Expert-driven PRO resources help us get an edge on a couple of savvy picks for Friday’s NCAA Tournament.
When it comes to betting college basketball, especially during the NCAA Tournament, finding the right angles and insights can make all the difference. For this Friday night’s Round of 64 predictions, our premium data spotlight shines on two exciting matchups:
- Arizona vs. Akron (7:35 p.m. ET, truTV)
- UConn vs. Oklahoma (9:25 p.m. ET, TNT)
With our proprietary PRO Projections and PRO Systems, subscribers have access to strategic insights that can amplify their betting success.
Our selections for Friday evening include both a plus-money value best bet, and identifying a trendy team to fade.
Let’s delve into the evidence-backed insights and understand what our data reveals about the best picks for these games on Friday night.
Round of 64 Picks Friday Night in the NCAA Tournament
Arizona vs. Akron Basketball Pick
First, let’s break down the Akron vs. Arizona matchup. The 4-seeded Wildcats are -14.5 against the spread.
It’s a juicy narrative: Upstart Akron draws an Arizona program which has had its share of struggles in previous tournaments. Naturally, a 4 vs. 13 seeded game is a common option for those looking at potential upsets.
However, leveraging our “Fading Trendy Underdogs” PRO System suggests an advantageous play on Arizona to cover the point spread Friday night.
PRO finds that NCAA Tournament seeds 4-16 are good fades at certain spread ranges when these teams attract significant public action. The focus is on the First Four, Round of 64 and Round of 32, when betting is at an all-time high.
The majority of tickets in our betting trackers favor Akron to cover the big line. The Zips are one of the most popular first-round underdog picks in general.
However, these public darlings early in the bracket only cover 45.3% of the time since we began logging! Therefore, history is on the side of those who opt to back Arizona.
[quickslipbasic bookname=”Fanatics” booklogo=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/573837_FanaticsSportsbook20ALT.png” image=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2025/03/IMG_1768-1.jpeg” buttontext=”Instantly Tail Arizona to Cover!” buttonlink=”[quickslipbasic bookname=”Fanatics” booklogo=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/573837_FanaticsSportsbook20ALT.png” image=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2025/03/IMG_1768.jpeg” buttontext=”Tail Arizona to Cover Instantly!” buttonlink=”https://www.scoresandodds.com/all/parlay?quickslip=1&onelink=/5kut/i2ra7z2e?sharedBy=QS_0105&ref=10001″][/quickslipbasic]”][/quickslipbasic]
PRO Systems Prediction: Arizona Against the Spread
Oklahoma vs. UConn Basketball Pick
So much for a three-peat for the national title! In our second pick, PRO Projections identified value in betting on Oklahoma against UConn.
The moneyline price for the Sooners to trip up the two-time reigning national champs Friday is a tantalizing +190, whereas our fair valuation estimates it at +123.
Add to that the point spread discrepancy: the public line is +5.5, yet our data suggests a much tighter margin of +2.3. These insights from our proprietary systems indicate A+ value on Oklahoma.
[quickslipbasic bookname=”Fanatics” booklogo=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/573837_FanaticsSportsbook20ALT.png” image=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2025/03/IMG_1769.jpeg” buttontext=”Instantly Back Oklahoma Moneyline!” buttonlink=”https://www.scoresandodds.com/all/parlay?quickslip=1&onelink=/5kut/c3a19a9y?sharedBy=QS_0105&ref=10001″][/quickslipbasic]
PRO Projections Prediction: Oklahoma Moneyline
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