If we travel back in time to halftime of the NCAA men’s basketball championship game between Kansas and North Carolina, the Tar Heels were up 15. Things looked terrific for the Tar Heels to hang yet another title banner. However, things fell apart after the intermission, and Kansas roared back for the victory. During the off-season, many of the key players returned, and Pete Nance transferred in from Northwestern to take the place of Brady Manek, so the Tar Heels entered as the top-ranked team coming into 2022-23. After three straight losses (all against ranked opponents), though, the buzz is gone. Wednesday saw a 77-65 loss at Indiana, and the Tar Heels still face Virginia Tech, Ohio State and Michigan before entering ACC play, so things don’t get any easier. If you’re planning on including your NCAA Basketball betting, here are a couple of Pac-12 matchups to consider.
NCAA News: Top Basketball Picks for December 1
Arizona State Sun Devils (+4.5) at Colorado Buffaloes (O/U 140.5)
(8:30 pm ET)
Arizona State has roared out to a 6-1 start to the year, and they ride a four-game winning streak into this showdown in the Rockies. They beat Michigan by 25 points despite being a 7 ½-point underdog. Their lone setback was an ugly one, coming in overtime against Texas Southern. Their last game was a 76-54 win against Alcorn State on Sunday. Despite the fact that the Sun Devils shot just 46% from the floor, they held Alcorn State to 27% and blocked nine shots. The defense has been solid all year, ranked #23 in the nation and permitting 91.4 points per 100 possessions. D.J. Horne is the team’s leading scorer with 13.1 points per game as the Sun Devils bring ball distribution without a focal scorer.
Colorado comes in with a 3-3 record that includes an unsightly nine-point loss to Grambling State – a team that the Sun Devils beat by 31. However, they went to Tennessee and won by 12 as a 12-point underdog. They also rolled over Texas A&M, 103-75, despite entering as a 5 ½-point underdog. They followed that up with a 13-point loss to Boise State despite entering as a slight favorite. So it’s safe to say that this is an inconsistent team. They beat Yale on Sunday by three behind 20 points and six boards from Tristan De Silva. But can they take down an impressive Arizona State team? Final Score Prediction: Arizona State 74, Colorado 68.
Washington Huskies (-4.5) at Oregon State Beavers (O/U 132.5)
(10:00 pm ET)
Washington has a 6-1 record, but none of their opponents so far have come from Power 5 conferences. They open Pac-12 play with a trip to Corvallis to take on the Oregon State beavers. Their last win came over Seattle, in a game that they led 10-0 but trailed by two at the intermission. Things got worse after halftime as they fell behind by seven, but then they put together a 25-3 run over more than nine minutes. On the game, they held Seattle to 32.9% shooting overall and 25% on three-point attempts. Washington shot 50% on the night and built a lead as large as 17. Washington took the Wooden Legacy Championship last week, beating St. Mary’s (CA) in the finals. P.J. Fuller knocked down a shot at the end of regulation to force overtime, and Kelon Brooks scored 14 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in the win. Brooks leads the team in scoring with 16.2 points per game, and six other Huskies average eight or more points per contest. The Huskies’ defense limits opponents to 63.7 points per game.
Oregon State started off 3-3 but then lost to Portland State before almost pulling off an upset over Duke, losing by three. In that setback, the Beavers had two shots to tie things up on their last possession, but they clanked both three-pointers. Then came a 13-point loss to Florida, a game in which the Beavers trailed by as many as 22. Finally, the Beavers lost to Portland State for the second time in eight days – the only two times Portland State has beaten the Beavers in 18 all-time meetings. Can they turn things around against a solid Washington team? Final Score Prediction: Washington 78, Oregon State 71.
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