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The Madness Begins: Who’s Making it Out of the NCAA Tournament’s First Four?

Last Updated: July 1, 2023

This article originally appeared at FanDuel.

Get set for the official start of the men’s side of March Madness with our best NCAA First Four predictions and the latest game-by-game odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

After an exciting couple of weeks of conference tournaments, the college basketball world is ready to turn its attention to perhaps the greatest sporting event of the year: the NCAA Tournament.

With March Madness ready to kick off on Tuesday with 2023’s men’s NCAA First Four, let’s take a look at the four games to be played on March 14 and 15 that will decide two of the 16-seeds and two of the 11-seeds that make the final 64-team field.

To view FanDuel Sportsbook’s complete 2023 Men’s NCAA Tournament odds, click here.

2023 NCAA Tournament Play-in Games

1. No. 16 Southeast Missouri State vs. No. 16 Texas A&M Corpus-Christi

South Region – First Four

Date: Tuesday, March 14, 2023
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Venue: UD Arena, Dayton, Ohio
Coverage: truTV
Spread: SEMS: +4.5 (-120) | TAMCC: -4.5 (-102)
Winner advances to face: No. 1 Alabama
Final score prediction: Texas A&M-CC 83, Southeast Missouri State 76
Best bet: Over 155.5 Total Points (-105)

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2. No. 11 Pittsburgh vs. No. 11 Mississippi State

Midwest Region – First Four

Date: Tuesday, March 14, 2023
Time: 9:10 p.m. ET
Venue: UD Arena, Dayton, Ohio
TV coverage: TruTV
Spread: PITT: +1.5 (-106) | MISS: -1.5 (-114)
Winner advances to face: No. 6 Iowa State
Final score prediction: Pittsburgh 71, Mississippi State 65
Best bet: Pitt Panthers ML (+110)

3. No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson vs. No. 16 Texas Southern

East Region – First Four

Date: Wednesday, March 15, 2022
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Venue: UD Arena, Dayton, Ohio
TV coverage: truTV
Spread: FD: +2.5 (-120) | TXSO: -2.5 (-102)
Winner advances to face: No. 1 Purdue
Final score prediction: Texas Southern 75, Farleigh Dickinson 70
Best bet: Texas Southern Tigers -2.5 (-102)

4. No. 11 Nevada vs. No. 11 Arizona State

West Region – First Four

Date: Wednesday, March 15, 2023
Time: 9:10 p.m. ET
Venue: UD Arena, Dayton, Ohio
TV coverage: truTV
Spread: NEV: +2.5 (-120) | ASU: -2.5 (-102)
Winner advances to face: No. 6 TCU
Final score prediction: Arizona State 73, Nevada 68
Best bet: Arizona State -2.5 (102)


2023 March Madness Bracket

The bracket can be viewed below, but a printable version can be accessed by scrolling down to the link in the next section. The Duel will update the bracket throughout the tournament following each round.

David Kaestle

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