How to bet on Friday’s NCAA Tournament games

How to the sportsbooks feel about Coach K and Duke? Can Notre Dame recover from Wednesday's 2-OT win and beat Alabama?

Wagering has leaned toward coach Mike Krzyzewski's Duke team.Read moreJohn Minchillo / AP

by Ed Barkowitz, For The Inquirer

Published March 17, 2022, 1:51 p.m. ET

A recent study from the financial website WalletHub said March Madness costs American businesses $13.8 billion in lost productivity.

You can be sure the Philadelphia area will be doing its part in this festival of malingering with the Villanova-Delaware game scheduled for 2:45 on a Friday where the temperature is expected to reach the 70s. If the boss calls, I ain’t here.

With that, here’s a look at the second day of Round 1.

12:15 p.m./CBS - Loyola-Chicago (pick’em) vs. Ohio State (132.5)

Ohio State opened as a 1.5-point underdog, but respected money has been on the Buckeyes’ side enough to move this game to a pick’em. Last season, the Buckeyes were shocked by Oral Roberts in a No. 2-15 game. So the motivation should be there. Loyola has changed coaches since Porter Moser took them to a Final Four (2018) and Sweet 16 (2021). Against the spread records: Loyola-Chicago 12-15-4, Ohio State 15-15. Pick: Ohio State, which admittedly staggered down the stretch in losing four of their final five, to win.

» READ MORE: NCAA Tournament men's basketball bracket

12:40 p.m./truTV - Auburn (-14.5) vs. Jacksonville State (139.5)

The only reason Jacksonville State is here is because Atlantic Sun tournament champion Bellarmine is ineligible as it transitions to Division I. JSU is fifth in the nation in three-point shooting at 38.8%. Can’t recommend Auburn laying the points, but over 139 is in play. ATS records: Auburn 19-13, Jacksonville State 17-12.

1:45 p.m./TNT - Texas Tech (-14.5) vs. Montana State (131.5)

A good prop would be whether Texas Tech will advance further with first-year coach Mark Adams than in-state behemoth Texas, which is led by former long-time Texas Tech coach Chris Beard. “Mattress Mack” would have loved this. They’re virtually playing back-to-back on Friday. ATS records: Texas Tech 21-13, Montana St. 17-14-1.

2 p.m./TBS - Purdue (-16) vs. Yale (143)

Obviously the level of competition was superior to what the Boilermakers will face here, but they closed the season on an 0-8-2 run against the spread. Eight of those 10 games, all against Big Ten rivals, also were “under” the total points. ATS records: Purdue 13-19-2, Yale 14-15.

2:45 p.m./CBS - Villanova (-15.5) vs. Delaware (133.5)

Billy Witz from the New York Times has Villanova winning the national title. I have them going out in the second round. If he’s right, interest level stays high around here for a few weeks, and that’s OK by me. Imagine, though, the partying in Newark (and on Hawk Hill) if Jameer Nelson Jr. helps Delaware pull a stunner here over hated Villanova? The line opened at 17, so respected money is on Delaware. ATS records: Villanova 16-16-1, Delaware 15-18.

3:10 p.m./truTV - USC (-1.5) vs. Miami (140.5)

Furl your eyebrows if anyone brings up the stat that USC was 11-0 against non-conference opponents without mentioning that none of those 11 made it to the NCAA Tournament. Still like the Trojans, who went to the Elite 8 last year, against Miami, which hasn’t won a tournament game since 2016. ATS records: USC 15-18, Miami 18-14-1. Pick: USC’s experience to cover the 1.5.

4:15 p.m./TNT - Alabama (-4) vs. Notre Dame (152.5)

Notre Dame’s reward for beating Rutgers in Dayton is a date with the Crimson Tide less than 48 hours later. At least it’s in San Diego. Alabama was sixth in the nation with 963 three-point attempts (30.1 per game) and 311th in three-point accuracy at 30.8%. The Tide also were 2-11 against the spread in their last 13 games against teams that made the NCAA Tournament. ATS records: Alabama 11-20-1, Notre Dame 18-14. Pick: Notre Dame getting 4. After all, this isn’t football.

4:30 p.m./TBS - Texas (-1) vs. Virginia Tech (123.5)

Texas lost four of six to close the season, going 0-5-1 against the number. Virginia Tech stunned the ACC by winning the conference tournament as the seventh seed. ATS records: Texas 12-20, Virginia Tech 18-16-1.

6:50 p.m./TNT - Illinois (-8) vs. Chattanooga (135.5)

Buddy of mine was pumped a couple weeks ago to get Illinois at 30-1 to win the national title. Today, it’s 50-1. Welcome to sports betting. Digging Chattanooga with the points, but will need a sizable effort from point guard Malachi Smith (6-4, 205 pounds), the Southern Conference player of the year. ATS records: Illinois 13-18, Chattanooga 17-15. Pick: Under 135.5.

7:10 p.m./CBS - Duke (-18.5) vs. Cal-State Fullerton (145.5)

Rumors that CBS will cancel the tournament if Mike Krzyzewski loses before the Sweet 16 are unfounded. Probably. Duke’s been a popular pick to win the national title at sportsbooks nationwide, so the bookies wouldn’t mind an early exit. ATS records: Duke 17-15-2, Cal-State Fullerton 16-11-2.

7:20 p.m./TBS - LSU (-4) vs. Iowa State (128.5)

Iowa State entered the week 293rd in points per game, LSU fired its coach last week. So expect a slugfest. Iowa State’s top scorer is Izaiah Brockington, a Penn State transfer and Archbishop Ryan alum who was the Big 12′s Newcomer of the Year. LSU’s team total is 66.5, Iowa State’s is 62.5. ATS records: LSU 19-14, Iowa St. 17-15.

7:27 p.m./truTV - Arizona (-21.5) vs. Wright State (156.5)

The last of the No. 1 seeds to play, Arizona was 50-1 to win the title on Nov. 9 at Caesars. They were about 6-1 entering the tournament, second on the board only to Gonzaga (3-1). Arizona’s team total against Wright State is an outrageous 90.5. Not worth playing, but still interesting to watch. ATS records: Arizona 20-13-1. Wright St. 15-19.

9:20 p.m./TNT - Houston (-8.5) vs. UAB (136)

Alabama-Birmingham is sixth in the nation in scoring (80.7 per), and 19th in three-point shooting (37.9%). Both teams are peaking, but the choice here is UAB to cover. ATS records: Houston 22-12, UAB 18-13-1. Pick: Alabama-Birmingham getting 8.5.

9:40 p.m./CBS - Michigan State (-1) vs. Davidson (140)

Davidson point guard Foster Loyer played three modest seasons at Michigan State where he averaged 2.6 points in 86 career games. He averaged 16.3 this year for the Wildcats. Michigan State lost in the First Four last year, and has not gone consecutive seasons without winning an NCAA Tournament game in 25 years. ATS records: Michigan St. 18-15-1, Davidson 20-12.

9:50 p.m./TBS - Wisconsin (-8) vs. Colgate (139.5)

Game’s in Milwaukee, which is why the line’s so high. Like the over, instead. Colgate averages 76.1 points per game, is second in the nation in three-point shooting at 40.3%, and won at Syracuse in November, 100-85.Pick: Over 139. ATS records: Wisconsin 17-14, Colgate 17-15-1. Pick: The over is tempting, but the ‘dogs at plus-8 is the call.

9:57 p.m./truTV - Seton Hall (-1) vs. TCU (129)

“It’s going to be a scary, scary, scary, scary sight for Seton Hall and for any team we’re going up against,” TCU forward Emanuel Miller gushed upon hearing the Horned Frogs’ first-round opponent. “We know how much the fans got our back. We know how much the coaches believe in us. We know what we’re capable of. They gave us a chance. Now it’s time.” Dare you spend the final game of the first round fading Emanuel Miller? ATS records: Seton Hall 14-16, TCU 18-11-3.