2024 NCAA Tournament First Round Betting
Although baseball is getting ready to kick off and basketball and hockey are entering their stretch runs, March belongs to college basketball. The sporting world will turn its collective attention to this three-week event that will bring together millions of fans and casual observers in heartache and celebration. The 2024 NCAA Tournament First Round begins on Thursday, March 21 with 16 games and wraps up on Friday, March 22 with 16 more games. The Connecticut Huskies begin the 2024 NCAA Tournament as the betting favorite and they are the No. 1 seed in the East. The Huskies will play No. 16 Stetson on Friday in a First Round game. The Houston Cougars are second in NCAA Tournament futures and they will begin as the No. 1 seed in the South and take on Longwood on Friday in First Round NCAA Tourney action. The Purdue Boilermakers are the No. 1 seed in the Midwest and they will play the winner of Montana State and Grambling in First Round action on Friday. The North Carolina Tar Heels are the No. 1 seed in the West and they will play the winner of Howard and Wagner on Thursday in First Round action.
Check the latest NCAA Basketball Betting Lines today!
NCAA Tournament First Round Format
College basketball fans and gamblers will all huddle around their TV sets on March 17 for the release of the brackets on Selection Sunday. The main drama revolves around who will be allowed into the field of 68, but then there are plenty of questions surrounding who will be the No. 1 seeds. In the last 36 years, a No. 1 seed has won the NCAA Tournament 22 times, so every favorite is hoping to see its name on the 1-line.
In recent years, there has been an additional factor at play too. The top four seeds have been given as much preferential treatment as possible regarding where games are played. The Selection Committee tries to slot them as close to home as possible, and while the system isn’t perfect, it does help the favorites significantly.
The winners of the First Four games are placed in the bracket of the First Round of the NCAA Tournament late in the week. This means there are two No. 1 seeds and two teams that are either No. 5 seeds or No. 6 seeds that won’t know their opponent in the NCAA Tournament First Round until Tuesday or Wednesday.
2024 NCAA Tournament First Round Results
South Region:
(1) Houston 86, (16) Longwood 46
(8) Nebraska 83, (9) Texas A&M 98
(5) Wisconsin 61, (12) James Madison 72
(4) Duke 64, (13) Vermont 47
(6) Texas Tech 67, (11) NC State 80
(3) Kentucky 76, (14) Oakland 80
(7) Florida 100, (10) Colorado 102
(2) Marquette 87, (15) Western Kentucky 69
East Region:
(1) UConn 91, (16) Stetson 52
(8) Florida Atlantic 65, (9) Northwestern 77 (OT)
(5) San Diego State 69, (12) UAB 65
(4) Auburn, (13) Yale 78
(6) BYU 67, (11) Duquesne 71
(3) Illinois 85, (14) Morehead State 69
(7) Washington State 66, (10) Drake 61
(2) Iowa State 82, (15) South Dakota State 65
Midwest Region:
(1) Purdue 78, (16) Grambling State 50
(8) Utah State 88, (9) TCU 72
(5) Gonzaga 86, (12) McNeese 65
(4) Kansas 93, (13) Samford 89
(6) South Carolina 73, (11) Oregon 87
(3) Creighton 77, (14) Akron 60
(7) Texas 56, (10) Colorado State 44
(2) Tennessee 83, (15) Saint Peter's 49
West Region:
(1) North Carolina 90, (16) Wagner 62
(8) Mississippi State 51, (9) Michigan State 69
(5) Saint Mary's, (12) Grand Canyon 75
(4) Alabama 109, (13) Charleston 96
(6) Clemson 77, (11) New Mexico 56
(3) Baylor 92, (14) Colgate 67
(7) Dayton 63, (10) Nevada 60
(2) Arizona 85, (15) Long Beach State 65
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