CBB betting preview: Gonzaga-UCLA caps off huge slate of early week games

College basketball's feast week is in full swing, meaning there are games on the schedule from morning to night.

To properly cover all the action, here's a look at a handful of spreads to bet Monday and Tuesday.

Southern Illinois vs. Creighton (-5, 134)
Nov. 22, 5:45 p.m. ET

This matchup is a battle of strength versus weakness. Creighton's roster is athletic and big, leading to one of the nation's most efficient 2-point offenses. Meanwhile, Southern Illinois has been eaten up on the interior.

The Salukis might get hot from deep and keep it close, but the Bluejays will take care of business in the paint.

Pick: Creighton -7 or better

Ohio State vs. Seton Hall (-1.5, 138)
Nov. 22, 6:00 p.m.

Ohio State's E.J. Liddell is No. 1 in KenPom's Player of the Year metric but faces a brutal matchup against long and physical Seton Hall. If the Pirates can keep Liddell in check, there's no other Buckeyes player who's stepped up in the early season.

Look for a tight, low-scoring affair that Seton Hall ekes out at the end, much like its upset win over Michigan last week.

Pick: Seton Hall -2.5 or better

Kansas State vs. Arkansas (-9, 141)
Nov. 22, 9:00 p.m.

Kansas State has barely played this year after a brutal 2020-21, and its ranking is stuck in last season's range. The Wildcats injected some offensive talent and face an Arkansas team that has struggled immensely on defense, allowing the country's 320th effective field-goal percentage.

With the game being a neutral-site contest in nearby Kansas City, expect the Wildcats to keep this close throughout.

Pick: Kansas State +7 or better

Winthrop at Washington State (-12.5, 143)
Nov. 22, 9:30 p.m.

Winthrop is one of the smallest teams in college basketball, leading to a poor offensive-rebounding rate, bad interior defense, and tons of threes. Washington State's big man trio of Efe Abogidi, Mouhamed Gueye, and Dishon Jackson should eat the Eagles alive inside the paint.

With Winthrop insistent on pushing the pace, the Cougars could run up the score in a hurry.

Pick: Washington State -14 or better

Northern Colorado (-6, 140) at San Jose State
Nov. 23, 10:00 p.m.

When facing Northern Colorado, teams have to find ways to score inside the arc - the Bears won't let you take threes. San Jose State hasn't proven that with any effectiveness this season.

The Spartans have been surprisingly decent, but expect Northern Colorado to make them scramble offensively and look more like the San Jose State of old.

Pick: Northern Colorado -8 or better

UCLA vs. Gonzaga (-6, 154)
Nov. 23, 10:00 p.m.

One simply can't avoid this monster matchup when it's on the board. This Final Four rematch should be much like last year's contest: high scoring and close.

The biggest difference between these two clubs is UCLA brings back almost all of its production, while Gonzaga had a fair amount of roster turnover. If Bruins newcomer Myles Johnson can slow down Drew Timme just a bit, the Bulldogs will have to depend mostly on freshmen to produce.

Betting against Gonzaga is always a risk, but all signs point to UCLA keeping this to a one- or two-possession game.

Pick: UCLA +4 or better