March Madness Friday Betting Preview
If your bracket survived the first day of the Round of 64, there’s plenty of time for it to go bust on Friday when the rest of the field plays their tournament openers.
In the East on Friday, the No. 8 VCU Rams take on the No. 9 Central Florida Knights as a 1-point underdog at Bovada Sportsbook.
The Rams had a 12-game winning streak snapped in the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament as they fell to the Rhode Island Billikens 75-70 as an 8-point favorite. The Rams were 10-2 against the spread during their streak and will try to improve on a lousy tournament history, as they are 1-5 SU and 3-3 ATS in their last six.
The Knights head into the tournament having lost their last two games straight up and ATS. They’re looking for their first-ever tournament win after going 0-3 SU and 3-0 ATS in three games.
Utah State a first-time favorite vs Washington
In the Midwest Region, the No. 8 Utah State Aggies take on the No. 9 Washington Huskies as a 3-point favorite.
The Aggies have won 10 straight while going 7-3 ATS. In the tournament they’ve lost seven in a row with a 2-5 ATS record. This is the first time they’ve ever been favored in a tournament game.
Washington has been rough on bettors lately at 1-6 ATS and 4-3 SU in its last seven. As an underdog this season, the Huskies were 4-5 SU and 5-4 ATS.
Red Raiders heavily favored to vanquish Norse
In the West Region, the No. 3 Texas Tech Red Raiders are expected to roll past the No. 14 Northern Kentucky Norse as a 13.5-point favorite.
Texas Tech was on a nine-game winning streak at 8-1 ATS before falling to the West Virginia Mountaineers 79-74 as a 13-point favorite in the Big 12 Conference tournament. The Red Raiders are only 3-4 SU and 2-5 ATS in their last seven tournament games, but as a favorite in the tournament they’re 4-1 SU and ATS in their last five.
The Norse have won five straight but they’re only 2-3 ATS, and 2-6 ATS in their last eight. Last year in their first-ever tournament game, Northern Kentucky lost to Kentucky 79-70 as a 20-point underdog.
Ducks 6-1 ATS in last 7 as Madness underdog
In the South Region, the No. 5 Wisconsin Badgers are a 2-point favorite against the No. 12 Oregon Ducks.
Wisconsin is 6-2 SU in its last eight games but only 2-5-1 ATS. In the tournament the Badgers are 7-1 SU and 5-3 ATS in their last eight games as the favorite.
Oregon has won eight straight both SU and ATS. The Ducks are 4-1 SU and ATS in their last five games in the tournament and as an underdog in the Madness they’re 6-1 ATS in their last seven.
Wisconsin and Oregon have clashed in March Madness twice before. In 2014, Wisconsin topped Oregon 85-77 as a 6-point favorite. A year later, Wisconsin beat Oregon again, 72-65 as a 12.5-point favorite.