After a year’s hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament — March Madness — is back. The 68 teams were finalized in their bracket positions on Sunday night, and the “First Four” games — narrowing the 68 down to 64 — take place on Thursday.
Let’s look at these first four games as you start to plan your college basketball betting strategy for the bracket.
NCAA News: First Four Preview
Thursday, March 18
East Region
#16 Texas Southern (+2) vs #16 Mount St. Mary’s (O/U 132.5) (4:10 pm ET, truTV)
Texas Southern won nine in a row to close out their season with an offense that gets to the glass and dominates the offensive boards. They are also a terrific transition team that can turn some opponent mistakes into a stack of points.
Mount St. Mary’s, on the other hand, turns the ball over frequently. They went into the NEC Tournament with an 8-10 record but then won five in a row, upsetting Bryant in the MEC Championship to make it to the Big Dance. However, they don’t have the speed to keep up with Texas Southern. Texas Southern to win, take the over.
West Region
#11 Drake (+2) vs #11 Wichita State (O/U 139.5) (5:27 pm ET, TBS)
Drake plays a grinding style, with shutdown defense and a commitment to rebounding. They have ball security, and their only real problems this season came against Loyola-Chicago, the best team in the Missouri Valley Conference. Drake shoots 49 percent from the floor and gets second-chance points from its offensive rebounding.
Wichita State lost five games, but those losses all came against tough teams. The Shockers rely on ball movement in the halfcourt and solid outside shooting. They like to force teams to make mistakes. However, if their shots aren’t falling, they will get in trouble. Drake to win, take the under.
West Region
#16 Appalachian State (+3) vs #16 Norfolk State (O/U 134.5) (7:40 pm ET, truTV)
Appalachian State finished in seventh place in the Sun Belt, dropping six of seven down the stretch. However, they won their last four games, including an upset of Texas State, and they won the Sun Belt Tournament, swiping a spot in the Big Dance. Their defense is aggressive and generates a ton of steals, and they love to bomb from three-point land. They’re playing on house money right now.
Norfolk State loves to play at a high tempo, getting the ball to the rim. They won the last six games of their season, beating Morgan State three times in that stretch, and they won the MEAC Tournament. They like to drive to the hoop and either get layups or free throws. The question is whether Appalachian State can get enough three-balls to win. Norfolk State to win, take the under.
#11 UCLA (+1.5) vs #11 Michigan State (O/U 136.5) (8:57 pm ET, TBS)
UCLA finished with a real skid, dropping four in a row and seven of 12, including a loss to Oregon State in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament. Sure, Oregon State went on to win the whole thing. The other losses in their skid came at home against USC and at Colorado and Oregon. The shooting is decent, but the defense gives up too much.
Michigan State started their season dreadfully, with bad shooting and halfhearted defense. They did beat Michigan and Illinois down the stretch, but they lost to Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament. They are here because of reputation, not because of anything they accomplished this season. Even Mick Cronin can figure out a way to get around this Spartan squad. UCLA to win, take the over.
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