Skip to content

Betting tips for the Round of 32

Icon Sportswire / Getty

Need some betting tips for the Round of 32? We've got you covered.

As the NCAA Tournament rolls on this weekend, feel free to keep these notes in your back pocket.

Tennessee and Michigan in danger?

It's tough to find an edge in March. The field is trimmed, the public knows more about teams now than they did in November, and lines are tighter. You'll likely find yourself looking for more unique situational angles, and thus may appreciate this nugget from Joe Osborne of Odds Shark: Of the 13 No. 2 seeds to win six or fewer games over their final 10 contests before the tournament since 1997, nine of them were eliminated in the second round. Both Michigan and Tennessee are 6-4 in their last 10.

Alright then.

The Wolverines rolled Montana in the first round and are favored by seven over No. 10 Florida on Saturday. Tennessee squeaked by Colgate in the opener and gets No. 10 Iowa on Sunday.

Villanova running hot in the tournament

Villanova was up to as large as -6 during the week for its opening-round game against St. Mary's. Those who waited for the line to drop to -3.5 reaped the rewards as the Wildcats advanced with a four-point win. With that victory, head coach Jay Wright moved to 14-3 against the spread in his last 17 games in the NCAA Tournament. Villanova opened as a 3.5-point underdog in the Round of 32 against Purdue, which is a role the Wildcats have thrived in, as they are 5-0 against the spread when getting points this season, with three straight-up wins to boot.

Maryland looking to break rough skid

Head coach Mark Turgeon has his Maryland Terrapins in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in five years. The Terps advanced to the Round of 32 with a win over Belmont but didn't cover as three-point favorites, a common theme for Turgeon. Thursday's loss against the spread moved the Terrapins to 1-6 against the number in their previous seven NCAA Tournament games. Maryland is a 2.5-point underdog to LSU this weekend.

Kansas scoring at a torrid pace

Kansas lit up Northeastern to the tune of 87 points in the first round. That scoring outburst was on par with how head coach Bill Self and Co. have fared over the previous 10 tourney games. Going over their team total of 76.5 on Thursday, the Jayhawks are now on an 8-2 run to the team total over in the NCAA Tournament, averaging 83 points per game over that span. Kansas draws Auburn on Saturday.

Murray State flourishing as an underdog

The Murray State Racers cruised to a 21-point victory over Marquette in the first round as a 4.5-point underdog. They'll find themselves in a similar situation as a five-point 'dog to Florida State in the Round of 32, but the Racers have been comfortable when getting points, covering all five games in that situation this season with three outright victories.

Alex Kolodziej is theScore's betting writer. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 11 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox