They call it March Madness for a reason and the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament didn’t disappoint. We’ve already witnessed two top-five seeds fall in the first round, so will the Cinderella teams keep the momentum alive? Fresh off a first-round upset, the Princeton Tigers take on the Missouri Tigers with a ticket to the Sweet 16 on the line.
In this battle of tigers, we take a look at Missouri vs. Princeton predictions, odds, and trends ahead of their second-round clash in Sacramento.
Missouri vs. Princeton March Madness Betting Odds: Spread, Moneyline, and Total
Only 6.6% of ESPN brackets had the Princeton Tigers upsetting No. 2 Arizona in the first round. The Wildcats were a popular pick to reach the Elite Eight and Final Four, both in brackets and in March Madness betting. Now, No. 15 seed Princeton will look to keep the momentum rolling against No. 7 seed Missouri.
These are the best Missouri vs. Princeton odds being offered by sportsbooks across the country.
Princeton closed as a 14.5-point underdog before Thursday’s game against Arizona. The Ivy League champions are getting more love from oddsmakers in the second round. The Princeton vs. Missouri odds opened with Mizzou favored by 6.5 points.
For Princeton to win outright, the moneyline is north of +200. Backers of Mizzou would have to put up nearly $300 to net just $100 for a straight-up win. There’s too much juice to make it worth it on its own, but if you’re confident in Mizzou, then parlaying the moneyline with another favorite at similar odds can get you close to even money.
Both Princeton and Missouri’s first-round games were low-scoring and the Unders cashed with a double-digit buffer in each game. Princeton and Arizona combined for just 115 and the Missouri vs. Utah State game finished at 141. Despite this, the Princeton vs. Arizona total is right around 150.
Missouri vs. Princeton Betting Overview
The Tigers vs. Tigers second-round matchup is one of the most interesting games on the board on Saturday. Hailing from the SEC and Ivy League, these teams rarely play — their lone contest came in the 1999 Coaches Classic. We take a look at both teams’ journey to the big dance and who to bet and who to fade in our Princeton vs. Missouri prediction.
Princeton Tigers Betting Overview
Princeton is riding high from their surprise win over Arizona to open the tournament. The Tigers weren’t even the favorite to win their conference, earning a bid after upsetting Yale in their conference championship — a team that Princeton had already lost to twice. Princeton was just the 11th 15-seed to pull off an opening-round upset when they knocked out Arizona, 59-55.
The Tigers managed to limit the Wildcats’ perimeter game, keeping Arizona to just 18.8% behind the three-point line. They play more physically than they look and matched up well against Arizona. If Princeton wants to avoid being a one-hit wonder, they’ll have to continue the tight defense against a strong Missouri team Saturday.
Players to Watch
- F Tosan Evbuomwan: 15.0 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 4.8 APG, 52.7 FG%
- G Ryan Langborg: 12.1 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 81.8 FT%
- G Matt Allocco: 11.0 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 40.7 3PT%
- C Caden Pierce: 8.3 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 43.4 FG%
Missouri Tigers Betting Overview
The SEC is loaded with talented basketball teams and the Mizzou Tigers have seemingly slipped through the cracks as the likes of Alabama and Texas A&M garner the most attention. With a 25-9 record, Missouri picked up big regular season wins over Kentucky, Arkansas, and Tennessee. The Tigers fell short in the SEC Conference Tournament, beating Tennessee 79-71 before losing to Alabama.
Missouri drew Utah State for the opening round of the tournament. The seventh vs. tenth seed, Missouri upset the Aggies as a 1.5-point underdog. It was Mizzou’s first tournament win since 2010, winning 76-65 behind a strong three-point shooting performance in the second half.
Players to Watch
- G Kobe Brown: 15.9 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.5 APG
- G D’Moi Hodge: 15.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.1 SPG
- G Deandre Gholston: 10.7 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 78% FT
- G Isiaih Mosley: 9.6 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 2.5 APG
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Missouri vs. Princeton Betting Trends
Few brackets had Princeton vs. Missouri as a second-round matchup. Missouri is looking to return to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2009. As for Princeton fans, it’s been a longer wait — it would be their first Sweet 16 appearance in 56 years.
Before doing any Princeton vs. Missouri betting, these are each team’s trends against the spread and total.
- Missouri is 4-1 ATS at neutral venues
- Missouri is 4-2 ATS in their last six games
- Missouri Unders are 6-3 in their last nine games
- Princeton is 5-0 ATS in their last five games
- Princeton Overs are 8-4 in their last 12 games
Missouri vs. Princeton Prediction
Missouri managed to take down Utah State by shooting efficiently from behind the arc. Facing a Princeton team that excels at limiting three-pointers, points may be at a premium in this second-round contest. Neither team came close to hitting the Over in the first round and in our Missouri vs. Princeton prediction, we like the total to stay Under.
Princeton has no issue playing as an underdog and their defense is proving they can play with the best. Will they be able to keep the magic going for another round? No. 7 seeds are just 1-3 against No. 15 seeds in the second round since 2002. Princeton could’ve drawn a much more challenging second-round foe and a Sweet 16 appearance for the Ivy League champs is well-within reach.
Pick: Bet the Under
How to Watch Missouri vs. Princeton
Date: Saturday, March 18
Time: 6:10 p.m. ET
Host City: Sacramento, CA
Venue: Golden 1 Center
Broadcast: TNT
Futures: March Madness odds
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