Northwestern March Madness Odds: First Rd. NCAA Tournament

The first round of the NCAA tournament features the Northwestern Wildcats, seeded seventh in the West Region, facing the Boise State Broncos, seeded 10th. Northwestern plays at 7:35 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 16 in Sacramento, with coverage on truTV. Current odds for this college basketball showdown have Northwestern as spread favorites and moneyline favorites, with an over/under of . Here, we’ll take a look at this game as part of a wider snapshot of Northwestern March Madness odds.

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Northwestern vs. Boise State Betting Odds

Below, bettors can find the best available Northwestern March Madness odds across legal U.S. sportsbooks. Use the dropdown in the top left to change from spread betting options to moneyline or wagers on the over/under.

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Northwestern Vs. Boise State Player Props

Player prop odds for Northwester vs. Boise State will populate below once they become available, usually a day or so before tip-off. You will often find a wider spread of prices on small markets like player props, so it’s very important to shop for the best numbers. You can also use our prop finder tool and type in a player’s name.

Note that certain states restrict or disallow altogether college player props. You can bet college basketball player props in CT, DC, IA, IL, IN, LA, MD, NJ, OH, WA, WV and WY. However, CT, IA, IL, and NJ do not allow player props for athletes on in-state teams. That unfortunately applies here for local fans of Northwestern.

Northwestern March Madness Futures

Why Northwestern Can Cover The Spread

Big game experience. Playing in the Big Ten, Northwestern is used to quality opposition. The Wildcats played 13 games against tournament teams and went 6-7. Additionally, they excel in the turnover department, both forcing them (21st) and avoiding them (13th). That sounds like the formula for a team that won’t get phased by March basketball. ShotQuality was also quite impressed with Northwestern’s work. While many might consider their surprising season a fluke, ShotQuality believes the Wildcats have something sustainable going, rating them 11th-best in the country at getting and preventing good looks.

Why Boise State Can Cover The Spread

Rebounding, for starters. That looms as a glaring weak point for Northwestern, which ranks 224th in the country. Boise is solidly above average and should have the edge there, a somewhat surprising development against a Big Ten team. Boise’s ball security was above average as well, suggesting they won’t melt in a hail of turnovers.

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Final Thoughts

Both of these teams live off their defenses and methodical paces. If Northwestern can turn the Broncos over consistently, that figures to represent a winning edge since half-court points won’t be easy to come by. But, Boise rates out as the stronger overall team both in the four factors (especially rebounding and free throws) and in catch-call analytics from KenPom and Haslametrics. Particularly with Northwestern having been a surprise contender this year (picked to finish 13th in the Big Ten), I’m interested in Boise at the dog price here. Those overachieving teams often struggle in March.