At bparlay, we don’t bet teams…we bet numbers. Let me tell you what we think of the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
There are a ton of appealing numbers in this year’s NCAA Tournament. The first round begins on Thursday, and it’s going to be epic. Every year we get upsets and close calls on day one of the tournament, which makes betting exciting, but very difficult.
We have been reviewing the bracket since Sunday at the bparlay headquarters, so let’s see if we can generate some wins on day one. Here are some of our favorite picks from the first round.
Michigan vs Colorado State +2
Michigan has been one of the most inconstant teams in the country. I do not believe in the Wolverines, and I think they are lucky to be an 11 seed in the Official NCAA Tournament. The Wolverines are laying two points against Colorado State, even with the Rams being a six seed.
This is because Michigan plays in the Big Ten and Colorado State is in the Mountain West. However, Colorado State has done an excellent job winning games this season. They are playing very confident basketball, and I trust them with two points.
The Wolverines are a superior team, but their inconsistency is a massive concern. This season, the team is just 13-18 ATS and 2-6 ATS in their past eight games as favorites.
South Dakota State vs Providence -2
South Dakota State has been very good this season with their 30-4 record. They are also 17-14-1 ATS in 2021-22. I do not think this means much in the opener, though against a very good Providence team.
Creighton blew the Friars off the court in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament. Yet, they were the regular-season Big East champions and have been just as good as the Jackrabbits playing a much tougher schedule.
Providence will enter the tournament as a four seed with a 25-2 record. They are also 17-13 ATS. With this slim spread, it’s hard to bet against Providence. Why not learn more with the BParlay.com NBA Parlay picks that are available to view for free.
Memphis -2 vs Boise State
Memphis is one of my picks as an under-the-radar team to do damage in the NCAA Tournament. They are seeded ninth compared to Boise State in eighth. I can see Memphis winning this game by upwards of ten points, and they are favored by just two points.
The Tigers are 21-10 compared to Broncos at 27-7. Boise State was one of the best teams in the Mountain West, but the Tigers are athletically superior. Memphis is 10-3 ATS in their past 13 and have won six of their past seven.
Boise State has been just as good, but I think they will struggle to run with Memphis if the team gets going.
Creighton +2 vs San Diego State
Another 8/9 matchup that I love in the NCAA Tournament is Creighton vs San Diego State. Creighton did a great job in the Big East Tournament, upsetting Marquette and Providence to advance to the finals against Villanova.
They lost by six points to the Wildcats but could still cover the +6.5 point spread. Creighton is a team that plays the game the right way. They hustle, are tough on defense, and make contested shots.
If they can put it all together in the NCAA Tournament, I like them to win a few games. They will be underdogs by two points against San Diego State. The Aztecs went 23-8 this season, but they had an easier schedule than the Bluejays.
San Diego State has done a great job covering spreads as of late, but so has Creighton. The Bluejays will not go down without a fight. I have to take the Bluejays at +2.
