Advertisement

Utah State vs. Missouri picks, predictions: Who wins NCAA Tournament first-round game?

jeremy cluff, arizona republic
·4 min read
3

No. 10 seed Utah State and No. 7 seed Missouri face off on Thursday in an NCAA Tournament first-round game.

The game is scheduled for 10:40 a.m. MST and can be seen on TNT.

Who will win the game?

Check out these picks and predictions for the contest.

Utah State is a 1.5-point favorite in the game, according to Tipico Sportsbook.

FanDuel: Utah State 76, Missouri 72

Devon Platana writes: "Although there's decent value with an outright Utah State win, I'll back Ryan Odom's squad on the spread instead. Not only are the Aggies an impressive 7-1 ATS in their last eight games, but they're also 4-1 ATS against their last five SEC opponents. Meanwhile, Missouri is just 4-8 ATS in its last 12 Thursday matchups. Utah State also has a better ATS record this season (21-12) than Missouri (17-16), further backing my belief that the Aggies can win this by at least a basket."

Sporting News: Go with Utah State to win against Missouri

Kevin Skiver writes: "The biggest issue for the Tigers is defense. Missouri allowed 74.6 points per game this season, and against an offense as explosive as Utah State's, that's a big issue. The Aggies have been able to put together big runs this season, and the backcourt in particular could be a problem. With that being said, Kobe Brown and D'Moi Hodge are two of the most potent scoring threats Utah State has seen this year, so the Aggies will have to find ways to slow them down. The predictor sees the Utah State beating Missouri, and all things together, that's a reasonable pick. Despite Missouri's impressive season, Utah State gets the edge in this game."

NCAA Tournament schedule, TV: March Madness game times, channels, announcers, how to watch

Sportsbook Wire: Utah State 78, Missouri 73

It writes: "Utah State has put together a 21-12-0 record against the spread this season. Missouri has covered 16 times in 32 chances against the spread this season."

NCAA Tournament odds: 2023 March Madness point spreads, money lines, over/unders for games

Will Missouri beat Utah State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament?
Will Missouri beat Utah State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament?

Sports Chat Place: Utah State will cover against Missouri

Chris Ruffolo writes: "I’m backing the Aggies in this one. I think it’s very telling that Utah State’s favored in this game, and I agree with it because the Tigers didn’t really have to deal with many offenses that can shoot the lights out like the Aggies can. Missouri is a solid team and this game will likely soar over the total, but I think it’s still Utah State’s to lose. Give me the Aggies here."

March Madness odds: Houston, Kansas, Alabama, Purdue 2023 men's NCAA Tournament favorites

Fansided: Take the over in Utah State vs. Missouri game

Reed Wallach writes: "It’s worth noting that the Mountain West has struggled in the NCAA Tournament of late, failing to cover in its last nine tourney games. While that’s not predictive of anything in this iteration of the NCAA Tournament, it may show that quality MWC may struggle when they step up in class to say a high major team from a conference like the SEC. I lean towards Missouri as an underdog, but I’ll share the over as my favorite bet as both offense should have little issue putting points on the board."

Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Utah State vs. Missouri picks, predictions for March Madness game