2 Best College Basketball Bets and Player Props for UNC Wilmington vs. Texas Tech

Late Thursday night at 10:10 p.m. EST, the West region's 3 seed, the Texas Tech Red Raiders, will hope to make Lubbock proud in a first-round matchup with the 14th-seeded North Carolina Wilmington Seahawks. Texas Tech finished third in a deep Big 12 this season while UNC Wilmington enters the tournament as the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) champs.

As one would expect, the Red Raiders are a sizable favorite to advance to the next round:

To see thoughts on other games, check out our full men's college basketball tournament predictions page. But for UNC Wilmington-Texas Tech, here are my favorite bets in FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball betting odds.

Betting Picks for UNC Wilmington vs. Texas Tech

Texas Tech -9.5 in First Half (-104)
Texas Tech Over 38.5 Points in First Half (-115)

Personally, there's minimal doubt that Grant McCasland's squad has yet to forget a first-round loss to one of last year's Cinderella teams, N.C. State. They'll bring maximum motivation and focus to this matchup, which they should win with ease.

There's a perfect recipe for a blowout here. Bart Torvik tabs Texas Tech as the 17th-best three-point shooting team in the country (37.9%), and UNC Wilmington's 298th-ranked three-point defense doesn't seem well-equipped to stop them.

On the other side, the Seahawks take 66.8% of their shots outside the painted area. Entering a neutral-site venue against Texas Tech's 29th-ranked three-point defense, it'll be challenging for them to consistently get quality looks.

Torvik ranks TTU at 7th overall in the country -- and as the strongest 3 seed in the tournament. UNC Wilmington is Torvik's sixth-worst overall team that isn't a 16 seed. This doesn't feel like an unexpected upset, and the CAA hasn't made the final 32 teams standing since VCU, now in the Atlantic 10, did so back in 2012. It's a weak conference.

Geographically, this late, late start might also be harder on the Seahawks' body clocks. It's also a longer trip to Wichita for them than Texas Tech.

Laying 15.5 points in a game where JT Toppin and Elijah Hawkins might not play much of the second half could be unwise, but history indicates the Red Raiders should find plenty of comfort in this matchup to extend an early lead.

You can also download our FREE college basketball printable bracket.

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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.