Chris ‘The Bear’ Fallica’s first-round March Madness best bets, expert picks

“Bear Bets” are real wagers that Chris “The Bear” Fallica is actually making.

The 2024 NCAA Tournament is finally here! 

Outside of the Super Bowl, this is up there for me as the sporting “event” of the year. And, if you want to get a couple of bucks down on the games, I have you covered.

Be sure to check back here for my best tourney bets throughout March Madness, from the first round until the final championship buzzer.

Let’s jump into some of my favorite first-round wagers.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

No. 15 South Dakota State vs. No. 2 Iowa State (7:35 p.m. ET, truTV)

Iowa State’s stock can’t get any higher and that’s always a bit of a dangerous thing when you’re expected to go out and blow out your first-round opponent.

PICK: South Dakota State (+16.5) to lose by fewer than 16.5 points (or win outright)

No. 11 NC State vs. No. 6 Texas Tech (9:40 p.m. ET, CBS)

NC State survived against Louisville and needed a Virginia meltdown from the foul line in its surprise run to the ACC title game, which left most people saying, “Where did that come from?” I don’t think this is a great matchup for the Pack, given how good Tech’s guards are and how the Red Raiders can salt a game away from the FT line.

PICK: Texas Tech (-5) to win by more than 5 points

RELATED: March Madness Betting Primer

FRIDAY’S GAMES

No. 9 Northwestern vs. No. 8 Florida Atlantic (12:15 p.m. ET, CBS)

The Owls have been underwhelming all season, so do not expect a return trip to the Final Four. And their tournament lives might be even more short-lived than that if the Wildcats hit their 3s and Boo Buie is healthy.

PICK: Northwestern (+2.5) to lose by fewer than 2.5 points (or win outright)

No. 14 Colgate vs. No. 3 Baylor (12:40 p.m. ET, truTV)

Colgate has lost by 27 to Arizona and 17 to Illinois. Those are the two teams it has faced that are comparable to Baylor’s level. The Bears might have to overcome the tempo of Colgate, but once they do, they should be able to name their score.

PICK: Baylor (-13.5) to win by more than 13.5 points

No. 16 Longwood vs. No. 1 Houston (9:20 p.m. ET, TNT)

I’d expect an angry Houston team and if we saw a 39-17 score at some point, I wouldn’t be surprised.

PICK: Longwood team total Under 51.5 points scored

No. 12 Grand Canyon vs. No. 5 Saint Mary’s (10:05 p.m. ET, truTV)

Grand Canyon might have been a matchup problem for a lot of teams, but I don’t think the Gaels are one of those squads. SMC has good guard play and experience and should be able to get good shots against GCU’s defense, whereas I’m not certain the opposite is true.

PICK: Saint Mary’s (-5.5) to win by more than 5.5 points

Chris “The Bear” Fallica has covered sports for nearly three decades. While college football has been his focus, he also enjoys the NFL, Soccer, Golf, Tennis, MLB, NHL and Horse Racing, with an “occasional” wager on such events. Chris recently won the inaugural Circa Football Invitational and finished in the Top 10 of the Golden Nugget Football Contest. He’s a multiple-time qualifier for the NHC Handicapping Championship. Remember, “The less you bet, the more you lose when you win!” Follow him on Twitter @chrisfallica. 

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