Washington State vs. Drake: 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: Washington State vs. Drake. 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: Washington State vs. Drake
Washington State 2024 NCAA Tournament Preview
Out of the Pac-12, Washington State is one of the more consistent, straightforward squads in the field. The Cougars will depend a lot on their size, with six players over 6-7. As expected, this means their rebounding percentage, offensively and defensively, ranks high, and they will lean on the interior look. Their percentage of three-pointers taken ranked 309th in the league.
Defensively, they don’t allow much down low or in the perimeter but can be picked apart in the mid-range game. Given how slow they play, it’s impressive how consistent they play, taking down Arizona twice this year. Against elevated competition, they actually up their efficiency, ranking 38th against opponents ranked in the top 100.
Their size, defense, and consistent interior play bode well for a potential upset, but it’s just a question of if they can put it all together. Depending on the freshman, Myles Rice doesn’t exactly spark confidence, but Isaac Jones and Oscar Cluff are elite frontcourt scoring options. The Cougars don’t have much depth and can struggle against a higher-paced team. Their 268th-ranked free throw percentage is concerning for potential close games, but Kyle Smith’s team has a chance to be a fan favorite this March, with how big and bad this team can play.
Drake 2024 NCAA Tournament Preview
It was a surprise to some when Drake upset Indiana State in the Missouri Valley tournament final to earn an auto-bid, but not for the Bulldogs. Tucker DeVries may be the coach’s son, but don’t underestimate the back-to-back MVC player of the year. With frontcourt mate Darnell Brodie, DeVries absorbs defensive rebounds, and Drake leads the nation in defensive rebound percentage. They allow few second-chance looks so any off-team shooting may struggle.
Offensively, their dynamic sets allow them to score anywhere on the court, ranking in the top 50 both inside and outside the arc. Guards Atin Wright and Conor Enright both shoot above 40 percent from deep, while DeVries can sling it as well, going 4-5 from the perimeter in the MVC title game. In terms of weaknesses, Drake rarely rebounds misses, and their defense leaves some meat on the bone, ranking outside the top 75 in efficiency.
With a top-40 offense, the question will be if DeVries can carry this team to a victory on an off-shooting night because their defense won’t exactly be able to win games. Drake will yet again be a popular double-digit mid-major to upset in the first round. If they can make up for the lack of size and interior defense, it will be with good reason. Revenge will be at the front of mind for these players after dropping to Miami last year. That extra push might just be enough to send Drake to the second round.
2024 NCAA Tournament Predictions: Washington State vs. Drake
The Missouri Valley champions won’t be an easy out. Drake is an experienced bunch that nearly knocked off Miami (who wound up going to the Final Four) as a 12-seed in last year’s dance. The Bulldogs are exceptional offensively, ranking 27th in effective field goal percentage and 14th in turnover percentage. Drake isn’t overly battle-tested, but they do have a win over fellow NCAA Tournament team Nevada on their resume. Washington State will be arguably the best defense Drake’s seen all season. The Cougars rank 35th in defensive effective field goal percentage and are especially good at defending the perimeter. Wazzu doesn’t offer as much upside offensively and prefers to get their points on the inside. The Cougs rank 303rd in 3-point rate and prioritize getting the ball inside and pulling down offensive rebounds at a high rate. The latter strength is something Drake could mitigate, as the Bulldogs lead the nation in defensive rebounding rate. This is the truest definition of a toss-up, but I trust the more experienced Bulldogs in this matchup.
2024 NCAA Tournament Pick: Washington State vs. Drake
Pick: Drake +1.5 (-110 on DraftKings)
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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!