VSiN promised to cover Big East entries and other teams of local interest throughout March Madness from a sports-betting perspective. Schedule-makers complicated that by cramming many into the Thursday NCAA brackets.
Ivy League champion Yale is featured in one of the earliest tips of the NCAA Tournament first round. Syracuse stars in Thursday’s finale. Those battles bookend three games featuring Big East battlers, including surging Seton Hall’s tester versus Wofford.
Let’s see how sharps (professional wagerers) have been betting those matchups. Games are presented in tipoff order:
• No. 3 LSU vs. No. 14 Yale (truTV, 12:40 p.m.): A lot of early support for Yale, as an opener of LSU -8¹/₂ was bet down to -7¹/₂ . Sharps sometimes wait to bet underdogs if they believe the public will drive the favorite higher. Well-publicized turmoil at LSU made that less likely. Pro bettors were very happy to get Yale at +8 or better. We would likely see that dynamic continue if public money comes in on the favorite Thursday morning. Such strong ’dog support puts Yale on the short list of potential 2019 Cinderellas.
• No. 5 Marquette vs. No. 12 Murray State (TBS, 4:30 p.m.): This is one of the most hyped matchups of the day, with potential top-five draft pick Ja Morant putting Murray State onto that same short list of potential Cinderellas. An opening line around Marquette -5 was bet down to -4¹/₂ or -4. Another favorite the public might shy away from because of shaky recent form (1-5 against the spread its last six games). Sharps will take this ’dog at +4¹/₂ or better.
• No. 6 Villanova vs. No. 11 St. Mary’s (TBS, 7:20 p.m.): Mixed action here, as sharp support appears split. If you focus on St. Mary’s upsetting Gonzaga and Villanova playing below market expectations while winning the Big East regular season and conference tourney, a value bet on the ’dog can be justified. If you prefer prioritizing postseason history for these head coaches, Villanova at an affordable price becomes much more appealing. The point spread is expected to percolate between Villanova -5 and -5¹/₂ through the day.
• No. 7 Wofford vs. No. 10 Seton Hall (CBS, 9:40 p.m.): Wofford is an unknown quantity at this level, a team that may be better in a computer than on real hardwood in a major tournament environment. Seton Hall has covered five straight games, four of which came against Villanova and Marquette! Will the Hall have anything left after an emotionally and physically draining run into the Big East Tournament last weekend? Wofford opened at -2¹/₂ . Stores began testing the two midweek. Sharp money would back this ‘dog more aggressively if not for hangover concerns. It’s telling that sharps didn’t think Wofford seemed cheap at -2¹/₂ .
• No. 8 Syracuse vs. No. 9 Baylor (truTV, 9:57 p.m.): Hopefully this battle of zone defenses won’t put bleary-eyed basketball fans to sleep. Sharps liked Syracuse at the opener of -1¹/₂ . The market has been passing the ball around -2 and -2¹/₂ since. Respected Baylor money does come in at +2 ¹/₂ . There aren’t any “key” numbers in basketball like there are in football. Every half point matters in projected nail-biters.
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