Top 3 College Basketball Crown/NIT Predictions: Tuesday (4/1)
The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament might not resume until Saturday, but we have plenty to bet on. The College Basketball Crown first-round action rolls on in Las Vegas and we have the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) national semi-finals taking place tonight.
The NIT version of the Final Four tips off at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, with a game at 9:30 p.m. ET, too.
Here are our best college basketball picks for Tuesday, April 1st.
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Tuesday’s Best College Basketball Picks
Last Week: 4-1 (80.0%, (+290) | Season: 13-13 (50.0%, -176) | Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook | All picks are for 1 unit
Colorado Buffaloes (+130) at Villanova Wildcats (-156) | O/U 143.5 (-110/-110)
The Buffaloes (14-20) and the Wildcats (19-14) tip off at approximately 8:30 p.m. ET from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in the first round of the Crown Basketball Tournament.
The Buffaloes struggled all season, but particularly away from home. Colorado was 0-10 in true road games, although it was a respectable 3-3 straight up (SU) in neutral floor games, including wins over UConn, West Virginia and TCU, while covering four of the past five neutral floor games.
For the Wildcats, they jettisoned head coach Kyle Neptune on March 15th after missing the NCAA Tournament for the third time in his three seasons. Assistant coach Mike Nardi will lead Villanova as long as it can stay alive in the Crown Basketball Tournament. The team announced this past weekend that Maryland coach Kevin Willard will take over next season.
Villanova has the nation’s leading scorer in Eric Dixon (23 points per game), as the fifth-year senior winds down a wonderful career in Las Vegas. He has 2,235 career points, eight behind Kerry Kittles for the all-time school record. Unless disaster strikes, even if the Wildcats were dismissed in the first game, Dixon should leave Vegas with the all-time school record in points.
While Colorado has struggled to stack wins, it has no trouble stacking covers. It has covered five in a row, while going 10-2 against the spread (ATS) in the past 12 games since February 8th. The under has a slight 4-3 edge in the past seven games, while going 10-6 in the past 16 outings.
Villanova was humbled by UConn 73-56 in the Big East Tournament, but it is 4-2 SU in the past six games. Villanova is 4-4 ATS in the past eight games, while the under has cashed in the past two postseason games.
Let’s back Colorado catching the points, while siding with the under.
Picks: Colorado +3.5 (-118) & Under 143.5 Points (-110)
North Texas Mean Green (-122) at UC Irvine Anteaters (+102) | O/U 127.5 (-110/-110)
The Mean Green (27-8) and Anteaters (31-6) were each disappointed in their respective conference tournaments, but neither shed any tears. They laced up the sneakers and went back to work in the NIT, getting to the national semi-finals.
North Texas sent Furman, Arkansas State and Oklahoma State home, going 2-1 ATS while cashing the under in two of those games. Defense has been the name of the game for the Mean Green, allowing 68 or fewer points in all five postseason games and in 22 consecutive games since UAB notched 75 points against them on New Year’s Eve. Since the ball dropped to ring in 2025, North Texas has been doing work on defense.
UC Irvine does it with offense. It ousted the aforementioned UAB Blazers in the NIT quarter-finals last time out, 81-77 in overtime, just covering as a 3.5-point favorite as the over (156.5) cashed. The Anteaters are 3-2 ATS in five postseason games and 7-3 ATS in the past 10 outings, while the over is 4-2-1 in the past seven tries.
In neutral floor games, North Texas is 2-2 SU this season, but 3-1 ATS, while the under has cashed in three of those outings. UC Irvine is 4-1 SU in five neutral floor outings, while going 3-2 ATS with the under cashing at a 3-1-1 clip.
We’ll side with North Texas laying the little bit of points and we’ll bank on defense with both of these teams.
Picks: North Texas -1.5 (-112) & Under 127.5 Points (-110)
Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (-142) at Chattanooga Mocs (+118) | O/U 148.5 (-110/-110)
The Ramblers (25-11) and Mocs (27-9) tip off at approximately 9:30 p.m. ET in the second national semi-final matchup.
Loyola has shown San Jose State, San Francisco and Kent State the door, and it won as a 5-point underdog against the Dons. In the postseason, the Ramblers are 4-1 ATS, while covering six of the past seven games since March 5th. The under has cashed in four of the past six games.
Chattanooga was highly disappointed to miss the NCAA Tournament, upset by Furman in overtime of the SoCon Tournament as a 2-point favorite. They’ve bounced back with three straight wins and covers, but it has been a wild ride. The Mocs won 109-103 in triple-overtime at Middle Tennessee on March 18th as a 2-point underdog. It ousted No. 1 seed Dayton 87-72 as a 2-point underdog as the over (154) cashed, while showing Bradley out with a 67-65 win on the road as a 4.5-point underdog last time out on March 25th. Keep doubting Chattanooga, as it seems to relish the underdog role.
In neutral floor games, Loyola is just 1-5 SU this season, while also going 1-5 ATS. The under has cashed in two postseason neutral-site games. Chattanooga only played in a neutral site for the SoCon Tournament, going 1-1 SU/ATS, while also splitting the totals.
We’ll side with the Mocs on the moneyline, while going with the under.
Picks: Chattanooga Moneyline (+118) & Under 148.5 Points (-110)
Joe Williams is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Joe, check out his archive and follow him @WinWithJoe.