The second round of March Madness begins on Saturday, March 18th 2023. There are eight games on the schedule and I’m going to share my top five predictions for the slate.
Your bracket might be busted, but that doesn’t mean you can’t win some cash.
Furman vs. San Diego State Predictions
Furman vs. San Diego State Preview
Best Bet: Under 138 Points (-110)
#13 Furman defeated #4 Virginia (68-67), but they were fortunate to advance. #5 San Diego State were able to eliminate #12 Charleston (63-57). The Aztecs are only allowing 63.6 PPG (24th) this season.
Furman are scoring 80.0 PPG (13th), but Charleston were also a high-scoring team (79.6 PPG – 17th) and the Aztecs shut them down. The best bet in this match-up is on under 138 points.
Duke vs. Tennessee Predictions
Best Bet: Duke ML (-165)
#5 Duke are -3.5 point favorites, but this will likely be a close game and the moneyline is the way to go. The Blue Devils eliminated #12 Oral Roberts (74-51). Jeremy Roach had 23 points in the win.
#4 Tennessee barely defeated #13 Louisiana (58-55). The Volunteers are strong defensively (57.9 PPG – 3rd), but they often struggle to score (71.4 PPG – 158th). Duke only allow 63.6 PPG (24th). Duke are also on a nine-game winning streak, while the Volunteers are on a 6-7 run.
Arkansas vs. Kansas Predictions
Best Bet: Kansas -3.5 (-110)
This spread seems a little low. #1 Kansas easily defeated #16 Howard (96-68). They also covered the big -22 spread. #8 Arkansas eliminated #9 Illinois (73-63) despite shooting 3/11 (27.3%) on three-pointers.
Kansas just went 9/22 (40.9%) on three-pointers against the Bison. The Jayhawks also score a lot of easy buckets in transition. Arkansas might hang around in the first half, but Kansas will cover ATS.
Auburn vs. Houston Predictions
Best Bet: Houston -5.5 (-110)
#1 Houston struggled against #16 Northern Kentucky, but ended up winning (63-52). The Cougars are one of the top defensive teams (56.4 PPG – 2nd) and they rank #5 in offensive efficiency (1.126).
#9 Auburn exploded offensively and defeated #8 Iowa (83-75) in the first round, but the Tigers are only scoring 73.0 PPG (115th). Look for the Cougars to frustrate the Auburn offense in this match-up.
Maryland vs. Alabama Predictions
Best Bet: Alabama -9 (-110)
This game has the biggest point spread on Saturday. #1 Alabama dominated #16 Texas A&M-CC (96-75). The most impressive part of the win was that Bama’s leading scorer Brandon Miller (19.1 PPG) was held scoreless in 19 minutes. He isn’t 100%, but he should produce more against #8 Maryland.
The Terrapins defeated #9 West Virginia (67-65). Alabama score 82.6 PPG (3rd) and Maryland won’t be able to keep up on the scoreboard. If Bama scores 90+ points again, they’ll easily cover.
