The East region is brutal.
I wouldn’t be surprised if any of the top five seeds would win the NCAA title. The matchups will be exciting as this bracket continues through the weekend, but for the first round, it might lack a little bit of excitement.
Only half of the eight matchups feature spreads in single digits, the least amount of any of the four regions.
With those single-digit matchups, that’s where I’m taking value in the first round. Here’s my two best bets for the East region.
Stephen F. Austin (+7.5) vs. West Virginia
I anticipate this to be one of the best games of the first round.
Only two of the four 3-seeds are single-digit favorites, and that’s the correct number for this game. West Virginia is playing as well as any team in the nation, but that offense absolutely disappears at times. These two teams are Nos. 1 and 2 in forcing turnovers, so expect plenty of up and down action.
I would hammer Stephen F. Austin against about any other team as a double-digit seed. I’m surprised the committee placed the Lumberjacks as a 14th seed, so I’m getting good value in the first place. Secondly, the Lumberjacks have plenty of experience with this being the third straight year of being in the tournament.
Stephen F. Austin won a game two years ago and lost a close one last year to Utah. That experience should count for something.
I like West Virginia to advance, but this game will be as entertaining as any game in the tournament. And it will be close to the final few minutes. — Go against the chalk with Stephen F. Austin
Pittsburgh vs. Wisconsin (-2)
There’s not a seventh seed I like more than the Badgers. That’s why I have them advancing to the Elite Eight, so it makes sense why I have them beating the Panthers.
And with a spread of only two points, I’m hammering that in the first round.
The Badgers can get hot. They showed that during the regular season, winning 12 of 13 games toward the end of the season, which included wins against Michigan State, Maryland, Indiana and Iowa. Sure, they didn’t finish that great, with two straight losses, but that ability to beat top-tier teams has me backing the Badgers.
The Panthers are almost opposite to the Badgers as far as teams they’ve beaten. They only had a few slip-ups against bad teams, but they didn’t beat anyone, except for a late-season victory against Duke.
Both teams match up well with size and the desire to slow down games. Wisconsin is a better team and has shown that during the last few months. — Go chalk with Wisconsin
