NCAA Basketball Picks for Monday, November 6: 3.72 Parlay for Monday Night College Basketball

It is time for the opening tip of the 2023-24 NCAA basketball campaign, and it all starts on Monday with an unreal amount of games on the slate. Our resident U.S. college sports expert Ej Garr is back for another season with us here at Bettingexpert, and he is following up a terrific year of betting success.

Ej plans on opening the festivities on the West Coast to find his two plays that combine to build a 3.72 parlay. We hope you’re excited about the upcoming campaign because Ej is ready to dominate the boards, control the pace, and splash balls from deep outside the arc this year!

• Pacific Tigers vs Sam Houston State Bearkats: Pacific Tigers -1
• Long Beach State 49ers vs Portland Pilots: 49ers Moneyline

NCAA basketball Picks Odds: 3.72

Odds via Bet365 as of 8:00 am on November 6, 2023. Odds may now differ.

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PACIFIC TIGERS VS SAM HOUSTON BEARKATS: TIGERS OPEN CAMPAIGN AT HOME

The Pacific Tigers will open the campaign with a home game in Stockton, CA, and they will welcome the Bearkats to Alex G. Spano Center as slight favourites to find a win.

I have been keeping my eyes on the lines since the day we first saw them, and this game was an even money pick ‘em until just a few days ago. Now, we see the Tigers have the chalk at home, and I think I understand why that is the case.

Sam Houston by far put up a better season than what we saw from Pacific a year ago, as the Bearkats made it into the NIT and won their first-round game before losing to North Texas in the second round. At 26 – 8 in the WAC, the Bearkats reside in Conference USA which will present many more challenges for first-year head coach Chris Mudge.

Mudge takes over a program that has been run by Jason Hooten for the last 13 years, and all Hooten did was win games and provide quite an example over the years. Mudge has a couple of issues to deal with as almost all of the Bearkats’ former point-producers have moved on leaving Cameron Huefner in the cupboard to build around.

Pacific is returning five players who had some type of starting role a season ago, and their backcourt is about as dynamic as it gets in the West Coast Conference. They may not be at Gonzaga’s level, but Tyler Beard and Moe Odom are each reliable and ready to lead this team somewhere in 2023.

Beard shot 43% from behind the arc last season after transferring from Georgetown, and Odom led the Conference with an impressive assists-to-turnover ratio as only a Freshman a year ago.

Size might be the biggest issue inside for the Tigers, but their depth in the backcourt should be enough to see them jump out to a 1 – 0 start in 2023.

• Selection: Pacific Tigers -1
• Best Odds: 1.91
• Bookmaker: Bet365
• Stakes: 4/10

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PORTLAND PILOTS VS LONG BEACH STATE 49ERS: A PICK ‘EM IN PORTLAND

The 49ers and Pilots were also a pick ‘em game when the lines first arrived announcing the new campaign, and there hasn’t been a lick of a move yet. This is another game involving a program from the West Coast Conference, as Portland calls the WCC home.

Chris Austin is finally getting back on the court for the Pilots after losing his season to a broken leg last year, and the Pilots expect big things from him in 2023. Considering that Portland lost seven of their top nine scorers from last year, Shantay Legans begins his second campaign in Portland with more questions than answers.

The Pilots only won 5 conference games a year ago, and a lot of the success, or lack thereof, will depend on the influx of players like Lamar transfer Yuto Yamanouchi-Williams and Alimamy Koroma. Both play big and combine to bring a semblance of interior presence for the Pilots this year, but time will tell if this team is ready to improve.

On the other hand, Long Beach State and Head Coach Dan Monson feel as if they have the team to compete at a high level in 2023. Monsoon is entering his 17th season with the 49ers, and he gets four returning starters to put on the court this season.

Lassina Traore was a double-double guy a year ago averaging nearly 13 PPG while bringing in 10.5 boards a night, and Aboubacar Traore also averaged double-digits for the 9ers.

With AJ George also expected to boost his 8.6 PPG average this year, the frontcourt for Long Beach State is set up nicely. Luckily, they have two dudes in the backcourt who know how to get them the ball and contribute themselves.

Marcus Tshohonis added 14.1 PPG, and his senior leadership will provide this team well, so look for not only a big year in Long Beach but also a big win on the road to open the campaign in Portland on Monday night!

• Selection: Long Beach State 49ers Moneyline
• Best Odds: 1.95
• Bookmaker: Bet365
• Stakes: 4/10

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