The Wagner Seahawks and Howard Bison open the NCAA Tournament on Tuesday in the First Four, as we offer our best Wagner vs. Howard prediction based on the best March Madness odds.
The first game of March Madness will feature two teams looking for their first-ever win in the NCAA Tournament, as No. 16 seeds Wagner (16-15) and Howard (18-16) meet in the First Four for the right to face No. 1 seed North Carolina in the West Region.
The Bison are favored by our best sports betting sites to win Tuesday's tournament opener, which comes a year after they lost to Kansas in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, the Seahawks are making their first tournament appearance since 2003 and hope to avoid an early exit in their return.
As part of our March Madness predictions, here is our best Wagner vs. Howard prediction and college basketball pic ks (odds via our best March Madness betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Wagner vs. Howard odds
Wagner (16) vs. Howard (16) prediction: West Region
Best odds: -115 via BetMGM
This is a matchup between two very flawed teams that were fortunate to win their respective conference tournaments. And I'm a little surprised to see our best sportsbooks take such a clear stance in favor of Howard.
Yes, the Bison are the (slightly) better team on paper, having won two more games with a slightly higher net efficiency on the season. But they also have one of the worst defenses in the nation and turn it over on 21.7% of their possessions – by far the worst mark of any team in the tournament.
Those live-ball turnovers are the perfect way to spark a Wagner offense that struggles to score in the half cou rt. It's also especially costly given that the Seahawks feature the second-slowest tempo of any team in the country, magnifying every wasted possession for Howard's offense.
Fittingly, Wagner also ranks 10th in opponent 3-point percentage (29.8%), which is the perfect counter for a Howard offense predicated on the long ball. The Bison also thrive on grabbing their own misses, but the Seahawks are above-average on the glass and feature similar size in their rotation to Howard.
Given that Wagner is the healthier team coming into this matchup, too, gimme the points in a First Four matchup that could easily go either way.
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Wagner vs. Howard best odds
| DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM | Caesars | bet365 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wagner +3 | Wagner +2.5 | Wagner +3.5 | Wagner +3 | Wagner +3 |
| -110 | -105 | -115 | -110 | -110 |
In a matchup between two teams that barely made the field, our best sports betting apps are clearly siding with favorite Howard. For those backing the underdog, BetMGM is offering a rogue +3.5 that likely won't last for long.
I'd bet the Seahawks at anything +2.5 or better, but it's absolutely worth grabbing the best odds at BetMGM while you still can. Remember to check out our best sportsbook promos, too, especially with so many March Madness bonuses available this time of year.
Wagner vs. Howard spread & Over/Under analysis
When this matchup was first announced, Howard immediately opened as the betting favorite across our best sports betting sites, laying anywhere from 2.5 to 3.5 points as of Sunday evening. That feels like too big of a spread against a Wagner team that matches up well with Tuesday's opponent.
Th e total also saw a wide range across our top shops, dealing anywhere from 127 to 128.5 in the early hours of wagering. That's nearly 10 points lower than the early projections for this matchup, so don't be surprised if that total creeps up ahead of Tuesday's tip-off.
Wagner vs. Howard game info
- When: Tuesday, March 19
- Tip-off: 6:40 p.m. ET
- Where: University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, Oh.
- How to watch: truTV
Wagner-Howard prediction made Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.
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