent them spiraling into the NIT.

Colson and Farrell have graduated, meaning the Irish have lost their two top scorers (combined 36 points per game), their leading rebounder (Colson, 10.1) and their best set-up man (Farrell, 5.5 assists). Coach Mike Brey has built a system based on seniors leading the team but finds himself in an unfamiliar situation this season with five freshmen on the roster. Illinois-Chicago reached 20 wins last year for the first time since the 2003-04 season and finished third in the Horizon League with a 12-6 record. In postseason play, the Flames found themselves in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, where they lost in the final to Northern Colorado.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ACC Network

ABOUT ILLINOIS-CHICAGO (2017-18: 20-16): Illinois-Chicago had two key pieces of its 2017-18 team leave the program as Tai Odiase – the Horizon League’s Defensive Player of the Year and also the league’s all-time shot blocker – graduated and Dikembe Dixson, the team’s leading scorer at 14.2 points per game, went to play professionally in Lebanon. The backcourt should be considered Illinois-Chicago’s strength and will be led by junior guard Marcus Ottey, the team’s top returning scorer (13.8 points per game last season). Guard Tarkus Ferguson (10.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists) and Godwin Boahen, the Horizon League’s 2017-18 Sixth Man of the Year, will also be counted on to contribute heavy minutes.

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (2017-18: 21-15): Notre Dame does have an impressive incoming freshmen class with four of the recruits ranked in the Top 100 for the 2018-19 recruiting class. Junior guard T.J. Gibbs was third in team scoring last season (15.3 points) and will be relied upon heavily at the offensive end, as will senior Rex Pflueger (8.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 32.9 minutes last year). Junior forward John Mooney (3.9 rebounds while averaging 15.4 minutes) and senior forward Elijah Burns (2.3 boards per 10.6 minutes) will be tasked with trying to replace Colson’s interior production at both ends of the court.

TIP-INS

1. Gibbs and Pflueger are the only returning starters from last season for Notre Dame.

2. The Fighting Irish are hoping 6-11 sophomore Juwan Durham can contribute as the former four-star recruit transferred to Notre Dame after just one season at Connecticut.

3. Illinois-Chicago struggled away from home in non-conference action last season, going 0-5 in true road games.

PREDICTION: Notre Dame 70, Illinois-Chicago 58

The post IL-CHICAGO vs. NOTRE DAME 11/6/2018 Free Pick & CBB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

CS-FULLERTON vs ARIZONA ST
When: 8:00 PM  ET, Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Where: Wells Fargo Arena (Tempe), Tempe, Arizona

TV: 8:00 PM
LINE: -12
PREDICTION: ARIZONA ST , CS-FULLERTON

Oddsmakers currently have the ARIZONA ST listed as -12 point favorites versus the CS-FULLERTON, while the game’s total is sitting at 153.5.

Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley has reconfigured his roster after losing his top three scorers and faces of last season’s successful “Guard U” program identity. The new-look Sun Devils’ first challenge is Tuesday night’s season opener against visiting Cal State Fullerton, the defending Big West Tournament champion.

Guards Tra Holder, Shannon Evans and Kodi Justice are gone, taking with them their combined averages of 47.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 8.9 assists. In their place is more size and – hopefully, from Hurley’s viewpoint – more versatility and defensive ability as Arizona State’s 12-0 start fizzled into a 8-12 finish a year ago, including a First Four loss in the NCAA Tournament. “I have a lot of roster flexibility,” Hurley said last month at the Pac-12’s media day gathering in San Francisco. “I have different lineups, more size, more ability to maybe generate turnovers and get out in the open floor. Also, our closeouts now are guys that have a 7-1 wing span. So it certainly is going to help, I think, our defense and our ability to get stops more regularly.”

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network

ABOUT CAL STATE FULLERTON (2017-18: 20-12): After making only the program’s third NCAA tourney appearance in 44 seasons, the Titans are picked to finish only behind UC Irvine in the preseason Big West media poll. Leading the way are senior guards Khalil Ahmad and Kyle Allman, a pair of first-team preseason all-conference selections who averaged a combined 34.6 points a season ago. Jackson Rowe, a 6-foot-7 forward, is another one of the team’s four returning starters after averaging 12.7 points and a team-leading 6.7 rebounds.

ABOUT ARIZONA STATE (2017-18: 20-12): The Sun Devils do have one member of their potent 2017-18 backcourt returning in sophomore Remy Martin, chosen as the Pac-12’s Co-Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 9.6 points and 2.9 assists off the bench. He’ll run the point this year and be joined by Rob Edwards, a Cleveland State transfer and second-team All-Horizon League selection in 2017, and highly touted Canadian freshman Luguentz Dort. Up front, 6-foot-8 Romello White returns after averaging 10.5 points and a team-most 7.1 rebounds, while newcomers Zylan Cheatham, a 6-foot-8 San Diego State transfer, and 6-foot-8 freshman Taeshon Cherry will be counted on to team with returning reserves De’Quon Lake (7.2 points, 5.2 rebounds) and Mickey Mitchell (5.8, 5.2) to provide some strength and length.

TIP-INS

1. Arizona State was picked to finish sixth in the Pac-12 preseason media poll, trailing Oregon, UCLA, Washington, Arizona and USC.

2. The Sun Devils’ recruiting class, headlined by Dort and Cherry, was ranked 11th nationally by 247Sports.

3. Cal State Fullerton’s Allman led the league in scoring with his 19.5 average and was the Big West Tournament MVP in leading the Titans to the title.

PREDICTION: Arizona State 78, Cal State Fullerton 72

The post CS-FULLERTON vs. ARIZONA ST 11/6/2018 Free Pick & CBB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

W KENTUCKY vs WASHINGTON
When: 10:30 PM  ET, Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Where: Alaska Airlines Arena, Seattle, Washington

TV: 10:30 PM
LINE: -7
PREDICTION: WASHINGTON , W KENTUCKY

Oddsmakers currently have the WASHINGTON listed as -7 point favorites versus the W KENTUCKY, while the game’s total is sitting at 151.

No. 24 Washington has high hopes for the second season of the Mike Hopkins era and it opens the season Tuesday at home against Western Kentucky. The Huskies surprisingly recorded their first 20-win campaign since 2011-12 in Hopkins’ first season and the team is primed to end a seven-year NCAA Tournament drought.

Washington reached the second round of the NIT last season before losing to Saint Mary’s as Hopkins, a former Syracuse assistant, quickly rejuvenated the program. “One of the reasons why I felt we had the success is not just the belief but we had a chip on our shoulder,” Hopkins said at a press conference. “You can never lose that. That’s one of the main values even at the university is the grit, it’s the chip on our shoulder. You got to go out there like you’ve got something to prove.” Western Kentucky figures to make for a challenging opponent as the Hilltoppers advanced to the NIT Final Four last season before losing to Utah. “We’re all excited for Tuesday,” Western Kentucky junior swingman Jared Savage told reporters after the team’s exhibition game on Saturday night. “I know we’re (playing) a great team and we’ve just got to come ready.”

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT WESTERN KENTUCKY (2017-18: 27-11): The Hilltoppers lost stalwarts Justin Johnson (15.7 scoring average), Darius Thompson (13.6) and Dwight Coleby (11.1) off their NIT Final Four squad but return two stellar guards in sophomore Taveion Hollingsworth and senior Lamonte Bearden. Hollingsworth (13.3) set a school mark for most points (506) by a freshman while Bearden contributed 11.8 points and 3.4 assists. Highly coveted Nigerian freshman center Charles Bassey is expected to be an immediate standout.

ABOUT WASHINGTON (2017-18: 21-13): Senior big man Noah Dickerson considered leaving for the NBA but withdrew from the draft and is expected to build off of last season’s averages of 15.5 points and 8.4 rebounds. Sophomore guard Jaylen Nowell averaged a team-best 16 points per game while senior guards David Crisp (11.6) and Matisse Thybulle (11.2) also averaged in double digits. Thybulle was the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year after recording a school-record 101 steals and he owns the program’s career record of 205 thefts.

TIP-INS

1. Washington won the lone previous meetings, 86-47 in 2016.

2. The Huskies went 16-4 at home last season.

3. Savage made 109 3-pointers in two seasons at Austin Peay before transferring to Western Kentucky.

PREDICTION: Washington 84, Western Kentucky 79

The post W KENTUCKY vs. WASHINGTON 11/6/2018 Free Pick & CBB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

COLORADO vs COLORADO ST
When: 9:30 PM ET, Friday, August 31, 2018
Where: Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, Colorado

TV: 9:30 PM
LINE: -6
PREDICTION: COLORADO ST , COLORADO

Oddsmakers currently have the COLORADO ST listed as -6 point favorites versus the COLORADO, while the game’s total is sitting at .

The post COLORADO vs. COLORADO ST 8/31/2018 Free Pick & CFB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.