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Friday's NCAA Tournament first round betting preview: West Region
(10) Providence Friars vs (7) Texas A&M Aggies (-2.5, 138)
Game to be played at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Providence advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth consecutive season, and the 10th-seeded Friars will meet No. 7 seed Texas A&M in the West Region on Friday in Charlotte, N.C. Providence finished in a three-way tie for third in the Big East before playing in three straight overtime games in the conference tournament, including a loss to Villanova in the championship game on Saturday.
The Aggies reached the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons, overcoming an 0-5 start in the SEC to finish 9-9 and tied for seventh with Mississippi State before losing on a buzzer-beater to Alabama in the conference tournament opener. Tyler Davis, a 6-10 junior center for Texas A&M who averages a team-high 14.5 points and 8.8 rebounds, was held to single digits for just the fifth time this season in the loss to Alabama on Thursday. Davis, second-leading scorer Admon Gilder (12.2 points) and third-leading scorer DJ Hogg (11.3) were all key members of the Texas A&M team that reached the Sweet 16 two years ago. Providence has only advanced past the first game once in the previous four years in this tournament, beating USC two years ago before losing to the Trojans in the first round last season.
TV: 12:15 p.m. ET, CBS
LINE HISTORY: Texas A&M opened as 3.5-point favorites and that pointspread has been bet down slightly to -2.5. The total hit betting boards at 138.5 and has been dropped slightly to 138.
BETTING STATS:
ABOUT PROVIDENCE: A key player for the Friars will be 6-7 sophomore guard Alpha Diallo, who's second on the team in scoring at 13 points per game and the top rebounder at 6.6. Diallo is coming off his sixth double-double of the season, posting 22 points and 10 rebounds in the overtime loss to Villanova. He played well while the Friars went 3-3 against Villanova and Xavier this season, a positive sign considering those conference foes earned top seeds for this tournament.
ABOUT TEXAS A&M: Davis should feel at ease in this environment, as he made 7-of-8 shots and led the Aggies with 17 points in their Sweet 16 loss to second-seeded Oklahoma two years ago. Providence will likely counter with 6-8 senior forward Rodney Bullock, but he'll be giving up two inches and about 40 pounds to Davis, and fellow frontcourt starter Kalif Young hasn't played more than eight minutes in the past four games for the Friars. The Aggies also have good size elsewhere in the starting lineup with Hogg (6-9) and Robert Williams (6-10), which will certainly pose problems for Providence.
MATCHUP CHART:
TRENDS:
* Friars are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 non-conference games.
* Aggies are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Over is 13-3-1 in Friars' last 17 non-conference games.
* Over is 7-3 in Aggies' last 10 overall.
CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 68 percent of bettors taking the underdogs from Providence, while 52 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.
(15) Lipscomb Bison vs (2) North Carolina Tar Heels (-19.5, 162.5)
Game to be played at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
North Carolina begins defense of its NCAA Tournament title as the No. 2 seed in the West Region when it meets 15th-seeded Lipscomb in Friday's first round at Charlotte, N.C. The Tar Heels, who are coming off a 71-63 loss to Virginia in the AAC Tournament championship game Saturday, are trying for their seventh national championship after defeating Gonzaga 71-65 in 2017 and losing in the 2016 title game to Villanova 77-74 on a last-second shot.
“For our younger guys to get this feeling, and for me to get this feeling, I think it will have us come back even more hungry going into the (NCAA) Tournament,” North Carolina senior forward Theo Pinson told reporters after Saturday's loss. The Tar Heels feature a balanced attack led by junior forward Luke Maye, who averages team bests of 17.2 points and 10.1 rebounds, and was one of two ACC players to average a double-double (Duke's Marvin Bagley III). The Bisons earned their first NCAA Tournament appearance with a 108-96 victory at Florida Gulf Coast on March 4 after watching a 32-point second-half lead get trimmed to five. "Couldn't be happier," Lipscomb coach Casey Alexander told reporters. "Someone asked me how I was feeling. I don't even know."
TV: 2:30 p.m. ET, CBS
LINE HISTORY: North Carolina opened as massive 19-point favorites and that number wasn't high enough for bettors as they have been bet up slightly to -19.5. The total hit betting boards at 163.5 and has been bet down to 162.5.
BETTING STATS:
ABOUT LIPSCOMB: The Bisons are fueled by junior guard Garrison Mathews, who led the Atlantic Sun in scoring at 22.1 points, averaging 28.3 over his last three games after scoring 33 versus FGCU. Junior forward Rob Marberry was the team's only other double-figure scorer at 16 points per game while averaging 5.8 rebounds. Junior forward Eli Pepper (7.0 points) averaged a club-most 7.9 rebounds - good for third in the Atlantic Sun - while sophomore guard Kenny Cooper (9.9 points) averaged a team-best 4.0 assists.
ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA: Maye and senior guard Joel Berry (17.1 points per game) combined for 37 points and shot 12-for-25 from the field against Virginia, which allows the fewest points in the nation at 53.4, but their teammates were 8-for-24. That includes senior guard Cameron Johnson (12.7 points), who averaged 14.4 points in the five games before scoring four Saturday. Pinson (10.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, team-high 4.8 assists) performs well at both ends of the court while junior guard Kenny Williams (11.4) adds consistent scoring depth.
MATCHUP CHART:
TRENDS:
* Bison are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Tar Heels are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games.
* Over is 7-3 in Bison's last 10 overall.
* Over is 10-4 in Tar Heels' last 14 NCAA Tournament games.
CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 74 percent of bettors taking the favorites from North Carolina, while 53 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.
(16) Texas Southern Tigers vs (1) Xavier Musketeers (-19.5, 160)
Game to be played at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
Xavier was on the cusp of its first-ever Final Four last season as a No. 11 seed, and Chris Mack's squad hopes it can finally break through that glass ceiling after securing a No. 1 seed for the first time in school history in 2017-18. The Musketeers begin what they hope is another deep run with a first-round matchup Friday in the West Region against 16th-seeded Texas Southern in Nashville, Tenn.
Xavier upset three single-digit seeds last year before watching its season end against national championship runner-up Gonzaga in the Elite Eight, marking the third time it fell one game short of the Final Four. This season's edition of the Musketeers, who are two victories shy of matching a school record, posted 10- and nine-game winning streaks en route to capturing the Big East regular-season title, halting Villanova's four-year run atop the conference. Xavier enters the tournament with a bit of a sour taste in its mouth, however, as it surrendered a 17-point, second-half lead in an overtime loss to Providence in the conference tournament semifinals last Friday. The Tigers notched their first-ever NCAA Tournament victory with Wednesday's 64-46 win over North Carolina Central in First Four action.
TV: 7:20 p.m. ET, TBS
LINE HISTORY: The top ranked Xavier Musketeers opened as big 19.5-point favorites over the First Four qualifier from Texas Southern and as of Thursday afternoon that number has not moved. The total hit betting boards at 160 and has also been steady since its release.
BETTING STATS:
ABOUT TEXAS SOUTHERN: The Tigers faced six NCAA Tournament teams prior to beginning Southwestern Athletic Conference action, and 5-7 sophomore Demontrae Jefferson (23.4 points) averaged 23.8 points in the four such games he played, reaching the 20-point mark each time. Trayvon Reed (9.7 points, 8.8 rebounds) - a 7-2 junior who leads the SWAC in blocks per game (3.1) and field-goal percentage (68.4) - went 4-for-4 from the floor and swatted six shots Wednesday to contribute to the Eagles' 30.4-percent showing from the field. Second-leading scorer Donte Clark (18.6 points) is averaging 22.7 points over his last six outings and is among the national leaders in free throws made (208, seventh) and attempted (270, fourth).
ABOUT XAVIER: Three-time All-Big East selection Trevon Bluiett (team-high marks of 19.5 points and 5.7 rebounds) went 2-for-14 from the field against the Friars but stands second on the school's all-time scoring list (2,227), and his 315 career 3-pointers are a program record. Fellow senior guard J.P. Macura (12.2 points) has reached double figures only once in the last four games, but his 1,445 career points rank 20th in school history. Despite not playing more than 24 minutes in any of the last 21 games, senior forward Kerem Kanter (10.4 points, 4.5 boards) has scored at least 10 points in every contest over that span in which he played more than 12 minutes.
MATCHUP CHART:
TRENDS:
* Tigers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Musketeers are 24-6-1 ATS in their last 31 NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 4-1 in Tigers' last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 5-1-1 in Musketeers' last 7 NCAA Tournament games.
CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 56 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Xavier, while 52 percent of totals wagers are on the Under.
(9) Florida State Seminoles vs (8) Missouri Tigers (+1.5, 147)
Game to be played at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
Missouri survived an early season injury to heralded freshman Michael Porter Jr. to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013, but there is plenty of uncertainty surrounding the team entering the event. The eighth-seeded Tigers will try to take care of business on the floor when they face No. 9 seed Florida State on Friday in the first round of the West Region in Nashville, Tenn.
While Porter, considered a potential NBA lottery pick, returned from back surgery in time to appear in the SEC Tournament, Missouri will play without suspended forward Jordan Barnett, the team's second-leading scorer (13.7 points per game) who was arrested for DWI on Saturday. "He's suspended as we speak. He won't play Friday," first-year coach Cuonzo Martin told reporters Sunday before adding that Barnett could potentially return if the Tigers advance to the second round. To do so, they will need to take care of a Seminoles squad that lost six of 10 down the stretch, including an 82-74 setback against Louisville in the ACC Tournament. This is Florida State's second straight tournament appearance and sixth overall under coach Leonard Hamilton.
TV: 9:45 p.m. ET, TBS
LINE HISTORY: Missouri opened as 1-point favorites however heavy early betting on Florida St. caused the pointspread to jump the fence to 1.5 points in their direction. The total hit betting boards at 147.5 and has been bet down slightly to 147.
BETTING STATS:
ABOUT FLORIDA STATE: The Seminoles use a balanced scoring attack with three players averaging between 13.2 and 12.9 points, a trio led by guard Terance Mann, who has been held to single digits in six of his last eight contests. Florida State backed into the tournament to a degree but owns wins over Florida, North Carolina, Miami (Fla.), Clemson, Virginia Tech and Syracuse - all tournament teams - and Hamilton hopes his squad can hit the reset button and rediscover its earlier form. "I'm sure that we'll play with a lot more sense of urgency to bounce back from what we thought was a poor performance (against Louisville)," he told the media.
ABOUT MISSOURI: Porter was hurt early in the season opener and did not return until Thursday's 62-60 loss to Georgia in the SEC Tournament, scoring 12 points on 5-of-17 shooting. "With this type of injury, the last thing to come back is your explosiveness, your pop," Porter told reporters after the loss. "I knew that wasn't there yet." Senior Kassius Robertson leads the team with 16.2 points per game while freshman Jontay Porter - Michael's brother - is the top rebounder (6.8) and averaged 21 points on 69 percent shooting over his last three contests.
MATCHUP CHART:
TRENDS:
* Seminoles are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
* Tigers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. Atlantic Coast.
* Under is 4-1 in Seminoles' last 5 non-conference games.
* Over is 14-2 in Tigers' last 16 NCAA Tournament games.
CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 51 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Florida St., while 53 percent of totals wagers are on the Under.
(10) Providence Friars vs (7) Texas A&M Aggies (-2.5, 138)
Game to be played at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Providence advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth consecutive season, and the 10th-seeded Friars will meet No. 7 seed Texas A&M in the West Region on Friday in Charlotte, N.C. Providence finished in a three-way tie for third in the Big East before playing in three straight overtime games in the conference tournament, including a loss to Villanova in the championship game on Saturday.
The Aggies reached the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons, overcoming an 0-5 start in the SEC to finish 9-9 and tied for seventh with Mississippi State before losing on a buzzer-beater to Alabama in the conference tournament opener. Tyler Davis, a 6-10 junior center for Texas A&M who averages a team-high 14.5 points and 8.8 rebounds, was held to single digits for just the fifth time this season in the loss to Alabama on Thursday. Davis, second-leading scorer Admon Gilder (12.2 points) and third-leading scorer DJ Hogg (11.3) were all key members of the Texas A&M team that reached the Sweet 16 two years ago. Providence has only advanced past the first game once in the previous four years in this tournament, beating USC two years ago before losing to the Trojans in the first round last season.
TV: 12:15 p.m. ET, CBS
LINE HISTORY: Texas A&M opened as 3.5-point favorites and that pointspread has been bet down slightly to -2.5. The total hit betting boards at 138.5 and has been dropped slightly to 138.
BETTING STATS:
ABOUT PROVIDENCE: A key player for the Friars will be 6-7 sophomore guard Alpha Diallo, who's second on the team in scoring at 13 points per game and the top rebounder at 6.6. Diallo is coming off his sixth double-double of the season, posting 22 points and 10 rebounds in the overtime loss to Villanova. He played well while the Friars went 3-3 against Villanova and Xavier this season, a positive sign considering those conference foes earned top seeds for this tournament.
ABOUT TEXAS A&M: Davis should feel at ease in this environment, as he made 7-of-8 shots and led the Aggies with 17 points in their Sweet 16 loss to second-seeded Oklahoma two years ago. Providence will likely counter with 6-8 senior forward Rodney Bullock, but he'll be giving up two inches and about 40 pounds to Davis, and fellow frontcourt starter Kalif Young hasn't played more than eight minutes in the past four games for the Friars. The Aggies also have good size elsewhere in the starting lineup with Hogg (6-9) and Robert Williams (6-10), which will certainly pose problems for Providence.
MATCHUP CHART:
TRENDS:
* Friars are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 non-conference games.
* Aggies are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Over is 13-3-1 in Friars' last 17 non-conference games.
* Over is 7-3 in Aggies' last 10 overall.
CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 68 percent of bettors taking the underdogs from Providence, while 52 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.
(15) Lipscomb Bison vs (2) North Carolina Tar Heels (-19.5, 162.5)
Game to be played at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
North Carolina begins defense of its NCAA Tournament title as the No. 2 seed in the West Region when it meets 15th-seeded Lipscomb in Friday's first round at Charlotte, N.C. The Tar Heels, who are coming off a 71-63 loss to Virginia in the AAC Tournament championship game Saturday, are trying for their seventh national championship after defeating Gonzaga 71-65 in 2017 and losing in the 2016 title game to Villanova 77-74 on a last-second shot.
“For our younger guys to get this feeling, and for me to get this feeling, I think it will have us come back even more hungry going into the (NCAA) Tournament,” North Carolina senior forward Theo Pinson told reporters after Saturday's loss. The Tar Heels feature a balanced attack led by junior forward Luke Maye, who averages team bests of 17.2 points and 10.1 rebounds, and was one of two ACC players to average a double-double (Duke's Marvin Bagley III). The Bisons earned their first NCAA Tournament appearance with a 108-96 victory at Florida Gulf Coast on March 4 after watching a 32-point second-half lead get trimmed to five. "Couldn't be happier," Lipscomb coach Casey Alexander told reporters. "Someone asked me how I was feeling. I don't even know."
TV: 2:30 p.m. ET, CBS
LINE HISTORY: North Carolina opened as massive 19-point favorites and that number wasn't high enough for bettors as they have been bet up slightly to -19.5. The total hit betting boards at 163.5 and has been bet down to 162.5.
BETTING STATS:
ABOUT LIPSCOMB: The Bisons are fueled by junior guard Garrison Mathews, who led the Atlantic Sun in scoring at 22.1 points, averaging 28.3 over his last three games after scoring 33 versus FGCU. Junior forward Rob Marberry was the team's only other double-figure scorer at 16 points per game while averaging 5.8 rebounds. Junior forward Eli Pepper (7.0 points) averaged a club-most 7.9 rebounds - good for third in the Atlantic Sun - while sophomore guard Kenny Cooper (9.9 points) averaged a team-best 4.0 assists.
ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA: Maye and senior guard Joel Berry (17.1 points per game) combined for 37 points and shot 12-for-25 from the field against Virginia, which allows the fewest points in the nation at 53.4, but their teammates were 8-for-24. That includes senior guard Cameron Johnson (12.7 points), who averaged 14.4 points in the five games before scoring four Saturday. Pinson (10.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, team-high 4.8 assists) performs well at both ends of the court while junior guard Kenny Williams (11.4) adds consistent scoring depth.
MATCHUP CHART:
TRENDS:
* Bison are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Tar Heels are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games.
* Over is 7-3 in Bison's last 10 overall.
* Over is 10-4 in Tar Heels' last 14 NCAA Tournament games.
CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 74 percent of bettors taking the favorites from North Carolina, while 53 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.
(16) Texas Southern Tigers vs (1) Xavier Musketeers (-19.5, 160)
Game to be played at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
Xavier was on the cusp of its first-ever Final Four last season as a No. 11 seed, and Chris Mack's squad hopes it can finally break through that glass ceiling after securing a No. 1 seed for the first time in school history in 2017-18. The Musketeers begin what they hope is another deep run with a first-round matchup Friday in the West Region against 16th-seeded Texas Southern in Nashville, Tenn.
Xavier upset three single-digit seeds last year before watching its season end against national championship runner-up Gonzaga in the Elite Eight, marking the third time it fell one game short of the Final Four. This season's edition of the Musketeers, who are two victories shy of matching a school record, posted 10- and nine-game winning streaks en route to capturing the Big East regular-season title, halting Villanova's four-year run atop the conference. Xavier enters the tournament with a bit of a sour taste in its mouth, however, as it surrendered a 17-point, second-half lead in an overtime loss to Providence in the conference tournament semifinals last Friday. The Tigers notched their first-ever NCAA Tournament victory with Wednesday's 64-46 win over North Carolina Central in First Four action.
TV: 7:20 p.m. ET, TBS
LINE HISTORY: The top ranked Xavier Musketeers opened as big 19.5-point favorites over the First Four qualifier from Texas Southern and as of Thursday afternoon that number has not moved. The total hit betting boards at 160 and has also been steady since its release.
BETTING STATS:
ABOUT TEXAS SOUTHERN: The Tigers faced six NCAA Tournament teams prior to beginning Southwestern Athletic Conference action, and 5-7 sophomore Demontrae Jefferson (23.4 points) averaged 23.8 points in the four such games he played, reaching the 20-point mark each time. Trayvon Reed (9.7 points, 8.8 rebounds) - a 7-2 junior who leads the SWAC in blocks per game (3.1) and field-goal percentage (68.4) - went 4-for-4 from the floor and swatted six shots Wednesday to contribute to the Eagles' 30.4-percent showing from the field. Second-leading scorer Donte Clark (18.6 points) is averaging 22.7 points over his last six outings and is among the national leaders in free throws made (208, seventh) and attempted (270, fourth).
ABOUT XAVIER: Three-time All-Big East selection Trevon Bluiett (team-high marks of 19.5 points and 5.7 rebounds) went 2-for-14 from the field against the Friars but stands second on the school's all-time scoring list (2,227), and his 315 career 3-pointers are a program record. Fellow senior guard J.P. Macura (12.2 points) has reached double figures only once in the last four games, but his 1,445 career points rank 20th in school history. Despite not playing more than 24 minutes in any of the last 21 games, senior forward Kerem Kanter (10.4 points, 4.5 boards) has scored at least 10 points in every contest over that span in which he played more than 12 minutes.
MATCHUP CHART:
TRENDS:
* Tigers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Musketeers are 24-6-1 ATS in their last 31 NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 4-1 in Tigers' last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 5-1-1 in Musketeers' last 7 NCAA Tournament games.
CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 56 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Xavier, while 52 percent of totals wagers are on the Under.
(9) Florida State Seminoles vs (8) Missouri Tigers (+1.5, 147)
Game to be played at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
Missouri survived an early season injury to heralded freshman Michael Porter Jr. to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013, but there is plenty of uncertainty surrounding the team entering the event. The eighth-seeded Tigers will try to take care of business on the floor when they face No. 9 seed Florida State on Friday in the first round of the West Region in Nashville, Tenn.
While Porter, considered a potential NBA lottery pick, returned from back surgery in time to appear in the SEC Tournament, Missouri will play without suspended forward Jordan Barnett, the team's second-leading scorer (13.7 points per game) who was arrested for DWI on Saturday. "He's suspended as we speak. He won't play Friday," first-year coach Cuonzo Martin told reporters Sunday before adding that Barnett could potentially return if the Tigers advance to the second round. To do so, they will need to take care of a Seminoles squad that lost six of 10 down the stretch, including an 82-74 setback against Louisville in the ACC Tournament. This is Florida State's second straight tournament appearance and sixth overall under coach Leonard Hamilton.
TV: 9:45 p.m. ET, TBS
LINE HISTORY: Missouri opened as 1-point favorites however heavy early betting on Florida St. caused the pointspread to jump the fence to 1.5 points in their direction. The total hit betting boards at 147.5 and has been bet down slightly to 147.
BETTING STATS:
ABOUT FLORIDA STATE: The Seminoles use a balanced scoring attack with three players averaging between 13.2 and 12.9 points, a trio led by guard Terance Mann, who has been held to single digits in six of his last eight contests. Florida State backed into the tournament to a degree but owns wins over Florida, North Carolina, Miami (Fla.), Clemson, Virginia Tech and Syracuse - all tournament teams - and Hamilton hopes his squad can hit the reset button and rediscover its earlier form. "I'm sure that we'll play with a lot more sense of urgency to bounce back from what we thought was a poor performance (against Louisville)," he told the media.
ABOUT MISSOURI: Porter was hurt early in the season opener and did not return until Thursday's 62-60 loss to Georgia in the SEC Tournament, scoring 12 points on 5-of-17 shooting. "With this type of injury, the last thing to come back is your explosiveness, your pop," Porter told reporters after the loss. "I knew that wasn't there yet." Senior Kassius Robertson leads the team with 16.2 points per game while freshman Jontay Porter - Michael's brother - is the top rebounder (6.8) and averaged 21 points on 69 percent shooting over his last three contests.
MATCHUP CHART:
TRENDS:
* Seminoles are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
* Tigers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. Atlantic Coast.
* Under is 4-1 in Seminoles' last 5 non-conference games.
* Over is 14-2 in Tigers' last 16 NCAA Tournament games.
CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 51 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Florida St., while 53 percent of totals wagers are on the Under.
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