The No. 9-seed TCU Horned Frogs (20-12) meet the No. 8-seed Seton Hall Pirates (21-10) in San Diego Friday for a first-round South Region game in the NCAA Championship Tournament. Tip-off at Viejas Arena is set for 9:57 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the TCU vs. Seton Hall odds and lines, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Texas Christian went 8-10 in Big-12 play, but the Horned Frogs made the NCAA field on the strength of a lockdown defense and late-season wins over Texas Tech, Kansas, and Texas (currently ranked Nos. 11, 3, and 25 nationally, respectively). TCU also ranks as an elite offensive rebounding team: the Frogs have logged a dozen or more offensive boards in 14 games this season.
Seton Hall took fifth in the Big East regular-season standings. Like TCU, the Pirates also sport a solid defense, especially of late. Seton Hall has gone 6-1, allowing just 61.9 points per game since Feb. 19. SHU has held foes to a mere 37.5% mark from the floor over that span.
Rankings courtesy of the Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
TCU vs. Seton Hall odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:48 p.m. ET.
- Money line: TCU +105 (bet $100 to win $105) | Seton Hall -130 (bet $130 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): TCU +1.5 (-110) | Seton Hall -1.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 128.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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TCU vs. Seton Hall odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Seton Hall 67, TCU 64
Money line
PASS.
Against the spread
Seton Hall’s defense is a good fit for what TCU likes to do with the basketball. A slow-down game with a preponderance of shots around the paint can be well-defended by the big bodies in the Pirate frontcourt.
The Frogs are often too loose with the ball, and if SHU can limit TCU’s offensive rebounds it can pull off a win by a two-possession margin.
TAKE THE PIRATES -1.5 (-110).
Over/Under
Both teams enter on Under streaks, but this total is perhaps overly reflective of that.
Seton Hall had started to ramp up its pace a bit before being dragged lower in some Big East tourney games. Both sides figure to be a bit overrated in the perimeter defense department, and TCU’s offensive rebounding tendencies should be respected.
BACK THE OVER 128.5 (-110).
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