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Edgar Chaput
Penn St. vs. Texas A&M Bracket Prediction: March Madness Odds
Penn State comes into this contest following a bitter defeat to NCAA heavyweight Purdue in the Big Ten title tilt. Texas A&M also tasted defeat in their conference championship game, but in their case, it was much more lopsided against the Crimson Tide.
The NCAA pundits ordain that the Aggies are slight favourites in this 7-seed vs 10-seed matchup. They’re perched at -3.0 on the NCAA odds. It’s predicted to be a lower-scoring game, with the total set at 134.5.
NCAA Tournament Point Spread and Betting
These programs have clashed thrice in NCAA history. The Aggies have gotten the better of the Nittany Lions every time. Their last confrontation was over five years ago in November 2017 in the “Legends Classic”, which the Texans took 98-87.
One thing is for sure, Penn State doesn’t fear any close games when the stakes are high. They made it to the Big Ten title game by defeating three opponents by a combined nine points. The second-round match versus Northwestern even required extra time. Despite the loss in the final, Penn State covered the spread in all four of its playoff challenges.
As for the Aggies, they were on a roll heading into their SEC championship game. They had won 10 of the previous 11 contests. Likewise for the spreads, with 10 out of 11 covered. They like to handle their business with a little bit more emphasis, with most of their wins settle by six points or more. The under has connected in four of their past five games.
Penn St. Nittany Lions (10)
Going up against a national favourite like Purdue was always going to be a tricky proposition. To their credit, they gave it all they had. In fact, looking at the stats sheet suggests they were the slightly better side overall.
They had better field goal efficiency (43.1 per cent to 38.7), superior shooting from distance (30.4 per cent to 21.4), and vastly better free throwing (93.3 per cent to 65). Really, the difference was that Purdue took more shots, 62 to Penn State’s 51. Even though the rate at which they nailed their attempts was inferior, the law of averages resulted in them winning by two, 67-65. The Lions even won the second half, 38-32. There was no stopping the sensational Zach Edey (Canadian!), who erupted for 30 points, oftentimes at will despite intense defensive pressure.
Texas A&M Aggies (7)
Such praise despite bitter defeat cannot be showered onto the Aggies. Their regional test against Alabama was a one-sided affair.
There was simply no defence against the Tide. Alabama played true to its namesake, emphatically driving for buckets in the paint. As the game wore on and the Texans’ spirit began to sink, the Crimson Tide started to have fun with their flushes, putting in a few highlight-reel-worthy slams. Rebounding was the story of the game, with Alabama winning the battle 50-37. Brandon Miller and Jahvon Quinerly combined for 45 of their side’s 82 points, tearing Texas’ defence to shreds. Every single time it looked as if the Aggies might force a comeback, Alabama put their foot down and said “no.” Aggies fall 82-63.
