Friday’s 5 Best Bets For March Madness First Round Games

• Our five best bets for Friday’s games feature bets on underdogs, favorites, overs, and even a team total under with Lipscomb (63.5) against Iowa State.
• The two best underdog bets for Friday’s games are Baylor outright (-105) against Mississippi State and Vanderbilt +4.5 (-110) vs Saint Mary’s.
• Take the over at 166.0 points (-105) for Alabama vs Robert Morris and bet North Carolina -2.0 (-110) vs Ole Miss.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Friday’s five best bets for March Madness starts with the Baylor Bears winning as outright underdogs (-105) against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Baylor has -110 legal sports betting odds to cover the 1.0-point spread, so we’ll take the Bears on the moneyline at slightly better odds.

Baylor ML (-105) Vs Mississippi State

Mississippi State has lost five of their last seven games and only beat LSU during that skid, who finished as the second-worst team in the SEC this season. They also lost to middling teams like Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, who all rank below the Baylor Bears in KenPom ranking.

Vanderbilt +4.5 (-110) Vs St. Mary’s

Our other best underdog pick at legal college basketball betting sites is Vanderbilt to cover the 4.5-point spread against St. Mary’s. The Commodores went 12-1 outright and 10-3 against the spread facing out of conference opponents this season compared to St. Mary’s 3-10 ATS record vs non-conference foes.

Last 3 Best Bets For Friday March Madness

• Alabama/Robert Morris Over 166.0 Points (-105)
• Lipscomb Under 63.5 Points (-120) Vs Iowa State
• North Carolina -2.0 (-110) Vs Ole Miss

A red-hot Robert Morris team that’s won 10 games in a row and an Alabama team that ranks first in tempo and fourth in adjusted offensive rating is a great recipe for the over. There are -105 legal Alabama sports betting odds for the 166.0-point total to go over.

Alabama projects for 94 points in the game while Robert Morris projects for 71 points. The Colonials average 85.4 points across their last five games.

As for North Carolina vs Ole Miss, back the Tar Heels -2 at -110 odds. North Carolina has stormed their way into the tournament, covering the spread in nine of their last 10 games compared to Ole Miss’s 2-7-1 ATS record.

Our final bet for Friday is Lipscomb’s 63.5-point team total at Bovada Sportsbook to go under against Iowa State. The Cyclones will apply the most high-ball pressure Lipscomb has seen all season, so expect Iowa State’s defense to be the key to victory without Keshon Gilbert.

News tags: Alabama | Alabama Crimson Tide | basketball | Baylor Bears | California | College Basketball | Iowa State Cyclones | Lipscomb Bisons | March Madness | Mississippi | Mississippi State Bulldogs | Ole Miss Rebels | Robert Morris Colonials | Saint Mary’s Gaels | Vanderbilt Commodores