2024 NCAA Tournament First Four: Grambling State vs. Montana State odds, how to watch, more
Grambling State forward Antwan Burnett (4) and guard Mikale Stevenson (3) celebrate after beating Texas Southern during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament, Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/ Butch Dill)
The second day of the 2024 NCAA Tournament’s First Four tips off Wednesday when Grambling State makes its Big Dance debut against a Montana State team that will experience March Madness for the third straight season but is still without a win.
Something has to give in Dayton, OH as the Field of 64 becomes clearer. Here is a look ahead at the matchup and odds.
2024 NCAA Tournament First Four: No. 16 Grambling St. vs. No. 16 Montana State
How to Watch:
- Date: Wednesday, March 20
- Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
- Location: UD Arena, Dayton, OH
- TV: truTV
- Live Stream: NCAA.com, HBO Max
Tale of the Tape:
| No. 16 GSU | STAT | No. 16 MSU |
| SWAC | Conference | Big Sky |
| 20-14 | Record | 17-17 |
| 67.6 (321st) | Points Per Game | 75.1 (120th) |
| 69.0 (90th) | Points Allowed Per Game | 74.1 (251st) |
| 0.5131 (163rd) | RPI | 0.4866 (225th) |
| 266th | Strength of Schedule | 232nd |
| Won SWAC | Bid | Won Big Sky |
Grambling St. leaders:
- Kintavious Dozier, G, JR. – 13.1 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 1.0 APG
- Tra’michael Moton, G, SR. – 11.8 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.6 APG
Montana State leaders:
- Robert Ford, G, SR. — 15.9 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 3.0 APG
- Brian Goracke, G, JR. — 13.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 0.9 APG
Odds, Lines, and Past Performance:
- GSU Moneyline: +142
- MSU Moneyline: -170
- Spread: MSU -4
- Over/Under: 135
Odds courtesy of DraftKings. For the latest odds, click here.
The Matchup:
Montana State is one of the better three-point shooting teams in the country and has the experience to get past the First Four. They rank 32nd in the nation in three-point field-goal percentage (36.7%) and 35th with an average of nine three-pointers made per game.
It fueled their run to the Big Sky Conference title as a No. 5 seed, shooting 39% from beyond the arc.
Robert Ford is their go-to guy. Not only did he lead the Bobcats in scoring during the regular season, but won the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year and averaged 22.3 points per game during the conference tournament to earn him MVP honors.
Grambling’s defense could be up to the challenge having allowed an average of 69 points per game during the regular season. They’re stingy against the three-point game, too, allowing a 33.9% conversion rate.
In the postseason, the Tigers’ defense stepped up even further, allowing just 56.3 points per game.
Whether their offense can keep up with Montana State’s, though, remains to be seen. Their average of 67.6 points per game this season ranked near the very bottom of Division I. It will be up to Kintavious Dozier, who led Grambling in scoring this season and was a first-team All-SWAC member.
For more 2024 NCAA Tournament coverage like this Grambling State, Montana St. preview, visit AMNY.com
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