Texas A&M-Corpus Christi vs South East Missouri State, Picks & Odds | NCAA Tournament

March Madness is finally here, and that means we have tons of basketball games to bet on over the next three weekends. The action starts with the First Four when the bracket goes from 68 teams to the official field of 64. Texas A&M-CC and SE Missouri State will battle it out for a chance to face Alabama in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Neither team has much of a chance to upset the Tide. Nevertheless, look for both teams to compete hard to try and punch their ticket to the 64-team field. 

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SE Missouri State Preview

SE Missouri State has a lot of momentum heading into the NCAA Tournament on truTV. The team didn’t have a great season, with a 19-16 record in the regular season. When it came time for the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament, Brad Korn’s squad got hot at the right time and won the title.

The area where the Redhawks shine is one offense, as they score just under 78 points per game. However, in the NCAA Tournament, we’ve seen defensive teams have a lot of success, and this just doesn’t fit the mold of SE Missouri State. The program allows 76 points per game, which forces the offense to make shots. If SE Missouri State is having an off night from the field, they’re not winning because of the inability in the backcourt. If you’re expecting a solid defensive game from the Redhawks, think again, as they haven’t shown any level of consistency this year.

Key Players & Key Stats

SE Missouri State is known for offense, and they do have three dynamic scorers that propelled the program to the OVC Championship. The first is Phillip Russell, who leads the team in scoring with 18.2 points per game. Russell may be the team’s primary scorer, but he hasn’t been good from the field, shooting under 40%. 

The Redhawks play fast, which gives Russell more opportunities to score, but he isn’t an efficient scorer. The other two players to watch on offense are Chris Harris (15.4 PPG) and Israel Barnes (10.3 PPG). These two have been great supporting cast members, but Russell is taking the final shot if the game is on the line.

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Texas A&M-CC Preview

Texas A&M-CC has been one of the most exciting mid-major programs to watch in 2022-23. The Islanders play fast basketball and knock down shots consistently, which is what every basketball fan wants to watch. Steve Lutz’s team finished the season with a 23-10 record and hoisted the Southland Trophy title. 

The team was tested throughout the conference tournament but found ways to win in the final minutes of games. This narrative has been true to Texas A&M-CC all season. We trust the Islanders to win when a game appears to be tight. 

Texas A&M has beaten teams into submission with its elite scoring ability. They’re averaging over 80 points per game and have scored over 90 ten times. This characteristic gives the Islanders a chance to be a 2023 Cinderella. Any team that can score has a chance to win in March Madness because it’s so hard to score 90 points in college basketball. 

Key Players & Key Stats

The Islanders have multiple players averaging double figures, but no team member has matched Trevian Tennyson. Tennyson is a senior guard that has been tremendous from the field all season. He averages 15.7 points per game, shooting 44.3% from the field. The one concern with Tennyson is that his road splits are significantly worse than at home. Yet, Tennyson is an experienced player who is reliable in big games.

Issac Mushila is the other player to note for the Islanders. He has been an authority in the paint, averaging just under a 14-point double-double. Texas A&M-CC has received a lot of second-chance scoring opportunities this season because of Mushila, which has helped them be one of the best offensive teams in the nation. 

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Odds, Previews, Picks, Best Bets for NCAA Tournament First Four SE Missouri State vs Texas A&M-CC

Texas A&M opened up as a favorite on BetMGM, and this was expected as they’re the stronger team in this First Four matchup. The Islanders and Redhawks can both score, so this contest could come down to the team shoots better from the field. Based on the 2022-23 season, we’re betting on the Islanders to deliver. 

The KenPom Ranking is one of the country's most trusted college basketball rankings. This matchup isn’t even close on paper as SE Missouri State is 263 in adjusted offensive efficiency compared to Texas A&M-CC, who is 137. The Redhawks play a much faster pace of basketball, but there are too many misses to match Texas A&M-CC’s efficiency. 

We like the Islanders to win, but our best bet in this game is the over of 153. SE Missouri State has one of the fastest paces in the country, which leads to more points. The total may appear high, but these two teams can easily hit this mark. The Islanders are 18-11 against the over, which is staggering, but it doesn’t compare to SE Missouri State. The Redhawks have gone over 21 times in 33 games, which is a 63% hit rate. For this reason, we recommend leaning over in this First Four contest.

SE Missouri State vs Texas A&M-CC Prediction How to Watch

Location: Dayton, OH

Game Time & Date: MAR. 14 @ 6:40 p.m ET

TV Network: truTV

Streaming: NCAA March Madness Live App

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BetMGM is an excellent betting option for March Madness. The sportsbook has tons of bonuses, especially for new users on the platform. New players can receive a risk-free first bet of up to $1000. For example, if you bet on either team in this First Four game and it lost, you would receive the stake back in free betting credit. If you want to check out the BetMGM promo, use our exclusive link. Our site also has a complete guide that details all the great things BetMGM has to offer.