The Georgetown Hoyas have been a massive disappointment in the past two NCAA Tournaments, losing to double-digits seeds. And on Friday afternoon in the Midwest Region in Columbus, Ohio, the third-seeded Hoyas are only 4-point favorites over No. 14 Belmont on Bovada’s NCAA Tournament odds.
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Belmont (26-2) was the Atlantic Sun regular-season and tournament champion and enters on a 14-game winning streak. The Bruins are one of the nation’s better offensive teams, ranking No. 4 in points per game (81.5), fifth in assists (17.4), eighth in scoring margin (+14.2), 17th in field-goal percentage (48.4), 12th in 3-pointers per game (8.7) and 42nd in 3-point percentage (37.7). Six players average at least eight points, led by junior guard Kerron Johnson at 14.1 ppg – he was the Atlantic Sun Tournament MVP.
The Bruins have played two ranked teams this season, both to start the year. They lost 77-76 at Duke in the season opener and then 97-81 at Memphis. Those are the only two NCAA Tournament teams that Belmont has faced. This is Belmont’s fifth NCAA Tournament appearance and it has never won a game – the Bruins lost 72-58 to Wisconsin in the first round a year ago.
Georgetown (23-8) was supposed to take a step back, it was thought this season, but finished fourth in the Big East. It’s a very young team but is led by senior guard Jason Clark (14.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 47.8 FG%), junior forward Hollis Thompson (13.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 47.8 FG%) and senior center Henry Sims (11.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.4 apg). One worry for the Hoyas is their recent NCAA Tournament history. In 2010 they lost 97-83 to No. 14 Ohio and last year fell 74-56 to No. 11 Virginia Commonwealth. But most of the main players from those two Georgetown teams are gone – Clark and Sims had much lesser roles, for example.
This will be a matchup of contrasting styles. The Bruins are up-tempo and have an explosive offense against Georgetown’s rugged defense -- 13th in the nation in points allowed per game, first in opponent 3-point field goal percentage.
After coming up just short in the Big East, Cincinnati will begin their NCAA Tournament run on Friday afternoon as a No. 6 seed against No. 11 Texas in East Region action in Nashville. Get your March Madness betting line at Bovada.
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The Bearcats were the No. 4 seed in the Big East Tournament last week, and they made it all to the way to the championship game before losing 50-44 to Louisville for that title.
Cashmere Wright was good for 16 points for Cincinnati in that loss to the Cardinals, with Jaquon Parker scoring 10 points, and Sean Kilpatrick held to just five points. Kilpatrick led all Bearcats scorers at 14.3 PPG this season.
Overall Cincinnati ended up 24-10 SU and 15-13 ATS this season, and they were 13-15 on the OVER/UNDER for totals bettors on the college basketball betting lines at Bovada.
The Longhorns made it to the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament last week before getting bounced 81-67 by Missouri; Texas was a No. 6 seed at that event.
J'Covan Brown poured in a team-high 21 points for the Longhorns in that loss to the Tigers; Brown averaged 20.1 PPG as the focal point of Texas' offense this season. Jonathan Holmes was good for 11 points for the Longhorns that day.
Texas went 20-13 SU this season but just 10-18 ATS for their supporters on the college hoops betting lines. The Longhorns were also 14-14 on the OVER/UNDER.
As the No. 6 seed in the East the Bearcats are listed at 85/1 on the March Madness lines at Bovada to win the NCAA Tournament, and at 20/1 to win the region. The Longhorns will tip off on Friday at 150/1 odds to win the tournament and at 35/1 odds to win the East.
Cincinnati is a 2-point favorite against Texas for Friday afternoon's matchup.
The ACC will meet the SEC on Friday afternoon in Nebraska as No. 10 Virginia takes on No. 7 Florida in second-round West Region action at the CenturyLink Center Omaha. Get your college basketball betting line for the game at Bovada.
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Virginia went 22-9 SU and 14-11-1 ATS this season, and they were a friend to UNDER bettors in totals wagering with a 7-19 mark on the OVER/UNDER this year.
The Cavaliers are coming off a 67-64 loss to North Carolina State in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament last week; they were the No. 4 seed at that event. Mike Scott was good for a team-high 23 points for Virginia in that loss; he led the team at 18.1 PPG this year.
Scott also grabbed 10 rebounds for Virginia in that contest, with Joe Harris adding 18 points, and Akil Mitchell pitching in with 10 points and 12 boards against the Wolfpack.
The Gators were a No. 4 seed in their conference tournament as well, but they made it to the semifinals of the SEC event before bowing out in a 74-71 loss to Kentucky.
Kenny Boynton, who leads Florida at 16.3 PPG, managed to score just two points in that loss to the Wildcats and will need to step up his game against the Cavaliers on Friday. Erik Murphy paced the Gators with a team-high 24 points in that contest.
Overall Florida went 23-10 SU and 13-15 ATS this season, and 18-10 on the OVER/UNDER.
On the March Madness odds at Bovada the Gators are listed at 65/1 to win the NCAA Tournament this year, and at 14/1 to win the West Region. The Cavaliers sit at 200/1 on the odds to win the Big Dance, and at 50/1 to claim the West Region crown.
Florida is also a 3.5-point favorite against Virginia for Friday's contest.
Virginia Commonwealth made it all the way to the Final Four last season, and they already have one upset under their belt this year as they prepare to take on No. 4 Indiana in a Round of 32 matchup in the South Region on Saturday. Get your college basketball odds at Bovada.
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The Rams, a No. 12 seed for the NCAA Tournament this season, held on for a 62-59 win over No. 5 Wichita State at the Rose Garden in Portland in their tournament-opening game on Thursday afternoon.
On the March Madness odds at Bovada the Rams were listed as 7-point underdogs against the Shockers, with the combined score falling UNDER the posted total of 137 points.
Bradford Burgess led the way for VCU with 16 points in that win over Wichita State, with Troy Daniels and Darius Theus putting up 10 points apiece on the day. D.J. Haley had a team-high seven rebounds in the victory.
The Rams won a First Four game against USC at last year's NCAA Tournament, then went on to knock out Georgetown, Purdue, Florida State, and Kansas before finally falling 70-62 to Butler in the national semifinals.
VCU's next opponent will be the Hoosiers, who beat No. 13 New Mexico State by a score of 79-66 on Thursday night in Portland. Indiana managed to cover the 6.5-point spread on the college basketball odds at Bovada in that UNDER result.
Jordan Hulls scored a team-high 22 points for Indiana against New Mexico State, while each of Christian Watford, Will Sheehey, and Cody Zeller chipped in with 14 points on the night.
After crushing West Virginia in their first game of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday No. 7 Gonzaga will try for a similar result against a tougher opponent in East Region action on Saturday – No. 2 Ohio State. Get college basketball betting lines for the match at Bovada.
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The Bulldogs rolled to an 18-point lead on the Mountaineers by halftime on Thursday night and didn't have any problems from there, grabbing a 77-54 victory and easily covering the 1-point spread posted at Bovada.
The combined score of that Round of 64 matchup fell UNDER the listed total of 133 points.
Gonzaga got balanced offense against West Virginia, with Robert Sacre and Gary Bell Jr. each tossing in 14 points, and Kevin Pangos adding 13 points on the night. Elias Harris was good for 10 points for the Bulldogs in that win.
The Buckeyes had no problem in their second-round matchup on Thursday night either, as they bounced No. 15 Loyola-Maryland by a score of 78-59 at Pittsburgh's Consol Energy Center.
Ohio State had entered that contest as a big 17.5-point favorite against the No. 15 Greyhounds at Bovada on Thursday, but they managed to pay off for their supporters and cover that spread. The combined score was an was an OVER result for totals bettors.
Jared Sullinger was good for 12 points and 11 rebounds for Ohio State in that victory, but it was Deshaun Thomas who really caused the damage for the Buckeyes – he poured in 31 points and grabbed 12 boards on the night. William Buford added 17 points.
The top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament will hit the hardwood again on Saturday as the Kentucky Wildcats take on No. 8 Iowa State in a Round of 32 matchup in the South Region. Get your college basketball betting lines for the tournament at Bovada.
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The Wildcats ran out to a big 19-point lead at halftime in their tournament-opening game against No. 16 Western Kentucky on Thursday night, and then cruised from there to an 81-66 victory at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville.
Terrence Jones scored a team-high 22 points in that win for the Wildcats while also grabbing 10 rebounds in the contest. Anthony Davis and Doron Lamb each tossed in 16 points for Kentucky against the Hilltoppers.
Kentucky was listed as a huge 27-point favorite on the March Madness odds at Bovada against Western Kentucky, but a second-half slowdown kept them from covering that spread. The combined score went OVER the posted total of 136 points.
Iowa State made it to the Round of 32 by dispatching defending-champion Connecticut 77-64 in their opening contest on Thursday night.
The Cyclones, despite being the higher seed on Thursday, were actually a 2.5-point underdog on the betting lines at Bovada. Totals bettors saw the combined score of that contest turn into an OVER result.
Chris Allen led the way with 20 points for Iowa State against Connecticut, with Royce White good for 15 points and 13 rebounds in the victory. Scott Christopherson also scored 15 points for Iowa State in that contest.
The Syracuse Orange didn't become the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday afternoon, but that game was a little too close for comfort as they head into their third-round matchup on Saturday against No. 8 Kansas State. Get all your March Madness odds at Bovada.
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The Orange were listed as 16-point favorites for their tournament opener against No. 16 N.C. Asheville in Pittsburgh on Thursday, but they actually found themselves trailing by a score of 34-30 at halftime in that game.
Syracuse, though, did manage to come through in the second half, outscoring the Bulldogs by 11 points to win the game 72-65 but fail to cover the posted spread at Bovada. Totals bettors saw the combined score fall UNDER the listed total of 148 points.
That result has Orange supporters wondering how far their team will advance with the Big East's Defensive Player of the Year, Fab Melo, ruled ineligible for the NCAA Tournament.
James Southerland had a team-high 15 points for Syracuse in their win over N.C. Asheville on Thursday, with Dion Waiters and Kris Joseph scoring 12 points apiece, and Scoop Jardine picking up 11 points and seven assists.
Syracuse will now face the Wildcats on Saturday at the Consol Energy Center, with Kansas State coming off a 70-64 win over No. 9 Southern Miss in their Thursday matchup. The Wildcats were 6-point favorites in that game, and the OVER/UNDER was set at 135.
Rodney McGruder had a game-high 30 points for Kansas State on Thursday, and he'll be the focus of the Orange's defense in their matchup on Saturday. Jordan Henriquez added 15 points and grabbed nine boards against Southern Miss.
While all eight games combined on Thursday and Friday in NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 action are intriguing matchups, only one features teams that each won their conference tournament crown: Thursday’s West Region game in Phoenix between No. 4 Louisville and No. 1 Michigan State. The Spartans opened as 5-point favorites on Bovada’s NCAA basketball odds.
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Louisville (28-9) didn’t end the regular season strong, losing three of its final four games. But then the Cardinals won four games in four days to claim the Big East Tournament championship. Louisville hasn’t been overly dominant in the NCAA Tournament, beating No. 13 Davidson 69-62 last Thursday and then No. 5 New Mexico 59-56 on Saturday. The Lobos shot just 39.7 percent from the field and was 5-of-23 from 3-point range – Louisville has been dynamite in its six-game winning streak defending the 3-poiner.
This is the Cards’ first trip to the Sweet 16 since 2009; the team lost its first NCAA tourney game the previous two years. The Sweet 16 is nothing new to Michigan State as it has reached this round for the 10th time in the past 15 years under coach Tom Izzo.
MSU (29-7) closed the regular season with back-to-back losses but then rolled to the Big Ten Tournament crown. The Spartans had an easy time in their NCAA Tournament opener, beating No. 16 LIU-Brooklyn 89-67. But on Sunday, Sparty had a dogfight with No. 9 Saint Louis, winning 65-61. Big Ten Player of the Year Draymond Green followed a triple-double against LIU with 16 points, 13 boards and six assists against the Billikens.
Louisville will try and pressure Michigan State and force turnovers – the Cards tried a similar strategy in a 2009 NCAA Tournament with MSU. Michigan State won the game 64-52 in the 2009 regional final in Indianapolis. MSU was the No. 2 seed; Louisville was the No. 1 seed. Green was the only current Spartan player to play in that one.
Izzo thinks this team will press even more relentlessly than Rick Pitino's 2009 squad did, partly because Louisville doesn't have as many options as the Cardinals did then. Unlike Saint Louis, which preferred to play a methodical, bruising style, Louisville has long, athletic bigs and quick guards that swarm the court. But MSU has proved in the past it can win against any style and it should be able to dominate the boards in this one.
Louisville didn’t play a Big Ten team this year and MSU didn’t play a Big East team. The Cards are 6-0 ATS in their past six games overall but 0-4 ATS in past four NCAA Tournament games as an underdog. MSU is 5-1 ATS in its past six NCAA games as a favorite of 6.5 points or less.
The East Region’s top-seeded Syracuse Orange were able to reach the Sweet 16 despite the loss of starting center and Big East Defensive Player of the Year Fab Melo on the eve of the NCAA Tournament, but his absence could really be felt on Thursday night against No. 4 Wisconsin in Boston for a trip to the Elite Eight. The Orange are 3.5-point favorites on Bovada’s NCAA basketball odds with live betting available.
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Wisconsin (26-9) is the nation’s top defensive team, allowing just under 53 points per game. That defense was definitely on display in UW’s Round of 32 60-57 win over No. 5 Vanderbilt as the Badgers held the SEC’s top two scorers, John Jenkins (20.1) and Jeffery Taylor (16.3), to 13 and 9 points, respectively. UW has reached back-to-back Sweet 16s for the first time in school history.
Syracuse, meanwhile, almost became the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed, squeaking by UNC-Asheville in the Round of 64 as Melo was clearly missed. But on Saturday the Orange looked better in a 75-59 win over Kansas State. Freshman big man Rakeem Christmas stepped up as the replacement for Melo and had 11 rebounds, eight points, three blocks and a steal. And the Syracuse bench outscored KSU’s bench 33-0. In fact, SU reserves have outscored the opposition 61-16 so far in this tournament. Reserve junior forward James Southerland has scored 15 points in each of the last two games, making 11 of 14 shots from the field.
The Orange are looking to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since their national championship run in 2003. The Badgers haven't been to the next round since 2005. This should be a classic matchup as Syracuse lives for creating turnovers, while Wisconsin is one of the nation’s top teams at not giving the ball away and has one of the country’s top point guards in Jordan Taylor. The winner faces the Cincinnati-Ohio State winner on Saturday.
The Orange and Badgers haven’t played since 1999. Wisconsin is 5-1 ATS in its past six neutral site games. Syracuse is 1-4 ATS in its past five at neutral sites.
The most unlikely team in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 is definitely No. 13 seed Ohio. The Mid-American Conference champions’ unlikely run would become downright stunning if the Bobcats could upset No. 1 seed North Carolina on Friday night in Midwest Region play in St. Louis. However, UNC is a 10.5-point favorite on Bovada’s NCAA basketball odds, the biggest favorite of the Sweet 16.
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The key story here is the status of Heels point guard Kendall Marshall, the nation’s leader in assists and the most important player on North Carolina – he makes the Heels’ offense, which is second in the nation in scoring, go. Marshall broke his right wrist in the Round of 32 victory over Creighton and had surgery Monday. He already is out of the hard cast and in a removable splint. Coach Roy Williams said he is planning to not have Marshall, but Marshall hasn’t officially been ruled out. Marshall, who is left-handed, has scored in double figures for six straight games and has been the team’s most irreplaceable player at the helm of its fast-paced attack. If Marshall can’t play, seldom-used freshman Stilman White or senior Justin Watts would handle the point guard duties.
Ohio University (29-7) is one of four schools from that state still alive. It upset No. 4 Michigan 65-60 in the tournament opener and then beat No. 12 South Florida 62-56. The Bobcats are the seventh team seeded No. 13 or higher to advance to the regional semifinals, only the second since 1999 and the first since No. 13 Bradley did it in 2006. None of those teams won its next game.
This will be a huge mismatch size-wise. The Bobcats generally have three guards on the floor led by star D.J. Cooper. And Ohio’s two starting forwards are 6-foot-8 Ivo Baltic and 6-7 Jon Smith. Meanwhile, UNC (31-5) starts 7-foot ACC Player of the Year Tyler Zeller, 6-11 two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year John Henson and 6-8 All-American Harrison Barnes. Carolina averages 10.3 more rebounds per game than its opponents and leads the nation in rebounding. Ohio actually gets fewer rebounds than its foes. But the Bobcats are fourth in the nation in steals and sixth in turnover margin.
The Xavier Musketeers have never reached a Final Four in their excellent basketball history, but the small Cincinnati school can get one step closer to that goal with an upset of Baylor on Thursday night in the Sweet 16. The Bears, however, are 6-point favorites for the South Region game in Atlanta and there will be live betting available at Bovada’s NCAA basketball odds.
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No. 10 Xavier (23-12) is in the regional semifinals for the fourth time in the past five seasons but it was a major chore to get there. The Musketeers upset Notre Dame in the first round, 67-63. Xavier was down 10 in the second half but star Tu Holloway banked in the go-ahead shot with 21.3 seconds left. Holloway was stellar in the game with 25 points (17 in the second half) on 10-for-15 shooting. And then on Sunday, 7-footer Kenny Frease was the star with a career-high 25 points to go with 12 boards in a 70-58 win over No. 15 Lehigh. Xavier shrugged off four 15-point deficits and held Lehigh to 14.7 percent second-half shooting.
In that Lehigh win, the Musketeers saw freshman guard Dez Wells sprain his toe and he is questionable for this game, although the team is hopeful he plays. He played only 8 minutes vs. Lehigh and didn't score. Wells is Xavier's third-leading scorer, averaging 10 points and 4.9 rebounds.
No. 3 Baylor (29-7) has had an easier time of it thus far, beating No. 14 South Dakota State 68-60 (although the Bears did trail 19-7) and then handling No. 11 Colorado 80-63 behind nine 3-pointers from Brady Heslip. Baylor actually trailed by two points with 11:21 remaining but Colorado was just 3-for-15 from the field from that point on.
Baylor and Xavier will meet for the second time — both on a neutral court. In the only other meeting, Baylor won 69-64 in the fifth-place game of the 2009 Old Spice Classic. Baylor is 7-28 all-time against the rest of the Sweet 16 field, including a 0-7 mark against its potential Elite Eight opponents. The winner of this game will likely face No. 1 overall seed Kentucky on Sunday.
Xavier has covered 10 of its past 12 NCAA tourney games as a dog. Baylor has covered its past four games overall as a favorite.
It’s a rematch of one of the best games of the regular season in the Sweet 16 when top-seeded Kentucky, the 11/5 overall favorite to win the NCAA Tournament, faces No. 4 Indiana in the South Region in Atlanta on Friday night. The Cats are 9-point favorites on Bovada’s NCAA basketball odds and there will be live betting available.
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Indiana (27-8), in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four years, has won seven of eight games. The Hoosiers had little trouble in their tourney opener in beating New Mexico State 79-66. But in the Round of 32, Indiana was pushed to the limit by No. 12 VCU. The Hoosiers won 63-61 when sophomore forward Will Sheehey made a 15-foot jumper from the baseline with 12.7 seconds left after a shot was blocked right to him. This is Indiana’s first trip to the Sweet 16 since 2002, the last time the school played in the national title game.
Kentucky (34-2) has bounced back from a loss to Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament final with two fairly easy wins in this tournament over No. 16 Western Kentucky and No. 8 Iowa State. UK has shot a stellar 55 percent from the field in both games.
The only regular-season loss the Wildcats suffered was at Indiana on Dec. 10 when the Hoosiers’ Christian Watford hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer for a 73-72 victory and one of the season’s signature moments. It was Indiana’s first win over a No. 1 team since the 2002 NCAA Tournament. UK stars Terrence Jones and Anthony Davis, the national player of the year, both struggled in that game. Jones was held to four points and turned the ball over six times, while Davis had only six points and was in foul trouble. He was outplayed by IU freshman big man Cody Zeller.
The guy who fed Watford the pass to hit that winning shot was Indiana guard Verdell Jones, but he’s now out for the season with an injury. Jones had eight points, four rebounds and three assists in that first meeting. If IU is to pull the upset, it likely needs to hit its 3-pointers. The Hoosiers are second nationally in 3-point field goal percentage at 43.7; UK allows foes to hit just 31.7 percent from beyond the arc.
A trip to the Elite Eight, likely against top-seeded North Carolina, is on the line Friday night in the Midwest Region in St. Louis as No. 2 seed Kansas faces No. 11 North Carolina State, with the Jayhawks as 8-point favorites on Bovada’s NCAA basketball betting odds.
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NC State (24-12) is one of the surprise teams in the Sweet 16, but the Wolfpack have been playing their best basketball. They nearly beat North Carolina in the ACC Tournament and rolled a good San Diego State team 79-65 in the NCAA Tournament opener. And then on Sunday, NC State upset No. 3 Georgetown 66-63 to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2005.
NC State has one of the country’s best players in C.J. Leslie. The sophomore could be a tough matchup for KU forward and Big 12 Player of the Year Thomas Robinson because of his athleticism and ability to score away from the basket. Leslie is averaging better than 18 points and shooting nearly 60 percent from the field over the past 10 games. And the Wolfpack have a 3-point gunner in Scott Wood, who is shooting 43 percent from long range in the past seven games.
Kansas (29-6) is rather fortunate to be here. The Jayhawks didn’t have much trouble in their NCAA opener against Detroit, but did in the Round of 32 against No. 10 Purdue. KU led for less than a minute in the game but Elijah Johnson hit the go-ahead shot with 23.3 seconds left. Purdue’s Robbie Hummel then missed a wide-open 3-pointer. Robinson fought through double-teams all night for 11 points (on just 2-for-12 shooting) and 13 rebounds. The 6-foot-9 forward averages 17.7 points and ranked second in the nation in rebounds with 11.8 per contest. KU’s 33.9 shooting percentage for the game was its lowest in a victory since 1997.
Kansas and NC State are meeting for the 12th time overall, with KU leading the series 10-1. NC State won the first meeting in 1958 while the Jayhawks have won the last 10 matchups against the Wolfpack, although they haven’t played in years.
The East Region has gone according to plan as No. 1 Syracuse and No. 2 Ohio State face off Saturday night in Boston for a trip to the Final Four. The Buckeyes are 3-point favorites on Bovada’s NCAA basketball odds and there will be live play-by-play betting available.
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Syracuse (34-2) played another Big Ten team in the Sweet 16 and barely survived in beating Wisconsin 64-63. The Orange’s Kris Joseph missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 18 seconds to go with Syracuse up by a point, giving the Badgers a chance at the victory. But UW star Jordan Taylor missed a 3-pointer in the final seconds. Even without the ineligible Fab Melo, Syracuse dominated down low. Syracuse outscored Wisconsin 30-10 in the paint and is now 33-0 this season when it scores at least 20 points in the paint. It’s the Orange’s first trip to the Elite Eight since winning the national title behind Carmelo Anthony in 2003.
But Ohio State (30-7) has one of the nation’s top frontcourt players in Jared Sullinger. He had 23 points and 11 rebounds in the Buckeyes’ 81-66 Sweet 16 victory over Cincinnati. The Buckeyes went on a 17-1 run to take a 65-53 lead with just under six minutes remaining and never were threatened again. Deshaun Thomas led OSU with 26 points as the school is in a regional final for the first time since losing to Florida in the 2007 national championship game. Thomas, who averaged just over 15 points coming into the tournament, is shooting 56 percent from the field and has hit 7 of 15 from 3-point range. Hitting the 3-point shot will be key against Syracuse’s vaunted 2-3 zone – Wisconsin hit 14 3-pointers on Thursday.
OSU and Syracuse haven’t met since 2007. Syracuse has covered only two of its past 10 games overall. Ohio State has covered just once in the past five games where it was a favorite of 6.5 points or less.
Easily the biggest storyline of Saturday’s Elite Eight matchup between No. 4 Louisville and No. 7 Florida is that of the head coaches: the Cardinals’ Rick Pitino and the Gators’ Billy Donovan. Pitino is Donovan’s coaching mentor and in fact coached Billy the Kid at Providence when the Friars made a surprising Final Four run in 1987. UF is a 1.5-point favorite at Bovada’s NCAA basketball odds and live betting is available on the game.
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Both Florida and Louisville were underdogs in their Sweet 16 games. The No. 4 Cardinals (29-9) were the first team in this tournament to beat a No. 1 seed, handling Michigan State 57-44. The Louisville defense was stellar, led by center Gorgui Deng’s seven blocks. The Spartans shot just 28.6 percent from the field, their worst-ever mark in the Big Dance, and their 44 points are the fewest for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament in the shot clock era. Pitino improved to 10-0 in Sweet 16 games. It was Louisville’s seventh straight win after claiming the Big East Tournament championship.
Florida (26-10) didn’t enter the NCAA Tournament looking like a threat as the Gators had lost three of their past four games. But UF has been barely challenged in three games, winning by a combined 70 points. Florida upset No. 3 Marquette 68-58 on Thursday behind 21 points from freshman guard Bradley Beal. He is peaking at the right time. In five postseason games (three in the NCAA, two in SEC Tournament), Beal is averaging 17 points, 8.2 rebounds, shooting 53.8 percent overall and 43.3 from 3-point range.
If UF wins this game, it would be the first No. 7 seed to reach the Final Four since Virginia in 1984. However, Donovan is 0-6 in his coaching career against Pitino. Florida and Louisville haven’t met since 2004. UF is 4-0 ATS in its past four games, while Louisville has covered seven in a row.
Read More: Billy Donovan Faces Mentor Rick Pitino for Trip to Final Four | Gambling Beat News
The Ohio State Buckeyes didn't manage to snag a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament this year, but that didn't matter as they've won the East Region on the NCAA Basketball betting lines and will now travel to New Orleans for this weekend's Final Four.
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The Buckeyes bounced top-seeded Syracuse by a score of 77-70 at Boston's TD Garden on Saturday to wrap up the East Region, winning as a small favorite and paying off for their supporters on the March Madness odds at Bovada in the process.
Four players scored in double digits for the Buckeyes in that victory, with Jared Sullinger leading the way with 19 points in the contest. Sullinger was good for 17.6 points per game and 9.1 rebounds per game during the season as he guns for a national championship and the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award.
Lenzelle Smith Jr. added 18 points for Ohio State against the Orange, with Deshaun Thomas good for 14 points and William Buford picking up 13 points on the day.
Ohio State has topped 70 points in each of their first four games at the NCAA Tournament, beating Loyola-Maryland 78-59 in their opener then getting past Gonzaga 73-66 and Cincinnati 81-66 before taking care of the Orange over the weekend.
After beating Syracuse on Saturday the Buckeyes were listed at 9/4 on the March Madness odds at Bovada to win the NCAA Tournament this year at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome; they'd been pegged at 11/2 on that list on March 12th, and at 13/2 back on March 2nd.
The Buckeyes last lost in the title game of the Big Ten Tournament, when they fell 68-64 to Michigan State; that defeat cost Ohio State a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
After upsetting top-seeded North Carolina in the Elite Eight on Sunday, the No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks will now travel to New Orleans to compete on the Final Four betting lines at the Superdome this weekend – and they'll be facing another No. 2 seed.
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Kansas will up against Ohio State on Saturday night, and they'll be looking to carry over the momentum from their 80-67 victory over North Carolina in St. Louis.
Tyshawn Taylor poured in a team-high 22 points for the Jayhawks against the Tar Heels, with Thomas Robinson adding 18 points and nine rebounds in the contest. Jeff Withey was good for 15 points and eight boards for Kansas in that victory.
That game marked Kansas' biggest offensive output so far during the NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks got past No. 15 Detroit by a score of 65-50 in their second-round matchup, then beat No. 10 Purdue 63-60 in the third round before dispatching No. 11 North Carolina State 60-57 in the Sweet 16.
The Jayhawks have covered the posted spread in just two of their four NCAA Tournament contests so far, as they were 13.5-point favorites against Detroit on the March Madness odds and slim 2-point favorites against North Carolina.
The OVER/UNDER has gone 1-3 over Kansas' four games in the Big Dance this year.
On the current Bovada college basketball futures the Jayhawks sit at +400 to win the NCAA Tournament, which puts them behind Kentucky (-125) and Ohio State (+275), but ahead of Louisville (+1000).
Back on March 12 Kansas was at 10/1 on that NCAA Tournament list, and they were at 10/1 on March 2 as well.
After dispatching Baylor to win the South Region on Sunday the top-seeded Kentucky Wildcats sit as the top favorites on the March Madness futures at Bovada heading into this weekend's Final Four at the Superdome in New Orleans.
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The Wildcats built a huge 20-point lead on the No. 3 Bears by halftime in their Elite Eight matchup on Sunday, and then cruised from there to an 82-70 victory and a cover of the posted 7.5-point spread on the college basketball odds.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist scored 19 points for Kentucky at the Georgia Dome on Sunday afternoon, with Anthony Davis picking up 18 points and 11 rebounds in that contest. Doron Lamb chipped in with 14 points for the Wildcats in that victory.
Overall the Wildcats are 3-1 ATS so far during the NCAA Tournament; the only time they failed to cover the spread was when they were favored by 26.5 points in their 81-66 win over No. 16 Western Kentucky in their opener.
Kentucky beat No. 8 Iowa State 87-71 as a 12-point favorite in their third-round matchup, and then got past No. 4 Indiana 102-90 in the Sweet 16 as a favorite of 9.5 points.
The high-scoring Wildcats have turned in four OVER results in four tourney contests.
Kentucky heads into their Final Four matchup against Louisville on Saturday as the -140 favorite at Bovada to win the NCAA Tournament this year – that puts them at the top of that list ahead of Ohio State (+290), Kansas (+500), and the Cardinals (+800).
Back on March 12 the Wildcats were 9/4 favorites, and they sat at 5/2 on March 2.
On the March Madness props market Davis is currently the 2/1 favorite to win the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player award, with Kidd-Gilchrist at 5/1 and Lamb at 15/1.
It'll be No. 3 Stanford vs. No. 6 Minnesota on Thursday night as NIT betting wraps up in the championship game for the tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York.
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The Cardinal reached the title game on Tuesday night with a 74-64 win over No. 5 Massachusetts in their semifinal matchup at MSG. At Bovada Stanford was a 2.5-point favorite in that contest, and the combined score was an UNDER result for totals bettors.
Anthony Brown tossed in a team-high 18 points for Stanford against UMass, with Josh Owens good for 15 points and 12 rebounds and Aaron Bright adding 13 points of his own.
Stanford beat No. 6 Cleveland State 76-65 at home as a 6-point favorite in their first-round matchup and then topped No. 7 Illinois State (92-88 in OT) and No. 5 Nevada (84-56) at home as well before taking care of UMass. The Cardinal are 3-1 ATS so far in the NIT.
Minnesota slipped past No. 1 Washington by a score of 68-67 in overtime in the other NIT semifinal on Tuesday night; the Huskies were set as one-point favorites on the college basketball betting lines at Bovada that night. The final score was an UNDER result.
Andre Hollins led the Golden Gophers' attack with a team-high 20 points in their victory over top-seeded Washington and Rodney Williams tossed in 18 points in that contest.
Minnesota beat No. 3 La Salle 70-61 in their tournament-opening game on March 14, and then rolled to two more road victories over No. 2 Miami (78-60) and No. 4 Middle Tennessee (78-72); the Golden Gophers picked up ATS wins as underdogs in each of those games.
The Louisville Cardinals won the Big East Tournament this season and they've continued on that roll all the way to New Orleans as they'll take on top-seeded Kentucky in a Final Four betting matchup at the Superdome on Saturday night.
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The Cardinals topped Cincinnati 50-44 in the championship game of the Big East Tournament on March 10 and they haven't looked back since then, rattling off four straight wins at the Big Dance to claim the West Region.
No. 4 Louisville began its NCAA Tournament with a 69-62 win over No. 13 Davidson, and then topped No. 5 New Mexico 59-56 before upsetting No. 1 Michigan State with a 57-44 victory in the Sweet 16. The Cards then beat No. 7 Florida 72-68 in the Elite Eight.
Russ Smith had 19 points for Louisville against Florida and Chane Behanan added 17 points in that victory. Peyton Siva was held to just nine points but had eight assists.
Louisville has managed to cover the posted spread in all four of their NCAA Tournament games to date, with the OVER/UNDER going 1-3 in their contests; the Florida win was the only OVER result.
As the lowest seed remaining in the NCAA Tournament the Cardinals are the +800 underdog at Bovada to win the championship; Kentucky is favored at -140, with Ohio State at +290 and Kansas at +500.
Back on March 12 Louisville was at 35/1 odds on Bovada's NCAA Tournament futures.
On the college basketball props market Siva is currently the highest Louisville player at 18/1 to win the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award. Gorgui Dieng is at 20/1 on that list, with Kyle Kuric at 25/1 and Behanan at 35/1.
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Belmont (26-2) was the Atlantic Sun regular-season and tournament champion and enters on a 14-game winning streak. The Bruins are one of the nation’s better offensive teams, ranking No. 4 in points per game (81.5), fifth in assists (17.4), eighth in scoring margin (+14.2), 17th in field-goal percentage (48.4), 12th in 3-pointers per game (8.7) and 42nd in 3-point percentage (37.7). Six players average at least eight points, led by junior guard Kerron Johnson at 14.1 ppg – he was the Atlantic Sun Tournament MVP.
The Bruins have played two ranked teams this season, both to start the year. They lost 77-76 at Duke in the season opener and then 97-81 at Memphis. Those are the only two NCAA Tournament teams that Belmont has faced. This is Belmont’s fifth NCAA Tournament appearance and it has never won a game – the Bruins lost 72-58 to Wisconsin in the first round a year ago.
Georgetown (23-8) was supposed to take a step back, it was thought this season, but finished fourth in the Big East. It’s a very young team but is led by senior guard Jason Clark (14.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 47.8 FG%), junior forward Hollis Thompson (13.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 47.8 FG%) and senior center Henry Sims (11.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.4 apg). One worry for the Hoyas is their recent NCAA Tournament history. In 2010 they lost 97-83 to No. 14 Ohio and last year fell 74-56 to No. 11 Virginia Commonwealth. But most of the main players from those two Georgetown teams are gone – Clark and Sims had much lesser roles, for example.
This will be a matchup of contrasting styles. The Bruins are up-tempo and have an explosive offense against Georgetown’s rugged defense -- 13th in the nation in points allowed per game, first in opponent 3-point field goal percentage.