March Madness rolls into its second day on March 20th! Our picks were absolute fire yesterday, and we’re looking to stay hot. There are 16 more games all day long, and it’s not like you’re going to be working. Not all day. We’ve gone through the slate for today’s games and found three college basketball picks that you’ll want to lock up before tip-off. Let’s get into it.
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College Basketball Preview, Picks, and Best Bets for March 20
Matt Dewoskin ATS College Basketball Picks Record (Est 11/3/2025)
All Selections: 210-175-5
Perfect 3-0 Cards: 20-110
Utah State (9) vs Villanova (8)
Start Time: 4:10 PM EST
This is a first-round game in the NCAA tournament and will be played at a neutral site in San Diego, CA.
Utah State enters this game with a 28-6 overall record and a 15-18 mark against the spread. Villanova comes into this matchup with a 24-8 overall record and a 19-13 mark ATS. This game is at the Viejas Center. Utah State faced San Diego State in this arena once this year. Villanova will be without forward Matt Hodge. Hodge is out for the rest of the year with a knee injury.
Utah State is 7-3 in its last 10 games, but only 5-5 ATS over that stretch. Villanova is also 7-3 in their last 10, but are only 4-6 ATS over that stretch.
Utah State enters this game as one of the best shooting teams in the country. The Aggies are 14th in the country in overall shooting percentage and have the 37th-best scoring offense. They can make three’s, but do most of their damage on the inside. Villanova will be short-handed in the post with Matt Hodge out with a torn ACL. Villanova was 203rd in the country in shooting percentage on two-point shots allowed with Hodge for the majority of the year.
Neither team is outstanding on the boards. The biggest advantage for Utah State is its ability to generate steals. The Aggies are 15th in the nation in steals per game and 22nd in opponent turnovers per game. Villanova’s primary ball-handler, Acaden Lewis, is a freshman and averaged 2.1 turnovers per game. This could be a game in which Lewis gets tied up by the Aggies’ defense. The Wildcats do have other experienced guards, but a rough outing from Lewis and a missing big man could end up as the difference on the scoreboard.
Utah State returns a lot of the same team that got bounced early last year. They’ve been here before and know what not to do. They’re facing a team that is banged up and not as experienced as teams would like to be in March. Villanova struggles in the paint, and the Aggies do most of their damage on the inside. Let’s lock up Utah State to win and cover as a short favorite.
Best Bet: Utah State -2
UCF (10) at UCLA (7)
Start Time: 7:25 PM EST
This is a first-round game in the NCAA tournament and will be played at a neutral site in Philadelphia, PA.
UCF enters this matchup with a 21-11 overall record and a 16-16 mark ATS. UCLA comes into this game with a 23-11 overall record and a 17-17 mark ATS.
UCF is 4-6 in their last 10 games and 4-6 ATS over that stretch. UCLA is 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games played, but 7-3 ATS over that stretch.
UCF limped to the finish and lost three of its last four games. They have two regular starters listed as questionable. Guard Riley Kugel has a leg injury he’s been dealing with and forward Jamichael Stillwell has been playing through an ankle injury since February. Both are expected to be available today. UCLA has big man Tyler Bilodeau listed as questionable with a knee sprain, but he’s expected to be available.
UCF comes into this game with a top-50 scoring offense. The very Golden Knights can fill it up on the offensive end, but they aren’t terribly efficient. The shiny Golden Knights rely on second chances and extra possessions to get a few more bites of the apple and pile up points. UCLA can score on the offensive end, but its results really depend on point guard Donovan Dent. If Dent plays well, the Bruins look good. If he Dent struggles, the Bruins struggle. The concern here is that Dent doesn’t get a lot of help. UCLA isn’t a very good rebounding team, and they’re not amazing on the defensive end. They don’t defend the perimeter all that well, and they aren’t a very good rebounding team.
UCF is in the top-50 in shooting percentage from three-point range, and they have a clear rebounding advantage over UCLA. This looks like it could turn into a bit of a track meet, and that plays into the Golden Knights’ hands. UCF plays at the 78th quickest pace in the nation, while UCLA prefers to slow it down. Let’s lock up UCF catching 5.5-points to keep this one within the number.
Best Bet: UCF +5.5
Furman (15) at UConn (2)
Start Time: 10:00 PM EST
This is a first-round game in the NCAA tournament and will be played at a neutral site in Philadelphia, PA.
Furman enters this game with a 22-12 overall record and a 15-16 mark ATS. UConn comes into this game with a 29-5 overall record and a 13-21 mark ATS.
Furman is 6-4 in its last 10 games played, and 5-5 ATS over that stretch. UConn has won seven of its last 10 games, but is only 4-6 ATS over that stretch.
Furman isn’t terrible on offense. The Paladins are the 67th most efficient offense in the country. The problem here is that UConn has a top-15 defense in the nation. Furman excels at scoring in the paint. The Paladins are 12th in shooting percentage on two-point shots. UConn is 14th in two-point shooting percentage against, and the Huskies can defend the perimeter.
UConn is also tough on the offensive end. The Huskies are 35th in the nation in effective shooting percentage. Furman simply doesn’t have a defense that can stay in front of UConn for 40 minutes. Furman isn’t terrible on the boards, but the Huskies are better at rebounding. UConn also doesn’t turn the ball over much, and Furman isn’t athletic enough on defense to really mess with the Huskies. Furman might keep it close early, but look for UConn to pull away and cover the big number. There’s also a bit of history here as UConn has usually drilled its first-round opponents.
Best Bet: UConn -20.5
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!
