College Basketball Odds, Picks, Same-Game Parlay Predictions: Ole Miss vs. BYU Thursday

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Written By Eli Hershkovich | Last Updated November 30, 2024

Sandwiched between NFL Thanksgiving action, including SGP picks for Lions vs. Bears, No. 23 Ole Miss and BYU face off in the Rady Children’s Invitational (San Diego, Calif.) on Thursday, Nov. 28. These programs are neck-and-neck in TheLines.com’s college basketball power rankings. The market disagrees with the Cougars set as BYU Cougars +1.5 (-110) on Bet365 spread favorites. Let’s inspect the odds for Ole Miss vs. BYU, including potential same-game parlay options and tournament futures.

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ole miss vs. byu odds: spread, moneyline, total

Buy-Low Opportunity On Rebels

According to the odds for March Madness, BYU has a better-implied probability of cutting down the nets than Ole Miss. Its market rating correlates with the opening line of -3.5. However, I’m higher on the Rebels than the betting market because of their defensive upside. I noted this in my college basketball futures guide.

After stripping preseason priors from Bart Torvik, Ole Miss ranks 52nd in adjusted defensive efficiency. Chris Beard’s squad finished 130th in that department in 2023-24. His no-middle defense, which limits dribble penetration in the lane, is a staple from his previous pit stops.

Conversely, BYU employs its fair share of pick-and-roll action with 6-foot-9 point forward Egor Demin. Ole Miss’ defensive structure can stymie these sets, allowing 0.71 points per possession against them (per Synergy). Demin is only a freshman, and his inexperience could prove costly when ball screens are in play versus Beard’s havoc-driven unit.

Although the Cougars’ perimeter-centric attack may prove detrimental against this setup, I expect the Rebels’ aggression to disrupt them quite a bit. The same concern has historically plagued Purdue, which is favored to win this four-team MTE.

Meanwhile, BYU’s isolation defense has already struggled with low-major competition. That is problematic against Ole Miss wing Matthew Murrell, who earned a preseason All-SEC honor, and an explosive backcourt.

Injury-wise, Rebels veteran forward Dre Davis (undisclosed) is expected to return to the lineup.

College Basketball Projections & SGP

My raw numbers have the Cougars favored by less than a single point, so the Rebels show some value on the point spread.

Instead, I’ve wagered on Ole Miss to win the Rady Children’s Invitational at +650 odds (0.10 units) at bet365 Sportsbook. If you want to assemble an SGP for this contest, player props are usually available the morning of college basketball games at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Good luck with your bets on Ole Miss vs. BYU odds!