March Madness: 3 Best East Region Bets for the First Round

The NCAA Tournament is here.

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There are no shortage of ways to break down the tourney. Today, let's take a look at the East Region and see which bets stand out for the first round.

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

Best Bets for the East Region

Northern Iowa +10.5 (-110) vs. St. John’s

Northern Iowa is the exact kind of 12 seed that can make a favorite uncomfortable for 40 minutes. The Panthers are only 23-12, but their profile is stronger than that record -- they allow just 61.3 points per game, rank first nationally in scoring defense, and sit 5th in defensive rating. Offensively, they are balanced rather than star-dependent, with Trey Campbell averaging 13.7 points and 3.9 assists, Leon Bond III at 11.9 points, and Will Hornseth shooting 44.4% from three.

St. John’s is obviously dangerous, especially with Zuby Ejiofor coming in as the engine of the offense and defense; he leads the Red Storm in scoring, rebounding, assists and blocks. St. John’s also closed the year with a six-game win streak, claiming the crowd at the Big East tournament.

But this number asks a Pitino team that plays with emotion and pressure to separate from a team that defends every possession, avoids pace spikes, and is comfortable winning ugly.

I like Northern Iowa +10.5 because the Panthers’ defensive floor is high enough to keep this in single digits deep into the second half.

South Florida +5.5 (-114) vs. Louisville

This is one of my favorite spread spots in the East.

Louisville is good — 23-10, 84.8 points per game, top-25 in both SRS and offensive efficiency — but South Florida is not some accidental 11 seed. The Bulls went 24-8, won the AAC regular season, scored 88.3 points per game, and posted a 118.1 offensive rating with a top-65 defense. Wes Enis averages 16.8 points, Izaiyah Nelson gives them 15.7 points and 9.6 rebounds, and Joseph Pinion adds 14.2 points with real perimeter volume.

Louisville has the better résumé and more high-major battle testing, led by Terrence Edwards Jr. (16.7 ppg), Chucky Hepburn (16.4 ppg, 5.8 apg, 2.4 spg) and J’Vonne Hadley (12.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg). But the Cardinals just lost an ACC Tournament game in which their turnovers turned into 21 Miami points, and that matters here because South Florida plays fast, attacks gaps, and can win the possession game with athleticism. Plus, the Cards could be without likely first-round pick Mikel Brown Jr.

With the spread at +5.5, I’d rather have the team with multiple creators and enough scoring to survive Louisville’s runs.

North Dakota State +15.5 (-105) vs. Michigan State

I’m not calling for the upset, but this is a large number against a fundamentally sound 14 seed.

North Dakota State is 27-7, won both the Summit regular season and tournament titles, scores 80.7 per game, and ranks 42nd nationally in defensive rating. That is not the profile of a typical overmatched 14.

Michigan State is the better team, but this spread may be built on name value as much as matchup. The Spartans are balanced and excellent offensively, but they are not a dominant perimeter shooting team, and this is exactly the type of spread where a disciplined underdog can cover by keeping the game in the half court and forcing the favorite to execute.

With NDSU’s top-60 offense and top-45 defense, they can cover as 15.5-point 'dogs.

Check out our favorite March Madness sleepers and March Madness upset picks.

Which March Madness odds stand out to you this year? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest college basketball betting 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.