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2024 NCAA tournament odds: Props, best bets for Friday's first-round March Madness games
The NCAA Tournament tipped off with a couple of upsets, living up to the hype and creating the desired madness.
No. 9 seed Michigan State began the action by eliminating No. 8 Mississippi State, while No. 11 seed Duquesne continued its streak of upsets by knocking off No. 6 seed BYU.
As the first round rolls on, No. 1 seeds UConn, Houston, and Purdue will all take the court on Friday to begin their national championship campaigns.
Here are the best bets for Friday's NCAA Tournament's games, including best prop bets and current odds.
Highlights and results: Men’s March Madness live updates: No. 11 Duquesne notches first upset of NCAA Tournament
Friday's March Madness first-round best bets
All best bets courtesy of DraftKings:
No. 16 Longwood vs. No. 1 Houston: Longwood total under 51.5 points scored (-112)
In the Big 12 Championship game, Houston suffered a devastating loss against Iowa State. On the other hand, Longwood has been performing impressively in the Big South, and they come into this game with a lot of momentum. The Cougars are expected to dominate the game, but it will likely be a low-scoring win.
No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 13 Charleston: Over 173 total (-112)
In another must-watch matchup, Alabama, the No. 4 seed, will face Charleston, the No. 13 seed, in an NCAA Tournament game with the highest projected total of 173.5 in 34 years.
This game has the potential to become the highest-scoring game of the first round, and possibly even the entire men's tournament. While Alabama may win by a significant margin, Charleston could also keep the game close.
No. 1 UConn vs. No. 16 Stetson: Over 146 (-108)
UConn's offense is highly efficient, even when compared to other teams that play at a faster pace. This allows the Huskies to put a significant amount of points on the board. UConn has the potential to score more than 85 points against Stetson's weak defense. Stetson, on the other hand, will have to answer back and be effective from all areas of the court if they want to have a chance of winning. Fortunately, Stetson and UConn are among the top 40 teams in 3-point percentage.
No. 14 Colgate vs. No. 3 Baylor: Baylor to win by 13.5 points (-112)
Despite being the off-the-raider Big 12 team in the NCAA tournament compared to Houston and Iowa State, Baylor has been successful out of the spot light and managed to go 11-7 in the conference. The Bears are expected to dominate in their first-round game and take an early lead to coast to victory against the Raiders.
Friday's March Madness first-round best prop bets
All best prop bets courtesy of DraftKings:
Alabama's Mark Sears Over 22.5 points (-110)
In the highly anticipated game between Charleston and Alabama, with a predicted total of 173 points, Mark Sears is expected to lead Crimson Tide to a first-round victory. Sears has an average of 21.1 points per game this season.
Danny Wolf over 8.5 rebounds vs. Auburn (-115)
Danny Wolf was a star player in the Ivy League championship game, recording 13 rebounds in the win against Brown. Yale will likely rely on him more in ball screens and make him a key player in their offensive strategy. Wolf has been averaging 9.8 rebounds per game this season, and his team expects him to use this to his advantage to help the Yale Bulldogs advance in the NCAA Tournament.
L.J. Cryer over 14.5 points vs. Longwood (-115)
L.J. Cryer's performance in the NCAA Tournament will be crucial for Houston's success. He has been averaging 15.3 points per game this season for the Cougars and is expected to keep the momentum in the tournament's first round.
Friday's March Madness first-round game odds
Friday, March 22 Round of 64 games
Favorite (Spread/Money line) | Underdog (Spread/Money line) | Total |
No. 8 Florida Atlantic (-2.5) | No. 9 Northwestern (+2.5) | 142.5 |
No. 3 Baylor (-13.5) | No. 14 Colgate (+13.5) | 138.5 |
No. 5 San Diego State (-7.5) | No. 12 UAB (+7.5) | 138.5 |
No. 2 Marquette (-13.5) | No. 15 W. Kentucky (+13.5) | 158.5 |
No. 1 UConn (-26.5) | No. 16 Stetson (+26.5) | 145.5 |
No. 11 New Mexico (-2.5) | No. 6 Clemson (+2.5) | 150.5 |
No. 4 Auburn (-12.5) | No. 13 Yale (+12.5) | 140.5 |
No. 7 Florida (-1.5) | No. 10 Colorado (-1.5) | 160.5 |
No. 8 Nebraska (-115) | No. 9 Texas A&M (-105) | 147.5 |
No. 4 Duke (-11.5) | No. 13 Vermont (+11.5) | 132.5 |
No. 1 Purdue (-26) | No. 16 Gambling (-26) | 140.5 |
No. 4 Alabama (-9.5) | No. 13 Charleston (+9.5) | 173.5 |
No. 1 Houston (-24.5) | No. 16 Longwood (+24.5) | 128.5 |
No. 5 Wisconsin (-5.5) | No. 12 James Madison (+5.5) | 145.5 |
No. 9 TCU (-3.5) | No. 8 Utah State (+3.5) | 150.5 |
No. 5 Saint Mary's (-5.5) | No. 12 Grand Canyon (+5.5) | 131.5 |
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness: Best bets, props and odds for Friday's first-round games
