2 Best College Basketball Bets and Player Props for Notre Dame vs. TCU

The Round of 16 is where things start to heat up in the women's college basketball tournament.

That's especially true in Birmingham at 12 ET on Saturday when Notre Dame (28-5) takes on TCU (33-3).

Notre Dame is favored by 5.5 points mid-week while the over/under is set at 144.5 total points.

Let's dive into some of the odds, breaking down my best bets in FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball betting odds for Notre Dame vs. TCU.

Betting Picks for Notre Dame vs. TCU

Notre Dame -5.5 (-106)

At face value, Notre Dame being favored by 5.5 points may surprise you.

The Irish are the lower seed, have a worse record, and even lost to TCU head-to-head earlier this season.

But Notre Dame's proven more than capable of beating top teams, and they have as much all-around upside as any team in the country.

The Irish enter the Round of 16 ranked third in Bart Torvik's power ratings, sitting at sixth in adjusted offense and fifth in defense. They've pieced together a 4-2 record against top-10 Torvik teams, including double-digit wins over UConn (1st), Texas (4th), and USC (5th).

TCU was one of the two top-10 teams to beat Notre Dame, as the 8th-ranked Horned Frogs downed the Irish by 8 in the Cayman Islands. But ND went on to lose to Utah at that same November tournament, and the Irish have since looked like one of the best teams in the country.

Now, TCU's been elite since that win, too. Their 33-3 record speaks for itself, but they don't really have a signature win on U.S. soil. They lost to South Carolina by 33 in December before running through the Big 12 -- a conference that has only one other team still alive in the tournament (Kansas State).

TCU just has a real flaw on defense. They're 28th in adjusted defense and drop to 34th against top-50 teams. Though they're 13-3 in such games, they've only outscored top-50 opponents by 4.8 points per game. Notre Dame is 12-5 in that split, though their +8.9 average point differential again hints at more upside.

With TCU's three losses coming by 1, 9, and 33 points, I don't think we should be scared off by this number for Notre Dame. The Irish routed a top-25 Michigan team in the second round, so they could be starting to hit their groove.

That makes Notre Dame -5.5 the best bet for Notre Dame-TCU.

Hannah Hidalgo Over 23.5 Points (-108)

If I like the Irish to win big against TCU, star guard Hannah Hidalgo will likely have to play a role in that.

The sophomore led the Irish with 24.1 points per game this season while her 30% usage rate was a top-10 mark among any Power Conference player.

She went for 24 in their first round win before dropping 21 against Michigan last time out. But that came on only 14 shot attempts, and Hidalgo has routinely upped the ante against top competition.

In Hidalgo's eight games against top-20 teams this season, she's averaged 24.9 points and 19.6 field goal attempts per game, culminating in a monster 33% usage rate. She recorded at least 24 points in five of those eight games, including a 27-point outing against TCU.

But she didn't just save those high-scoring games for the big dogs. Hannah Hidalgo posted at least 24 points in 19 of 30 games this season. She scored fewer than 20 just five times.

TCU's had trouble against these kinds of aggressive guards all season -- South Carolina's MiLaysia Fulwiley also went for 20 against them -- and the 44.7% eFG% they've yielded away from their home arena leaves a lot to be desired.

In a revenge spot for the Irish, look for Hannah Hidalgo to go over 23.5 points.

You can also click here to get our updated printable Women's College Basketball Tournament bracket for the Round of 16.

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Which bets stand out to you for the upcoming games? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest women's 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.