BYU is a slight favorite over Mississippi in their First Four game on Tuesday night. (Getty)
The BYU Cougars closed the season strong, going 10-2 down the stretch, including a win over then-No. 3 Gonzaga.
Their reward was an at-large bid and an No. 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament. But they were also sent to Dayton to play in a First Four game, where they’ll meet Ole Miss (20-12), another 11 seed. The winner gets to play West Regional No. 6 seed Xavier on Thursday.
BYU (25-9) opened as a 2-point favorite, but the line has moved to 3.5 from sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
You can read the OddsShark game preview here.
BYU-Ole Miss Point Spread
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BYU … -3.5
Ole Miss … +3.5
Ole Miss is 17-14 against the spread, while BYU is 16-17.
But over the last 10 games, the Rebels are 4-6 ATS and the Cougars are 7-3.
Ole Miss is 5-5 straight up over the last 10, while BYU is 8-2.
Get all the important numbers from OddsShark here.
BYU-Ole Miss Over-Under
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Over-Under … 157
Ole Miss has a 15-12 Over-Under record and BYU is 17-11-1.
For both teams, the OVER has won in 3 of the past 5 games.
The total has gone under in 6 of Mississippi’s last 9 games.
BYU-Ole Miss Odds to Win the NCAA Tournament
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BYU … 200/1
Ole Miss … 200/1
BYU is somewhat of a surprising choice to participate in the First Four games. The Cougars shrugged off a so-so start to finish strong, winning 8 of 9 games. Ole Miss was the opposite; the Rebels lost 5 of 8 to finish the season.
Realistically, neither team is probably going to win it all. But No. 11 seeds have made some noise in recent years. In 2011, VCU made it to the Final Four, five years after 11th-seeded George Mason surprised the world by making a trip the national semifinals. LSU also did it in 1986.
The Basics
Who:
No. 11 BYU (25-9) vs. No. 11 Ole Miss (20-12)
What:
NCAA Tournament First Four Game – West Regional
When:
Tuesday
Where:
University of Dayton Arena – Dayton, Ohio
Time:
9:10 p.m. Eastern
Channel:
truTV
