March Madness betting is underway and, after the first day of excitement, sportsbook players should be raring to go for the rest of the Tournament. Here are some online betting matchups to watch on Friday:
No. 6 Marquette vs No. 11 Utah State (West, 12:30 PM ET)
The Golden Eagles are 4.5-point favorites in this contest, but they’ve looked like a shell of their former selves since senior guard Dominic James went down with a foot injury. The Aggies are a smart team that doesn’t turn the ball over, and they take advantage of their chances, ranking tops in the country in field-goal percentage. Also, this game will be played in Boise, Idaho, which means Utah State fans won’t have far to travel to give the Aggies a “homecourt†advantage. The crowd, coupled with Marquette’s lack of defense, points to a March Madness betting upset for the Aggies.
No. 7 Boston College vs No. 10 USC (Midwest, 7:20 PM ET)
The lower-seeded Trojans are actually a 2.5-point favorite against the Eagles, and USC got hot at the right time, winning five in a row en route to the Pac-10 title. This game will be won on defense, as the Trojans are 71st in the country in points allowed, while the Eagles are 235th. USC freshman DeMar DeRozan is finally playing like the kid many thought would follow O.J. Mayo’s shoes right to the NBA. Momentum is everything in college basketball this year, so look for the Trojans to advance on Friday.
No. 4 Wake Forest vs No. 13 Cleveland State (Midwest, 9:40 PM ET)
March Madness odds has the Demon Deacons as an eight-point favorite on Friday, but they’ll be facing a very scrappy Cleveland State team that is one of the most solid defensive teams in the country. They’ll have to be, because sophomore guard Jeff Teague leads an explosive and young group of players that can fill up the bucket in a hurry. However, because of their lack of experience, the Demon Deacons tend to play up to their competition, as well as down to less-talented teams. The Demon Deacons will come away with the win, but covering their March Madness betting spread could be a problem.
