The 2022 NCAA Tournament officially kicked off Tuesday with a couple of first four games. However, unofficially, the real March turmoil begins on Thursday and Friday, when the first action takes place across the country. Between the two days, the field will be halved from 64 to 32 teams as the sport’s (almost) schedule is from sunrise to sunset. It’s part of what March Madness does, well, March Madness.
Getting an extra skin in games can also help you get into the spirit of the tournament. Below, I’ve called on the college hoops team’s experience to shed some insight with picking straight and against the spread for some of the best games on Thursday’s extended list. Our expert brackets can also help in this matter.
While survival and progress is by far the most important thing to us, we do care if these teams cover their spreads and we’ve been tracking the season since November to be able to offer our thoughts on every game.
Be sure to stay on CBS Sports until the end of the month for coverage of the NCAA Tournament until the end of the Final Four. Let’s take a look at our expert picks when the first round kicks off on Thursday.
odds through bookmaker Caesars | All Eastern Times
Selected NCAA Tournament selections
(6) State of Colorado vs. (11) Michigan
Thursday, 12:15 | CBS, March Madness Live: The loss of starting point guard DeVante Jones to a concussion, at least in Michigan’s first round game against Colorado State, is significant. He is the team’s assist leader, third-highest goalscorer and has had great success. But I still take 11 to 6 in this match. Michigan’s frontcourt between Hunter Dickinson and Moussa Diabate is a huge discrepancy. Can’t imagine Colorado State stopping them consistently enough, though I expect Rams star David Roddy to keep it pretty close. Pick: Michigan -1.5
Spreading | HSS +1.5 | MIS -1.5 | HSS +1.5 | MIS -1.5 | HSS +1.5 | HSS +1.5 |
straight up | CSU | MIS | CSU | MIS | CSU | CSU |
(4) Providence v. (13) South Dakota
Thursday, 12:40 | TruTV, March Madness Live: Since 2010, the top 3-point shooting team has advanced at least one round every year but two. That should bode well for South Dakota, which ranks first in the nation in 3-point shooting percentage. Providence is no fool—he won the Big East regular season and plays with a physical style that will ruin that game—but I like it when the Jackrabbits push forward as underdogs. Choice: State of South Dakota +2
Spreading | SDST+2 | SDST+2 | SDST+2 | SDST+2 | PROV-2 | PROV-2 |
straight up | SDST | SDST | SDST | SDST | PROV | PROV |
(5) Iowa vs. (12) Richmond
Thursday, 15:10 | TruTV, March Madness Live: Iowa is arguably the hottest team in the country to compete in the NCAA Tournament. Having won the Big Ten Tournament, the Hawkeyes have won 12 of their last 14 games and have been successful as Keegan Murray has gone from star to superstar. Murray averaged 26 points per game as Iowa won four games in four days to clinch the conference title and this team seems battle-tested and in the perfect position to continue their incredible march with a dominant 1st round win. Pick: Iowa -10.5
Spreading | Iowa -10.5 | Iowa -10.5 | Iowa -10.5 | Iowa -10.5 | Iowa -10.5 | Iowa -10.5 |
straight up | IOWA | IOWA | IOWA | IOWA | IOWA | IOWA |
(1) Gonzaga v. (16) State of Georgia
Thursday, 16:15 | TNT, March Madness live: That’s a long line, even for the No. 1 seed in Gonzaga. But I don’t care and I don’t think you should. His season average was a whopping 22.5 points, including games against Duke, UCLA, Alabama and other top schools. The zags will roll and I expect them to roll big. Choice: Gonzaga-23
Spreading | ZAGS-23 | ZAGS-23 | ZAGS-23 | ZAGS-23 | GAST +23 | GAST +23 |
straight up | marriage registry | marriage registry | marriage registry | marriage registry | marriage registry | marriage registry |
(5) UConn v. (12) State of New Mexico
Thursday, 18:50 | TNT, March Madness live: I don’t necessarily like the state of New Mexico as an underdog in the money line in this one, but I do think it can cover the spread. Aggie has gone 26-6 overall this season, and half of those losses come by four or fewer points. It’s a strong, resilient team well coached by Chris Yance and they have a staff that can compete with UConn for his money. Pick: New Mexico State +6.5
Spreading | NMST +6.5 | NMST +6.5 | UKONN -6.5 | NMST +6.5 | NMST +6.5 | UKONN -6.5 |
straight up | UCONN | UCONN | UCONN | UCONN | UCONN | UCONN |
(7) Murray State vs. (10) San Francisco
Thursday, 21:40 | CBS, March Madness Live: San Francisco is a quality team that has put up real fights all season, including against Gonzaga in the WCC game and against MVC tournament champion Loyola-Chicago. But Murray State is a 30-2 club that hasn’t lost since December 22 and can beat you inside and out with good balance on both sides of the ball. I’ll end here with the Racers. Pick: Murray State -1
Spreading | MURST -1 | MURST -1 | MURST -1 | MURST -1 | MURST -1 | MURST -1 |
straight up | MURST | MURST | MURST | MURST | MURST | MURST |
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