College Basketball Best Bets for December 1st

The College Basketball season is now rolling at full steam toward conference play. While the ACC/B1G Challenge and Big XII/Big East Battle take center stage this week, Thursday’s slate is not really anything to write home about outside the Creighton vs. Texas matchup. Good games are always fun to wager on so let’s talk about that game and some others that should receive some of your activities on Thursday.

The Best in NCAAB Betting

Oakland Golden Grizzlies at Cleveland State Vikings (-7)

It must be said, when the numbers and trends favor a side so heavily on a relatively small spread, it should raise a flag. With that said, you simply cannot ignore the trends heading into this game.

Oakland has some talent that jumps off of the page in Keaton Hervey and Rocket Watts, but Watts is not 100% healthy, and the Golden Grizzlies are just 2-6 on the young season. Stunningly, Greg Kampe’s group has yet to cover a spread against a division one opponent this season with an 0-7 record. Not only are they covering, they aren’t even close as they are underperforming the number by -11.4 points per game which is the fourth worst in the nation.

Meanwhile, Cleveland State is 4-2 against the number on the season and are covering by an average of +6.7 points per game, the second-best mark in the Horizon League. The Vikings enter the game having won four consecutive games SU and covered in three of their last four. Look for them to continue the trend on their home floor.

Illinois State Redbirds at Murray State Racers (-12)

Let’s stick with road teams that have yet to cover this season and move on to the Illinois State Redbirds. Much like Greg Kampe, Ryan Pedon is seeking his third win on the season, along with his first cover. The Redbirds are 0-7 against the spread and falling short by -7.1 points per contest. They have been better in true road games at -3.0 points per game, but they aren’t likely to get over the hump in this matchup.

Murray State is just 2-2-1 ATS this season but have played a pretty decent schedule thus far. The Racers have already logged a victory over then-ranked Texas A&M as well as close-shave losses to Chattanooga and Massachusetts. The other caveat to this matchup is the fact that this will be Murray State’s first home game of the season and the Racers are tough at home since 2015, covering at a near 62% rate with an average margin of victory of 18.4 points per game.

Creighton Blue Jays at Texas Longhorns (-8)

Easily the game of the day, Creighton vs. Texas, features two teams that have actually lived up to the hype so far this season. Both teams currently rank within the top seven in the AP Poll and, combined, have taken down Gonzaga, Arkansas, and Texas Tech.

The Longhorns are somewhat surprising in regards to their dominance this season though their talent has always been undeniable. Chris Beard’s team is 3-1 against the spread at home this season, with an average margin of victory north of 30 points per contest. Overall this season, they are exceeding the spread by +15.7 points on average.

The Blue Jays are not exactly road-tested this season but are 3-0 against the number in neutral-site games. Creighton is exceeding the spread by 3.7 points per game and has covered the number in four consecutive games.

Creighton is one of the best offensive teams in the nation and has the star power to match up with the Longhorns. That said, Greg McDermott is covering the spread just 48.7% of the time as a road dog since 2017, and while his roster is talented, it is still on the young side. Look for Texas to cover in Austin.