The NCAA Tournament begins on Tuesday, March 15th with the First Four, and then moves on to the first round on Thursday, March 17 and Friday, March 18. No. 1 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs will face No. 16 seed Georgia State Panthers in the first round on Thursday. Here’s an early look at what we can expect from the Bulldogs and Panthers in this year’s March Madness Tournament.
Once the odds from DraftKings Sportsbook are made available for this game, we’ll add that information below. We’ll also add the game time and TV channel once it’s settled.
Game date: Thursday, March 17th
Game time: 4:15 p.m. ET
TV channel: TNT
Location: Portland, Oregon
Odds: Gonzaga -25
No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs
The Bulldogs will look to rebound from their loss in last year’s national championship with a successful run in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. Gonzaga returns Drew Timme and Andrew Nembhard from last year’s team, with freshman phenom Chet Holmgren making strides as the season has progressed.
Holmgren is averaging 14.4 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, but he’ll need to become a more all-around threat for Gonzaga in the tournament. The Bulldogs lacked a true superstar who could get a bucket in any situation last year, and it hurt them in bigger moments. We’ll see if Holmgren can develop into that type of player, while Timme provides a solid production floor.
Record: 26-3, 13-1 WCC
KenPom adjusted offensive efficiency: 3
KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency: 7
Against The Spread: 15-12-2
Over Total: 12-17
Odds to win NCAA Championship: +350
No. 16 Georgia State
Georgia State successfully guaranteed its spot in the big dance this season, defeating Louisiana in the Sun Belt Tournament Championship Game to punch its ticket. Riding a 10-game winning streak heading into the tournament, the Panthers have experienced a big late-season turnaround after starting 0-4 in conference play.
The team has been led by guard Corey Allen, who is putting up 14.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. Kane Williams and Justin Roberts round out what has been a strong frontcourt for GSU.
Record: 18-10, 9-5 Sun Belt
KenPom adjusted offensive efficiency: 201
KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency: 114
Against The Spread: 13-12-1
Over Total: 8-18
Odds to win NCAA Championship: +50000