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The Yale Bulldogs (22-9) and Auburn Tigers (27-7) meet in the 1st round of the NCAA Tournament Friday. Tip-off from Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena is set for 4:15 p.m. ET (TNT). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook‘s lines around the Yale vs. Auburn odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and best bets.
Yale is the No. 13 seed in the East Region. The Bulldogs are in the tournament courtesy of sneaking past Brown 62-61 (failing to cover a -8) in the Ivy League Tournament final Sunday. Yale is a slow-tempo, solidly-efficient team at both ends of the floor and one that does not turn the ball over. The Bulldogs are 5-1 over their last 6 games.
Auburn, which is ranked No. 7 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, is seeded 4th in the East after defeating Florida in Sunday’s SEC Tournament finale. The Tigers held an opponent under 40% from the floor (UF shot 36.4%) for a 4th time in their last 6 games, and AU defeated the Gators 86-67, covering a 5½-point spread.
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Yale vs. Auburn odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 7:15 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Yale +625 (bet $100 to win $625) | Auburn -1000 (bet $1,000 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Yale +12.5 (-110) | Auburn -12.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 140.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
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Yale vs. Auburn picks and predictions
Prediction
Auburn 74, Yale 63
Moneyline
Look for better leverage with Yale and the points. PASS.
Against the spread
AU is just 1-4 ATS across its last 5 games against Ivy League foes. The Bulldogs are 4-1 ATS over their last 5 games.
The Tigers rank in KenPom’s top 10 in both offensive (10th) and defensive (5th) efficiency. The defense (including what AU does along the perimeter) and overall court skills should help Auburn avoid a misstep, but figure on Yale’s slow-down game and defensive rebounding making things interesting.
BACK THE BULLDOGS +12.5 (-110).
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Over/Under
Yale’s last 25 games as an underdog have seen the Under go 17-8 (including the last 5 such games). Auburn has played 8 neutral-site games this season, and the Under has cashed 6 times.
Early-afternoon games often make for low-scoring opening halves. The way the Tigers can defend, and the fact neither side is over-reliant on distance shooting, makes the UNDER 140.5 (-110) — available at FanDuel Sportsbook — the moderate lean here.
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