UMBC vs. Kansas State Prediction
Is No. 9 Kansas State the next up to be upset by No. 16 UMBC when the two meet in the second round of the NCAA Tournament tonight?
GAME SNAPSHOT
NCAA Tournament South Region: (711) UMBC vs. (712) Kansas State
Sunday, March 18, 2018
Location: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina
TV: truTV, 7:45PM ET
CURRENT ODDS
According to oddsmakers at YouWager, Kansas State is favored in this game, as the Wildcats are getting odds of -10 points against UMBC. The over/under total is currently listed at 135.5 points.
LINE MOVEMENT
The spread opened up with Kansas State as a 10.5-point favorite. The spread hit a peak of 11 points before falling to 10 points. The over/under total hasn’t changed since opening at 135.5 points.
Bet on College Basketball for Sunday, March 18, 2018
PUBLIC BETTING INFORMATION
The public is backing UMBC tonight. As of Sunday morning, the Retrievers are getting 53 percent of the wagers on this game as a big underdog against Kansas State.
KEY INJURIES
UMBC comes into this game healthy, with nobody listed on the injury report. Kansas State forward Dean Wade is listed as questionable to play due to a foot injury. Wade is the team’s leading scorer with 16.5 points per game. He also leads the team in rebounding with 6.3 boards per game. Wade couldn’t play in Friday’s win over Creighton and it is unclear if he will be able to suit up today.
BETTING STRATEGIES
We all know the story of UMBC, becoming the first 16 seed to upset a No. 1 seed by topping Virginia in impressive fashion, 74-54, on Friday night. The Retrievers were a 20.5-point underdog at game time. Kansas State opened its tournament with a 69-59 win over Creighton as a 2-point underdog.
The Wildcats couldn’t have imagined getting to face UMBC in the second round. This is not a position K-State is used to, being a double-digit favorite. This season, the Wildcats are just 1-4 against the spread when favored by double figures and 1-7 ATS when favored by 7 points or more.
UMBC wasn’t a fluke on Friday. The Retrievers dominated Virginia. They are a team that is shooting 38 percent from the arc this season and they will continue to let the shots fly. They had an edge playing Virginia, a team that isn’t good at playing catch up. K-State is a little better suited for a shootout, but with its leading scorer injured, I think this game will be close as well. I will take Cinderella with the points.
NCAA TOURNAMENT PREDICTIONS: UMBC +10.5