The Big South Conference men’s basketball tournament tips off on Wednesday, and one of 10 participants will earn a ticket to the dance. We’ll take a look at all of the pertinent 2023 Big South Tournament odds (courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook), schedule, and how you can watch. It all begins on March 1, yet UNC Asheville and Longwood — the co-favorites to win the tournament — won’t suit up until Friday.
Click on the odds below to place a bet.
Big South Tournament Odds
Tournament Notes
As of Wednesday morning, UNC Asheville and Longwood are both priced at +260 to advance to March Madness. That may appear odd (no pun intended) to bettors who haven’t paid to the Big South much in 2023, as the Bulldogs won the regular season title while sweeping the Lancers.
However, the betting market has taken notice. Similar to Morehead State, which is the favorite among OVC tournament odds, Mike Morrell’s group ranks No. 5 in KenPom’s “luck” factor. This department accounts for the deviation in winning percentage, baking in a team’s actual record with its expected record. Moreover, it utilizes the correlated gaussian method.
The Bulldogs finished off the regular season by winning 15 of their last 16 games, but a third of their overall victories came by two possessions or less. That’s a signal that they experienced “close-game luck.”
Granted, UNC Asheville possesses the top-rated adjusted defensive efficiency (per KenPom) in conference play. It also surrendered an average of 0.86 PPP in its wins over Longwood. Morrell’s crew is led by the 6-foot-11 Drew Pember, who provides a top-70 block percentage nationally. He even owns the highest possession rate among all Big South players, manufacturing 20.4 points per game in the process.
Meanwhile, the Lancers’ defensive rating finds itself right below the Bulldogs. They’re guided by their ball pressure via upperclassmen guards Isaiah Wilkins and Walyn Napper, forcing the 32nd-highest turnover rate across D-I. Plus, they have NCAA tournament experience, winning the Big South tournament last time around.
Further down the odds board sits Winthrop, last claiming the title in 2021. The Eagles showcase the conference’s top-rated adjusted offensive efficiency, paced by 6-foot-7 junior Kelton Talford (16.1 ppg).
Although the tournament is technically at a neutral site, the Bojangles Coliseum (located in downtown Charlotte, N.C.) certainly provide UNC Asheville with a bit of a home-court edge.
Big South Tournament Schedule
- First Round: Wednesday, March 1
- Quarterfinals: Friday, March 3
- Semifinals: Saturday, March 4
- Big South Championship: Sunday, March 5
How To Watch
The three rounds are available for viewing on ESPN+. On March 5, viewers can catch the Big South title game on ESPN2 at 1 p.m. ET. Here is the rest of the conference tournament schedule.
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