The 2026 NCAA Tournament is finally here! March Madness gets underway with a pair of First Four matchups on Tuesday, March 17th. That means it’s time to dive into our College Basketball First Four Best Bets Today. Check out the top college basketball picks below as you cash your own bets. Note that all odds and betting lines are accurate as of this writing, but are always subject to change. Good luck, and enjoy these college basketball predictions! 

College Basketball First Four Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 3/17

Our college basketball First Four best bets today begin with a matchup of No. 16 seeds as UMBC takes on Howard. Which team will advance on in the March Madness bracket? Read on to find out! Plus, our college basketball picks feature the First Four showdown between Texas and NC State. Check out more college basketball predictions below, as we pinpoint some player props and other ways to get in on the action. Enjoy the start of the NCAA Tournament with our college basketball First Four best bets today. 

 

 

 

UMBC vs. Howard Prediction: Tuesday, 3/17

The First Four gets underway with Tuesday’s early matchup between No. 16 seeds UMBC and Howard. It’s an interesting game featuring teams from Maryland and Washington, D.C., whose campuses are just 30 miles apart. The winner will earn the honor of facing No. 1 seed Michigan in the Midwest region of the NCAA Tournament bracket. 

UMBC is the slight favorite, and we’re backing the Retrievers to get the victory. The America East champions boast a few slight edges that should make a difference against Howard, the MEAC league winners. Let’s break down why the UMBC moneyline is the way to go for our college basketball First Four best bets today. 

Howard does two things very well on offense. The Bison rank 20th in the country in offensive rebounding rate and 11th in free-throw attempts rate. However, UMBC is also strong defensively in both areas. The Retrievers are 15th nationally in defensive rebounding and 8th in free throws allowed. 

UMBC should limit how much Howard gets to the free-throw line and grabs offensive boards. If that’s the case, then points will be tough to come by for the Bison. They are among the worst in the country at taking care of the ball (343rd in offensive turnover rate), and they struggle to score inside (262nd in two-point offense). Those issues will come to the forefront if the Bison aren’t getting the second-chance points or freebies at the line like they’re used to. 

On the other end, UMBC’s own ability to avoid turnovers will be key. The Retrievers rank 27th nationally in offensive turnover rate with a trio of trusted ball-handlers to lean on. Backcourts usually matter more in March, and UMBC has a veteran one with Ace Valentine, Jah’likai King, and DJ Armstrong anchoring the offense. 

The Retrievers also bring in a balanced offensive attack that can beat Howard in multiple ways. UMBC is shooting a solid 35.9% from three-point range (67th in Division I). Plus, big man Jose Roberto Tanchyn can be an X-factor who can own the paint in this game. The Bison don’t have the size or frontcourt depth to combat him inside. Tanchyn is averaging 9.1 rebounds over the past 14 games and can dominate the boards on both ends. 

Texas vs. NC State Prediction: Tuesday, 3/17

This is a fascinating First Four matchup featuring a pair of power-conference teams who were among the last at-large bids into the NCAA Tournament bracket. The winner of Texas vs. NC State will move on as the No. 11 seed in the West region and face No. 6 seed BYU in the first round. Let’s break it down. 

Both Texas and NC State enter this matchup on cold streaks. The Longhorns have lost 5 of their last 6 games, while the Wolfpack is just 2-7 over their past 9 contests. Honestly, you can make a case for either squad to come out ahead in a pick’em game. Instead of worrying about that, let’s target the total. 

We should see plenty of points scored on both sides. Texas boasts the 13th-best offensive efficiency in the country, per KenPom, while averaging 83.8 PPG this season (26th in Division I). Meanwhile, NC State is 20th nationally in offensive efficiency and scores 83.7 PPG (27th). Both teams are built on strong offensive play, while the pair of defenses is very lackluster. 

The Longhorns are 112th in the country in defensive efficiency while struggling in many areas on that end of the court. They rank 346th nationally in forcing turnovers, 299th in three-point defense, and 307th in allowing free-throw attempts. Plus, Texas has given up 85.6 PPG over the past 7 games entering this matchup. 

As for NC State, it’s not much better on defense. The Wolfpack ranks 269th in effective field-goal percentage allowed, 287th in three-point defense, and 226th in opposing free-throw attempts rate. They’ve also given up 88.8 PPG over the last 6 games. 

All in all, expect both offenses to take advantage of their respective matchups. We could see Texas and NC State score 80+ points apiece in a back-and-forth shootout. Furthermore, the over has cashed in 12 of the last 15 games for the Wolfpack. Meanwhile, the over is 7-3 in the Longhorns’ past 10 contests. 

 

 


 

Best College Basketball First Four Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 3/17

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