NCAA Tournament: Preview & Picks for Friday’s Early-Evening Games

The madness keeps on rolling into Friday as more first-round games are set to tip off as we complete the field for the Round of 32. We look at all 16 games on Friday’s slate and discuss which team we see advancing.

NCAA Picks: Early Games | Afternoon Games | Late-Night Games

6:50 p.m. ET | #16 Fairleigh Dickinson vs. #1 Purdue | TNT

We will do the scariest thing you can imagine in the NCAA Tournament’s opening round: back a 16-seed not to get humiliated. Fairleigh Dickinson pressed the living daylights out of Texas Southern en route to their First Four win on Wednesday night, living up to their highest press rate in the nation this season. Purdue has mightily struggled all season long against the late-game press with their freshman backcourt, and FDU could do just enough to keep them within the number here. Take the bevy of points with the Knights.

ATS Pick: Fairleigh Dickinson +22.5

7:10 p.m. ET | #11 Providence vs. #6 Kentucky | CBS

Since the Ed Cooley coaching drama has erupted in the past few weeks, Providence’s head has seemed elsewhere. After a January victory over UConn, the Friars climbed to 28th in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency. Since then, they have crumbled down to 45th with a sub-.500 record over that span. Kentucky seems to be trending in the opposite direction as the Wildcats continue to get healthy, with wins in five of their previous seven. Kentucky’s talent is lightyears past the Friars, which will show in this one.

ATS Pick: Kentucky -4.5

7:25 p.m. ET | #12 Drake vs. #5 Miami | TBS

All aboard the Drake train! This spread has shortened from its opening of +3.5 down to +1.5 as we await the injury news for Miami forward Norchad Omier. The big man has not practiced yet this week, which is worrying given we are now within 36 hours of tip-off for this one. Drake’s one of the oldest teams in the country with a trusty point guard in Roman Penn, a bonafide stud scorer in Tucker DeVries, and a capable big in Darnell Brodie, that could take advantage of a thinner Miami frontcourt. The Bulldogs will get this one done.

Moneyline Pick: Drake +110

7:35 p.m. ET | #14 Grand Canyon vs. #3 Gonzaga | truTV

Gonzaga’s offense is executing at incredible levels right now. It’s tops in offensive efficiency on KenPom entering the tournament, and it’s far from anything Grand Canyon has seen this season out of the WAC. The best offense the Antelopes faced this year came against Nevada, which doesn’t even crack the top 50 in efficiency. Keep this one simple and back the Bulldogs in a game where they could reach triple-digits.

ATS Pick: Gonzaga -15.5