The NCAA Tournament has that "new bracket smell" with Selection Sunday still ringing in our ears.
Oddsmakers aren’t wasting time getting up spreads and totals for the Round of 64 matchups, which means I’m jumping on a few Big Dance openers.
Here are three March Madness picks and predictions I’m betting right now.
3 March Madness bets to make right now
No. 4 Arizona Wildcats vs. No. 13 Akron Zips: Over 166.5 (-110 at bet365)
We have an opening round showdown between two up-tempo attacks.
The Arizona Wildcats run the 54th-fastest pace in the land and score almost 82 points per game, powered by the fastbreak (14 FBPTS).
The Akron Zips live up to their nickname, ranked 16th in tempo and scoring 84 points per game, with 13 of those on fastbreak points. Akron can also hit from distance, averaging almost 11 3-pointers per game.
No. 3 Wisconsin Badgers vs. No. 14 Montana Grizzlies: Wisconsin -16.5 (-110 at bet365)
The Wisconsin Badgers have a bad taste in their mouths after letting the Big Ten title slip away in the closing minutes. Wisconsin is a handful offensively but also flexed its defensive muscle during the conference tournament.
The Montana Grizzlies aren’t great defensively and will have a really hard time dealing with all the Badgers’ screening and movement. The Grizzlies struggle to match up in isolation sets and Wisconsin thrives on creating those one-on-one options. Game models call for as high as a 19-point win from Wisconsin.
No. 8 UConn Huskies vs. No. 9 Oklahoma Sooners: UConn -4.5 (-110 at bet365)
Stock is down on the UConn Huskies after an inconsistent season and exit in the Big East tournament. The same can’t be said for the SEC schools, even if Oklahoma hasn’t done much since winning the Battle 4 Atlantis back in November.
The Oklahoma Sooners will have trouble inside against UConn’s size in the halfcourt. They gave up 33 points in the paint per outing (246th) and sit 322nd in 2-point field-goal percentage on defense. Connecticut is dominant inside, putting up 35.8 PITP per outing and can crash the offensive glass for putbacks.
Cash your March Madness ML bets quicker with bet365's early win payout
Take advantage of the early win payout at bet365, where any pre-game CBB moneyline bet gets paid out as a winner if your school goes up by 18+ points!
Learn more about this feature, and all of bet365's offerings, with our comprehensive bet365 review.
21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
