VCU Rams vs. Saint Mary’s Gaels preview for fans who bet on March Madness
Date: Thursday, 16th March
Place: Energy Solutions Arena
Odds for fans betting on march madness:
Va Commonwealth +4½ (-110) 127½ (-110) +170
Saint Marys CA -4½ (-110) 127½ (-110) -200
The Rams defeated George Mason and Richmond in the Atlantic 10 Men’s Basketball Tournament but lost the championship game to Rhode Island. Virginia Commonwealth University received an at-large bid to make their seventh straight NCAA tourney appearance and 16th overall, and will face No. 7 seed St. Mary. VCU hopes to match and exceed their success of 2011, when they made it to the Final 4 for the first and only time in school history The Gaels beat Portland and BYU in the West Coast Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament, but lost to Gonzaga in the title game. St. Mary’s had to wait until the last second to find out but were given an at large bid to their ninth trip to the big dance, and sixth under head coach Randy Bennett.
Vermont Catamounts vs. Purdue Boilermakers preview for fans who bet on March Madness
Date: Thursday, 16th March
Place: BMO Harris Bradley Center
Odds for fans betting on march madness:
Vermont +8½ (-110) 134½ (-110) +340
Purdue -8½ (-110) 134½ (-110) -425
Vermont finished 29-5 (16-0 in conference play) to win the regular season championship. The Catamounts beat Maine, Hampshire and Albany to win their first America East Men’s Basketball Tournament since 2012 and return to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 14 seed in the Midwest region where they will face No. 4 seed Purdue. The Boilermakers finished the season 25-7 (14-4) to win the regular season championship but lost in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament to Michigan. Nonetheless, Purdue received its highest seeding since 2011. This will be the B-Makers’ 29th NCAA Tourney appearance and 10th as a top-four seed. The winner of this game will advance to face the winner of the Iowa State versus Nevada game in the second round.
Florida Gulf Coast Eagles vs. Florida State Seminoles preview for fans who bet on March Madness
Date: Thursday, 16th March
Place: Amway Center
Odds for fans betting on march madness:
Fla Gulf Coast +12 (-110) 146½ (-110) +600
Florida State -12 (-110) 146½ (-110) -900
The Eagles won their last seven straight games including the Atlantic Sun Men’s Basketball Tournament championship game – their second in a row and third overall. FGCU received a 14 seed – their highest in program history and one better than in 2013, when they became the only 15 seed to ever advance to the Sweet 16 – in the NCAA Tourney and will face No. 3 seed Florida State. The Seminoles finished 18-0 at home this regular season and beat Virginia Tech in the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament, but lost to Notre Dame in the semis. FSU will return to the NCAA tourney after missing the previous four editions. The Eagles and the Seminoles met in the opening round of the NIT in 2014, which FSU won 58-53.