Complete 2025 March Madness First-Round Betting Odds, Lines, and Spreads Released
The 2025 NCAA Tournament first-round matchups are set, featuring notable betting lines and intriguing matchups across all regions.
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Key First-Round Betting Highlights:
- #12 Colorado State (-3.5) is favored over #5 Memphis, the only double-digit seed favored in the opening round
- Largest spread: #1 Houston (-27.5) vs #16 SIU Edwardsville
- Second-largest spread: #1 Florida (-26.5) vs #16 Norfolk State
- Highest total: Akron vs Arizona (167.5)
- Lowest total: SIU Edwardsville vs Houston (127.5)
Notable Game Analysis:
Colorado State vs Memphis
- Colorado State: 25-9 (16-4 Mountain West)
- Memphis: 29-5 (16-2 AAC)
- Line moved from -2.5 to -3.5 favoring CSU
- Analytics heavily favor Colorado State (ranked in high 30s vs Memphis in mid-60s)
Houston vs SIU Edwardsville
- Features nation's top-rated defense (Houston)
- Houston plays fifth-slowest pace in Division I
- KenPom projects 75-51 Houston victory
- Houston: 14-19-1 O/U this season
- SIUE: 15-16 O/U this season
Akron vs Arizona
- Highest-scoring potential matchup
- Arizona: 54th-fastest tempo, #12 offense, #33 defense
- Akron: 16th-fastest tempo, #68 offense, #183 defense
- Arizona: 19-15 over/under
- Akron: 19-12-1 over/under (61.3% over rate)
Duke remains the tournament favorite following confirmation that Cooper Flagg's ankle injury won't affect his participation.