Yale (13) vs. Auburn (4) Bracket Prediction: March Madness Odds
Auburn opened as a 12.5-point favourite to win on the college basketball odds, while the total is set at 140.5 for this East Region matchup.
Yale vs. Auburn NCAA Tournament Point Spread and Betting
The winner of this game is set to face either No. 5 San Diego State or No. 12 UAB in the second round for a chance to punch their ticket to the Sweet 16.
Yale has just one win in their six previous NCAA Tournament appearances. They’re back in the Big Dance for the second time in the last three years as they look to improve upon a blowout loss against Purdue in 2022 when the Bulldogs were a 14-seed. Yale is a +50,000 long shot to win the tournament and +10,000 to reach the Final Four.
Auburn has a combined 19-12 record over 12 previous NCAA Tournament appearances. They reached the Elite Eight twice and made it as far as the Final Four in 2019. They’re virtually a lock in the first round as they have won at least one game in 11 straight tournament appearances. The Tigers have the seventh-shortest odds to win the tournament at +1700 and they are +375 to reach the Final Four.
A 13-seed has never gone further in the tournament than the Sweet 16, but they have won at least one game in 13 of the last 18 years. Furman was the lone 13-seed to advance last year after beating Virginia 68-67 before they were blown out by San Diego State in the second round.
Yale Bulldogs (13)
Yale finished third in the Ivy League standings with an 11-3 conference record (22-9 overall) and they earned an automatic bid in the NCAA Tournament by defeating Brown 62-61 in the Ivy League Tournament title game. The Bulldogs are a deep team featuring five all-league players, including two-time Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year Bez Mbeng, who averages 11.3 points per game and leads the team in assists (4.2) and steals (1.8). Unanimous All-Ivy Leaguer Danny Wolf averages team-highs in points (14.3), rebounds (9.8) and blocks (1.4). This game could come down to how well Mbeng can disrupt Auburn’s offence.
Auburn Tigers (4)
Auburn finished second in the SEC with a 13-5 record. They ended the year on a six-game heater to win the SEC Tournament and improve their overall record to 27-7. The Tigers boast the 13th highest scoring team in the nation, which averages 83.3 ppg. The duo of all-conference players Johni Broome and Jaylin Williams has been lights out. Broome averages team-highs in points (16.2), rebounds (8.4) and blocks (2.3), while Williams averages 12.4 ppg and is shooting nearly 40 per cent from three. Auburn is easily the toughest 4-seed in the tournament, so they provide great value for a deep run.
YALE
AUB