The No. 3 Baylor Bears take on the No. 14 Colgate Raiders in the First Round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Tip-off is scheduled for 12:40 p.m. ET on Friday, March 22, and the game will air on TruTV.
2024 March Madness picks
No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 14 Colgate best bet
Baylor (23-10, 11-7 Big XII) had a solid year in a very challenging Big XII, finishing third in conference play and falling to Iowa State in the conference semifinals. The Bears finished the year ranked sixth in adjusted offensive efficiency. Led by the backcourt duo of Ja’Kobe Walter and RayJ Dennis, Baylor scored 80.1 points per game on average.
They were particularly strong from the perimeter, going 39.4% from the three-point line (4th in the nation). However, they didn’t rely too heavily on the outside, as just 32.1% of their points came from three-pointers.
Colgate (25-9, 16-2 Patriot) blew through the Patriot League yet again to return to the Big Dance. The Raiders are led by guard Braeden Smith, who averages 12.6 points and 5.8 assists per game, but their true specialty lies on the defensive side. The Raiders held opponents to 64 points per game this season, the ninth-lowest mark in the nation, and kept opponents to 29.9% from the three-point line, ranking 11th in all of college basketball. This will come in handy against Baylor, who fire plenty of shots off from the perimeter.
On the offensive side, Colgate is less productive, averaging just 70.2 points per game on 46.6% shooting. They went 0-2 against Quad 1 opponents this season, and play at a slower pace, with just 67.4 possessions per game on average.
Betting lines
Friday odds
Spread: Baylor -14
Total: 138.5
Moneyline: Baylor -1100, Colgate +700
Opening odds
Spread: Baylor -14
Total: 138.5
Moneyline: Baylor -1050, Colgate +675
All odds are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
Best bet: Baylor -14
Colgate’s three-point offense may help the Raiders hang around for a while, but Baylor is fine without the perimeter option, as well. Their offense can find shots from anywhere, and the Bears won’t have to worry about a high-paced, high-scoring offense keeping up with them on the other side of the court, as Colgate averages 10 fewer points per game than Baylor.