Auburn vs. Yale: 2024 NCAA Tournament Odds & Picks
Now that the 2024 NCAA Tournament brackets have been announced, it’s time to make your sports betting picks to increase the excitement of March Madness. Let's take a look at the early odds and picks for the 2024 NCAA Tournament game: Auburn vs. Yale. And make sure to check out our 2024 NCAA Tournament Bracket Optimizer to take down your pools!
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2024 NCAA Tournament Odds & Picks: Auburn vs. Yale
Auburn 2024 NCAA Tournament Preview
Is there a more exciting team in the country right now than Auburn? Winning six straight games entering the tournament, this team knows how to win. Their defense is stifling, and they’ve only continued to improve this year, ranking fourth overall in efficiency since February 1st. Their opponents shoot at the lowest effective field goal percentage in the nation; they allow nothing in the interior, force turnovers, and block shots at the third-highest rate in the nation. Johni Broome can anchor this team and represents its floor and ceiling. With a double-double in the SEC tournament championship, it only gives more confidence as to how deep Bruce Pearl can lead his team.
As a team, they don’t exactly excel at shooting beyond the arc, but Jaylin Williams, Chad Baker-Mazara, and Denver Jones are all capable of catching fire. They can handle big teams like USC, fast teams like Alabama, and slower, more physical teams like Mississippi State. And we haven’t even got to their offense! Ranking in the top-10 on the season and in recent play, the Tigers do everything right offensively. They rank in the top 60 in turnover percentage, offensive rebound percentage, free throw rate, and interior shooting. They have a lot of avenues to win a game, and with their stifling defense, they can take on anyone.
What could be a kryptonite for Auburn is facing a more physical team that draws fouls. While ranking eighth in bench minutes, if Broome has to sit out at all, that limits Auburn’s ceiling. All it takes is one game. But that is a small flaw. This team should be in the title-contending tier, and while it’s questionable if they can compete with the likes of UConn, Purdue, or Houston. Don’t be surprised if they are cutting down the nets in early April.
Yale 2024 NCAA Tournament Preview
After all, hope seemed lost; trailing Brown 60-54 with under 30 seconds remaining in the Ivy League Tournament championship game, some timely missed free throws, and a buzzer-beater propelled Yale into the Big Dance. This is a solid all-around team that plays slow and ranks in the top 100 both offensively and defensively.
Yale takes care of the ball and capitalizes on the defensive boards, allowing the Bulldogs a high shot volume while not giving anything free to opponents. Yale’s lack of depth is concerning. The Bulldogs’ perimeter defense allows opponents to score 35 percent of their points from deep, the 46th highest in the nation. Yale has many double-digit scorers, but it’s just a question of whether someone can take over and spark an upset.
2024 NCAA Tournament Predictions: Auburn vs. Yale
One of the most intriguing aspects of the NCAA tournament is when you get two teams with clashing styles. That’s what we see here with Auburn and Yale. Auburn likes to play fast. Their tempo is top 60 in the nation, yet they’re an incredibly efficient offense and defense. Yale, meanwhile, plays at one of the slowest paces in the country and takes care of the ball on offense, which is typically how games are dictated this time of year.
Looking back at Auburn’s loss to Appalachian State in December, you see a team with a similar statistical profile to Yale that gave Auburn fits. They’re a decent shooting team, they don’t turn the ball over, they don’t foul often and they’re excellent on the defensive glass. Auburn’s advantages in athleticism and efficiency should be enough to get through this challenge, but the matchup is a prime example of a tough game. The Tigers are on upset alert.
2024 NCAA Tournament Picks: Auburn vs. Yale
Bet: Yale +12.5 (-110 via DraftKings Sportsbook)
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2024 NCAA Tournament Sports Betting Picks
Now that the 2024 NCAA Tournament brackets have been announced, it’s time to make your sports betting picks to increase the excitement of March Madness. Let's take a look at the early odds and picks for the 2024 NCAA Tournament
EAST REGION
- UCONN v Stetson (1v16)
- Iowa St. v South Dakota St. (2v15)
- Illinois v Morehead St. (3v14)
- Auburn v Yale (4v13)
- San Diego St. v UAB (5v12)
- BYU v Duquesne (6v11)
- Washington St. v Drake (7v10)
- Florida Atlantic v Northwestern (8v9)
MIDWEST REGION
- Montana St/Grambling St PLAY IN
- Virginia/Colorado St. PLAY IN
- Tennessee vs. Saint Peter’s (2v15)
- Creighton vs. Akron (3v14)
- Kansas vs. Samford (4v13)
- Gonzaga vs. McNeese (5v12)
- South Carolina vs. Oregon (6v11)
- Utah St. vs. TCU (8v9)
SOUTH REGION
- Boise St./Colorado PLAY IN
- Houston vs. Longwood (1v16)
- Marquette vs. Western Kentucky (2v15)
- Kentucky vs. Oakland (3v14)
- Duke vs. Vermont (4v13)
- Wisconsin vs. James Madison (5v12)
- Texas Tech vs. NC State (6v11)
- Nebraska vs. Texas A&M (8v9)
WEST REGION
- Howard/Wagner PLAY IN
- Arizona vs. Long Beach St. (2v15)
- Baylor vs. Colgate (3v14)
- Alabama vs. Charleston (4v13)
- Saint Mary’s vs. Grand Canyon (5v12)
- Clemson vs. New Mexico (6v11)
- Dayton vs. Nevada (7v10)
- Mississippi St. vs. Michigan St. (8v9)
2024 NCAA Tournament Bracket Pool Strategy & Picks
Below we provide strategy, advice, and picks to create the optimal NCAA Tournament bracket. And be sure to use our FREE bracket optimizer to build a winning men’s NCAA tournament bracket and take down your contest!