McNeese vs. Vanderbilt Prediction, Odds, Prop Bet for NCAA Tournament 1st Round

The Vanderbilt Commodores finished in fourth place in the SEC, leading to a deep run in the conference tournament, falling one game short by losing to the Arkansas Razorbacks in the final.

As a result of their strong season, they've been given a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They'll take on the No. 12 McNeese Cowboys from the Southland Conference in the Round of 64.

The 12 v 5 matchup is a classic upset spot in the opening round. Will we see McNeese get the win on Thursday? Let's find out what the oddsmakers think.

McNeese vs. Vanderbilt Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Spread

McNeese +11.5 (-110)
Vanderbilt -11.5 (-110)

Moneyline

McNeese +570
Vanderbilt -850

Total

OVER 150.5 (-105)
UNDER 150.5 (-115)

McNeese vs. Vanderbilt How to Watch

Date: Thursday, March 19
Game Time: 3:15 pm ET
Venue: Paycom Center
How to Watch (TV): truTV
McNeese Record: 28-5
Vanderbilt Record: 26-8

McNeese vs. Vanderbilt Betting Trends

The UNDER is 5-2 in McNeese's last seven games
McNeese has lost six straight games against SEC opponents
The OVER is 5-2 in Vanderbilt's last seven games
Vanderbilt is 1-4 ATS in its last five games as the favorite

McNeese vs. Vanderbilt Best Prop Bet

Tyler Tanner 20+ Points (+100) via FanDuel

Tyler Tanner caught fire late in the season, scoring 20+ points in three of his last five games, including scoring 20 points while shooting 20% from the field against the Florida Gators in the SEC Tournament semifinals. He may just be too talented a shooter for the Cowboys to handle.

McNeese vs. Vanderbilt Prediction and Pick

McNeese may have been a great upset pick if the Cowboys had played against a team that dealt with a turnover problem. The Cowboys lead the nation in opponent turnovers per possession. Unfortunately for them, Vanderbilt is one of the very best teams in not turning the ball over, ranking 10th in the country in turnovers per possession, turning it over just 13% of the time they have the ball.

Vanderbilt truly has no weak point. ranking 36th in effective field goal percentage while McNeese ranks just 196th against much weaker competition.

Let's also remember that Vanderbilt tore through the out-of-conference portion of their schedule, entering SEC play with an undefeated 13-0 record, while completely dismantling most mid-major teams they faced.

Let's lay the points on Vanderbilt in this one.

Pick: Vanderbilt -11.5 (-110)

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