The first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament features No. 15 seed Jacksonville State (21-10) and No. 2 seed Auburn (27-5) clashing on Friday afternoon. This is Jacksonville State’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2017. The Gamecocks fell in their last matchup, losing to Jacksonville in the OVC semis. On the other side, Auburn was upset in the SEC Tournament, losing to Texas A&M in the quarterfinals.
Tipoff is at 12:40 p.m. ET from Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Tigers as 15.5-point favorites in the latest Auburn vs. Jacksonville State odds. The over-under for total points is set at 138.5. Before locking in any Jacksonville State vs. Auburn picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of almost $1,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Auburn vs. Jacksonville State and revealed its coveted picks and predictions for the NCAA Tournament 2022. You can head to SportsLine to see the picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Jacksonville State vs. Auburn:
- Jacksonville State vs. Auburn spread: Tigers -15.5
- Jacksonville State vs. Auburn over-under: 138.5 points
- Jacksonville State vs. Auburn money line: Gamecocks +1000, Tigers -2000
- JVST: The Gamecocks are 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 neutral site games as an underdog
- AUB: The Tigers are 4-0 ATS in their last four NCAA Tournament games
Why Auburn can cover
Sophomore guard Wendell Green Jr. is an all-around playmaker for the Tigers. He averages 12.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and five assists per game. The Michigan native has scored at least 15 points in 12 games. In his last outing, Green Jr. had 15 points, four rebounds and three assists. He was on fire from three, shooting 5-for-9 from 3-point range.
Sophomore forward Walker Kessler is a strong presence in the paint for Auburn. Kessler ranked fourth in the SEC in rebounds (8.2), first in blocks (4.5), and averaged 11.7 points per game. The Georgia native has recorded 11 double-doubles thus far. Kessler knows how to alter shots for opposing players, logging at least five blocks in 13 games. In his last matchup, he finished 16 points, nine rebounds and four blocks.
Why Jacksonville State can cover
Senior guard Darian Adams is leading the way for the Gamecocks. He averages a team-high 15.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. Adams is also a reliable option from deep, shooting 38 percent from 3-point land. The Alabama native has knocked down at least three 3-pointers in 12 games. On Feb. 23 against Eastern Kentucky, Adams dropped 27 points, four rebounds, four assists and shot 5-for-12 from deep.
Junior guard Demaree King is another scoring threat in the backcourt for Jacksonville State. King is logging 10.7 points and 2.1 assists, while connecting on a team-high 46 percent of his attempts from downtown. The Oklahoma native has scored in double figures in 16 games. One of his best games of the year came in a win against Little Rock. King tallied 32 points and knocked down nine 3-pointers in that victory.
How to make Jacksonville State vs. Auburn picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning over on the point total, projecting the teams to combine for 144 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits over 50 percent of the time. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Auburn vs. Jacksonville State? And which side of the spread hits over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.