Saturday’s NCAAM basketball slate is one of the juiciest, most robust of the early season. Inter-conference play rolls on, and college basketball’s biggest day yet is headlined by the primetime matchup between the Auburn Tigers and the Houston Cougars.
Now that the markets are up for Saturday, I’ve evaluated them fully and updated this article with my favorite sides for tomorrow’s entire slate. I’ve got bets below for the following games:
- Tennessee Volunteers at Louisville Cardinals
- Memphis Tigers at UNLV Runnin’ Rebels
- Baylor Bears at Arkansas Razorbacks
- Auburn Tigers at Houston Cougars
All these games are available to bet at DraftKings Sportsbook, and the lines I’ll be referencing are the ones reflected in the markets there as of this writing.
Best bets for Houston vs. Auburn
Analysis
I don’t know if I’d feel as confident about this if Oklahoma transfer Milos Uzan looked any less a force than he did in Houston’s opener. A near triple-double against Jackson State isn’t exactly breaking news, but it’s headline-worthy. And it’s raised my eyebrows proportionately.
Kelvin Sampson called his team “intriguing” after their victory over Jackson State, in which the team shot 12-for-21 (58%) from the field. LJ Cryer remains a consistent scorer in the backcourt, and a healthy JoJo Tugler will pair well with Uzan to control the boards. This will be to Houston’s great advantage, as it should work to smother Auburn’s superstar, Johni Broome, in the paint.
Broome is one of six players returning to the ’24-’25 Auburn Tigers squad. It is deep, and it is ferocious. Ferociously coached, too, by Bruce Pearl. Miles Kelly, a transfer from Georgia Tech, led all Auburn scorers in their opener against Vermont with 21 points in the backcourt.
I think the Uzan effect will trickle down to Auburn’s Chad Baker-Mazara, too, who’s always a bit of X-factor for the Tigers in big games. Baker-Mazara’s 6’7″ frame will likely be man-to-man with Uzan most of the night. That could be the central matchup in whether or not the Cougars can cover.
Best bet: Houston team total o75.5 points (+105) for 1u
AUTHOR’S NOTE 10:21 p.m. ET: News just broke that the Auburn Tigers’ team plane had to make an emergency landing on their flight to Houston due to an altercation between teammates. While I don’t believe this news will affect this particular bet all that much, you may want to wait to hear a bit more before wagering on this game.
The reason I’m taking the alt line with plus money on Houston is because I think that quintessential matchup (Uzan vs. Baker-Mazara) is going to be more offensive-minded than defensive-. Houston hung 97 on Jackson State in their opener; Auburn hung 94 on Vermont. Both these teams can score. If Houston gets on one of their kill runs (10-0 scoring runs), Auburn will hang with them. Houston will be forced to keep pace.
I think Houston has the advantage, and don’t mind taking the -4.5 spread, here, but something about that “intriguing” comment from Kelvin Sampson has me thinking this Cougars team will look different than the defensive powerhouses of the early 2020s. People forget that those teams could score, too.
Don’t get me wrong; this game will have its feel-each-other-out period, as the first meeting between two national powerhouses is wont to do. But I don’t think that this is a game that either team can control, even despite Houston’s vaunted defensive mindset.
I think this game could creep into the low-eighties for the winner, mid-seventies for the loser.
Best bets for Saturday’s full NCAAM slate
Louisville ML (-118) vs. Tennessee Volunteers for 1u
Give me the Cardinals to make a statement win at home early in the season. I think they might be in better form than the Vols, who’ve got so many new faces that not everything is gelling together yet. They only bested Gardner-Webb by an unimpressive 16 points in their opener, and finished with fewer team rebounds. Not a good sign. I don’t think this team is where it usually might be for a No. 12, especially defensively. Louisville, on the other hand, forced 20 turnovers against Morehead State, and drubbed them by 50. Good form against bad form.
UNLV ML (+114) vs. Memphis Tigers for 1u
One of my favorite games on the slate. Both teams are 1-0, and they both trended over in their 2023 seasons. The Tigers can get sloppy, though. UNLV has won 14 of its last 15 evening/night games against non-conference opponents at home. They’re frisky, and consistent: last year, they were a perfect, sparkling-diamond 18-0 against the spread. And I think they’re a value, here, on the Moneyline.
Baylor -3 (-110) at Arkansas Razorbacks for 1u
I’m taking the bounceback spot for the Bears after they got gobsmacked by the Zags in their opener. It’s a feel play. Baylor’s flat-out better than Arkansas, and probably by double digits.
DKNetwork Betting Group
You can tail all these bets and more in the DKNetwork Betting Group, where myself and my colleagues are posting bets that span across all sports and markets 24/7. We’ve had multiple 11-to-1 Anytime TD parlays hit there with triple-digit backers, so it’s potentially worth your while!
You’ll find my above NCAAM bets there! Enjoy this gift of a slate.
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is thegreatdansby9) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
