First Round, Day 2, Late Slate Preview 3-20-21

(15) Grand Canyon v. (2) Iowa

Believe it or not, Grand Canyon isn't a completely online school, seeing as they have a legitimate Division 1 basketball team in the March Madness tournament. The Antelopes went 17-6 during the season and won both the regular season and postseason title in the Western Athletic Conference. Iowa has been one of the top teams in the country all season long, and a big reason for that is starting forward Luka Garza. Garza was a finalist for the Naismith Player of the Year trophy last year and is the favorite to win it this year. The Hawkeyes also have a strong group of veteran guards who carry the ball up the court. This is kind of a disrespectful line to Iowa considering the offensive talent they have, Grand Canyon will not be prepared for just how dominant Luka Garza is.

The Bet: Iowa Spread

(10) Maryland v. (7) Connecticut

Two traditional basketball schools will faceoff tonight in an always close 7 v. 10 matchup. Maryland lost double digit regular season games but the tough Big Ten schedule helped them secure an at-large bid. Connecticut was an above average team all season who battled through a mid-season injury to their top player, James Bouknight. With Bouknight back in the lineup, this Huskies squad is certainly better than the Terrapins, but whether they are 4 points better remains to be seen. Both these teams recruit elite athletes to play for them, and I expect the talent to shine tonight.

The Bet: Over 129.5 Total Points

(13) Ohio v. (4) Virginia

Ohio finished 5th in the MAC regular season before winning the conference tournament to clinch the auto-bid. The Bobcats are 9-1 in their last 10 and are led by Jason Preston, their high scoring guard. Virginia missed out on a chance to win both the regular and postseason titles out of the ACC when Covid-19 issues forced them to forfeit their semi-final game against Georgia Tech. The Cavaliers have only practiced once in the past week but are still an elite team led by an elite coach in Tony Bennent. UVA teams typically play tough defense, but their numbers aren’t as restrictive as normal, and their ability to contain Preston will be the key to avoiding the upset.

The Bet: Over 130 Total Points

(9) Missouri v. (8) Oklahoma

This is a matchup between two wounded teams who are fighting for the chance to get demolished by Gonzaga. Missouri is 4-6 in their last 10 games and does not have a single player that averages over 15 points per game. Oklahoma is also 4-6 in their last 10 and has lost double digit games this season. The Sooners will also be missing De’Vion Harman, their second leading scorer, due to recent Covid-19 issues. This game is a toss up, and Vegas agrees, and with the lack of scoring from Missouri and Harman’s absence from Oklahoma, I expect the under to hit. 

The Bet: Under 139.5 Total Points

(16) Norfolk State v. (1) Gonzaga

Norfolk State battled hard in their First Four win on Thursday over Appalachian State. The Spartans have had a good season and honestly should just be happy to be here. Gonzaga is the tournament's number one overall seed and is a perfect 26-0 on the season. This Bulldogs team is absolutely no joke and has only one goal this tournament, win it all. This game will be a blowout, whether Gonzaga can cover the absurd 33 points they are favored by is another question. In keeping with tournament trends so far, I’ll take the under and bank on a tired Norfolk State team struggling to consistently score.

The Bet: Under 154 Total Points

(11) UCLA v. (6) BYU

UCLA also battled hard in their First Four win on Thursday. The Bruins only led for 48 seconds in all of regulation before winning in overtime. There is no question UCLA will be tired, and one of their guards rolled his ankle late in that game, but is expected to play tonight. BYU took Gonzaga to the brink in the West Coast Conference Title Game, but ultimately lost by ten. The Cougars are better than the public thinks they are, but Mick Cronin will surely have his Bruins squad primed to fight to the end.

The Bet: UCLA Spread

(14) Abilene Christian v. (3) Texas

Abilene Christian went 23-4 in the Southland Conference and won their title game convincingly over Nicholls. The Wildcats are 9-1 in their last 10 and will be looking to score a massive upset over an in-state rival. Texas is fresh off a Big 12 Tournament Title and Shaka Smart is looking to make his first deep run with Texas since coming over from VCU several years ago. Texas has great guard play, led by Matt Coleman, and can also beat you on the inside with Jerico Sims. Abilene Christian has good underlying numbers, especially on pace and defensive efficiency, but this line is underrating how good Texas actually is.

The Bet: Texas Spread

(10) VCU v. (7) Oregon

Speaking of Shaka Smart, VCU is back in the tourney as a double digit seed looking to string together some upsets. The Rams finished second in the A10 this year and lost a close one to St. Bonaventure in the conference title game. Oregon is a vastly underrated team who has a fantastic record of 20-6 and is 8-2 in their last 10. These 7-10 matchups are never easy, for either side, and while I believe Oregon will win this game, I also believe the Rams will keep it close.

The Bet:VCU Spread