March Madness 2021 Lines: Point Spreads, Odds, TV Schedule For First-Round NCAA Games

The first round of the NCAA Tournament always features some major upsets, and March Madness 2021 should be no different. Sixty-four teams will compete in 32 games Friday and Saturday, looking to take one step closer toward winning college basketball’s national championship.

The top-seeded teams are expected to cruise into the second round, according to the opening betting odds. Nine teams are favored by double digits. Both No.1 seeds Illinois and Baylor are laying more than 20 points to their opening opponents.

First-round foes for No.1 seeds Gonzaga and Michigan won’t be determined until after Thursday’s First Four games are played.

No.10 Rutgers is the only team that’s favored over a higher-seeded opponent. Six games have a betting line of fewer than three points.

Here are complete betting lines for all the NCAA Tournament first-round games, including the point spreads and over/unders compiled by OddsShark, along with the TV schedule for every matchup

Friday, March 19

No.7 Florida (-1) vs. No.10 Virginia Tech, 137.5 (12:15 p.m. EDT, CBS)

No.3 Arkansas (-9.5) vs. No.14 Colgate, 162.5 (12:45 p.m. EDT, truTV)

No.1 Illinois (-22.5) vs. No.16 Drexel, 144.5 (1:15 p.m. EDT, TBS)

No.6 Texas Tech (-5) vs. No.11 Utah State, 131.5 (1:45 p.m. EDT, TNT)

No.2 Ohio State (-16.5) vs. No.15 Oral Roberts, 155 (3 p.m. EDT, CBS)

No.1 Baylor (-26) vs. No.16 Hartford, 141 (3:30 p.m. EDT, truTV)

No.8 Loyola Chicago (-2) vs. No.9 Georgia Tech, 124.5 (4 p.m. EDT, TBS)

No.5 Tennessee (-7.5) vs. No.12 Oregon State, 133 (4:30 p.m. EDT, TNT)

No.4 Oklahoma State (-9.5) vs. No.13 Liberty, 142 (6:25 p.m. EDT, TBS)

No.8 North Carolina (-2) vs. No.9 Wisconsin, 139.5 (7:10 p.m. EDT, CBS)

No.2 Houston (-19.5) vs. No.15 Cleveland State, 135 (7:15 p.m. EDT, truTV)

No.4 Purdue (-7.5) vs. No.13 North Texas, 125 (7:25 p.m. EDT, TNT)

No.7 Clemson (+1) vs. No.10 Rutgers, 126.5 (9:20 p.m. EDT, TBS)

No.6 San Diego State (-3) vs. No. 11 Syracuse, 138.5 (9:40 p.m. EDT, CBS)

No.3 West Virginia (-12.5) vs. No.14 Morehead State, 137.5 (9:50 p.m. EDT, truTV)

No.5 Villanova (-6) vs. No.12 Winthrop, 140 (9:57 p.m. EDT, TNT)

Saturday, March 20

No.5 Colorado (-5) vs. No.12 Georgetown, 138 (12:15 p.m. EDT, CBS)

No.4 Florida State (-11.5) vs. No.13 UNC Greensboro, 145 (12:45 p.m. EDT, truTV)

No.3 Kansas (-11) vs. No.14 Eastern Washington, 143 (1:15 p.m. EDT, TBS)

No.8 LSU (-2) vs. No.9 St. Bonaventure, 144.5 (1:45 p.m. EDT, TNT)

No.1 Michigan (N/A) vs. No.16 Mount St. Mary's/Texas Southern (3 p.m. EDT, CBS)

No.5 Creighton (-6.5) vs. No.12 UC Santa Barbara, 139.5 (3:30 p.m. EDT, truTV)

No.2 Alabama (-17) vs. No.15 Iona, 146 (4 p.m. EDT, TBS)

No.6 USC (N/A) vs. No.11 Wichita State/Drake (4:30 p.m. EDT, TNT)

No.2 Iowa (-14.5) vs. No.15 Grand Canyon, 145 (6:25 p.m. EDT, TBS)

No.7 UConn (-2.5) vs. No.10 Maryland, 130 (7:10 p.m. EDT, CBS)

No.4 Virginia (-8) vs. No.13 Ohio, 131.5 (7:15 p.m. EDT, truTV)

No.8 Oklahoma (-2) vs. No.9 Missouri, 140.5 (7:25 p.m. EDT, TNT)

No.1 Gonzaga (N/A) vs. No.16 Norfolk State/Appalachian State (9:20 p.m. EDT, TBS)

No.6 BYU (N/A) vs. No.11 Michigan State/UCLA (9:40 p.m. EDT, CBS)

No.3 Texas (-9) vs. No.14 Abilene Christian, 139.5 (9:50 p.m. EDT, truTV)

No.7 Oregon (-6) vs. No.10 VCU, 137 (9:57 p.m. EDT, TNT)