March Madness: 2 Best Bets for Today's College Basketball Game -- North Carolina vs. VCU

Very few things in sports can match the unpredictability and excitement of March Madness.

The first round kicks off on Thursday, and we have for you a single-game betting piece for each of the day's 16 games. To see thoughts on other games, check out our full March Madness predictions page.

But for VCU vs. North Carolina, here are my favorite bets.

All March Madness odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball odds and may change after this article is published. Stats via Bart Torvik and KenPom.

North Carolina vs VCU Best Bets for March Madness

North Carolina -2.5 (-112)

There's a lot of buzz around VCU, but I land on the UNC side of the spread.

While the Tar Heels will obviously miss Caleb Wilson, they still have plenty of talent sans the likely 2026 lottery pick -- namely Henri Veesaar (16.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG) and Seth Trimble (14.0 PPG). Overall, the roster boasts six players other than Wilson who were top-100 recruits.

Prior to losing at Duke to close the regular season and then a one-point ACC Tournament loss to Clemson, the Heels had won four straight without Wilson, including impressive wins over Clemson and Louisville.

Per KenPom, UNC rates out better than VCU both on offense (32nd to 46th) and defense (37th to 63rd).

Give me the Heels to win and cover.

Under 152.5 (-110)

Three-point looks should be hard to come by tonight, making the under an appealing bet.

For the season, VCU gives up the 39th-lowest three-point attempt rate while North Carolina lets up the 97th-lowest three-point attempt rate.

On top of that, neither of these squads crack the top 100 in adjusted tempo.

It sets up as a recipe for a tight, low-scoring affair.

Which March Madness odds stand out to you this year? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest college basketball odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.