Yale vs. LSU Prediction
Is No. 3 LSU in danger of a big upset today when the Tigers face No. 14 Yale in the opening round of the East Region at 12:40PM ET?
767 Yale vs. 768 LSU
Thursday, March 21, 2019
12:40PM ET – VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
TV: TRUTV
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Public Betting Trends
According to oddsmakers at BetNow.eu, LSU is the favorite in this game, as the Tigers are getting odds of -7.5 points against Yale. The over/under total for the contest is listed at 157 points. The public betting currently has 64 percent going on Yale as the underdog. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our College Basketball Public Betting Page for updated figures on the game.
Yale repping the Ivy League
The Yale Bulldogs got into the tournament by winning the Ivy League title. Yale has won its last three games, but is just 3-4 against the spread in its last seven. The Bulldogs are 22-7 on the season, 3-0 on a neutral floor, 16-12 against the spread and 14-14 with the over/under total.
Yale is one of the stronger offenses in the nation. The Bulldogs are putting up 81.1 points per game while shooting 49.8 percent from the field and 37.2 percent from the arc. Defensively, Yale is giving up 73.2 points per game but holding opponents to just 41.1 percent shooting. Miye Oni is leading the team with 17.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Alex Copeland is adding 13.8 points per contest.
LSU still without Wade
LSU won the SEC regular-season title, but had an early exit in last week’s SEC Tournament as the team is without coach Will Wade, who is suspended due to an investigation into his recruiting. The loss to Florida snapped a five-game win and cover streak for the Tigers. LSU is 26-6 on the season, 2-3 on a neutral floor, 19-12-1 against the spread and 19-12 with the over.
The Tigers are also a very talented offense, as they put up 81.4 points per game while shooting 46.2 percent as a team. Defensively, the Tigers are giving up 73 points per game while allowing opponents to shoot 43.6 percent against them. Tremont Waters is leading the team with 15.1 points and 5.9 assists per game while Naz Reid is adding 13.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest.
College Basketball Betting Trends
Yale
The Bulldogs are 11-3 against the spread in their last 14 games on a neutral site and 6-1 ATS in their last seven games against a team with a winning percentage over .600.
LSU
The Tigers are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games against a team with a winning percentage over .600 and 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games following a loss.
Prediction:
Bettors are sensing an upset here, or at least a close game. Opening odds had LSU as a 10-point favorite and the spread fell down to around 5.5 points at one point. This game should feature a lot of offense, as both team have balanced scoring. LSU still has to deal with the challenge of not having its head coach and I think that could be an issue. Yale is going to come out and swing for the fences. The Bulldogs can shoot from inside and out and the defense is respectable. While giving up a fair amount of points, opponents don’t shoot a great percentage against them. I think that will be what allows them to hang with LSU and keep this game close.
College Basketball Prediction: Yale +7.5