NCAA Basketball Betting Season is Right Around the Corner

November 9th will kick off the 2021-22 college basketball season and right away we will have some really good matchups. Early season non-conference games are a great way for everyone to see how some of the powers stack up against each other and how some of the low to mid-majors will be in the coming season. To begin the season there is always a tournament or showcase that gives us a few teams to follow during the season that were not predicted to be a Top 25 team in the country.

The first week of this upcoming season is no different as we have quite a few games that should give us a sneak peek into the top teams in the country. We start off on opening night with two great games and then throughout the week we will see more. There are so many good games this week that it is tough to pare down to just five to take a look at. To follow will be a look at some of the top games of NCAA men’s basketball opening week of play.

NCAA Basketball Kentucky and Duke Battle

The Kentucky Wildcats and the Duke Blue Devils will do battle in the final game of the Champions Classic. After uncharacteristically bad seasons last year, both of these teams are looking to bounce back in a big way. Both of these teams enter the year in the Top 10 after finishing the season last year ranked outside of the Top 25. This will be an important year for both of these teams as they look to retool.

Duke might have the best freshman in the country this year in Paolo Banchero while Kentucky might be the oldest they’ve ever been under John Calipari. 66% of Kentucky’s roster has three or more years of college experience which is a stark shift in philosophy for Kentucky. Look for Kentucky to lean on their experience all year long and that is why I give them a great shot to win this opening game, but in a tight one.

* All odds provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.