A trendy upset matchup gets the South Region First Round action underway on Friday afternoon. The #14 UCSB Gauchos will look to pull off the upset against a confusing Baylor Bears team that earned the third seed. The winner of this game will play either #6 Creighton or #11 NC State. Here, we give our college basketball betting pick for the UC Santa Barbara vs Baylor first round matchup.
UC Santa Barbara vs Baylor Betting Pick
| ℹ️ The Pick: | Baylor -10.5 |
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This game will be played at Ball Arena at 1:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 17, 2023.
Why Bet on Baylor:
✅ Baylor struggled at the end of Big 12 play, but they had no problem taking care of weaker opposition this season.
✅ The Bears did not lose a single game outside of the first two quads this season.
✅ UCSB took care of business in the Big West, but Baylor is a different breed, and the Gauchos did not play any Quad One games this season.
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UC Santa Barbara Gauchos – Trendy Upset Pick
UCSB earned their way to the NCAA Tournament by dominating the Big West and making their way through the conference tournament. The Gauchos are one of the better mid-major teams and can pull off the big upset.
The Gauchos are ranked as the 100th best team in the nation and are 3-1 in their Quad One and Two games this season.
UCSB is back in the tournament after a one -year hiatus and are looking to win their first game in the Big Dance since 1990.
Baylor Bears – Are They As Good As Advertised?
Baylor ended their regular season, and conference tournament, in similar fashion with back-to-back losses to Iowa State. It was not a great end of the season for the Bears, but they have the NCAA Tournament resume and have earned the benefit of the doubt.
The Bears are rated the 15th best team in the nation and are a perfect 7-0 in their Quad Three and Four games this season.
Baylor is in the tournament for the fourth straight version and will look to better their second round exit last season.
