The first round of March Madness was full of surprises, with several upsets and close games. Now, lets continue and dig into the second round of the tournament.
No. 13 Furman (+205) over No. 5 San Diego St.
Don’t be discouraged by the fact that leading scorer Mike Bothwell fouled out early in the second half – even with him gone, the Paladins still had a shot to beat #4 ranked Virginia. And when going up against San Diego State, don’t worry about their enigmatic offense – if Bothwell can make an impact Saturday, Furman may have another shot of pulling off an upset!
Upset Pick: (#12) Furman Paladins +205
NCAAB Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook
No. 10 Penn State (+195) over No. 2 Texas
After sinking 8 of 10 from 3-point range and beating Texas A&M in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Penn State guard Andrew Funk said he felt a “confident rhythm” that helped him succeed. That confidence has also carried over to #10 Penn State’s upcoming game against second-seeded Texas – even though replicating his shooting effort may not be so easy this time around, the Nittany Lions are still feeling confident in their depth to come away with a win. They have a good chance to upset, especially after that a dominant performance against a 7th Seed.
Upset Pick: (#10) Penn State +195
NCAAB Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook
No. 9 Auburn (+200) over No. 1 Houston
I know what you’re think, 1st seed getting knocked out this early? This is crazy but hear me out cause this upset can actually happen. The tigers matchup quite well against Houston. Not only that, but the Cougars are also banged up in the backcourt going into the second round. Defensive Player of the year, Jamal Shead, is part of that backcourt and played through a hyperextended knee on Thursday. It is said that he will play saturday. Then there is their veteran point guard Marcus Sasser who reaggravate a groin injury and is questionable for Saturday. If he’s a no-go, I like Auburns chances here. So I’d recommend waiting for the final injury report to come out before placing this bet.
Upset Pick: (#9) Auburn Tigers +200
NCAAB Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook
