March Madness started last night with the first two First Four games and the initial slate of NIT games. If the action from yesterday was any indication, this year’s tournaments will be absolute bangers. Huge comebacks, last-minute heroics, dumb decisions, and impressive runs, last night had a lot of what makes college hoops great. Oh, and the dogs were barking. March 18th gives us the second night of action, and we’ve found three college basketball picks that you’ll want to lock up before these games tip off. Let’s get into it.
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College Basketball Preview, Picks, and Best Bets for March 17
Matt Dewoskin ATS College Basketball Picks Record (Est 11/3/2025)
All Selections: 205-174-5
Perfect 3-0 Cards: 19-109
Prairie View A&M (16) vs. Lehigh (16)
Start Time: 6:40 PM EST
This is a First Four game of the NCAA tournament and will be played at a neutral site in Dayton, OH.
Prairie View A&M enters this game with an 18-17 overall record and a 21-10 mark against the spread. Lehigh comes into this matchup with an 18-16 overall record and a 19-13 mark ATS.
Prairie View A&M has won nine of its last 10 games. The Panthers are 10-0 ATS over that stretch and have covered six straight games as an underdog.
Lehigh has won eight of its last 10 games played. The Mountain Hawks are 7-3 ATS over that stretch of games. They’ve failed to cover in two of their last three games as a favorite.
Prairie View A&M has a clear advantage in athleticism over Lehigh. The Panthers are 27th in the nation in turnovers generated. They’re also 21st in blocks per game and 131st in steals per game. The Panthers have rough shooting metrics, but the data is skewed by the number of buy games that Prairie View A&M has to play. The Panthers are legitimately tough on the inside, but can struggle to defend the perimeter.
On offense, Lehigh has a clear advantage in shooting, but they may struggle to get looks or hold onto the ball against the Panthers. Prairie View A&M isn’t a great shooting team, but they can generate turnovers and get second chances on the boards against Lehigh. The Panthers will use their athleticism to stay in this game, and may even pull away from Lehigh in the second half. This is a case of ‘wrong team favored, but let’s take Prairie View A&M and the 3.5-points. Lock up these Panthers.
Best Bet: Prairie View A&M +3.5
Kent State at Illinois State (4)
Start Time: 8:00 PM EST
This is a first round game in the NIT. This will be played on campus in Normal, IL.
Kent State enters this matchup with a 24-9 overall record and a 7-5 road mark. The Golden Flashes are 12-19 overall ATS and 5-7 ATS on the road.
Illinois State comes into this game with a 20-12 overall mark and a 13-2 record at home. The Redbirds are 16-15 overall ATS and 9-5 ATS at home.
Kent State is 7-3 in its last 10 games played, but only 3-7 ATS over that stretch. The Golden Flashes are 1-2 in their last three games as an underdog.
Illinois State is 5-5 in its last 10 games and 4-6 ATS over that stretch. The Redbirds haven’t played since March 6th.
Kent State is the embodiment of “the best defense is a good offense”. The Golden Flashes have the 27th-best scoring offense in the nation, but a bottom-40 defense. They’re also a top-100 team in the country from deep range, and have a clear advantage in the free throw game. Kent State also plays at the third-quickest pace in the nation.
Illinois State comes into this game with a top-75 defense in the nation, but an uninspiring offense. The Redbirds can score on the inside, but that’s also the strongest aspect of the Kent State defense. There really isn’t a clear advantage on the boards, but Kent State is better at turning over their opponents.
The handicap here is to fade the team that’s been sitting for almost two weeks and jump on the team that is less than a week removed from its conference tournament. Rust is a concern with an Illinois State team that lacks an outstanding offense. Kent State is going to want to push the pace and score right from the start, and they may catch Illinois State napping. Let’s lock up the Golden Flashes, catching 6.5 points.
Best Bet: Kent State +6.5
Dayton (2) at Bradley
Start Time: 9:00 PM EST
This is a first-round game in the NIT. Dayton is the ranked team, but their home court is occupied. This will be played on campus in Peoria, IL.
Dayton enters this game with a 23-11 overall record and a 6-5 mark on the road. The Flyers are 15-19 overall ATS and 4-7 ATS on the road. Dayton is off a loss in the Atlantic-10 conference championship.
Bradley comes into this matchup with a 21-12 overall record and a 14-2 mark at home. The Braves are 13-19 overall ATS and 7-8 ATS at home.
Dayton has won eight of their last 10 games overall. The Flyers are 6-4 ATS over that stretch. Bradley is 6-4 in its last 10 games played and 5-5 ATS over that stretch.
Dayton has a top-40 defense in the country, and can do enough on offense to get the job done here. The Flyers are tough on the inside, but can have defensive lapses around the perimeter. Bradley is capable from deep range, but their defense is average. They’ll likely struggle with a more athletic Dayton team.
Dayton has a clear advantage on the boards and is one of the best teams in the nation at taking the ball away from their opponent.
This is also a simple handicap. Dayton has a better roster, and they’re coming in off the conference championship. Bradley hasn’t played in more than 10 days and gets to face a team that’s as tough or tougher than anyone in the Missouri Valley Conference. Dayton is a legitimate threat to win the NIT this year, and they should have no problem covering as a short favorite against Bradley. Let’s lock up the Flyers to win and cover.
Best Bet: Dayton -1.5
The College Basketball Experience
For more analysis of every college basketball game in the 2025-26 season, tune in to The College Basketball Experience. Colby Dant, Moneyline Mac, and Noah Bieniek talk about each game on the entire slate. Listen for input on ATS and moneyline college basketball picks every night!
