With March Madness finally here, Thursday gets it rolling with a full 16-game slate. This article will examine our March Madness best bets for Thursday and offer professional opinions and evaluations to assist you in making wise and well-informed betting choices, with the aid of OddsShopper’s college basketball odds and best bets resources.
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March Madness Best Bets & Round 1 Predictions | March 16
March Madness Best Bets: West Virginia vs. Maryland
After finishing as the No. 8 seed in the Big 12, West Virginia lost to a depleted Kansas team 78-61 in the quarterfinals. On the other side, Maryland was the No. 6 seed in the Big Ten before losing to Indiana in the quarterfinals. On a neutral court, Maryland comes in as a slight underdog here, providing value against the spread and potentially on the moneyline.
West Virginia has one of the more interesting offenses in the tournament, playing a lot in isolation. The Mountaineers rank 168th in shot selection. The Terrapins are 33rd in halfcourt defense and 61st in overall defensive efficiency. Much of their success on defense comes from elite guard play that could prove difficult for a West Virginia offense ranked 238th in turnovers. Maryland is 62nd in offensive efficiency and ranks 93rd in 2-point percentage, while West Virginia is 194th in interior defense. In a very close game, Maryland holds enough edges to earn a shot on the underdog.
Round 1 Prediction: Maryland +2.5 (-105) at BetMGM
March Madness Best Bets: Texas A&M vs. Penn State
Ten-seed Penn State won three games in the Big Ten Tournament to punch its ticket to the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile Texas A&M Aggies was the No. 2 seed in the SEC and lost to Alabama in the finals. With Texas A&M opening as a slight underdog, this looks like the ultimate time to fade Penn State.
Looking at Penn State’s most recent games, ShotQuality graded all three of their Big Ten Tournament wins as losses. In fact, Penn State finished with a 22-13 record, but ShotQuality had them finishing 16-19 based on the actual shots taken on the floor. Aside from that, Texas A&M ranks 57th in defensive efficiency and possesses the guard play behind Wade Taylor, Dexter Dennis and Tyrece Radford to neutralize the play of Jalen Pickett. Texas A&M is top 60 on offense itself and should be able to exploit the 230th-ranked Penn State defense.
Round 1 Prediction: Texas A&M -2.5 (-110) at BetMGM
