One team will advance to the first round of the Big Dance against Purdue, and another will have its season come to an end when two No. 16 seeds — the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights and Texas Southern Tigers — collide in a 2023 First Four game on Wednesday at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Even though the Knights (17-15) did not win the Northeast Conference championship, they received the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by virtue of NEC champion Merrimack being ineligible to play in the tournament. Meanwhile the Tigers (12-20) qualified for the tournament by winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament title.
Tipoff is set for 6:40 p.m. ET. The Tigers are favored by 2 points in the latest Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Texas Southern odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 147. Before making any Texas Southern vs. Fairleigh Dickinson picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s Larry Hartstein.
A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed while working for Pro Football Focus. He also has been SportsLine’s most profitable college basketball expert. In his last 158 college basketball picks, he has gone 93-64-1, which translates to a 58.9 winning percentage and a $2,265 return for $100 bettors.
Now, he has set his sights on Texas Southern vs. FDU in the First Four 2023. You can head to SportsLine to see his picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for FDU vs. Texas Southern:
- Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Texas Southern spread: Tigers -2
- Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Texas Southern over/under: 147 points
- Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Texas Southern money line: Tigers -142, Knights +123
- FDU: The Knights average 106.2 points per 100 possessions, which leads all NEC teams.
- TXSO: Davon Barnes leads the Tigers in scoring (13.6 points per game).
- Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Texas Southern picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Texas Southern can cover
Davon Barnes enters the NCAA Tournament on a roll. The 6-foot-5 forward from Memphis averaged 17.3 points per game and shot 61.3% from the field in the three SWAC Tournament games. For the season he leads Texas Southern in scoring (13.6 points per game) and free throw percentage (78.0).
In addition, the Tigers face a Fairleigh Dickinson team that struggles defensively. The Knights give up 118.4 points per 100 possessions, according to Kenpom.com, which ranks third-to-last in defensive efficiency in the country. They also rank 300th in the nation in scoring defense (74.9 points per game).
Why Fairleigh Dickinson can cover
Fairleigh Dickinson has the most efficient offense in the NEC. The Knights average 106.2 points per 100 possessions, according to Kenpom.com, which leads all conference teams. They also average 77.8 points per game, which also is the best in the NEC and ranks 42nd in Div. I.
In addition, Fairleigh Dickinson has a playmaking guard in Demetre Roberts. The 5-foot-8 transfer from St. Thomas Aquinas leads the team in scoring (16.7 points per game) and assists (4.3). For his efforts this season he was named to the all-NEC first team.
How to make Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Texas Southern picks
Hartstein has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he’s leaning Over the total, he has discovered a crucial x-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back. He’s sharing it only at SportsLine.
Who wins Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Texas Southern? And what critical factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Texas Southern vs. Fairleigh Dickinson spread you should jump on — all from SportsLine’s No. 1 college basketball expert, who is 93-64-1 in his last 158 college basketball picks.
