College Basketball Picks Today: March Madness First Round Straight Up Picks [3/21/2024]

Dimers.com delivers daily insights for the NCAA Tournament, focusing on the March Madness first-round games today as part of our college basketball picks coverage.

The excitement of March Madness is here, and our advanced predictive analytics model has been put to the test to provide you with straight up picks for today's first-round games.

Gain an advantage in your March Madness brackets with our data-driven NCAA Tournament picks for today's action. Our selections are derived from over 10,000 simulations of each basketball game.

The NCAA Tournament's first round begins today, featuring thrilling matchups such as Colorado State vs. Texas and Samford vs. Kansas.

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See below for a complete overview of each team's winning probabilities in today's first round of March Madness.

Straight Up NCAA Tournament Picks - First Round (Thursday)

Below are our predictions for the first day of the first round of the NCAA Tournament, detailing the likelihood of each college basketball team securing a victory in today's games.

Michigan State vs. Mississippi State

In the March Madness face-off between Michigan State and Mississippi State, our model leans towards Michigan State with a 53% chance of victory. Meanwhile, Mississippi State stands with a 47% chance of winning.

Michigan State vs. Mississippi State is at the Spectrum Center on Thursday, March 21 at 12:15pm ET.

BYU vs. Duquesne

Our predictions favor BYU in their matchup against Duquesne, with a strong 80% likelihood of success. Duquesne trails with a 20% chance of upsetting the odds.

BYU vs. Duquesne is at CHI Health Center Omaha on Thursday, March 21 at 12:45pm ET.

Akron vs. Creighton

Creighton enters as the significant favorite in this March Madness matchup, with our model assigning them an 86% chance of victory over Akron, which holds a 14% win probability.

Akron vs. Creighton is at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday, March 21 at 1:30pm ET.

Arizona vs. Long Beach State

Arizona is highly favored to dominate against Long Beach State, with our analytics showing an impressive 94% win probability for Arizona. Long Beach State has a mere 6% shot at victory.

Arizona vs. Long Beach State is at the Delta Center on Thursday, March 21 at 2:00pm ET.

North Carolina vs. Wagner

North Carolina is anticipated to win overwhelmingly against Wagner, boasting a 95% chance of success in our model. Wagner enters with a slim 5% chance.

North Carolina vs. Wagner is at the Spectrum Center on Thursday, March 21 at 2:45pm ET.

Illinois vs. Morehead State

Illinois is projected to triumph over Morehead State with an 85% win probability. Morehead State has a 15% chance of pulling off an upset.

Illinois vs. Morehead State is at CHI Health Center Omaha on Thursday, March 21 at 3:10pm ET.

South Carolina vs. Oregon

This matchup presents a more balanced contest, with South Carolina holding a slight edge at 51% against Oregon's 49%.

South Carolina vs. Oregon is at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday, March 21 at 4:00pm ET.

Dayton vs. Nevada

Our model presents a close contest between Dayton and Nevada, giving Nevada a narrow majority chance of 54% to Dayton's 46%.

Dayton vs. Nevada is at the Delta Center on Thursday, March 21 at 4:30pm ET.

Texas vs. Colorado State

The Texas Longhorns are favored to come out on top against the Colorado State Rams, with a win probability of 58% against the Rams' 42%.

Texas vs. Colorado State is at the Spectrum Center on Thursday, March 21 at 6:50pm ET.

Kentucky vs. Oakland

Kentucky stands as a strong favorite with an 86% chance of winning over Oakland, which has a 14% chance according to our model.

Kentucky vs. Oakland is at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday, March 21 at 7:10pm ET.

Gonzaga vs. McNeese State

Gonzaga is projected to be the victor with a 71% chance of winning against McNeese State, which has a 29% chance.

Gonzaga vs. McNeese State is at the Delta Center on Thursday, March 21 at 7:25pm ET.

Iowa State vs. South Dakota State

Iowa State carries a commanding 92% win probability into their game against South Dakota State, which has an 8% chance of winning.

Iowa State vs. South Dakota State is at the Delta Center on Thursday, March 21 at 8:10pm ET.

Tennessee vs. St. Peter's

Tennessee is highly predicted to win with a 95% chance over St. Peter's, which has a 5% chance of an upset.

Tennessee vs. St. Peter's is at CHI Health Center Omaha on Friday, March 22 at 9:20pm ET.

Texas Tech vs. North Carolina State

Texas Tech is expected to win with a 64% likelihood, while North Carolina State is given a 36% chance of victory.

Texas Tech vs. North Carolina State is at the Spectrum Center on Friday, March 22 at 9:40pm ET.

Kansas vs. Samford

The Kansas Jayhawks are projected to win with a 73% probability against the Samford Bulldogs, who are a 27% win chance.

Kansas vs. Samford is at the Delta Center on Friday, March 22 at 9:55pm ET.

Drake vs. Washington State

In a closer matchup, Drake has a slight edge with a 53% win probability over Washington State's 47%.

Drake vs. Washington State is at CHI Health Center Omaha on Friday, March 22 at 10:05pm ET.

March Madness Winner Picks [Thursday 21st March, 2024]

• Michigan State (53% win probability)
• BYU (80%)
• Creighton (86%)
• Arizona (94%)
• UNC (96%)
• Illinois (85%)
• South Carolina (51%)
• Nevada (53%)
• Texas (58%)
• Kentucky (86%)
• Gonzaga (71%)
• Iowa State (92%)
• Tennessee (95%)
• Texas Tech (64%)
• Kansas (73%)
• Drake (53%)

NCAA Tournament Straight Up Picks and Predictions - First Round

The NCAA Tournament first-round picks straight up in this article are current as of publication and may change as more information becomes available.

Dimers is your go-to source for NCAA Tournament predictions, and our straight up picks are helping basketball fans across the nation make informed choices.

If you're considering using these NCAA straight up picks for wagering, remember to bet wisely and always manage your bankroll with care. Should you need support or advice on responsible betting, resources are available; please contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Note that all NCAA odds and win probabilities listed on this page are subject to change.

More on NCAA March Madness

Beyond providing reliable picks for the NCAA Tournament, Dimers also brings you the latest college basketball news, game-by-game NCAA predictions, daily March Madness best bets, and futures markets insights.