You can’t fault someone for being a casual college basketball fan. Look at how every season begins.
Troy (+13.5) over Nebraska
The Cornhuskers are the only team from a power conference that has never won an NCAA Tournament game — and ending the drought won’t come easy.
Since starting 20-0 and becoming one of the season’s best stories, Nebraska has gone 6-6.
The Cornhuskers’ inability to score easy points — they are among the nation’s lowest-ranked teams in free-throw attempts and fast-break points — will increase the pressure in this long-awaited opportunity.
They face an opponent that is making its second straight tournament appearance, is 6-2 against the spread as an underdog this season and performed well in its toughest tests (winning at San Diego State, losing at USC in triple overtime).
Nebraska has also covered just three of its past 11 games as a double-digit favorite.
High Point (+10.5) over Wisconsin
The Panthers are as dangerous as any potential Cinderella in the field, boasting a 30-4 record, a 90-point-per-game offense and the best turnover margin in the nation.
Meanwhile, Wisconsin coach Greg Gard carries the scars of two losses against No. 12 seeds since 2019, plus a near-upset to a 14-seed.
Hawaii (+15.5) over Arkansas
The public is betting heavily on the Hogs after watching Darius Acuff Jr. lead his team to the SEC title, but the sharp money is on the Rainbow Warriors, whose disciplined defense, depth and large frontcourt — anchored by 7-footer Isaac Johnson — can create problems for John Calipari, who has stumbled in his past two trips as such a heavy favorite, falling to No. 15 seed St. Peter’s (2022) and No. 14 seed Oakland (2024).
Even if Acuff runs wild, Arkansas’ subpar defense leaves an opening.
Saint Mary’s (-3.5) over Texas A&M
The Aggies will try to push the pace, but the Gaels would continue crawling if Michael Myers were stalking them.
In addition to ranking fourth in the nation in rebounding rate (Texas A&M is 149th) and 11th in 3-point percentage (38.8), Saint Mary’s can be trusted as the owner of the best free-throw rate (80.5) in the country.
Texas A&M — which is 4-7 in its past 11 games — will pay for its overaggressiveness, averaging more than 19 fouls per game.
Randy Bennett has reached the second round in three of the past four years.
Betting on College Basketball?
Houston (-23.5) over Idaho
The Cougars don’t play with their food.
Under Kelvin Sampson, Houston has been a No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3 seed five times since 2019, winning those games by an average of nearly 30 points.
Another elite defense will smother the overmatched Vandals — a No. 7 seed in the Big Sky Tournament, which went 3-7 against the spread as an underdog this season — while lottery pick Kingston Flemings raises the offensive ceiling of last season’s runner-up.
This season: 2-2
2011-25 record: 403-371-12
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Howie Kussoy has long been the New York Post’s main handicapper in college basketball (since 2011) and college football (since 2013).
