NCAAB Betting: Everything You Need to Know to Bet on Today’s First Four Games

The March Madness betting season is here at last!

We have two thrilling First Four games on the schedule today. First, we’ll see Grambling State and Montana State battle for the final 16-seed. After that, we will see Colorado and Boise State battle for a more favorable 10-seed.

Both matchups are expected to be close, making them difficult to bet on. Below, we will give you the latest odds and insights into both matchups, giving everything you need to bet confidently at betting sites today.

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• Spread: Grambling +3.5 (-105) | Montana State -3.5 (-115)
• Moneyline: Grambling +146 | Montana State -178
• Total: Over 134.5 (-115) | Under 134.5 (-105) 

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Grambling State was fantastic in the SWAC this season, finishing with a 14-4 record. Their success came from their ability to play lock down defense. They were second in the conference in opponent scoring, allowing just 69.0 PPG. The problem is that they are tenth in scoring (67.6 PPG), leading to an ugly point differential of -1.4. That is a major red flag this time of season, and it isn’t the only one.

On top of their poor point differential, Grambling was awful when playing outside of the SWAC. They went 2-10 to start the season, losing to several small schools including Delaware State, Sam Houston, Troy, and SE Louisiana.

Montana State is lucky to be playing today. They finished fifth in the Big Sky, finishing with a 9-9 conference record. It’s hard to determine and trends or highlights from their schedule, failing to string together many wins. That all changed in the Big Sky Tournament when they won four straight games, posting an impressive +27-point differential.

The Bobcats biggest weapon is their ability to shoot from three. They led the Big Sky with a 36.7 3P% this season, led by guard Robert Ford II. The senior has been incredible this season, making 48% of his shots from the field and 42.6% from three. Hey, averaged 22.6 points and made almost 60% of his shots during the Big Sky Tournament.

• Spread: Colorado -2.5 (-110) | Boise State +2.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Colorado -150 | Boise State +125
• Total: Over 140.5 (-110) | Boise State 140.5 (-110) 

Odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook 

Colorado sports betting will see a big spike today as their hometown team takes on a very good Boise State team. Both teams have expectations to make a run in the NCAA Tournament, but only one will have a chance to do so.

The Buffaloes were considered a bubble team but won their final six games and reached Pac-12 Tournament Final to secure a March Madness bid. While they lack tier one wins, they were managed to defeat #22 Washington State in the conference tournament. The biggest concern is that they were blown out by Arizona twice, losing by a combined 67 points. Arizona is great but losing by 20 points at home is a red flag.

Colorado’s success comes from their incredible balance. They finished third in the Pac-12 in scoring (79.3 PPG) and opponent scoring (71.2 PPG), leading to the second-best point differential (8.1). Their defense has been especially great of late, holding opponents under 59 points in three of their previous four games. While they aren’t perfect, their balance is something that Boise State hasn’t seen.

Speaking of the Broncos, this is a VERY dangerous mid-major. They are solid on offense, but their defense is their strength. They allowed the third fewest points per game (67.5 PPG) in a Mountain West Conference that sent six teams to the NCAA Tournament. That’s more than the Pac-12, signaling Boise State was more challenged during the regular season.

There are two areas that will likely decide this game. The first is turnovers, which is something both teams struggled badly with all seasons. The other is free throws, an area where both excel.