Category: NBA

In last season's NCAA Tournament, Amir Khan became a viral star.

Commonly referred to as "Aura", he served as McNeese basketball's student manager, and more importantly, hype man.

He went viral Feb. 2025 thanks to a video of him rapping while wearing a boombox around his neck as he led the Cowboys out of the locker room. It became a tradition and he'd often be spotted with jewelry and other notable accessories. He even received sponsorship deals.

"(The aura) really just comes from all these players," Khan told The Oklahoman ahead of McNeese's first round game against Vanderbilt in Oklahoma City. "I'm just holding the speaker, walking out with them, and it comes from their excitement, their hype, and what they do on the court. If we weren't three-peat Southland champions, I don't think all of this would've happened."

When Will Wade left McNeese to take the coaching job at NC State after last season, Khan followed him to Raleigh, where he took on a similar role for the Wolfpack. However, earlier this year, Khan returned to McNeese and is back for another Cowboys' ride in March Madness.

"I don't feel the need to change anything just because I walk out with the speaker," Khan said. "I've been able to experience a lot, and I'm just blessed to be able to do this position. I appreciate all the love from everybody, it means a lot and we'll keep it going as long as we can."

Expect to see him front and center as McNeese tries pull off a second NCAA upset in as many years. Khan watched McNeese beat Clemson last year, and he believes another surprise could be in the cards Thursday.

"(Teams) don't wanna play us," he said. "I saw Vanderbilt's reaction. I don't think they were too excited to play us as a 12-seed. I think that's something that's gonna keep going forward."

The Oklahoman reporter Isa Almeida contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: McNeese hype man Amir 'Aura' Khan back with Cowboys in NCAA Tournament

Be sure to follow USA TODAY Sports' live bracket updates and scores, keeping track of all of NCAA Tournament's Day 1 games.

Fourth-seed Arkansas (26-8) faces No. 13 Hawaii (24-8) in the first round of the Men's NCAA Tournament on Thursday afternoon.

For John Calipari, this is his 25th March Madness appearance. With two wins this weekend, he will reach the 17th Sweet 16 of his career.

The Razorbacks are led by SEC Player of the Year Darius Acuff Jr., who was dominant in Arkansas' SEC tournament championship run. The freshman is a likely high-lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

More: John Calipari unleashed Darius Acuff by taking page out of NBA book

Arkansas vs Hawaii live score

This section will be updated.

What TV channel is Arkansas vs Hawaii basketball on today?

• TV channel: TBS
• Streaming:Sling TV

Brad Nessler, Wally Szczerbiak and Jared Greenberg will call the game for TBS.

Arkansas vs Hawaii March Madness game start time today

• Date: Thursday, March 19
• Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
• Location: Portland, Ore.

No. 13 Hawaii vs No. 4 Arkansas predictions

• John Leuzzi: Arkansas
• Ehsan Kassim: Arkansas
• Austin Curtright: Arkansas
• Craig Meyer: Arkansas

Hawaii vs Arkansas odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, March 19

• Spread: Arkansas (-14.5)
• Over/under: 158.5
• Moneyline: Arkansas (-1400); Hawaii (+825)

Nick Pringle injury update: Arkansas center questionable vs Hawaii

Pringle did not participate in Arkansas' open practice on Wednesday. He had a sleeve on his right leg and stood off to the side for a majority of the workout, occasionally going through dribbling drills, grabbing rebounds and passing to his teammates.

Pringle is averaging 4.6 points and 3.9 rebounds this season. He plays 19 minutes per game.

John Calipari has history of early March Madness upsets

Although it seems like a no-brainer to have Arkansas over Hawaii, Calipari's recent history might suggest otherwise.

In his final three seasons at Kentucky, Calipari's teams lost in the first weekend of the NCAA men's basketball tournament, two of them truly shocking upsets. Kentucky lost in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in 2024. The Wildcats were a No. 3 seed that season but fell to No. 14 Oakland by a final of 80-76.

Kentucky was a No. 2 seed in the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament when it went up against No. 15-seed Saint Peter's. It was arguably the biggest upset of the year.

Darius Acuff Jr. stats

• 22.9 points per game
• 3.2 rebounds per game
• 6.5 assists per game
• 48.6% field goal percentage
• 44.5% 3-point field goal percentage

Darius Acuff Jr. 2026 NBA Draft prediction

Projected as the No. 6 to Dallas Mavericks, by For The Win:

"Now led by Cooper Flagg, the Mavericks need to find players who can help Dallas stay competitive on offense and Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. can do exactly that. The SEC Player of the Year is excellently efficient at operating ball screens or in isolation. He leads freshmen for points created per 40 minutes (43.1) either by himself or through an assist, per CBB Analytics. He can score well from either side of the court and is among the freshmen leaders in both alley-oop assists (15) and field goals made in transition (62) this season. There is a reason rival coach Sean Miller thinks this generational guard should have his name in the mix at No. 1 overall."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness live: Arkansas vs Hawaii score, updates in NCAA first round

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Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid are out for the Philadelphia 76ers. Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine are out for the Sacramento Kings. And that’s just the star players.

This means my 76ers vs. Kings predictions are for true NBA junkies. Luckily, there’s one guy on the floor who always gives his all, even if he’s not the most efficient.

Yes, I’m talking about Russell Westbrook. The former MVP highlights my NBA picks for this matchup set to tip off at 10 pm ET at Sacramento's Golden 1 Center on Thursday, March 19.

76ers vs Kings prediction

76ers vs Kings best bet: Russell Westbrook Over 5.5 rebounds (+110)

Say what you will about his efficiency, no one can complain about Russell Westbrook's effort, and he’s playing some of his best basketball of the season for the Sacramento Kings.

The former MVP is averaging 16.9 points, 8.1 assists, and 5.1 rebounds over his last nine games.

Tonight, I’ll focus on the rebounds. With no Joel Embiid or Kelly Oubre Jr., the Philadelphia 76ers are light on the boards. And with no Tyrese Maxey, they rank dead last in eFG% this month.

That means lots of boards for Westbrook to scoop up.

76ers vs Kings same-game parlay

Good teams have beaten up on the Kings recently, but Sacramento's done a surprisingly good job against the bottom feeders, going 5-1 ATS in its last six games, winning four outright.

The Sixers are not a good team right now, ranking 25th in net rating in March. There’s value with Sacramento as short home dogs here.

Speaking of the Sixers, Andre Drummond is arguably the last man standing, and he could be their lone option to clean the glass. And while I like Westbrook individually, Sacramento has the fourth-worst rebounding rate as a team.

76ers vs Kings SGP

• Russell Westbrook Over 5.5 rebounds
• Kings moneyline
• Andre Drummond Over 9.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: Triple double-double

Westbrook has three double-doubles in his last five games. Precious Achiuwa has been getting more run and has two in his last three. Meanwhile, Drummond has point and rebounding totals of 9.5.

76ers vs Kings SGP

• Russell Westbrook double-double
• Precious Achiuwa double-double
• Andre Drummond double-double

76ers vs Kings odds

• Spread: 76ers -2.5 (-110) | Kings +2.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: 76ers -140 | Kings +120
• Over/Under: Over 226 (-110) | Under 226 (-110)

76ers vs Kings betting trend to know

The Kings have hit the 1H Moneyline in 10 of their last 19 games at home for +8.25 Units and a 38% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for 76ers vs. Kings.

How to watch 76ers vs Kings

76ers vs Kings latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

TCU and Ohio State delivered a banger start to the NCAA Tournament.

Xavier Edmonds' shot with 4.1 seconds remaining gave the No. 9 seed Horned Frogs a 66-64 win over No. 8 Ohio State to kick off March Madness action on Thursday, March 19, in the first game of the tournament. Bruce Thornton attempted a halfcourt heave as time expired, but the shot clanked off the top of the backboard.

REQUIRED READING: March Madness bracket, live scores: NCAA Tournament first round update

FROGS OUT FRONT 🔥#MarchMadness@TCUBasketballpic.twitter.com/7zUjY9gv0q

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 19, 2026

The Buckeyes trailed 39-24 at halftime but outscored the Horned Frogs 40-27 in the second half to pull within reach. TCU's Micah Robinson gave the Horned Frogs a 64-61 on a 3-pointer with under a minute left, but Thornton responded with a 3-pointer of his own to tie the game at 64-64 with 33.7 seconds left.

Fifty of TCU's 66 points came from Robinson, Edmonds and David Punch, who scored 16 points with 13 rebounds and three blocks. Robinson led all scorers with 18 points with Edmonds adding 16 points with eight rebounds.

The Horned Frogs' 3-point shooting was ultimately their path to victory, despite ranking No. 233 nationally in 3-point percentage (33.11%). TCU made nine 3-pointers and shot 39% from distance in the win, compared to Ohio State's six makes and 26% mark.

Ohio State all-time leading scorer Bruce Thornton, who entered the game averaging 20.2 points per game this season, didn't have his best showing in his final game as a Buckeye. The senior guard was held to 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting with four rebounds, four assists and a turnover in the loss.

Some brackets have likely already busted following the tough No. 8 vs. No. 9 seed matchup. Over 60% of brackets chose Ohio State to win, NCAA March Madness posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

TCU will now likely face No. 1 overall seed Duke in the second round, should the Blue Devils expectedly defeat No. 16 Siena on March 19. The Horned Frogs have never won two NCAA Tournament games in the same season, and will have a tough task ahead to complete the record in 2026.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: TCU busts brackets, beats Ohio State on last-second shot in March Madness

Payton Sandfort had a crazy 12 hours or so after making his NBA debut for the Oklahoma City Thunder, and his younger brother got one big surprise when No. 4 seed Nebraska won its South region first-round game against No. 13 seed Troy, 76-47, to start March Madness.

Sandfort was in the crowd at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Thursday, March 19 as Pryce Sandfort's barrage of 3-pointers helped ignite the Cornhuskers in their quest for the first NCAA Tournament win in program history. Except Pryce Sandfort didn't know he was going to be there. The Thunder had a game in Brooklyn on Wednesday and have a game in Washington, D.C. on Saturday.

Turns out there was time for a pit stop to celebrate what's got to be the best two days in Sandfort basketball history.

Be sure to follow USA TODAY Sports' live blog keeping track of all of NCAA Tournament's Day 1 games.

The ball has been tipped. Now it's all about survive and advance.

March Madness' first round kicked off Thursday, March 19 with day one of the first round, arguably one of the best days in sports as teams start their quest to the Final Four, with sprinkles of upsets in between. Thirty-two teams will play on the loaded docket, and only 16 will be playing another game, advancing to play in the second round on Saturday, March 21.

What March Madness games are tomorrow? See Friday first round schedule

So who lives another day? Keep tabs on the teams that win in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament here, as well as an updated look at the bracket:

Who advanced in March Madness bracket to NCAA Tournament second round?

List updated as of 2:50 p.m. ET

• TCU: The Horned Frogs beat Ohio State, 66-64.
• Nebraska:The Cornhuskers blew out Troy, 76-47.
• High Point: The Panthers upset Wisconsin, 83-82.
• Louisville: The Cardinals beat South Florida, 83-79.

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The Detroit Pistons will look to complete a two-game series sweep as they visit the Washington Wizards for the second time this week.

Washington has kept it close with Detroit in each of their meetings this season, and I’m taking the home team to cover again in my Pistons vs. Wizards predictions and NBA picks below.

Pistons vs Wizards prediction

Pistons vs Wizards best bet: Wizards +14 (-115)

The Washington Wizards have now lost 13 games in a row, but they’re at least hanging in games lately. They’ve covered in three of their last four contests, beating the number in all three games where they were underdogs by 14+ points.

Washington is averaging 118.8 ppg over its last five games, an offensive spark that has kept it close to opponents.

The Wizards have covered in all three games against the Detroit Pistons this year — even winning one outright — while Detroit is 2-7 ATS in its last nine. All these trends point towards the home team keeping it close enough.

Pistons vs Wizards same-game parlay

The lowest total in any of the three previous meetings has been 243 points, and I’m confident they'll find a way to hit the Over again tonight.

To round out my SGP, I’m taking Detroit center Jalen Duren to pick up a double-double, as he’s averaging 19 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, and has recorded a double-double in each of his last four contests.

Pistons vs Wizards SGP

• Wizards +14
• Over 231.5
• Jalen Duren to record a double-double

Our "from downtown" SGP: All in on Tobias!

For a longshot parlay tonight, let’s focus on Pistons forward Tobias Harris to hit some prop totals, as there should be plenty of opportunity to fill the stat sheet on both sides in a high-scoring game.

Harris has gone Over 21.5 PRA in each of his last three games, picked up two blocks in the last meeting against the Wizards, and has hit at least threes in two of his last three outings.

Pistons vs Wizards SGP

• Over 231.5
• Tobias Harris Over 21.5 points + rebounds + assists
• Tobias Harris Over 0.5 blocks
• Tobias Harris Over 1.5 threes

Pistons vs Wizards odds

• Spread: Pistons -14 | Wizards +14
• Moneyline: Pistons -1000 | Wizards +650
• Over/Under: Over 231.5 | Under 231.5

Pistons vs Wizards betting trend to know

The Wizards are 3-0 ATS against the Pistons this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Pistons vs. Wizards.

How to watch Pistons vs Wizards

Pistons vs Wizards latest injuries

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LeBron James has found the fountain of youth as the Los Angeles Lakers have won seven games in a row heading into tonight’s matchup against his former team, the Miami Heat.

Having a red-hot Luka Doncic sure helps, but they have eight straight playing their second game in as many night?

My Lakers vs. Heat predictions and NBA picks explain why Luka and LeBron won’t slow down in this matchup set to tip off at 8 pm ET at the Kaseya Center in Miami, on Thursday, March 19.

Lakers vs Heat prediction

Lakers vs Heat best bet: Lakers +3.5 (-115)

LeBron James and Luka Doncic have been cooking and are a big reason why the Los Angeles Lakers are 7-0 SU/ATS in their last seven and 10-1 SU/ATS in their last 11 overall.

The Lakers lead the NBA in field goal percentage and rank sixth in offensive rating during this seven-game winning streak, and they’re likely to get some shots up against the Miami Heat.

The Heat play at the highest pace in the NBA and allow the third-most opponent field goal attempts per game. Miami’s defense is solid, but if you let shooters shoot, they probably won’t miss.

Lakers vs Heat same-game parlay

With Miami allowing all those shots, it inherently means a lot of rebounds. They allow the second-most opponent rebounds per game. Luka has been putting in a lot of work on the boards lately, averaging 9.4 rebounds over his last nine games, going Over this number of 8.5 seven times during that stretch. 

The second half of a back-to-back might mean LeBron will be a little more likely to be a facilitator tonight. So, let’s add Over 6.5 assists to this same-game parlay.

Lakers vs Heat SGP

• Lakers +3.5
• Luka Doncic Over 8.5 rebounds
• LeBron James Over 6.5 assists

Our "from downtown" SGP: Stars shine bright

This game should be high-paced and feature a lot of back-and-forth action, so let's sit back and watch the big names get some buckets. 

Lakers vs Heat SGP

• Luka Doncic Over 31.5 points
• LeBron James Over 18.5 points
• Bam Adebayo Over 20.5 points
• Tyler Herro Over 20.5 points

Lakers vs Heat odds

• Spread: Lakers +3.5 | Heat -3.5
• Moneyline: Lakers +135 | Heat -160
• Over/Under: Over 242.5 | Under 242.5

Lakers vs Heat betting trend to know

The Lakers have covered the spread in 10 of their last 11 games overall, including the last seven in a row. Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Heat.

How to watch Lakers vs Heat

Lakers vs Heat latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

North Carolina star Caleb Wilson was outstanding for the Tar Heels this season and will hear his name called very early in the 2026 NBA Draft. Unfortunately for the program, an injury ended his season prematurely and he won't be available for the NCAA Tournament.

North Carolina's March Madness path won't be easy, either. It opens the big dance against No. 11 seed VCU, winners of 16 of its last 17 games and the A-10 Conference Championship.

REQUIRED READING: UNC basketball's Caleb Wilson experiencing 'way more highs than lows' despite injury

The 6-foot-10 former five-star recruit averaged 19.8 points with 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game on 57.8% shooting in 24 games to start this college career. He scored 23 points in North Carolina's upset win over archrival Duke in February, which also happened to be his last full game before he was injured.

Wilson is in the top tier of NBA prospects for this year's draft, along with BYU's AJ Dybantsa, Kansas' Darryn Peterson and Arkansas' Darius Acuff Jr., among potential others. He's also set for his No. 8 jersey to hang in the rafters next season, joining Tyler Hansbrough as the only true freshmen to earn the honor at North Carolina.

Here's what to know of Wilson's injury and why he's missing the entire NCAA Tournament:

Why isn't Caleb Wilson playing for North Carolina?

North Carolina announced March 5 that Wilson broke his right thumb in practice while preparing for his return from another injury that sidelined him for nearly a month during the regular season. Wilson broke a bone in his left hand against Miami on Feb. 10 and was aiming for a return vs. Duke in the regular season finale before breaking his right thumb.

"I didn't know right away," Wilson told reporters March 18 before UNC's game against VCU in the NCAA Tournament. "It hurt a lot, and things usually don't hurt that much. I just went and got x-rays and found out."

The injury was severe enough to end the rest of Wilson's true freshman season. It was a devastating blow to North Carolina's March Madness chances, especially as he was nearing a return from his previous injury.

Caleb Wilson stats

Here's a look at Wilson's per-game averages in 2025-26:

• 2025-26: 19.8 points with 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game on 57.8% shooting. 1.4 blocks and 1.5 steals per game.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why isn't Caleb Wilson playing for North Carolina? UNC star out

No one, not even LeBron James, knows whether he’ll play basketball next year or not. But one thing he has consistently said is that he’d be interested in owning an NBA team at some point, specifically in Las Vegas.

He said this from the moment he joined the Lakers back in 2018 and LeBron asked NBA commissioner Adam Silver about the league expanding to Vegas back in 2022.

With the NBA’s Board of Governors set to vote on adding expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle this March, it appeared the table was set for LeBron to accomplish his goal.

However, things can change.

After the Lakers’ win over the Rockets on Wednesday, he was asked whether he was still interested in owning a team and his tone has completely flipped.

This is a big change of heart from James. He has consistently expressed interests, so why the sudden change?

While LeBron has no ownership in an NBA team, he does own a part of the historic football club Liverpool. That investment has been a slam dunk for the king, and owning an NBA team, even at a low percentage, has proven to be a hot commodity.

Could the $7-$10 billion price range be too rich for him to get involved, even as a minority owner?

According to a report by Joe Vardon and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic, the Fenway Sports Group, which James has been involved with since 2011, does not plan on pursuing a bid for the potential Las Vegas NBA team. In the article, the estimated cost of an NBA expansion team was stated as one of the reasons they are not pursuing a bid.

If James’ partners are out, then maybe that’s why he is no longer enthused about NBA ownership in Sin City.

And who knows, maybe he changes his mind again, or the ownership group that wins the bid convinces him to come along.

This story is far from over, but as things stand, whenever Las Vegas begins playing in the NBA, LeBron looks more likely to be playing against them than to be seated in a suite as the team’s owner.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

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The Detroit Pistons' odds to win the Eastern Conference and NBA Finals took a major hit after Cade Cunningham was revealed to have suffered a collapsed lung.

Cunningham is also off the board in the NBA MVP market at several top sportsbooks, while he sits at less than a 1% chance to win the award at Kalshi.

Key Takeaways

• Cunningham exited after five minutes of action after diving for a loose ball Tuesday.
  
  
• Recent players who sustained a collapsed lung missed an average of 10.8 games.
  
  
• The league’s CBA requires Cunningham to miss no more than 10 more games to be eligible for end-of-season awards.

Cunningham will be sidelined for an extended period, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Thursday. He played five minutes Tuesday against the Washington Wizards before leaving with what was initially called back spasms.

Cade Cunningham won’t return tonight due to back spasms. This is the play that took him out pic.twitter.com/Mj5ZHcWL7G

— Pistons Talk (@Pistons__Talk) March 17, 2026

The Pistons lead the East with a record of 49-19, three-and-a-half games ahead of the Boston Celtics. Oddsmakers had still preferred Boston in the race to reach and win the NBA Finals, but Detroit’s indefinite loss of its star player set it back even further.

DraftKings dropped the Pistons from +2,000 to +2,500 in NBA title odds after the injury was announced. Although they remain seventh in the odds ladder, they’re down to a 3.9% implied chance to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy this summer.

The Pistons also lengthened from +400 to +700 to win the East, dropping from a 20% to 12.5% probability. That puts them behind the Celtics (+145), Cleveland Cavaliers (+330), and New York Knicks (+370).

Cunningham will be re-evaluated on April 2, the day the Pistons host the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

There will be five more opportunities after that to get on the court before the postseason begins.

Cunningham out of MVP consideration?

Cunningham had been leading one of the most impressive franchise turnarounds over the last two seasons, taking the Pistons from 14-68 and the worst record in the league in 2023-24, to a sixth-place finish and playoff appearance in 2024-25, to the best record in the conference this season.

The 24-year-old is averaging 24.5 points (13th), 9.9 assists (second), and 5.6 rebounds in 34.4 minutes per game. 

Despite his excellence, the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement may leave him ineligible for the league’s highest individual honor.

Written to disincentivize tanking, the CBA mandates players must make at least 65 appearances, including 63 appearances of at least 20 minutes, during the 82-game regular season to be eligible for awards. That includes MVP and All-NBA spots. 

With 61 games under his belt, Cunningham won’t have a chance to win the award if he can’t get back on the court by April 6. He’s been viewed as a top-five contender in NBA MVP odds for the majority of the season, but as mentioned above, he’s off the board at most online sportsbooks.

According to Yahoo Sports' Kevin O’Connor, recent players who sustained a collapsed lungs include:

• CJ McCollum (2023): 12 missed games in three-and-a-half weeks
• CJ McCollum (2021): 18 missed games in six weeks
• Terrence Jones (2015): Six missed games in two weeks
• Gerald Wallace (2009): Seven missed games in three weeks

If Cunningham misses the average number of contests (about 11) between the above players, he will come up one short of the 64-game minimum.

Playoff impact

If the Pistons can maintain their position atop the East, they would match up with the lowest-seeded team remaining after the play-in tournament.

The Pistons have a winning record against three of the four teams currently projected to participate in the play-in. The Miami Heat are the exception, winning two of their three encounters.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Be sure to follow USA TODAY Sports' live bracket updates and scores, keeping track of all of NCAA Tournament's Day 1 games.

Hopefully your Men's NCAA Tournament bracket isn't already busted after Thursday's first round. Because Friday is just as fun.

So many games. So many screens. So much madness.

March Madness bold predictions: Popular upsets, locks to help fill out your bracket

Here's a look at Friday's full slate of games and TV listings:

March Madness first round schedule, TV listings for Friday, March 20

• 12:15 p.m.: No. 7 Kentucky vs. No. 10 Santa Clara, CBS (Fubo)
• 12:40 p.m.: No. 5 Texas Tech vs. No. 12 Akron, truTV (Sling TV)
• 1:35 p.m.: No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 16 LIU, TNT (Sling TV)
• 1:50 p.m.: No. 3 Virginia vs. No. 14 Wright State, TBS (Sling TV)
• 2:50 p.m.: No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 15 Tennessee State, CBS (Fubo)
• 3:15 p.m.: No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 13 Hofstra, truTV (Sling TV)
• 4:10 p.m.: No. 8 Villanova vs. No. 9 Utah State, TNT (Sling TV)
• 4:25 p.m.: No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 11 Miami (Ohio), TBS (Sling TV)
• 6:50 p.m.: No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 Iowa, TNT (Sling TV)
• 7:10 p.m.: No 5 St. John's vs. No. 12 Northern Iowa, CBS (Fubo)
• 7:25 p.m.: No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 Central Florida, TBS (Sling TV)
• 7:35 p.m.: No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 15 Queens, truTV (Sling TV)
• 9:25 p.m.: No. 1 Florida vs. No. 16 Prairie View A&M, TNT (Sling TV)
• 9:45 p.m.: No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 Cal Baptist, CBS (Fubo)
• 10 p.m.: No. 2 UConn vs. No. 15 Furman, TBS (Sling TV)
• 10:10 p.m.: No. 7 Miami vs. No. 10 Missouri, truTV (Sling TV)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness games tomorrow: NCAA Friday first round TV schedule

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You’re probably busy with your bracket today, but if you want to build up that bankroll for March Madness betting, I’ve got some slam dunk plays in the NBA player prop market for today.

My best bets include Evan Mobley dominating the paint against the Bulls, and Victor Wembanyama continuing his block party when he faces the Suns.

Those and more NBA picks for Thursday, March 19 below. 

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Evan Mobley	Over 19.5 points	-115
Victor Wembanyama	Over 3.5 blocks	+115
Kyle Filipowski	Double-double	+235

Prop #1: Evan Mobley Over 19.5 points

-115 at bet365

The Cleveland Cavaliers need Evan Mobley to play his best basketball if they want to make a deep run in the playoffs. Luckily, he seems to be peaking at the right time.

Mobley is averaging 21 points and 10.2 rebounds over his last nine games and has scored 24 or more in three of his last six. I’m betting he keeps getting buckets tonight against the Chicago Bulls.

The Bulls have turned their attention to next season and are surrendering 120.5 points per game over their last 11 games and now allow the fourth most opponent points in the paint per game.

• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, CHSN

Prop #2: Victor Wembanyama Over 3.5 blocks

+115 at bet365

As long as sportsbooks keep giving me plus money for the Over on Victor Wembanyama blocks, I’m going to keep betting it.

The Alien has been out of this world when it comes to protecting the rim in the second half of the season. Wemby is averaging 4.0 blocks over the 14 games since coming out of the All-Star break, which includes rejecting four or more shots 11 times during that stretch.

The block party continues when the San Antonio Spurs face the Phoenix Suns. Wemby has blocked at least four shots in his two previous meetings against the Suns this season.

• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: KTVK, FanDuel Sports Network-Southwest

Prop #3: Kyle Filipowski double-double

+235 at bet365

More drama brews with the Milwaukee Bucks as Giannis doesn’t want to sit out the remainder of the season, but he’s at least out tonight against the Utah Jazz.

That means a team that already has the third-worst rebounding rate will be without one of the best rebounders in the NBA.

That has me looking at Jazz big man Kyle Filipowski to have a big night stuffing the stat sheet. Since becoming a regular starter, Filipowski is averaging 14.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.

He’s recorded a double-double in three of his last six games.

• Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin, KJZZ

These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.