Published Mar 16, 7:39pm ET by
Gabriel Kozlow - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Mar 16, 7:39pm ET
Updated Mar 16, 8:24pm ET
March Madness is in full swing as the No. 12 seed McNeese Cowboys take on a dangerous No. 5 seed Vanderbilt Commodores team. The 5 vs. 12 matchup is usually a trendy upset pick; however, Vanderbilt seems well equipped to make a deep run this year.
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| VANDERBILT COMMODORES | -625 |
| MCNEESE COWBOYS | +455 |
The McNeese Cowboys are a No. 12 seed for the second year in a row after pulling off an upset last season, and they would love to do it again this year. They are part of the Southland Conference, where they finished in second place, with a 28-5 overall record and a 19-3 mark in conference play.
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They are led by Larry Johnson, who leads the team in points and rebounds with 17.5 PPG on 50.2% shooting and 5.5 RPG. The Cowboys are currently on a 10-game winning streak and also won the Southland Conference title by beating Stephen F. Austin.
Vanderbilt is slowly building a reputation as a team with the potential to reach the Final Four. The Commodores were on a roll until they lost by 11 points to Arkansas, which is also an elite team. Their goal in March Madness is definitely to reach the second weekend of the tournament.
One of the main reasons Vanderbilt might be too much for the Cowboys is the high-scoring guard tandem of Tyler Tanner and Duke Miles. They are 6-4 in their last 10 games, but have also picked up impressive wins over Tennessee twice, Florida, and Ole Miss.
Historically, No. 12 seeds beat No. 5 seeds about 35% of the time in the NCAA Tournament. Also, at least one 12-seed has beaten a 5-seed in 33 of the last 38 tournaments.
In this case, Vanderbilt is favored by -11.5 points with an over/under of 150.5. The moneyline is -625 for the Commodores and +455 for the Cowboys. We feel Vanderbilt should win this game comfortably, but covering the spread could be more difficult. Even so, we’re rolling with the Commodores -11.5.
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Pick
Vanderbilt Commodores (-625)
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