March Madness First Four odds, choose, best bet…
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March Madness actually begins with the First Four, which is where we tip off with UMBC vs. Howard on Tuesday evening.
UMBC comes in as a 1.5-point favourite at Fanatics Sportsbook, as the 2 groups look to advance to the first spherical of the March Madness match, where the winner will face the No. 1-seeded Michigan.
That can be a robust endeavor for any No. 16 seed and both of these groups are typically thought of equally in the eyes of data and analytics platforms KenPom and Bart Torvik.
Torvik charges UMBC at No. 184 total, while Howard comes in at 204, and KenPom is sort of equivalent (UMBC: 185; Howard: 207).
Games are performed on the hardwood, though, not on effectivity sheets.
UMBC vs. Howard prediction
UMBC is the more well-rounded of the 2 groups, coming in at No. 183 in offensive effectivity and No. 192 in defensive effectivity via KenPom.
Meanwhile, Howard performs a lot better on the defensive aspect of the court, rating No. 117 on protection and among the worst in the nation at offense, coming in at No. 283.
So, can Howard persistently make pictures to rating a victory?
They’ve performed better on offense of late, having eight straight video games and averaging 76.5 factors per recreation in that span, a slight uptick from the 75 factors per recreation they averaged beforehand.
UMBC Retrievers head coach Jim Ferry. IMAGN IMAGES via GWN Connect
They’re led by Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference Player of the Year Bryce Harris, who averaged 17.4 factors per recreation during the season.
Guard Cedric Taylor III has also performed nicely in latest video games, scoring 21 factors and 24 factors in two video games, respectively, during this eight-game stretch.
Betting on College Basketball?
This recreation can be determined by how Howard’s guards play, as UMBC is led by guards Jah’Likai King, Ace Valentine, and DJ Armstrong Jr. (son of former NBA participant Darrell Armstrong).
It’s laborious to deny the guard play of the Retrievers.
My model makes UMBC 1.5-point favorites, so the unfold is dead-on, but the +110 price at DraftKings for the favourite is value focusing on.
PREDICTION: UMBC -1.5 (+110, DraftKings)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
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