The NCAA Tournament field will be whittled down to 48 teams by the time first-round action picks up Friday. By the time the sun sets and we enter the weekend, 32 teams will be left — and they may not be the ones you expect given how March Madness lived up to its name Thursday.
The only problem you may have is consuming all the action that’s on the way this week. But if the only struggle with March Madness you have is finding second, third and fourth screens to catch the action, then you’re probably doing alright, huh?
Of course, getting some extra skin in the games may help put you in the tournament spirit (if you aren’t already there). Below, our CBS Sports experts have provided their insight with picks straight up and against the spread for some of the top games on Friday’s extended slate. Our expert brackets may offer some help on this front as well.
While surviving and advancing is clearly what matters for most, we care about whether these teams will cover their spreads, and we’ve tracked the season since November to be able to offer our own thoughts on every game.
Be sure to stick with CBS Sports throughout the rest of the month for NCAA Tournament coverage through the end of the Final Four. Let’s take a look at our expert picks for the final day of the first round on Friday.
Odds via Caesars Sportsbook | All times Eastern
Featured NCAA Tournament picks
(3) Baylor vs. (14) UCSB
Friday, 1:30 p.m. | TNT, March Madness Live: UCSB, which won 27 games this season, was likely a trendy 14-over-3 pick for people in their pools, which was … a mistake. This Baylor team has struggled to be consistent at various points this season, but it can score in bunches led by the second-most efficient offense in the sport and a top-40 3-point shooting team by percentage. Bears roll big. Pick: Baylor -11.5
Spread
UCSB +11.5
BU…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/2023-march-madness-predictions-ncaa-bracket-expert-picks-against-the-spread-odds-in-fridays-round-1-games/
Author : Kyle Boone
Publish date : 2023-03-17 02:44:45
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