Drake vs Washington State Prediction, Picks, Odds | NCAA Tournament First Round Bets

Drake vs Washington State Prediction, Picks, Odds | NCAA Tournament First Round Bets

The First Round of NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament kicks off on Thursday, March 21 -- and the final matchup on the slate for the evening is Drake vs Washington State, which is scheduled for 10:05 p.m. ET on truTV.

The Bulldogs are short 1.5-point favorites on the spread in Thursday's contest; with the game total stationed at over/under 138 at most sportsbooks.

Here's everything you need to know about Drake vs Washington State -- our expert prediction and betting picks for this First Round NCAA Tournament matchup.

Update: North Carolina sportsbooks are now live! Check out our guide to the bonuses and special offers now available to NC residents.

Drake vs Washington State Odds

DRAKE @ WSU Odds

Drake vs Washington State Prediction

Probably the most intriguing matchup of the opening day is the final one as Drake tries to bounce back from its disappointing loss to Miami in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

The Bulldogs took home the MVC title after their second straight spectacular season. Drake finished 14-4 in the conference and defeated top-seed Indiana State in the championship game.

Washington State was a nice surprise in the Pac-12 by finishing one game behind Arizona for first place. The Cougars defeated the Wildcats twice, while also beating Colorado and Oregon.

Drake's best non-conference win came against Nevada, while getting blown out by Stephen F. Austin, Northern Iowa, and Belmont by double-digits each.

The Cougars' final three regular season losses came to California, Arizona State, and Washington, which are embarrassing, but Wazoo went 5-1 ATS in the last six opportunities as an underdog.

Pick: Washington State +1.5 (-110)

Drake vs Washington State Game Time & TV Channel

Date: Thursday, March 21
Matchup: MVC vs Pac-12
Venue: CHI Health Center Omaha
Location: Omaha, Nebraska
Time-TV: truTV, 10:05 p.m. ET

Drake vs Washington State Betting Stats

7) Washington State Cougars
(Pac-12, At-Large)

  • Futures: +10000
  • Region: +2500
  • SU: 24-9
  • ATS: 17-16
  • O/U: 14-18-1
  • PPG: 74.9
  • OPPG: 67.3

10) Drake Bulldogs
(MVC, Automatic)

  • Futures: +13000
  • Region: +2800
  • SU: 28-6
  • ATS: 18-15
  • O/U: 17-15-1
  • PPG: 80.7
  • OPPG: 70.7

March Madness Betting Resources

March Madness First Round Odds

The NCAA Men's Tournament First Round will take place on Thursday March 21, 2024 and Friday March 22, 2024.

Check out the Teams, Odds, Betting Stats and much more on each of the four regions below: