The No.4 Bulldogs had a tough time covering their March Madness betting odds during the first weekend of the Tournament, failing to do so in wins over Akron and Western Kentucky.Gonzaga struggled in the first half before pulling away for a 13-point win over Akron, and then they needed a last-second shot from DemetriGoodison to beat Western Kentucky by two. The Hilltoppers game shouldn’t have been that close given that they shot 35.7% from the foul line, but Gonzaga allowed them to shoot 51.6% from the floor, which is well over the Bulldogs’ season average of 37.4%. However, Gonzaga averaged 51.1% from the field, and this type of offensive efficiency will always give them a chance.
The No.1 Tar Heels covered both of their online betting spreads, as they romped to a 43-point win over Radford, while dropping LSU by 14 in the second round. The story of UNC’s opening weekend was the return of ACC Player of the Year Ty Lawson, who scored 21 of his 23 points after halftime in the LSU game. Lawson looked a bit tentative in the first half as he tested his jammed toe, but the point guard exploded in the second half, and he showed how dangerous the Tar Heels are when he’s leading the attack. This overshadowed a quiet game from TylerHansbrough, who hasn’t been as dominant as most thought he would be.
March Madness odds have given the Tar Heels an 8.5-point spread, which is a little surprising given that Gonzaga has won 11 straight games, and has a head-to-head edge over UNC, beating the Tar Heels at
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