A traditional 5-12 upset? NCAA Tournament odds for the first round of March Madness on Friday include the 12-seed Drake Bulldogs (27-7) against the fifth-seeded Miami Hurricanes (25-7). The game tips off at 7:25 p.m. EDT on TBS. The Bulldogs are spread underdogs and on the moneyline in Midwest region odds. The point total is set at . In this article, we break down everything you need to know before placing a bet on Drake March Madness odds, including team matchups, key metrics, and best available odds.
Click on the odds anywhere in this post to bet now and lock in the best sports betting bonus codes, if you are a new user at that sportsbook.
MIAMI VS. DRAKE BETTING ODDS
Betting the point spread is when you wager on how many points a team will win or lose by. A plus sign in front of the spread denotes the underdog, and a minus sign denotes the favorite. Betting the moneyline is simply betting on which particular team will win the game.
The betting total is the number of combined points the two teams will score. Bettors can choose to bet the over or under on how many total points will be scored in the game. To place a bet on Drake March Madness odds, click on the odds in the table.
Best 2023 March Madness Bracket Contests! Compete for huge prizes in these free college basketball bracket pools.
OUTSIDE SHOTS PODCAST: BETTING MARCH MADNESS
MIAMI VS DRAKE PLAYER PROPS
Browse and search NCAAM Player Props below among Miami vs. Drake odds. To place a bet, click on the odds in the table. This is a valuable tool that allows bettors to quickly compare odds and numbers when considering a prop bet. Shopping for the best prop number can be the difference in winning and losing a bet. Betting on college basketball player props is only available in CT, DC, IA, IL, IN LA, MD, NJ, OH, WA, WV, and WY; however, CT IA, IL, and NJ do not allow you to bet player props for players on in-state teams.
This table will populate once sportsbooks open player props for this game. You can also use our Prop Finder Tool.
Why Miami Can Cover
Miami boasts one of the best offensive units in the tournament, ranking 12th nationally in adjusted efficiency, according to KenPom. They’re led by junior guard Isaiah Wong (16.2 ppg), the ACC’s Player of the Year. His athleticism and knack for scoring in the paint will make Jim Larranaga’s squad a tough out. They busted brackets last year when they went to the Elite Eight, walloping 2-seed Auburn 79-61 in the process.
Aiding Wong’s ability to get to the rim is Larranaga’s offensive scheme. The Hurricanes offense relies on a high volume of screens, intending to get the basketball inside and attack the rim. Coincidently, defending the rim is a significant weakness of the Bulldogs. According to ShotQuality, Drake ranks 264th in the country at allowing high-quality finishes at the rim. This weakness was particularly evident in losses to the larger Richmond Spiders and Bradley Braves. Against Richmond, Darian DeVries’ squad yielded 46 points in the paint in an embarrassing 82-52 loss. In their 73-61 loss to Bradley in late February, they surrendered 38 points in the paint. Commit to attacking the paint, and you can beat the Bulldogs.
Although Drake is one of the better teams at defending ball screens, the Hurricanes can exploit Darnell Brodie‘s drop coverage in those situations. This strategy was particularly effective when the Bradley used it in their win on Feb. 26. Expect Larranaga to try and attack this as well.
Why Drake Can Cover
The Missouri Valley Player of the year, Tucker DeVries, is the straw that stirs the drink for the Bulldogs. His tremendous touch in the post, paired with his elite range from behind the arc make him a matchup nightmare for most tournament teams. His ability to space the floor with his shooting places extra stress on defenses and will be crucial to their success against Miami. Against elite guards, the Hurricanes have a knack for trapping them off ball screens and forcing turnovers. Wake Forest guard Tyree Appleby coughed up 12 of them in their February meeting.
Furthering the issue for Miami is Drake’s ability to defend without fouling. The veteran-laden Bulldogs commit only 14.9 fouls per game (No. 36 in D-1). Don’t expect the Hurricanes to score many points at the free-throw line, as they score just 17.5% of their total points from the charity stripe, the fourth lowest in the ACC. When their 3-point shooting goes cold, as it did in January against Syracuse, the Canes will need to find other ways to score. Against the Orange, Larranaga’s squad scored a whopping 25 points from the line and converted their offensive rebounds into 15 points. If their 3-point shooting falters again, scoring against the fundamentally sound Bulldogs will be difficult.
Drake’s elite ability to take care of the basketball is evident in their turnover percentage of 15.5% (No. 29 in D-1). This should aid their efforts in slowing down the high-octane Hurricanes offense, which loves to turn steals into easy transition buckets. Miami thrives in transition, ranking 25th in quick points off breakaway steals. If Drake can dictate tempo, they will neutralize Miami’s edge in transition. For reference, Miami ranks 20th in the country in fast break points, having notched 416 this season.
Defensively, Drake has been one of the stouter teams in D-1, mainly due to their ability to keep opponents off the offensive glass. The Bulldogs, led by 6-foot-10 Darnell Brodie, rank third across college basketball in offensive rebounding percentage allowed at just 22.4%. If Brodie is up to the task and limiting second-chance opportunities, Miami must pray their outside shots are falling Friday night. Bettors should note that Miami’s big man, Norchad Omier (3.5 ORPG), is dealing with an ankle injury and is considered day-to-day. If he is unable to go, Miami’s ability to scoop up second-chance points is further neutralized.
The Bulldogs are 5-1-1 ATS in neutral site games if you’re into trends.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Despite Miami’s ability to attack the rim and score breakaway points in transition, I’m willing to back Drake to dictate the tempo and grind this game out. For what it’s worth, a No. 12 seed has defeated a No. 5 seed in 32 of 37 tournaments. Last year, Richmond knocked off Iowa, and New Mexico State upset UConn. The Bulldogs are my pick to do it this season. Let’s back the Bulldogs and the hot-shooting DeVries. Good luck betting on Drake March Madness odds.
Derek’s Bet: Drake +3.5 (placed Sunday evening at BetMGM Sportsbook). Consider playing Drake live at +3.5 or better (over a possession).
Best Available Line: Drake
- Join TheLines’ free sports betting Discord channel with more than 4,300 community members talking college hoops every day.
Best March Madness Sports Betting Promos And Bonus Codes
3 Tips To Win Your Bracket Pools
