USC Trojans versus SMU Mustangs March Madness Betting preview
Date: Friday, 17th March
Place: BOK Center
March madness odds:
USC +6½ (-110) 139½ (-110) +245
SMU -6½ (-110) 139½ (-110) -290
The Trojans defeated Providence 75-71 in the First Four on Wednesday to gain access to the NCAA tournament round of 64. Bennie Boatwright had a career-best 24 points to go with seven rebounds, Jordan McLaughlin added 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Chimezie Metu had 15 points and eight rebounds. This is USC’s first win in the NCAA tourney since beating Boston College in 2009. The Trojans were eliminated in the first round of last year’s tournament by Providence. Revenge is a dish best served cold, as the Klingons are fond of saying. The No. 11 seeded Southern Cal will now proceed to face SMU. The Mustangs defeated East Carolina, UFC, and Cincinnati to win their third American Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament and return to the Big Dance after missing out last year. SMU earned a No. 6 seed in the East Region. The Mustangs have won 16 consecutive games and 26 of the last 27, and have outrebounded 27 out of 34 opposing teams. The Trojans lead 5-1 in the all-time series against SMU, and have won the last three meetings. The winner of this matchup will face either No. 3 seed the Baylor Bears or No. 14 seed the New Mexico State Aggies in the second round of the NCAA tournament this Sunday in Tulsa.
UC Davis Aggies versus Kansas Jayhawks March Madness Betting preview
Date: Friday, 17th March
Place: BOK Center
March madness odds:
UC Davis +23 (-110) 144½ (-110) +5000
Kansas -23 (-110) 144½ (-110) -12500
The Aggies popped their NCAA Division I Tournament cherry and beat North Carolina Central 67-63 in the First Four on Wednesday to proceed to the round of 64. Chima Moneke had 18 points and 12 rebounds, Brynton Lemar scored 15 points, and Lawrence White added 14. There was much rejoicing, but the Scheisse is about to get real. UC Davis is not set to play South region No. 1 seed and march madness betting favourites Kansas. The Jayhawks did not live up to march madness odds and were eliminated by TCU in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament. That setback aside, Universitas Kansiensis has not made a record 28th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, and reached 29 Sweet 16s, 22 Elite 8s, and 14 Final 4s just by dumb luck. KU finished 3rd in the final AP and coaches polls of the season, and were seeded No. 2 overall in the NCAA tourney (the eighth-straight season that the J-Hawks have earned a No. 1 or No. 2 seed), second only to the Villanova Wildcats. Kansas’ superior firepower is exemplified by Frank Mason III, the only Big 12 player averaging 20 points or more this season. FM3’s led the conference with 20.8 points per game, and his 21.0 average in league play also topped the Big 12.