NCAA Basketball March Madness Odds: TCU Vs Seton Hall Betting Analysis

Thursday will deliver the first full day of March Madness action, but for bettors, there is no time to catch a breath, as the games come thick and fast from the opening day on. It’s just another aspect of how hard it is to go out and win a National Championship, as the games get played a good deal more regularly than they do in the regular season. An off day on the court very often means the end of the season for teams, not to mention the pressure that gets ramped up with each passing game. We are now jumping ahead to the Friday schedule and taking a look at a #8 and #9 matchup, which are often the toughest to predict. This game is essentially a coin flip, with Seton Hall favored by a single point. The O/U for this one is set at 129. With that in mind, let’s take a look at both teams and how they arrive in this TCU vs Seton Hall matchup so you can bet against their March Madness Odds.

March Madness First Round Betting Preview for TCU vs Seton Hall

#9 TCU Horned Frogs versus #2 Seton Hall Pirates Match Info

When: Friday, March 18 at 9:57 PM EST
Where: Viejas Arena, San Diego
TV: TruTV

Why bet on the Seton Hall Pirates

The Pirates have actually had a little bit of time off after taking an early exit in the Big East Conference tournament, a loss that snapped a 6-game winning streak. Despite all of that, there is a lot to like about Seton Hall in terms of the straight up wager. They have won each of their last 7 games that they went into as the favorite, which they are here, if only by the slenderest of margins. When looking at their performance against the spread, we see that they are just 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games, but they are also 5-1 ATS in their last 6 versus teams from the Big 12, while also going 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games played on a Friday. The UNDER has hit in 13 of their last 18 games overall, as well as in each of their last 5 games played in the month of March.

Why bet on the TCU Horned Frogs

Every team wants to head into the tournament on a good run of form, but that is not how it has gone for the TCU Horned Frogs. They have lost 3 of their last 4 games, including going out at the semi-final stage in the Big 12 tournament. The Horned Frogs have also not had a ton of success in games against teams from the Big East, going just 2-7 SU in their last 9. They are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games played on a Friday, but it’s not all doom and gloom, as there are some things to like. They are 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 overall, while also going 11-4-1 ATS in their last 16 as an underdog. TCU, like their opponent, is trending on the UNDER, with each of their last 6 games played in March going that route.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

I am more than a little concerned about the current form of TCU, which is why I am leaning towards Seton Hall for the SU win, which would of course mean that they cover, too. I am also going against the trends and taking this one to go OVER.

Pick: Seton Hall Pirates 68 TCU Horned Frogs 64