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USA Today
21-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
March Madness: Oklahoma vs. UConn odds, picks and predictions
The No. 9 seed Oklahoma Sooners (20-13) and the No. 8 seed UConn Huskies (23-10) meet Friday at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C., for an NCAA Tournament West Region first-round game. Tip-off is scheduled for approximately 9:25 p.m. ET (TNT). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's lines around the Oklahoma vs. UConn odds, and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions. The Sooners draw the 2-time defending national champions looking to do what no one has been able to do recently — send UConn home early. Oklahoma lost 85-84 to the Kentucky Wildcats in the SEC Tournament, but it covered as a 6.5-point underdog. That's been a theme for the Sooners lately, as they've rattled off 7 consecutive covers despite going just 3-3 straight up (SU) in the past 6 games. The Sooners are also just 4-8 SU in the past 12 games since Feb. 4, and 7-13 SU in 20 outings since ringing in the new year. Oklahoma G Jeremiah Fears and F Jalon Moore were a nice two-headed monster in the regular season. Fears had 17.0 points per game (PPG) with 4.1 rebounds per game (RPG) and 4.1 steals per game, while Moore posted 16.0 PPG and 5.8 RPG, hitting 39.1% from behind the 3-point line. UConn went 6-0 SU/ATS in the NCAA Tournament last season enroute to a second straight title. The Under was 6-0 in those games. In 2023, the Huskies were also 6-0 SU/ATS, while the Over was 4-2. UConn hasn't lost in the NCAA Tournament since March 17, 2023, at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, when it was ousted by the 12-seed New Mexico State Aggies 70-63. As far as the total, the Over is 5-1-1 in the past 7 games for Oklahoma. For UConn, though, the Under has cashed in 5 in a row. UConn freshman Liam McNeeley was a great addition this season, going for 14.5 PPG and 6.1 RPG, just behind G Solo Ball for the team lead with 14.6 PPG. F Alex Karaban was also right there with 14.4 PPG, while posting 5.2 RPG, 2.9 assists and 1.6 blocks per game. – Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Men's Basketball Coaches Poll THE BRACKETS ARE BACK! The USA TODAY Sports Bracket Challenge is back! $1 MILLION grand prize for a perfect bracket, $25,000 prize for top bracket. Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now! Oklahoma vs. UConn odds Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 11:06 p.m. ET. Moneyline (ML) : Oklahoma +190 (bet $100 to win $190) | UConn -235 (bet $235 to win $100) : Oklahoma +190 (bet $100 to win $190) | UConn -235 (bet $235 to win $100) Against the spread (ATS) : Oklahoma +5.5 (-110) | UConn -5.5 (-110) : Oklahoma +5.5 (-110) | UConn -5.5 (-110) Over/Under (O/U): 147.5 (O: -115 | U: -105) Can you survive? USA TODAY Sports' Men and Women's Basketball Tournament Survivor Pools are here with a $2,500 prize for each contest! Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now! Oklahoma vs. UConn picks and predictions Prediction UConn 76, Oklahoma 69 UConn (-235) is a little on the pricey side, and you cannot bet that straight up. However, if you were to toss the 2-time defending national champs into a multi-leg parlay, that is certainly OK, especially with a boost. PASS. UCONN -5.5 (-110) is worth a look laying nearly 3 buckets. While Oklahoma +5.5 (-110) have been pesky, this isn't likely a team to dethrone a dynasty. The Sooners have a dismal 7-13 SU record since the ball dropped to ring in 2025. Oklahoma is consistently ticking off covers, but UConn is also 12-0 SU/ATS in the past 12 NCAA Tournament games. Are you betting against that type of dominance? UNDER 147.5 (-105) is the lean, but don't get too carried away. The Under has connected in 5 straight games for UConn, and the total went low in all 6 NCAA Tournament games for the Huskies enroute to their second straight title last season. For Oklahoma, the Over is 4-1 in the past 5 games, but we're banking on UConn's suffocating defense to shut things down. Play our free daily Pick'em Challenge and win! Play now! For more sports betting picks and tips, check out and BetFTW. Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook. College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group: Alabama / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Duke / Florida / Florida State / Georgia / Iowa / Kentucky / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / UCLA / USC / Washington / Wisconsin / College Sports Wire / High School / Recruiting
USA Today
19-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
March Madness: Drake vs. Missouri odds, picks and predictions
The 11th-seeded Drake Bulldogs (30-3) and sixth-seeded Missouri Tigers (22-11) meet in an NCAA Tournament first-round game in the West Region Thursday. Tip-off from INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas, is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. ET (truTV). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's lines around the Drake vs. Missouri odds, and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions. The Bulldogs are dancing for the third straight year after another strong season in the Missouri Valley Conference. They finished 17-3 in league play and made their fifth consecutive MVC Tournament final, winning the title for the third year in a row. A 63-48 win over the No. 2 seed Bradley Braves Sunday sealed their automatic bid. Junior G Bennett Stirtz has been the go-to guy, averaging 19.1 points per game (PPG). No. 24 Missouri is back in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time since 2018 after finishing sixth in the SEC with a 10-8 conference record. The Tigers struggled late, dropping 4 of their last 5 regular-season games before falling to the Florida Gators 95-81 in the SEC quarterfinals Friday. Despite the rough finish, they'll lean on junior G Mark Mitchell, who leads the team with 14.1 PPG. – Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Men's Basketball Coaches Poll THE BRACKETS ARE BACK! The USA TODAY Sports Bracket Challenge is back! $1 MILLION grand prize for a perfect bracket, $25,000 prize for top bracket. Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now! Drake vs. Missouri odds Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 6:29 p.m. ET. Moneyline (ML) : Drake +220 (bet $100 to win $220) | Missouri -275 (bet $275 to win $100) : Drake +220 (bet $100 to win $220) | Missouri -275 (bet $275 to win $100) Against the spread (ATS) : Drake +6.5 (-118) | Missouri -6.5 (-102) : Drake +6.5 (-118) | Missouri -6.5 (-102) Over/Under (O/U): 133.5 (O: -105 | U: -115) Can you survive? USA TODAY Sports' Men and Women's Basketball Tournament Survivor Pools are here with a $2,500 prize for each contest! Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now! Drake vs. Missouri picks and predictions Prediction Drake 68, Missouri 64 BET DRAKE (+220). Momentum is everything in college basketball, and Drake has it heading into the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs have won 7 straight, including a dominant run through the Missouri Valley Conference tournament. While the SEC is undoubtedly tougher, Drake handled its schedule and picked up solid wins over Miami, Vanderbilt, and Kansas State. Drake thrives on defense, allowing just 58.4 PPG — the best mark in the country. The Bulldogs slow the game down, force 13.8 turnovers per contest, and have held opponents to 60 or fewer points in half of their games. That's a major challenge for a Missouri squad that shoots 37% from beyond the arc and has scored 80-plus points in 25 of 33 games. Missouri limped into the tournament, losing 5 of its last 7 games, and has just 1 NCAA Tournament win since 2010. With Drake's defense and momentum, the Bulldogs are primed to pull off the upset. PASS. If you'd feel more comfortable taking Drake with the points, that's completely understandable; I'd rather take the better odds on the moneyline, believing the Bulldogs can win this game outright. PASS. Drake's defense makes the Under tempting, but it's not the right play here. The Bulldogs have hit the Under in 6 of their last 8 games, but Missouri's high-scoring style has led to the Over hitting in 8 of its last 10 outings. With the total set lower than expected, it's a tough call. If it were closer to 140, the Under would be worth a look, but instead, I'll stick to betting the moneyline. Play our free daily Pick'em Challenge and win! Play now! For more sports betting picks and tips, check out and BetFTW. Follow @DrewPhelps05 on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook. College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group: Alabama / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Duke / Florida / Florida State / Georgia / Iowa / Kentucky / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / UCLA / USC / Washington / Wisconsin / College Sports Wire / High School / Recruiting
USA Today
16-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
A-10 Championship Game: George Mason vs. VCU odds, picks and predictions
The George Mason Patriots (26-7) and the VCU Rams (27-6) meet Sunday in the A-10 Tournament final at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET (CBS). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's college basketball odds around the George Mason vs. VCU odds, and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions. The second-seeded Patriots defeated St. Joseph's 74-64 as 1.5-point underdogs Saturday, with the Over (132) cashing. GMU is 2-0 straight up and against the spread (ATS) in the A-10 Tournament after finishing the season on an 0-6 ATS slide. The Over has hit in both tournament games as well. The top-seeded Rams eased by Loyola-Chicago 62-55 Saturday but missed the cover as 9.5-point favorites, with the Under (137.5) cashing. VCU has won 11 of its last 12 games and is 8-2-2 ATS in the past 12 games, going 12-3-2 ATS in its previous 17 outings. The Under is 5-3 in the past 8 games. VCU won the only regular-season meeting, defeating the Patriots 70-54 as an 11-point favorite in Richmond Feb. 22, with the Under (130) hitting. F Jalen Haynes of GMU had 10 points and 8 rebounds, while G Max Shulga led all scorers with 22 points, including four 3-pointers and an 8-for-8 night at the free-throw line. – Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Men's Basketball Coaches Poll THE BRACKETS ARE BACK! The USA TODAY Sports Bracket Challenge is back! $1 MILLION grand prize for a perfect bracket, $25,000 prize for top bracket. Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now! George Mason vs. VCU odds Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:20 a.m. ET. Moneyline (ML) : George Mason +310 (bet $100 to win $310) | VCU -400 (bet $400 to win $100) : George Mason +310 (bet $100 to win $310) | VCU -400 (bet $400 to win $100) Against the spread : George Mason +8.5 (-110) | VCU -8.5 (-110) : George Mason +8.5 (-110) | VCU -8.5 (-110) Over/Under (O/U): 127.5 (O: -110 | U: -110) George Mason vs. VCU picks and predictions Prediction VCU 66, George Mason 59 VCU (-400) will cost you 4 times your potential return, which is too much risk for not nearly enough reward in this A-10 title game. While the Rams won by 16 in the only previous meeting this season, that was also in Richmond, not on a neutral floor. This game will be played closer to George Mason's (+310) campus, although both schools should have decent representation. The Patriots won as underdogs against St. Joe's and are on a 4-game win streak. However, it's hard to overlook that 16-point loss at VCU in late February. PASS. Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+ GEORGE MASON +8.5 (-110) is worth considering in this title game, as this is a lot of points. The Patriots have lost 5 straight meetings against the Rams, with VCU covering the last 3 in the series. However, this is the first time they are meeting in the A-10 title game, and the Patriots should be able to keep it within 4 buckets. They're playing great basketball since that wake-up call at VCU. UNDER 127.5 (-110) is the lean, but go with a half-unit play at most. The Under cashed Feb. 22 in the only regular-season meeting, and the total has gone low in each of the last 3 meetings in this series. For GMU, the total went Over in each of the first 2 tournament games, but the O/U has split 4-4 in the last 8 outings. The O/U has split in both tournament games for VCU, while the Under is 5-3 in the last 8 outings. Play our free daily Pick'em Challenge and win! Play now! For more sports betting picks and tips, check out and BetFTW. Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook. College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group: Alabama / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Duke / Florida / Florida State / Georgia / Iowa / Kentucky / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / UCLA / USC / Washington / Wisconsin / College Sports Wire / High School / Recruiting
USA Today
15-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Big East Championship Game: Creighton vs. St. John's odds, picks and predictions
The Creighton Bluejays (24-9) and the No. 5 St. John's Red Storm (29-4) meet Saturday in the Big East Championship Game at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Tip-off is scheduled for approximately 6:30 p.m. ET (FOX). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's college basketball odds around the Creighton vs. St. John's odds, and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions. The second-seeded Bluejays ousted the 2-time defending champion UConn Huskies in the semifinals Friday, winning 71-62 as 4-point underdogs, with the Under (138.5) cashing. It was a nice bounce-back game after Creighton was nearly shown the door by lowly DePaul in a narrow 85-81 OT win in the quarterfinals Thursday. Creighton has won 4 in a row, going 3-1 against the spread (ATS) during that span. The Over has cashed in 3 straight, although the Under hit against UConn in their last matchup. The top-seeded Red Storm picked up a 79-73 win over the Bluejays Feb. 16, while Creighton hung on as a 6.5-point underdog in New York City, with the Over (143.5) cashing. Swingman RJ Luis Jr. had 23 points and 14 rebounds in the victory. Creighton won 57-56 against St. John's in the first meeting in Omaha as a 1-point favorite, with the Under (151.5) connecting on New Year's Eve. C Ryan Kalkbrenner contributed 16 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 blocked shots in the victory. St. John's has won 8 in a row, covering 6 of the past 7 games. The Under is on a 4-1 run for the Johnnies, too. – Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Men's Basketball Coaches Poll THE BRACKETS ARE BACK! The USA TODAY Sports Bracket Challenge is back! $1 MILLION grand prize for a perfect bracket, $25,000 prize for top bracket. Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now! Creighton vs. St. John's odds Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:45 a.m. ET. Moneyline (ML) : Creighton +240 (bet $100 to win $240) | St. John's -300 (bet $300 to win $100) : Creighton +240 (bet $100 to win $240) | St. John's -300 (bet $300 to win $100) Against the spread : Creighton +6.5 (-105) | St. John's -6.5 (-115) : Creighton +6.5 (-105) | St. John's -6.5 (-115) Over/Under (O/U): 140.5 (O: -105 | U: -115) Creighton vs. St. John's picks and predictions Prediction St. John's 73, Creighton 65 St. John's (-300) will cost you 3 times your potential return, and that's way too much risk for not nearly enough reward. These teams split during the regular season, and Creighton (+240) is always dangerous in the postseason. PASS. Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+ ST. JOHN'S -6.5 (-115) is worth playing lightly in what is essentially a home game at Madison Square Garden. If this game were played at a true neutral floor, things might go another way for Creighton +6.5 (-105). The Red Storm have covered both games in this conference tourney, and they're 6-1 ATS in the past 7 games. Creighton has split against the spread in the first 2 games of this season, nearly losing outright as a double-digit favorite against DePaul Thursday. The Bluejays are just 3-4 ATS in the past 7 games. LEAN UNDER 140.5 (-115). The O/U has split 3-3 in the past 6 games for the Bluejays. The Over cashed in the last meeting Feb. 16 at MSG, but the Under easily hit in the first matchup Dec. 31 in Omaha. St. John's has cashed the Under in 4 of the past 5 games, and the total has gone low in 3 in a row on a neutral floor for the Johnnies. UNDER 140.5 (-115) is worth playing very lightly. Play our free daily Pick'em Challenge and win! Play now! For more sports betting picks and tips, check out and BetFTW. Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook. College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group: Alabama / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Duke / Florida / Florida State / Georgia / Iowa / Kentucky / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / UCLA / USC / Washington / Wisconsin / College Sports Wire / High School / Recruiting
USA Today
14-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Marquette vs. St. John's odds, picks and predictions
The No. 23 Marquette Golden Eagles (23-9) and the No. 5 St. John's Red Storm (28-4) meet Friday in a Big East Tournament semifinal game at Madison Square Garden in New York. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET (FOX). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's college basketball odds around the Marquette vs. St. John's odds, and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions. The No. 5 seed Golden Eagles dispatched fourth-seeded Xavier Thursday in a tight 89-87 win as G Kam Jones scored a team-high 28 points to go along with 5 assists. G's Stevie Mitchell and Chase Ross chipped in with 16 points apiece. Marquette came up short as a 2.5-point favorite with the Over (145) easily hitting. The win snapped a 2-game skid, which included an 86-84 OT loss in Milwaukee to St. John's in the regular-season finale Saturday. The Golden Eagles misfired as 4.5-point favorites with the Over (146.5) cashing. In fact, despite the win vs. Xavier, Marquette is 5-6 straight up (SU) and an even-worse 3-8 against the spread (ATS) in the past 11 games — the span includes 2 losses to St. John's. The top-seeded Red Storm easily brushed past ninth-seeded Butler 78-57 as 12-point favorites in their Thursday semifinal with the Under (145.5) coming through. G RJ Luis Jr. had a game-best 20 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, with 7 rebounds, a block and a steal. St. John's enters on a 7-game win streak and are 5-1 ATS in the past 6, while the Under is 3-1 in the past 4. The other Big East semi features No. 2 seed Creighton (23-9) and No. 3 seed and 2-time defending NCAA Tourney champ UConn (23-9). – Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Men's Basketball Coaches Poll THE BRACKETS ARE BACK! The USA TODAY Sports Bracket Challenge is back! $1 MILLION grand prize for a perfect bracket, $25,000 prize for top bracket. Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now! Marquette vs. St. John's odds Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:34 p.m. ET. Moneyline (ML) : Marquette +165 (bet $100 to win $165) | St. John's -200 (bet $200 to win $100) : Marquette +165 (bet $100 to win $165) | St. John's -200 (bet $200 to win $100) Against the spread : Marquette +4.5 (-110) | St. John's -4.5 (-110) : Marquette +4.5 (-110) | St. John's -4.5 (-110) Over/Under (O/U): 143.5 (O: -115 | U: -105) Marquette vs. St. John's picks and predictions Prediction St. John's 77, Marquette 69 St. John's (-200) will set you back 2 times your potential return. That's quite a bit of risk for not nearly enough reward … at least straight up. However, if you want to toss this into a multi-leg parlay, that would be perfectly acceptable. PASS. Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+ ST. JOHN'S -4.5 (-110) is worth playing. The Johnnies not only swept the regular-season series against the Golden Eagles, but they covered each of the outings as well. The old adage about how it's tough to beat a team 3 times in the same season might give bettors pause. However, Marquette has also failed to cover 3 in a row and, as mentioned, is just 3-8 ATS in the past 11 games. St. John's is just playing better, and should give bettors the most confidence in covering. OVER 143.5 (-115) is the lean, but only go with a half-unit play at most. The Under (147) cashed in the 70-64 regulation win by St. John's over Marquette in NYC Feb. 4, while Saturday's tilt went Over in Milwaukee — it hit in regulation but barely as it was tied 75-all after 40 minutes. The Under is 3-1 in the past 4 games for the Johnnies, while holding a 10-5 edge in the past 15 games. The Under has a slight 3-2 edge in the past 5 games for the Golden Eagles, while going 9-6 in the past 15 outings. Play our free daily Pick'em Challenge and win! Play now! For more sports betting picks and tips, check out and BetFTW. Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook. College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group: Alabama / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Duke / Florida / Florida State / Georgia / Iowa / Kentucky / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / UCLA / USC / Washington / Wisconsin / College Sports Wire / High School / Recruiting
