The NCAA Tournament gets going on Thursday with plenty of intriguing matchups. We have best bets for three of the games to tip off the madness.
(14) Akron vs. (3) Creighton
Akron survived a major scare in the MAC championship against 8th-seeded Kent State. The Zips were fortunate to get fouled in the final seconds and hit two free throws for a 62-61 win and the automatic bid.
Creighton stubbed its toe in its first Big East tournament game by losing to Providence in the quarterfinals, ending a three-game winning streak.
The Bluejays are coming off an Elite 8 appearance last season as they lost to San Diego State for a shot to make the Final Four. In its first three wins, Creighton’s largest margin of victory was 11 points.
Akron vs. Creighton odds
- Spread: Akron +12.5 (-105), Creighton -12.5 (-115)
- Total: Over 140.5 (-115), Under 140.5 (-105)
- Moneyline: Akron +650, Creighton -1100
Odds via BetMGM
Akron vs. Creighton pick
Akron coach John Groce is 4-0 against the spread and 3-1 straight-up in four career first-round NCAA Tournament appearances. While he might not be able to pull off this massive upset, his team should be able to keep it inside the spread.
- Pick: Akron +12.5 (-105, BetMGM)
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(12) McNeese State vs. (5) Gonzaga
Gonzaga has won 14 straight seasons in the first round of the NCAA Tournament as the Bulldogs take on upstart McNeese State out of the Southland Conference.
McNeese State will be a popular bracket pick in this 5/12 matchup as the Cowboys finished 30-3. The Cowboys beat one team ranked in the top 100 and that was VCU in the first game of the season.
Meanwhile, Gonzaga pulled off some nice underdog wins over Kentucky and Saint Mary’s, but in their November and December non-conference schedule against the likes of UConn, San Diego State and Purdue, the Bulldogs went 0-3.
McNeese State vs. Gonzaga odds
- Spread: McNeese State +6.5 (-110), Gonzaga -6.5 (-110)
- Total: Over 150 (-110), Under 150 (-110)
- Moneyline: McNeese State +230, Gonzaga -295
Odds via bet365
McNeese State vs. Gonzaga pick
Gonzaga has been to the dance plenty of times, but this will be its lowest seed since 2016. McNeese State, on the other hand, is 3-1 against the spread as a tournament underdog.
The Cowboys understand the opportunity at hand to take down a big-name school in the first round.
- Pick: McNeese State +6.5 (-110, bet365)
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(10) Drake vs. (7) Washington State
Probably the most intriguing matchup of the opening day is the final one as Drake tries to bounce back from its disappointing loss to Miami in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
Oddsmaker disagree with the seedings in this game as they have installed higher-seeded Drake as a small favorite.
The Bulldogs took home the MVC title after their second straight spectacular season. Drake finished 14-4 in the conference and defeated top-seed Indiana State in the championship game.
Washington State was a nice surprise in the Pac-12 by finishing one game behind Arizona for first place. The Cougars defeated the Wildcats twice, while also beating Colorado and Oregon.
Drake’s best non-conference win came against Nevada, but the Bulldogs got blown out by Stephen F. Austin, Northern Iowa, and Belmont by double-digits in each game.
The Cougars’ final three regular-season losses came to California, Arizona State and Washington, but Wazoo went 5-1 against the spread in the last six opportunities as an underdog.
Drake vs. Washington State odds
- Spread: Drake -1.5 (-105), WSU +1.5 (-115)
- Total: Over 138.5 (-105), Under 138.5 (-115)
- Moneyline: Drake -118, WSU -102
Odds via FanDuel
- Pick: Washington State +1.5
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