Following Thursday’s Round of 16 matchups, the final four spots in the Round 8 are up for grabs in the regional semifinals on Friday, March 27.
Today’s action begins with No. 5 St. John’s vs. No. 1 Duke at 7:10 p.m. ET on CBS, and No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 2 Iowa State will wrap up today’s schedule with a 10:10 p.m. ET tip-off on TBS and truTV.
Let’s navigate point spreads and totals for today on PrizePicks Team Picks, circling college basketball projections for the best Friday NCAA Tournament picks in the Round of 16.
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Friday’s Best NCAA Tournament Picks for Round of 16 Games
Tonight’s slate is chock-full of championship DNA, as St. John’s head coach Rick Pitino (two), UConn head coach Dan Hurley (two), and Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo (one) have a combined five national championships.
Plus, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer (one), Alabama head coach Nate Oats (one), and Michigan head coach Dusty May (one) all have one national semifinal appearance since 2023.
These coaches know how to win, setting the stage for high-level battles on Friday night.
Keep tabs on the Playbook’s college basketball coverage for predictions for all of Friday’s Round of 16 games and this weekend’s Round of 8 contests. But for now, we’ll focus on our two favorite picks for today among projections on PrizePicks Team Picks.
All NCAA Tournament spreads and over/unders are via PrizePicks Team Picks. Numbers represent what you will earn if you win — i.e. 2x means a $100 entry pays out $200.
Payouts are live as of publishing. All are subject to change.
No. 5 St. John’s vs. No. 1 Duke Pick on Over/Under for NCAA Tournament
Over/Under Pick: Over 139.5 (1.75x) | Under 139.5 (2.08x)
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
- St. John’s has found itself in plenty of low-scoring games of late, with the under 9-1 in its last 10 games.
- According to Bart Torvik, Duke boasts the top adjusted defensive efficiency, allowing only 63.1 points per game (99th percentile).
- The Blue Devils are in the 73rd percentile for the slowest adjusted tempos, compared to the Red Storm in the 81st percentile for the quickest adjusted tempos.
- The possession battle could be vital for controlling the pace, and Duke is in the 98th percentile for offensive and defensive rebound rates, while St. John’s ranks in the 88th and 77th percentiles for the categories.
- Pitino deploys his patented press defense for the Johnnies, forcing 13.6 turnovers per game (92nd percentile).
- The Blue Devils may have the answer with 10.6 turnovers per contest (73rd percentile), and Duke starting PG Caleb Foster could return from injury tonight.
- Paired with potentially controlling the pace, Duke is in the 95th percentile for close-2 shot distribution allowed.
- St. John’s is in the 85th percentile of close-2 shot distribution and shoots only 33.2% on 3-pointers (40th percentile).
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No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 2 UConn Pick on Spread for NCAA Tournament
CBB Spread Pick: Michigan State +1.5 (1.96x) | UConn -1.5 (1.85x)
Time: 9:45 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
- Over the last seven games, UConn is 3-4 against the spread (ATS), while Michigan State touts a 5-2 mark.
- The Spartans have covered their last two games as an underdog.
- This is truly a neck-and-neck matchup, as Bart Torvik ranks MSU 25th and 14th in adjusted offensive and defensive efficiencies, while the Huskies are 27th and 13th.
- In a tight matchup, the battle of the glass could be key. UConn ranks in the 93rd and 84th percentiles for offensive and defensive rebounding rates.
- Michigan State is one step ahead in the 97th and 100th percentiles of the two categories.
- The Spartans shoot 36.5% on 3-pointers (89th percentile), and Connecticut converts only 34.7% of its looks from deep (63rd percentile).
- Free throws could be another deciding factor, and the Huskies are in the 18th percentile for personal fouls per play, while MSU is in the 68th percentile of the department.
Make Friday NCAA Tournament Picks on PrizePicks
Will Duke’s elite defense force a low-scoring game vs. St. John’s? Izzo and his Spartans are a strong underdog in a “toss-up game” against UConn. The action doesn’t stop there, with PrizePicks Team Picks featuring game winners, point spreads, and totals for all Round of 16 games on Friday, March 27.
March isn't just about your bracket. You can make your NCAA Tournament picks for every game on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money if you're right.
Just pick players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and cash in if you’re correct. With Team Picks, make real-money predictions on winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 35 states.
Keep tabs on the Playbook for continued college basketball predictions, picks, and news all the way through the NCAA Tournament.
