Elite Eight NCAA Tournament Day One Odds (March 29)
- The Elite Eight tips-off Monday (March 29th), with two games starting at 7:25 pm ET
- 12-seed Oregon State can become the lowest seed ever to reach the Final Four
- See below for analysis on Monday’s Elite Eight odds
Half of the Elite Eight field is now set, and believe it or not, 12-seed Oregon State is still standing. The Beavers knocked off heavily favored Loyola Chicago in the Sweet 16 and will look to continue their Cinderella run on Monday (March 29th), versus 2-seed Houston at 7:25 pm ET.
Elite Eight Odds – Monday, March 29
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total at FanDuel | Date / Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (12) Oregon State | +8.0 (-110) | +285 | Over 130.0 (-110) | Mon. 7:25 pm ET |
| (2) Houston | -8.0 (-110) | -355 | Under 130.0 (-110) | |
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total | Time |
| (3) Arkansas | +7.0 (-106) | +260 | Over 148.5 (-110) | Mon. 9:57 pm ET |
| (1) Baylor | -7.0 (-116) | -320 | Under 148.5 (-110) |
Odds taken March 28th.
The Cougars easily dispatched 11-seed Syracuse on Saturday, building a 10-point lead by halftime and cruising to a 16-point win. The Midwest Region matchup will be followed by 1-seed Baylor against 3-seed Arkansas in a South Region tilt, with the Bears returning to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2012.
Bettors All Over Beavers
Everyone loves an underdog story, so it’s no surprise that bettors are racing to online sportsbooks to bet Oregon State at +8. The Beavers have received 76% of the early bets versus the Cougars, and a staggering 80% of the money.
Oregon State gets the W 💪
The Beavs are tied for the lowest seed to make the Elite 8 since 2002. pic.twitter.com/HNTSATdaRR
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 27, 2021
Monday’s contest will mark the sixth straight game that Oregon State has been an underdog of at least 5.5-points, and they’ve won outright each time. They were 7-point underdogs against the Ramblers in the Sweet 16, and after a slow start, they built an 8-point halftime lead and didn’t look back.
Oregon State was picked 12th in the Pac-12 Preseason Poll.
It just advanced to the Elite Eight.
Anarchy?
Nope. Just College Basketball.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 27, 2021
The Beavers can become the first 12-seed to ever reach the Final Four, and if they do advance, much of the credit will go to senior Ethan Thompson. The 6-5 guard has poured in 48 points over the past two games, which includes 23 makes at the free-throw line on 24 attempts.
Houston on the other hand, flew under the radar most of the season and are doing so again at the NCAA Tournament. They won the AAC Tournament in convincing fashion, and have posted two blowout March Madness wins sandwiched in between a tight victory over Rutgers.
In Saturday's #MarchMadness Elite Eight win over Syracuse, Cougar defense set two school records in NCAA Tournament play
• Fewest points allowed – 46
• Lowest FG% allowed – 28.0 (14-of-50)#ForTheCity x #GoCoogs pic.twitter.com/SzPgDI5Ju9— Houston Men's Hoops 🏀 🐾 (@UHCougarMBK) March 28, 2021
The total for the Oregon State-Houston matchup may seem low at just 130, but don’t forget the Cougars have surrendered 57 points or less to seven of their past 10 opponents.
Baylor Getting Bulk of Early Action
In the South Region meanwhile, the early betting isn’t quite as one-sided, but Baylor is the clear choice. The Bears have received 64% of the bets so far as 7-point favorites, and 70% of the total money.
𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 = 𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐄.
Presented by Wells Fargo#SicEm 🐻 | #TimeIsNow 🏀 pic.twitter.com/ajdwdh1M0a
— Baylor Men’s Basketball (@BaylorMBB) March 27, 2021
Baylor didn’t have its A game on Saturday, but despite shooting 15.7% from three, and getting single digit outputs from its top-two scorers, still beat Villanova by 11. The 11-point margin of victory was as close as anyone has come to the Bears all tournament, and it’s scary to think about how tough they’ll be to beat if everything clicks.
Baylor had one of its worst shooting days of the season and still beat Villanova by double figures. Bears advance to the Elite Eight for the third time under Scott Drew.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 27, 2021
Arkansas on the other hand, overcame a 12-point deficit against 15-seed Oral Roberts, and faded a desperation three at the buzzer to earn a 72-70 win. The Razorbacks failed to cover for the first time all tournament, and saw the under hit in one of their games for the fifth time in a row.
Coming 🔜 pic.twitter.com/kPz8fqJOQx
— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) March 28, 2021
Games involving Arkansas usually sport inflated totals due to the Razorbacks’ offensive prowess, but beware of betting over 148.5 in this matchup. Baylor has allowed an average of only 56.3 points through three games, while Arkansas is averaging 75 points per outing, 7 points less than its season average.
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As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
