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The High Point Panthers take on the Liberty Flames in Rock Hill, SC. Tip-off is set for 11:59 p.m. ET on YouTube.
High Point is favored by -6.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -325. The total is set at 154.5 points.
Here's my High Point vs. Liberty predictionand college basketball picks for November 1, 2026.
Pick: High Point -6.5 (Play to -8)
My High Point vs Liberty best betis on the Panthers to cover the spread. Be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page and download the Action Network app for the latest picks and analysis.
High Point vs Liberty spread:High Point -6.5 (-115), Liberty +6.5 (-105)
High Point vs Liberty over/under:154.5 (-115o / -105u)
High Point vs Liberty moneyline:High Point -325, Liberty +260
High Point is the model of consistency at the mid-major level. Sure, the money helps. It has legitimate low-end high major money in the Big South — a cheat code of sorts.
The Panthers had to replace three starters from last year: Rob Martin, Terry Anderson and Owen Aquino.
Flynn Clayman went out and grabbed CJ Brown (10.9 PPG, 4.7 APG at USF), dynamic wing Jason Rivera-Torres (15.8 PPG, 8.1 RPG at Monmouth) and another good wing in Curtis Williams Jr. (12.4 PPG at Tulane).
That's in addition to snagging Trey Pearson, who spurned high-majors for High Point, and returning guard Conrad Martinez.
In the frontcourt, the Panthers snagged three agile bigs: Isaac Garrett (13.7 PPG at Oakland), Filip Brankovic (13 PPG at UT Martin) and Frankquon Sherman (10 PPG, 8 RPG at Kennesaw)
Despite not having a bonafide "go to" option, the Panthers can go 10-12 players deep and almost all of them can score.
It's tough to not trust a Ritchie McKay team because I absolutely believe in anything he does. He's one of the best coaches at this level; 20+ wins in nine of the past 10 seasons speaks for itself.
The Flames top six scorers departed, including their heart and soul (Zach Cleveland) and three 40% shooters in Brett Decker Jr., Colin Porter and Kaden Metheny.
I expect the Flames to improve as time goes on. They have the pieces with the Campbell's, as Cobi and Cooper transfer in from a Troy team that won the Sun Belt Tournament. That pair both shot close to 40% from deep last season, making them a seamless fit in McKay's lineup.
Joining the Campbell duo in McKay's backcourt is sophomore Zander Carter, who scored 10 points in the Flames NIT win over George Mason, and four-star recruit Eli Sancomb, the No. 1 recruit in Liberty history.
McKay's system doesn't change. It's all about movement off the ball, passing and shooting. That's why the Flames are among the slowest teams, tempo-wise, nationally and also have one of the top 3-point rates.
In the frontcourt, the Flames expect D-II transfer Osmar Garcia-Araujo to produce immediately. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound big man moves well and has the passing to be an integral part of McKay's offense.
McKay also has 6-foot-9 NAIA transfer Dillon Claussen, 6-foot-9 sophomore TJ Drain and 6-foot-9 junior Ryan Jones Jr. Can one of them emerge and mitigate some of the interior play questions?
Some of that group providing some added value on the glass would help, as Liberty struggled to secure rebounds on both ends. I don't expect the Flames to go hard all out for offensive boards due to their offensive system, but allowing second chances to High Point could be the Flames' undoing.
As usual, though, what happens to Liberty when facing a bigger, more athletic team like High Point? The shots can get a little tougher if the Panthers can push the tempo and force Liberty to play out of its element. They might have a little more length, but the athleticism comparison isn't even close.
I'm laying the points with the Panthers here. The line dipped from 7.5 to 6.5 at DraftKings , so I love the added value.
A few things lead me to trust High Point more, but most importantly, it can win a game with poor shooting due to its strong defense and ability to score inside.
The Panthers should also dominate the glass to ensure it wins the shot possession battle.
Lastly, with such a weird tip time, Liberty being so reliant on 3s could hurt it.
Lay the points.
Pick: High Point -6.5 (Play to -8)
