Trent Reinsmith
March Madness is upon us and the race for the NCAA Basketball champion is about to go full tilt. Below are some important dates for the upcoming NCAA Basketball tournament.
- First Round: March 17 & 18
- Second Round: March 19 & 20
- Sweet 16: March 24 & 25
- Elite Eight: March 26 & 27
- Final Four: April 2 at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans
- National Championship: April 4 at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans
The Baylor Bears won the NCAA title with a 86-70 win over the Gonzaga Bulldogs in 2021. Despite that setback, Gonzaga was the preseason favorite to win the 2022 NCAAB championship. With the 2022 March Madness picks coming out, Gonzaga remains the favorite to take home the 2022 NCAAB National Championship.
Gonzaga and Baylor both begin their march toward the title on Thursday with the first day of the 64-team NCAAB tournament kicking off.
Let’s look at the best sites for March Madness 2022 betting. Also, be sure to check out our NCAA College Basketball betting page for tips and advice on how to wager on NCAA basketball.
Norfolk State (16) vs. Baylor (1)
- Date & Location: Thursday, March 17 at Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, TX
- Time: 2:00 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: TBS
| Teams |  |  |  |
| Norfolk State | +1800 | +1800 | +1713 |
| Baylor | -5000 | -5000 | -6500 |
The Baylor Bears look to repeat as NCAAB Champions in 2022. Baylor is the No. 1 seed in the East. Baylor faces the No. 16 seed, Norfolk State in their opening game of the tournament.
Norfolk State plays great defense, but it plays great defense in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and the level of play in the MEAC is not the same as the level of play in the Big 12, where Baylor competes.
Baylor should not have any difficulty moving onto the second round against Norfolk State.
Pick: Baylor to beat Norfolk State.
Georgia State (16) vs. Gonzaga (1)
- Date & Location: Thursday, March 17 at Moda Center, Portland, OR
- Time: 4:15 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: TNT
| Teams | | | |
| Georgia State | +2000 | +2000 | +1904 |
| Gonzaga | -8000 | -8000 | -10000 |
The Gonzaga Bulldogs have high expectations during March Madness. Gonzaga is the No. 1 seed in the West. They face the 16 seeded Georgia State Panthers in the first round.
Georgia State is a hot team heading into March Madness. The Panthers are on a 10-game winning streak and the roster is stocked with experienced upperclassmen. However, they are playing the team that is the pick to win the tournament in Gonzaga.
Gonzaga will exploit the Panthers’ inability to keep their opponents from putting up big numbers from the field.
Georgia State will make things interesting in the early going as Gonzaga hasn’t played for more than a week, but once Gonzaga gets back in the swing, they will pull away for the win.
Pick: Gonzaga to beat Georgia State.
Saint Peter’s (15) vs. Kentucky (2)
- Date & Location: Thursday, March 17 at Moda Center, Portland, OR
- Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: CBS
| Teams | | | |
| St. Peters | +1500 | +1500 | +1375 |
| Kentucky | -4000 | -4000 | -3500 |
The Kentucky Wildcats are the No. 2 seed in the East. This is the first appearance in the NCAAB tournament for the Wildcats since 2019. The team faces the No. 15 seeded Saint Peter’s Peacocks in their opening March Madness game.
Saint Peter’s is not a great shooting team and that is very much going to hurt them against Kentucky, who has Oscar Tshiebwe, who averages 17 points per game and 15.1 rebounds. The Peacocks’ highest scorer, Daryl Banks III averages 11 points per game and no one on the team averages double digits in rebounds.
Pick: Kentucky to beat Saint Peter’s.
See below the best sportsbooks where you can find great NCAAB National Championship odds and bets and choose the best one for you:
