March Madness Odds: 2 Best Bets for Louisville vs. South Florida in the NCAA Tournament

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 Louisville vs. South Florida, 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 come from Bart Torvik, Sports Reference and KenPom.

Louisville vs USF Best Bets for March Madness

Under 164.5 Points (-105)

Louisville and South Florida play fast and can score at a high level. The over/under certainly accounts for that -- maybe too much so.

South Florida and Louisville rank 15th and 62nd, respectively, in adjusted tempo. But they're also really strong on D, with the Cards checking in 25th in adjusted defense while the Bulls rank 40th in defense.

There's also a big injury question mark in this game as star Cards guard Mikel Brown Jr. is questionable. Brown sitting out would be a big blow to Louisville's offense.

Torvik projects this game to have 163 total points. I fall in line with that and expect this game to go just under this total.

Izaiyah Nelson to Record 8+ Rebounds (-138)

The rebounding battle should play a key role in determining the outcome of this game, and I think the Bulls will lean heavily on Izaiyah Nelson to fight the Cards on the glass.

South Florida ranks 62nd in total rebound rate (53.1%), and the Cardinals are a touch better in 47th (53.7%). If the Bulls are going to pull the upset, they have to keep from getting bullied on the boards.

Enter Nelson.

The USF big man is averaging 9.6 rebounds per night -- 4.3 more than anyone else on the Bulls. He's snagged at least eight boards in seven of his last 10 games, and a lot of the rebounding responsibility will be on his shoulders. I think he'll be up to the task.

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.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

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.