The defending national champion Baylor Bears have a lot of new faces, as many key players from last season are gone. They will look to get things clicking at home against the Nicholls Colonels on Monday.
Nicholls Colonels at Baylor Bears (-21, 146)
Baylor led the country in 3-point shooting percentage last season, but their top-three players in made 3-pointers and points per game are gone, along with their top-three players in assists per game.
On the other side, Nicholls held their first Division I opponent of the season, Northern Iowa, to 3-of-22 shooting from 3-point range in a 62-58 road victory.
Nicholls has ranked in the top 10 in steals per game in three of the past four seasons and brought in Devante Carter from Norfolk State, who led the MEAC Tournament champions in points, rebounds and assists per game.
Nicholls State is 9-2 in their last 11 games against the spread as an underdog of double digits, while Baylor has failed to cover any of their last six games as a favorite of at least 10 points. The Colonels will hang within the number in a rare early Monday game.
Pick: Nicholls + 21