NCAA Tournament Odds: Latest Betting Trends Heading Into Elite Eight
The Texas Tech Red Raiders will be looking to claim their first Final Four berth in program history when they hit the court against the top-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs on Saturday in Elite Eight action at this year’s NCAA Tournament as 4-point underdogs on the March Madness odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
No. 3 Texas Tech maintained the stingy play that made them one of the top defensive squads in the nation this season while knocking off No. 2 Michigan 63-44 as a 1.5-point underdog in Thursday’s Sweet Sixteen action, and now has surrendered just 53 points per game in three tournament victories going into Saturday night’s West Region matchup at Honda Center.
In addition to posting straight-up wins in 12 of 13 outings, the Red Raiders have emerged as a steady bet at the sportsbooks, going 11-2 against the spread during that stretch, according to the OddsShark College Basketball Database. However, the team has produced mixed results as a betting underdog this season, going 2-3 SU and ATS, with those outright wins coming against also-rans Nebraska and Texas.
The Bulldogs make their third trip to the Elite Eight in five years after posting a lopsided 72-58 victory over No. 4 Florida State as 7.5-point favorites. Gonzaga has been dominant since mid-December, marching to SU wins in 24 of 25 contests, while averaging 85.7 points per game, but must overcome a shaky 1-2 SU record in three previous regional final appearances.
Over in the South Region, the top-seeded Virginia Cavaliers will be aiming to punch their ticket to a Final Four appearance for the first time since 1984 as they take on No. 3 Purdue as 4.5-point favorites on the March Madness lines. The Cavaliers were pushed to the brink in their 53-49 win over No. 12 Oregon as 8.5-point chalk on the Sweet Sixteen odds, continuing their recent struggles at sports betting sites with their fourth ATS loss in six outings.
Conversely, the Boilermakers have been dominant while driving towards their first Elite Eight berth in 19 years, following up lopsided SU and ATS wins over Old Dominion and defending national champion Villanova on opening weekend with a 99-94 upset of No. 2 Tennessee as 1.5-point underdogs on Thursday.
The Elite Eight then wraps up on Sunday, with No. 1 Duke taking on No. 2 Michigan State in the East Region and No. 5 Auburn up against No. 2 Kentucky in the Midwest Region. The winners of the weekend’s four matchups will then advance to the Final Four in Minneapolis.
