No. 1 Baylor vs. No. 16 Norfolk State preview for March Madness first-round matchup

The NCAA Tournament begins on Tuesday, March 15th with the First Four, and then moves on to the first round on Thursday, March 17 and Friday, March 18. No. 1 seed Baylor Bears will face No. 16 seed Norfolk State Spartans in the first round on Thursday. Here’s an early look at what we can expect from the Bears and Spartans in this year’s March Madness Tournament.

Once the odds from DraftKings Sportsbook are made available for this game, we’ll add that information below. We’ll also add the game time and TV channel once it’s settled.

Game date: Thursday, March 17th
Game time: 2:00 p.m. ET
TV channel: TBS
Location: Fort Worth, Texas

Odds: Baylor -20.5

No. 1 Baylor

While everybody thought the Bears wouldn’t be as good as last year, Baylor played terrific all season despite plenty of roster turnover. They’re one of the favorites to win it all again, and are led by Adam Flagler who is averaging 13.8 points per game. They are as deep and balanced as anyone in the country, with seven players averaging eight or more points per game.

Record: 26-6, 14-4 Big 12
KenPom adjusted offensive efficiency: 9
KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency: 14
Against The Spread: 16-15-1
Over Total: 17-14-1
Odds to win NCAA Championship: +1200

No. 16 Norfolk State

Norfolk State will be headed to the NCAA Tournament for a second-straight season, earning an autobid by once again winning the MEAC Tournament. The Spartans ran through the league during the regular season and properly handled business as the No. 1 seed in the conference tourney, taking down Delaware State, Morgan State, and Coppin State.

Joe Bryant Jr. is name to watch in the first-round. He averaged 16.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game this season.

Record: 24-6, 12-2 MEAC
KenPom adjusted offensive efficiency: 190
KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency: 159
Against The Spread: 17-9-1
Over Total: 12-15
Odds to win NCAA Championship: +100000