At the beginning of nearly any NCAA tournament Kentucky will rate among the favorites to win it all. Few Betting on college basketball brands are more respected or better known than the Wildcats. And that is certainly the case for the Jacksonville Regional where U of K is the clear-cut favorite to advance to the Sweet 16 next week. Certainly, the SEC regular season champion LSU Tigers would have been a top choice. But head coach Will Wade is out because of a damning FBI tape. Meanwhile the Maryland Terrapins could be the wild card of the Jacksonville regional.
2019 NCAA Tournament Jacksonville Regional
Date and Time: March 21 and March 23, 2019
Location: VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville Regional TV Coverage: Tru TV and CBS
Let’s take a look at Thursday’s Jacksonville Regional matchups!
Yale Bulldogs vs. LSU Tigers, 12:40 p.m. ET, Tru TV
Yale won the Ivy League tournament based in large part on the nation’s 24th ranked offense. Simultaneously Miye Oni has emerged as a key betting on college basketball asset with 17.6 points per game to lead the Bulldogs. LSU could be a strong contrarian play due to the FBI controversy. In fact, the Bayou Bengals covered the spread in 19 of 31 tries this year. LSU has paid in five of their last six and has an offense even better than Yale’s.
| Team | Spread | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yale | +8 (-110) | 160½ (-110) | |
| LSU | -8 (-110) | 129 (-110) | |
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First Four winner vs. Maryland Terrapins, 3:10 p.m. ET, Tru TV
Maryland’s good online wagering value was based on a vastly improved defense. As an example, the Terps ranked in the upper ten percent nationally for points allowed. Of great concern is an offense that was among the most inconsistent in the nation this season. Head coach Mark Turgeon has turned down the heat on his seat, at least temporarily.
Abilene Christian Wildcats vs. Kentucky Wildcats, 7:10 p.m. ET, CBS
Although it is true that Kentucky is a consistent overlay, they provided good betting value for the first three months of the season. However, U of K does limp into March Madness with just two payouts in their last eight games. Head coach John Calipari does get a full court effort out of his team. But consistency has been a constant problem with the Wildcats. Abilene Christian is one of the hottest teams on the board with six payouts in their last eight games. Defense is the bedrock of Abilene as they ranked a dominant 19th for points allowed.
| Team | Spread | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abilene Christian | +22½ (-110) | 132 (-110) | |
| Kentucky | -22½ (-110) | 132 (-110) | |
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Seton Hall Pirates vs. Wofford Terriers, 9:40 p.m. ET, CBS
Owing to a strong showing in the Big East tournament does Seton Hall get a Big Dance invite. The Pirates have covered seven of their last ten to bring momentum to the board. Further, Myles Powell brings a strong presence and 22.9 points per game. By contrast Wofford is even hotter with nine cash outs in their last 10 games as champions of the Southern. The Terriers were the 12th ranked scoring team in the land.
| Team | Spread | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seton Hall | +3 (-110) | 142 (-110) | |
| Wofford | -3 (-110) | 142 (-110) | |
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Matchup to Watch
On this occasion Wofford brings a sharp shooting offense and full court presence. Fletcher Magee is a Betting on college basketball asset with 20.5 points per game.
Jacksonville Regional NCAA games Betting Odds Picks
In sum Wofford could be the best bet in the Jacksonville regional!
Jacksonville NCAA Betting Online Pick: Wofford Terriers
Jacksonville NCAA Betting Online Score Prediction: Wofford 84, Seton Hall 67
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