DURHAM, NC -- This Tuesday features a large number of major-conference schools taking the floor, including 3 matchups between ranked teams. Duke will host Florida in a matchup between two 2024 Final Four squads. Kansas will host UConn in matchup between 2 schools that have won national titles in the past 5 years. Kentucky will host North Carolina in a matchup between 2 of the sport's blue blood programs. I'll pick all three games for Tuesday's CBB Best Bets on December 2, 2025.
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Why it makes the card: This is one of the best games of the day on Tuesday night, as last year's national champion, Florida, heads to Durham to face Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. This matchup is part of the ACC/SEC Men's Challenge that features schools from each conference squaring off against each other.
I like Duke here. The Blue Devils are 2-0 ATS in their last 2 games against Florida. What's more, the Blue Devils are 3-1 ATS as the home team and 6-2 ATS as a favorite this year. Florida lost a lot of talent from last year's championship squad and is only 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games overall. I'm laying the points with Duke at home here.
Why it makes the card: UConn won back-to-back national championships in 2023 and 2024. Kansas won the national championship in 2022. Both teams are playing well this year as UConn is 6-1 straight up and Kansas is 6-2 straight up this season. It's worth checking the injury status of star Kansas guard Darryn Peterson ahead of this game. The uber-talented freshman has missed the team's last 6 games with a hamstring injury, but it's possible he could play on Tuesday. Peterson is averaging 21.5 points per game in 2 starts for the Jayhawks this season.
With or without Darryn Peterson, I like Kansas here. The Jayhawks have won and covered their last 3 games against power conference teams, and will have a significant homecourt advantage in Allen Fieldhouse on Tuesday night. For all of those reasons, I'm going to take Kansas at home in this one.
Why it makes the card: This is one of the top games of the day and features a pair of top-20 teams who are still trying to find their identity. Both of these teams have lost to Michigan State in neutral-site games already this year. UNC lost by 16 on November 27th and Kentucky lost by 17 on November 18th.
I like Kentucky to win and cover this matchup. In the last 10 games between North Carolina and Kentucky, the Wildcats are 7-3 straight up and 6-3-1 against the spread. What's more, Kentucky is 4-1 ATS as the home team, 4-2 ATS as a favorite, and 4-3 ATS in non-conference games this year. I'm backing the Wildcats as home favorites on Tuesday night.
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