27 Mar

2024 NCAA Tournament picks, March Madness bets by proven model

The No. 3 seed Creighton Bluejays and the No. 14 seed Akron Zips battle in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Thursday. The Zips have won three straight en route to a 62-61 win over Kent State to secure the MAC Championship. Meanwhile, Creighton was upset in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament. On March 14, Providence beat the Bluejays 78-73.

Tipoff from the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh is set for 1:30 p.m. ET. The Bluejays are 12-point favorites in the latest Akron vs. Creighton odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 142.5. Before making any Creighton vs. Akron picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven model.

The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters the 2024 NCAA tournament on a 148-106 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. It also has a strong 29-19 (+810) record on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Creighton vs. Akron. You can head to SportsLine now to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Akron vs. Creighton:

Creighton vs. Akron spread: Bluejays -12
Creighton vs. Akron over/under: 142.5 points
Creighton vs. Akron money line: Bluejays -794, Zips +535
AKR: Akron has hit the team total Under in 12 of its last 19 games
CREI: Creighton has hit the team total Over in 19 of its last 35 games
Creighton vs. Akron picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Creighton can cover
Senior guard Baylor Scheierman is a smooth scorer who owns a reliable perimeter shot and has the range for step-back jumpers. The Nebraska native averages a team-high 18.4 points with nine rebounds and four assists per game. On March 2, Scheierman tallied 26 points and 16 rebounds.

Senior center Ryan Kalkbrenner is a lengthy and effective player in the paint. Kalkbrenner has a soft touch around the rim and in the mid-range area. He logged 17.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, while knocking down 65% of his shots from the field. In the loss to Providence, Kalkbrenner stuffed the stat sheet with 19 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks. See which team to pick at SportsLine.

Why Akron can cover
Senior forward Enrique Freeman is an explosive playmaker in the frontcourt. Freeman soars high for easy dunks and piles up rebounds. The Ohio native leads the team in points (18.6), rebounds (12.9) and blocks (1.8) per game. On March 15 against Ohio, Freeman finished with 24 points, 21 boards and seven blocks.

Senior guard Ali Ali is an additional scoring threat. Ali owns the speed and finesse to get around the basket consistently. He is putting up 15.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per contest. Ali racked up 18 points, five rebounds and five assists in his last outing. He’s scored at least 17 points in three of the last six games. See which team to pick at SportsLine.

How to make Akron vs. Creighton picks
The model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 138 points. It also says one side of the spread hits well over 70% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

27 Mar

2024 NCAA Tournament picks, March Madness bets by model

Teams with vastly different postseason histories clash when the 15th-seeded Long Beach State Beach take on the second-seeded Arizona Wildcats in a 2024 NCAA Tournament West Region first-round matchup on Thursday. Long Beach State (21-14), who won the Big West Conference Tournament championship, will be making its 10th appearance in the event, but first since 2012. The Wildcats (25-8), who won the Pac-12 regular-season title, are making their 38th NCAA Tournament appearance and ninth since 2013. The Wildcats are 58-36 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, while Long Beach State is 7-10. Arizona leads the all-time series 8-0, and has won each game by 15 points or more.

Tip-off from the Delta Center in Salt Lake City is set for 2 p.m. ET. The Wildcats are 20-point favorites in the latest Long Beach State vs. Arizona odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 163.5. Before making any Arizona vs. Long Beach State picks, be sure to check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters the 2024 NCAA Tournament on a 148-106 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. It also has a strong 29-19 (+810) record on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Long Beach State vs. Arizona and just locked in its picks and March Madness predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are the college basketball odds and betting lines for Arizona vs. Long Beach State:

Long Beach State vs. Arizona spread: Arizona -20
Long Beach State vs. Arizona over/under: 163.5 points
Long Beach State vs. Arizona money line: Long Beach State +1270, Arizona -2620
LBSU: The Beach have hit the money line in 18 of their last 30 games (+11.00 units)
ARIZ: The Wildcats have covered the spread in 21 of their last 33 games (+7.80 units)
Long Beach State vs. Arizona picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Arizona can cover
The Wildcats have four players averaging double-digit scoring, led by senior guard Caleb Love. In his first season at Arizona after spending three years at North Carolina, he has scored 10 or more points 30 times, and 20 or more 14 times, including a season-high 36 in an 87-78 win over Oregon on Jan. 27. In 33 games, all starts, he is averaging 18.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 32 minutes.

Also helping power Arizona is senior center Oumar Ballo. In 33 games, all starts, he is averaging 13.1 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 25.9 minutes. He has 18 double-doubles on the year, including two in the Pac-12 Tournament. He scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a 67-59 semifinal loss to Oregon on Friday. He had 10 points and 13 boards in a 70-49 win over USC in the Pac-12 quarterfinals. See which team to pick here.

Why Long Beach State can cover
The Beach have been on a roll this past week, sweeping through the Big West Tournament. Senior guard Marcus Tsohonis is a big reason why as he poured in 25 points, added four assists, three rebounds and two steals in the 74-70 win over UC Davis in Saturday’s title game. He had 15 points in the 83-79 win over UC Irvine in the semifinals and had 19 before fouling out in the 86-67 quarterfinal victory over UC Riverside. In 30 games, including 26 starts, he is averaging 17.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals in 29.1 minutes.

Junior guard Jadon Jones enters the NCAA Tournament as Long Beach State’s second-leading scorer at 12.2 points per game. In 33 games, including 28 starts, Jones also averages 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 1.7 assists and one block in 30.2 minutes. He is connecting on 42.3% of his field goals, including 37.9% from 3-point range and 84.9% at the foul line. See which team to pick here.

How to make Arizona vs. Long Beach State picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the point total, projecting 157 combined points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in nearly 60% of simulations. You can only get the model’s pick at SportsLine.

27 Mar

2024 NCAA Tournament picks by proven model

A first-round matchup in the 2024 NCAA Tournament has the No. 9 seed Michigan State Spartans and the No. 8 seed Mississippi State Bulldogs squaring off on Thursday. The Bulldogs have made the tournament 12 times in school history. On the other side, Michigan State has made the tournament 26 years in a row.

Tipoff from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte is set for 12:15 p.m. ET. The Spartans are 1-point favorites in the latest Michigan State vs. Mississippi State odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 130.5. Before making any Mississippi State vs. Michigan State picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven model.

The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters the 2024 NCAA tournament on a 148-106 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. It also has a strong 29-19 (+810) record on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Michigan State vs. Mississippi State. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Mississippi State vs. Michigan State:

Michigan State vs. Mississippi State spread: Spartans -1
Michigan State vs. Mississippi State over/under: 130.5 points
Michigan State vs. Mississippi State money line: Spartans -121, Bulldogs +100
MSU: Michigan State has hit the team total Under in 21 of their last 35 games
MSST: Mississippi State has hit the 1H game total Under in 18 of their last 30 games
Michigan State vs. Mississippi State picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Michigan State can cover
Senior forward Malik Hall is an all-around player for the Spartans. Hall scores by attacking the basket while putting a lot of energy into defense and rebounding. The Illinois native averages 12.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. In his last matchup, Hall racked up 12 points, seven rebounds, and two steals.

Senior A.J. Hoggard is an aggressive and energetic guard in the backcourt. Hoggard excels at driving to the basket and plays feisty defense. The Pennsylvania native averages 11 points, three rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. On Mar. 14 against Minnesota, Hoggard finished with 17 points and six assists. See which team to pick at SportsLine.

Why Mississippi State can cover
Freshman guard Josh Hubbard is a creative shot creator with a nice shooting touch on multiple spots on the court. The Mississippi native is putting up a team-best 17.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. He’s scored 20-plus points in seven of his last eight games. In the second round of the SEC Tournament, Hubbard totaled 24 points and two assists.

Senior forward Tolu Smith provides the Bulldogs with a force in the frontcourt. Smith scores from the low post with ease and uses his size to create space for rebounds. The Mississippi native logs 15.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and shoots 56% from the field. In his last outing, Smith had 10 points and 10 rebounds. See which team to pick at SportsLine.

How to make Mississippi State vs. Michigan State picks
The model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 138 points. It also says one side of the spread nearly 60% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

27 Mar

2024 NCAA Tournament picks, best bets by proven model

The sixth-seeded BYU Cougars will look to reach the second round for the first time in 10 years when they battle the 11th-seeded Duquesne Dukes in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Thursday. The Cougars (23-10), who have won four of their past six games, are making their 31st NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2021. The Dukes (24-11), who have won eight consecutive games, last played in the NCAA Tournament in 1977. Duquesne holds a 2-0 all-time series lead, but the teams last met in 1953.

Tipoff from the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Neb., is set for 12:40 p.m. ET. The Cougars are 9.5-point favorites in the latest Duquesne vs. BYU odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 141.5. Before making any BYU vs. Duquesne picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven model.

The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters the 2024 NCAA tournament on a 148-106 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. It also has a strong 29-19 (+810) record on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Duquesne vs. BYU. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for BYU vs. Duquesne:

Duquesne vs. BYU spread: BYU -9.5
Duquesne vs. BYU over/under: 141.5 points
Duquesne vs. BYU money line: Duquesne +353, BYU -460
DUQ: The Dukes are 18-16 against the spread this season
BYU: The Cougars are 6-4 ATS over the past 10 games
Duquesne vs. BYU picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why BYU can cover
Four players average double-digit scoring, including junior guard Trevin Knell. In 32 games, including 27 starts, he is averaging 10.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 24.5 minutes. He has reached double-figure scoring 18 times, including a season-high 27 points in a 71-60 loss to Cincinnati on Jan. 6. He scored 20 points in an 87-75 win over TCU on March 2.

Also providing offense for BYU is senior guard Spencer Johnson. He has started all 33 games for the Cougars and is averaging 10.3 points, six rebounds, 3.3 assists and one steal. He has scored 10 or more points in 18 games, including three double-doubles. He scored a season-high 28 points, while adding nine rebounds and five assists in an 87-72 win over Iowa State on Jan. 16. See which team to pick at SportsLine.

Why Duquesne can cover
The Dukes have been led by senior guard Dae Dae Grant. The fifth-year player in his second season at Duquesne, has played in 32 games, including 30 starts, and is averaging 16.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and one steal in 32.8 minutes. He has reached double-digit scoring in each of the last four games, including a 27-point performance in a 70-60 win over St. Bonaventure in the Atlantic 10 semifinals. In the league’s title game, he scored 10 points and added four steals and two assists. He is connecting on 93.9% of his free throws.

Senior guard Jimmy Clark also provides some scoring punch for Duquesne. He has scored in double figures in four of the past five games, including 20 or more in two of those. In a 67-65 win over George Washington on March 9, he scored 22 points, while adding three assists and two rebounds. He had 20 points, four assists and four rebounds in an 83-73 win over Saint Louis on March 13 in the second round of the A-10 Tournament. In 35 games, all starts, he is averaging 15.1 points, 3.8 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 2.4 steals in 31.1 minutes. See which team to pick at SportsLine.

How to make Duquesne vs. BYU picks
The model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 147 points. It also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

27 Mar

Surprising bracket upset picks, games, best advice, strategy, predictions

The NCAA Basketball Tournament 2024 already has four teams that have advanced as Colorado, Colorado State, Howard, Wagner and Grambling earned trips to the first round by winning in Dayton. Three 2024 First Four teams have gone to at least the Sweet 16 in the past decade, so those teams should all be in consideration for your 2024 NCAA bracket upset picks. 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket locks at 12:15 p.m. ET on Thursday, so time is running out to make your 2024 March Madness predictions for all the games.

What strategy should you use to differentiate your 2024 March Madness bracket picks? Only three seeds lower than No. 4 have ever won it all, but with parity increasing recently in the NCAA Tournament, perhaps this is a year to take a swing on a huge Cinderella. Before making any predictions for games in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, see the March Madness bracket picks from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

SportsLine’s projection model has simulated every game in the tournament 10,000 times. It has absolutely crushed its March Madness picks recently, beating over 92% of all CBS Sports brackets in three of the past five tournaments. In an upset-laden 2023 NCAA Tournament, the model was all over UConn’s shocking Final Four run as a 4-seed. It went an amazing 23-9 in the first round, including an astounding 12-4 in the Midwest and West regions.

It knows how to spot an upset as well. The same model has produced brackets that have nailed 20 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds since its inception in 2016.

Now, SportsLine’s advanced computer model has simulated the entire 2024 NCAA Tournament 10,000 times to come up with the perfect 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket and find out which teams will pull off the biggest upsets. You shouldn’t even think about making a pick without seeing what their model has to say.

Top 2024 NCAA Basketball Tournament bracket upset picks
One Midwest Region surprise the model has identified: No. 5 Gonzaga advances to the Sweet 16, getting past a dangerous underdog in McNeese in the first round and then knocking off No. 4 Kansas in the second round. The latest 2024 NCAA Tournament odds imply that Gonzaga has a less than 50% chance of advancing this far. SportsLine’s model, however, has the Bulldogs rolling by 16 points in the first round. They are then the projected model favorites against a banged-up Kansas team in the second round.

Mark Few’s team wasn’t as dominant this regular season, failing to win at least one of the WCC regular season or tournament championships for the first time since 2011-12. That has made some bracket players fade the Bulldogs, but the model sees them as a value pick that can give you an edge in 2024 March Madness bracket.

Another surprise from the Midwest Region: No. 3 Creighton runs the table in the region, getting past No. 2 Tennessee and No. 1 Purdue as the Bluejays punch their ticket to the Final Four in Phoenix. The Bluejays are playing in a region that features elite teams who lack recent NCAA Tournament success, as Purdue has not made the Final Four since 1980 and Tennessee has never made it.

Meanwhile, Creighton has won a game in the past three tournaments, including a Sweet 16 trip in 2021 and an Elite Eight run last year. The Bluejays have four seniors, one junior and one sophomore in their key six-man rotation, and all of them have prior tournament experience. KenPom ranks them as the eighth-most experienced lineup in college basketball, which is one reason why they can get past the Boilermakers and Vols in the Midwest Region. See which other 2024 March Madness upsets to target here.

How to make 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket predictions
SportsLine’s model is also predicting a stunning 4-seed that will reach the Final Four and has one region where the 1- and 3-seeds go down hard before the Elite Eight. With the model’s track record of calling bracket-busting upsets, you’ll want to see which stunners it’s calling this year before locking in any 2024 NCAA bracket picks.

27 Mar

Top bracket busters, March Madness Cinderella picks by proven college basketball model

Will No. 12 McNeese be the March Madness Cinderella story coming out of the 2024 NCAA Tournament? The Cowboys topped the Southland Conference thanks to an 11-game winning streak and enter March Madness 2024 following a 30-3 season and conference tournament victory. McNeese got those wins by outscoring its opponents, averaging 80.5 points per game. They are still the underdogs against No. 8 Gonzaga in the Round of 64 in the 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket, but their recent form sets McNeese up to be one of the potential 2024 March Madness bracket busters.

There are several exciting underdogs to consider when putting together your 2024 March Madness bracket strategy, including No. 16 Stetson against reigning tournament champion No. 1 UConn in the East Region. Before making any 2024 NCAA Tournament predictions, see the March Madness bracket picks from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

This model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, has nailed 20 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds since its inception in 2016 and nailed UConn’s dramatic Final Four run as a 4-seed last year. It went an amazing 22-10 in the first round, including an astounding 12-4 in the Midwest and West regions.

Last year, SportsLine’s computer simulation nailed massive upsets, including huge wins by No. 13 Furman over No. 4 Virginia and No. 10 Penn State over No. 7 Texas A&M. The model has beaten over 92% of all CBS Sports bracket players in three of the past five tournaments.

Now, SportsLine’s advanced computer model has simulated the entire 2024 NCAA Tournament 10,000 times to come up with the perfect 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket and find out which teams will pull off the biggest upsets. You shouldn’t even think about making a pick without seeing what their model has to say.

Top 2024 March Madness bracket upset picks
One Midwest Region surprise the model has identified: No. 11 Oregon knocks off No. 6 South Carolina. You can throw the season statistics out of the window for Oregon since it played almost half of the year without its best player, N’Faly Dante. The Ducks are a different squad with him anchoring both ends of the court, as he leads the team in points (16.2), rebounds (8.8), steals (1.7) and blocks (1.9). He led Oregon to the Pac-12 tournament championship, while South Carolina is coming off a 31-point drubbing at the hands of Auburn in the SEC Tournament.

That was the latest example of South Carolina simply not showing up, and that’s happened far too often for Lamont Paris’ liking. South Carolina has losses of 27 points, 31 points and 40 points since the start of the new year. That’s a poor omen against an improved Oregon defense that has kept four straight opponents under 69 points, each failing to shoot 45% from the field.

Another surprise from the Midwest Region: No. 3 Creighton advances all the way to the Final Four, surpassing No. 2 seed Tennessee and top-seeded Purdue. A No. 3 seed hasn’t made it to the Final Four since Texas Tech in 2019, but Greg McDermott’s Bluejays are entering the NCAA Tournament 2024 strong. They ended the regular season 23-9 and notched key wins along the way, including a 89-75 victory against Marquette and a 85-66 rout against reigning March Madness champion UConn.

The last time the Vols made it to the Elite Eight was 2010, and they haven’t made it out of the first round in two of their last seven trips to The Big Dance. Meanwhile, the Boilermakers have been booted in the first round twice in recent history, including in 2023 when they were a No. 1 seed. See which other 2024 March Madness upsets to target here.

How to make 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket predictions
SportsLine’s model is also predicting a stunning No. 12 seed that will reach the Sweet Sixteen and has one region where three double-digit underdogs pull off first-round shockers, busting brackets everywhere. With the model’s track record of calling bracket-busting upsets, you’ll want to see which stunners it’s calling this year before locking in any 2024 NCAA bracket picks.