St. John's favored to beat Omaha in predictions

The first round of the March Madness tournament is set to begin, and predictions are being made for key matchups. St. John's is favored heavily against Omaha, with an estimated spread of 18.5 points. Coach Rick Pitino has a strong record in tournament openers, winning by an average of over 31 points in his previous games. Omaha's team has struggled against tougher opponents, including a significant loss to Iowa State. In another matchup, Yale is projected to upset Texas A&M. Yale has been performing well with a solid veteran roster and impressively ranks in 3-point shooting and defensive rebounding. Texas A&M may find it challenging to keep up, particularly with their low free-throw shooting percentage. Arkansas is expected to defeat Kansas by 4.5 points. The Razorbacks have struggled recently but have shown potential by beating several tournament teams lately. Arkansas's size and recent return of guard Boogie Fland could be pivotal in their performance against Kansas. Tennessee is heavily favored to win against Wofford by 18.5 points. Wofford's roster lacks size, which may make it difficult for them against Tennessee's strong defense. The Vols led to a dominating first-round win last year, which could repeat. Lastly, Drake is predicted to edge out Missouri, with a spread of 6.5 points. Missouri has faced recent frustrations, and Drake has shown promising defensive skills this season. Their strong performance as an underdog has also been noteworthy.