Montana State vs Grambling State: First Four Matchup in Dayton

Read our preview for the latest Montana State vs Grambling State betting news on their First Four matchup

The First Four of the NCAA Tournament usually has matchups with teams that aren’t regular participants in the Big Dance, but Wednesday’s matchup between Montana State and Grambling State has a veteran squad and a first-timer. The biggest Montana State vs Grambling State betting news is that the Bobcats are making their third straight NCAA appearance while the Tigers are making their first, which has the Bobcats favored by four to win this contest. The over/under for the game has been set at 135 points.

Bobcats logo Montana State vs Grambling State Tigers logo

Records: Montana State (17-17) vs Grambling State (20-14)
Location: UD Arena, Dayton, Ohio
Day/Time:
Streaming: truTV

Bobcats’ Experience Getting the Edge

Most March Madness bracket predictions aren’t going to have either of these two teams going far, considering the winner of this contest gets the task of facing No. 1 seed Purdue in the Midwest Region’s first round next. But Montana State has been to the Dance in each of the last two seasons, which is giving them the edge in the odds for this contest.

Montana State has yet to record an NCAA Tournament victory, falling to teams seeded third in each of the last two seasons, but the Bobcats are favored in this one by four points. Grambling State was the class of the Southwestern Athletic Conference this season, but that isn’t carrying much weight with the sportsbooks.

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Montana State Turns It On At The Right Time

The NCAAB rankings did not have Montana State among them this season, as the Bobcats were just 9-9 in Big Sky Conference play and under .500 heading into the league’s tournament. But Montana State comes into this game on a four-game winning streak after rolling to the Big Sky title, topping second-seeded Montana by 15 in the final.

Senior guard Robert Ford III has turned it on for the end of his collegiate career, averaging 15.9 points and 7.6 rebounds on the season. He averaged 22.7 points in the Bobcats’ three conference tournament wins, and his ability to keep up that level of play will make much of the Montana State vs. Grambling State betting news for this matchup.

Grambling State Hoping To Make First Appearance Successful

Of these two teams, Grambling State was the one more expected to be playing in one of the NCAAB games today. The Tigers won the SWAC regular-season title and cruised to the league’s tournament title as well, earning 20 victories along the way. 

Guard Kintavious Dozier leads a trio of double-digit scorers for the Tigers, averaging 13.1 points per contest. Senior guard Jourdan Smith came up big in the SWAC tournament final, scoring 20 points in a nine-point victory. Grambling State isn’t a very high-scoring team, averaging just 67.6 points per game, but they have some dangerous scorers that can get hot.

Bobcats Get First NCAA Win

When looking at these teams, the most significant piece of Montana State vs Grambling State betting news is going to be the experience factor. The Bobcats have been through the pomp and circumstance of being in the NCAAs before, while the Tigers may be a little overwhelmed by the sudden rush of attention.

This should be a fast-paced game, with Montana State able to score in bunches, as it averages 75.1 points per contest. Grambling State is not going to be able to keep up, so count on the Bobcats to win and cover the four-point spread to advance while also taking the over.

For college basketball predictions, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.


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