March Madness without the mayhem: NCAA Tournament short on upsets, Cinderellas after first round The first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament delivered a starkly predictable outcome, with top-seeded teams dominating their matchups and upsets remaining scarce. Favorites went 16-0 during Friday’s slate of games, marking the first time since 1992 that all top seeds advanced without a single loss. CBS Sports’ analysis revealed 14 teams won by 20 or more points in the opening two days, a record for the Round of 64. The tournament’s most lopsided victory came from No. 1 seed Florida, which crushed Prairie View A&M 114-55. The Gators set multiple single-game records, including a 64.3 field goal percentage, 29 assists, and a 59-point margin of victory. Florida joined five other teams in surpassing 100 points, a feat unmatched in NCAA Tournament history. Double-digit seeds also had a strong showing, with High Point (12th), VCU (11th), Texas (11th), and Texas A&M (10th) all advancing. High Point’s first-ever NCAA Tournament win came in a Thursday matchup against fifth-seeded Wisconsin, while VCU staged a historic comeback against sixth-seeded North Carolina. The Rams erased a 19-point deficit in their game, marking the largest first-round comeback in tournament history and the sixth-largest overall. Duke, the top seed, narrowly avoided a massive upset against 16th-seeded Siena. The Blue Devils overcame an 11-point halftime deficit, the largest ever for a No. 1 seed against a No. 16 opponent. Coach Jon Scheyer acknowledged the challenge, noting the team’s struggles early in the game and the pressure to rally. Standout performances highlighted the tournament’s first round. Kentucky’s overtime victory over Santa Clara featured a dramatic buzzer-beater from Otega Oweh, who scored 35 points to lead the Wildcats.#florida #duke #ncaa_tournament #prairie_view_am #siena
Florida vs. Prairie View A&M Odds, March Madness Predictions: 2026 NCAA Tournament Picks from Proven Model The 16th-seeded Prairie View A&M Panthers will face the top-seeded Florida Gators in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Friday. Prairie View A&M, which defeated Lehigh 67-55 in the First Four, enters the matchup on an eight-game winning streak. The Panthers finished eighth in the SWAC standings with a 9-9 record. Florida, the SEC regular-season champions with a 16-2 conference mark, lost its semifinal game to Vanderbilt 91-74. The Gators have won 12 of their last 13 games. The game will take place at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida, with a tipoff time of 9:25 p.m. ET. Florida is listed as a 35.5-point favorite in the latest odds, while the total points scored are set at 154.5. SportsLine’s Projection Model, which has a strong track record of accuracy in college basketball predictions, has simulated the matchup 10,000 times. The model’s analysis suggests the game will be a high-scoring affair, with the Over (155.5 points) projected to win in more than half of the simulations. The model’s projections highlight key player contributions. Prairie View A&M is expected to have three players scoring 19 points or more, with Dontae Horne projected to lead the way at 19 points. Florida, meanwhile, is predicted to have six players scoring 11 points or more, with Thomas Haugh projected to score 20 points. The model’s total point projection of 157 aligns with the Over’s dominance in the simulations. SportsLine’s model also notes that Prairie View A&M is 10-0 against the spread in its last 10 games, while Florida is 6-4 ATS in its last 10 contests.#ncaa_tournament #sportsline #florida_gators #benchmark_international_arena #prairie_view_am
March Madness Odds: 2 Best Bets for Wednesday's First Four Games The First Four games of the NCAA Tournament kicked off on Wednesday, featuring matchups between Lehigh and Prairie View A&M, as well as Miami (OH) and SMU. Analysts from FanDuel Sportsbook identified two key betting opportunities based on team performance metrics and historical trends. The first game, Lehigh (16th seed) vs. Prairie View A&M (16th seed), presented a strong case for backing the under 143.5 points line at -110 odds. Both teams struggled offensively, ranking 290th and 310th, respectively, in offensive efficiency according to KenPom. Their defensive capabilities were also limited, with neither team in the top 230 in defensive rankings. However, both squads excelled at limiting three-point attempts, with Lehigh allowing just 32.2% of opponents’ three-pointers and Prairie View A&M keeping the rate at 34.6%. This trend toward fewer long-range shots made the under line an appealing option. The second matchup, Miami (OH) (11th seed) vs. SMU (11th seed), leaned heavily on statistical analysis. Despite Miami’s 11-1 record, their performance in close games raised concerns about their overall strength. The RedHawks had won their last three contests by exactly two points, suggesting a team reliant on narrow margins. KenPom ranked SMU 42nd overall compared to Miami’s 93rd, while Torvik’s projections placed SMU at 42nd and Miami at 86th. SMU’s offensive efficiency (26th) and defensive ranking (91st) also outpaced Miami’s offensive (70th) and defensive (156th) marks. Although SMU had a recent losing streak, their stronger schedule (51st strength of schedule) contrasted with Miami’s weaker slate (269th). The analysis favored SMU to cover the spread despite their recent struggles.#ncaa_tournament #smu #miami_oh #lehigh #prairie_view_am
