2012 NCAA Tournament Predictions & Betting Picks For Thursday Games

#1 Syracuse Orange (-17) vs. #16 UNC Asheville Bulldogs @ Pittsburgh, PA

The Orange really aren’t getting respected in this tournament, especially after the loss in the Big East Tournament. UNC Asheville has covered three in a row and has won five straight, while the ‘Cuse have gone just 1-6 ATS in their last seven. Syracuse will live to fight on, but it won’t be by more than two TDs.


Prediction: Syracuse 76 – UNC Asheville 61 (Expert Picks – Free $100 Bet – Live Odds)

#8 Kansas State Wildcats (-6.5) vs. #9 Southern Miss Golden Eagles @ Pittsburgh, PA

Southern Miss struggled a lot down the stretch this year, going just 3-4 SU and 0-7 ATS in its last seven, but this is a heck of a lot of points to be giving to a team in an 8/9 game. KSU is going to get the job done, but there is no way that the Golden Eagles are going to just lay down and die like they did when these teams met in ’08, a 74-55 win for the Cats.


Prediction: Kansas State 70 – Southern Miss 66 (Expert Picks – Free $100 Bet – Live Odds)

#2 Ohio State Buckeyes (-17.5) vs. #15 Loyola Maryland Greyhounds @ Pittsburgh, PA

The Buckeyes were upset by Siena the last time that they played a team from the Metro Atlantic in the dance. It is a good thing that this one is going to be an easier battle, so at least OSU will advance, but the Pups should be good with the points, as they have covered four in a row coming into the dance and the MAAC typically does well in the tourney.


Prediction: Ohio State 76 – Loyola Maryland 66 (Expert Picks – Free $100 Bet – Live Odds)

#7 Gonzaga Bulldogs (PK) vs. #10 West Virginia Mountaineers @ Pittsburgh, PA

Gonzaga is going to be the trendy choice here as the “sweetheart pick,” but if there is a team that is going to be able to stop OSU before the Sweet 16, WVU is the side. Remember that the Bulldogs are just 2-7 ATS in their last nine tourney tussles. The ‘Neers are a stunning 13-4-1 ATS their last 18 in the dance with “Huggy Bear” at the helm.


Prediction: West Virginia 62 – Gonzaga 60 (Expert Picks – Free $100 Bet – Live Odds)

#8 Iowa State Cyclones (+2) vs. #9 Connecticut Huskies @ Louisville, KY

UConn is going to be the trendy team to take in this one, but ISU has been gritty in a conference that has truthfully been better than the Big East all year long. Sure, the Huskies have covered four straight thanks to that great run at MSG, but the Cyclones had covered five in a row before losing to Texas in KC.


Prediction: Iowa State 80 – Connecticut 77 (Expert Picks – Free $100 Bet – Live Odds)

#6 Murray State Racers (-3) vs. #11 Colorado State Rams @ Louisville, KY

The Racers won 30 games this year for a reason. There’s just no respect here for the OVC champs against a team that we aren’t even really sure should be in the field. If CSU doesn’t knock down its threes with regularity, Murray will roll. Remember that the Racers have gone 7-0 SU and 6-1 ATS since their only loss of the year.

Prediction: Murray State 75 – Colorado State 66 (Expert Picks – Free $100 Bet – Live Odds)

#3 Baylor Bears (-7.5) vs. #14 South Dakota State Jackrabbits @ Albuquerque, NM

The Jackrabbits are trendy upset picks in their first ever NCAA Tournament game, but we have to remember just how well Baylor has done against teams that aren’t named Kansas and Missouri this year. There’s a reason that this team is 26-2 SU and a slightly more respectable 10-10 ATS against the rest of the nation.


Prediction: Baylor 82 – South Dakota State 65 (Expert Picks – Free $100 Bet – Live Odds)

#6 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels (-4.5) vs. #11 Colorado Buffaloes @ Albuquerque, NM

The Buffs caught some fire in the Pac-12 tourney, but someone had to do well in that lousy field. Save for the wins against Cal, there wasn’t a Top 50 RPI win on their slate (0-3 SU). However, they did go a whopping 6-0 ATS in those games, which could spell trouble for a UNLV team that is used to early exits in the dance.


Prediction: UNLV 71 – Colorado 69 (Expert Picks – Free $100 Bet – Live Odds)

#5 Vanderbilt Commodores (-6.5) vs. #12 Harvard Crimson @ Albuquerque, NM

This is an ugly location for both of these teams to play being so far away from home, but we think that the ‘Dores have already played their best basketball. They had to put their heart and soul into winning the SEC tourney over Kentucky, and now, here comes a Harvard team that started off the year 4-0 ATS and 8-0 SU in non-conference games against a legit schedule.


Prediction: Harvard 58 – Vanderbilt 55 (Expert Picks – Free $100 Bet – Live Odds)

#4 Wisconsin Badgers (-9.5) vs. #13 Montana Grizzlies @ Albuquerque, NM

This is a de facto road game for the Badgers, and that isn’t going to bode well for them. Montana had a great ATS mark all year at 17-9-1 ATS, and the team is 15-5 ATS in its last 20 overall. The Grizz are also 4-1 ATS in their last five here in the NCAAs. Wisky will win with its defense, but it won’t win by double digits.

Prediction: Wisconsin 52 – Montana 47 (Expert Picks – Free $100 Bet – Live Odds)

#5 Wichita State Shockers (-6) vs. #12 VCU Rams @ Portland, OR

Many think that VCU is going to go on the same type of run that it went on last year, but we just don’t see it. This Wichita State team plays big boy basketball even though it is out of the MVC, and it is riding a streak of seven covers in nine games. Look for the Shockers to get revenge for last year’s BracketBusters loss to the Rams.

Prediction: Wichita State 72 – VCU 63 (Expert Picks – Free $100 Bet – Live Odds)

#4 Indiana Hoosiers (-6.5) vs. #13 New Mexico State Aggies @ Portland, OR

The Hoosiers are a long way from home in this one, and they could be in some trouble trying to keep up with the pace of the Aggies’ offense. Though Indiana did go 17-10 ATS this year, it only went 7-7 ATS in games away from Bloomington. The Aggies have covered six out of eight and might get a scalp in this one.

Prediction: New Mexico State 79 – Indiana 73 (Expert Picks – Free $100 Bet – Live Odds)

#5 New Mexico Lobos (-5) vs. #12 Long Beach State 49ers @ Portland, OR

Yuck. We love both of these teams, but we know that the Lobos are the better-rounded team that can make the deeper run here in the dance. Though we know that LBSU has covered seven out of nine, New Mexico started the year at 0-3 ATS and then proceeded to cover 22 of its last 27. We just can’t avoid backing the MWC champs.


Prediction: New Mexico 73 – Long Beach State 66 (Expert Picks – Free $100 Bet – Live Odds)

#4 Louisville Cardinals (-7) vs. #13 Davidson Wildcats @ Portland, OR

The Cardinals are just 1-6 ATS in their last seven games played here in March Madness, and that includes getting knocked off last year by the Morehead State Eagles. These Cards are worse than last year’s Cards. These Wildcats are better than last year’s Eagles. Davidson has covered four out of five and will make it five out of six with an upset at the Rose Garden.


Prediction: Davidson 69 – Louisville 68 (Expert Picks – Free $100 Bet – Live Odds)

LET'S WIN SOME CASH!

"Free Winning Picks From Trev Rogers & Other BetVega Experts" You will receive no more than two emails per week, and we hate spam just as much as you

"FREE $250 HEAT vs. SPURS BET!"

Receive this offer straight to your inbox with FREE winning picks. Your email address will never be shared

Comments

comments