The NCAA Tournament has been kind to the betting the favorites, as it has been close to chalk through the first two rounds. For those bettors who have been burned thus far, perhaps it’s time to take a different route for the second week of March Madness.
There are some interesting scoring total options listed for the Sweet Sixteen matchups, as there are plenty of high-powered offenses and stingy defenses still in the field. Check below for the best top Thursday NCAA Tournament total plays in March Madness odds.
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Odds Analysis
It’s almost as if the oddsmakers are daring bettors to take the “over” in the final game of Thursday night between the Virginia Cavaliers and Oregon Ducks. There is no doubt each team has a stingy defense, as both allow fewer than 54 points per game on the season. However, the oddsmakers have projected a very low scoring total of 119 points. Don’t fall for the trap in this one. Oregon has a zone defense that is tough to crack while Virginia has had one of the best defenses in the nation the past several years. Every possession is going to be a slog, and the “under” is still the choice despite the low scoring total.
There is an interesting game on Thursday that features the No. 2 Tennessee Volunteers against the No. 3 Purdue Boilermakers. These teams seem really evenly matched and it should be a competitive matchup. Tennessee likes to push the pace, which is why the scoring total has been listed at 146.5 points. Purdue has a good defense but Tennessee is going to dictate the action. The Boilermakers can really shoot it from downtown, and this one could be an entertaining back-and-forth affair. The “over” is the pick on this total.
The Michigan Wolverines and Texas Tech Red Raiders are facing off in another game that is expected to be low-scoring. Both defenses have locked down their opponents in the first two games of the tournament, cruising into the Sweet Sixteen. The scoring total is placed at 126 points, which comes in a little higher than expected. Both of these teams are comfortable slowing it down, and it could be a grind. The pace will slow considerably in the final five minutes as each side works hard to maximize their possessions in the halfourt. The “under” is the correct pick on the total.
Free NCAA Basketball ATS Picks
The most intriguing scoring total of the week is the one in the matchup between the Gonzaga Bulldogs and the Florida State Seminoles. Gonzaga has been one of the most prolific scoring teams in the country this season, although that does come with the caveat that the team did it against a lot of inferior teams since it is a mid-major program.
Florida State is a tough foe, and while it has the ability to score in bunches as well, the Seminoles also have a pretty good defense. The scoring total for this matchup comes in at 146.5 points and that seems a bit high. Gonzaga will try to run, but the Seminoles should do a nice job getting back in transition, knowing that is the best way to push for the upset.
The “under” on the matchup between Gonzaga and Florida State is the best scoring total wager among the Thursday NCAA Tournament games in March Madness gambling.
NCAA Basketball Pick: Florida State-Gonzaga to go “under” 146.5 points
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