It’s a bad year for Indiana to only have one team make the NCAA Tournament.
Even with all of March Madness taking place within the state, Purdue University was the only school that managed to make the Big Dance.
Unfortunately, the Boilermakers fell 78-69 in an overtime first-round bout against North Texas.
Purdue loses in Round of 64
North Texas had never won a March Madness game before its matchup against Purdue.
The Boilermakers trailed for most of the game, and even took the lead after a big run in the fourth quarter.
However, it seemed like Purdue ran out of gas after that final push.
The Mean Green took control of the game as soon as overtime began.
If your bracket wasn’t busted already, it definitely is now.
After all, March Madness is famous for its upsets. No. 4 Purdue falling to No. 13 North Texas certainly qualifies as one.
Despite the early exit, the Boilermakers still had a solid 18-10 season.
Purdue was the third-youngest team in the entire tournament, so most of this young squad will likely return for another run next year.
With all of Indiana’s teams out of the fight, Hoosiers might be looking for a new team to root for.
Thankfully for basketball fans, there are still plenty of fun options left on the bracket.
Betting on March Madness Cinderella teams
Loyola Chicago March Madness odds
Rooting for a team that feels like a sure thing is a popular way to approach March Madness betting.
But to be honest, a lot of us are here for the upsets. Fans love a good underdog story, and this year’s tournament has a few great Cinderella options.
First up is Loyola Chicago.
Many basketball fans will remember the team’s Cinderella run to the Final Four back in 2018.
Loyola is starting to replicate that Sister Jean magic once again this year.
The team just handed No. 1 seed Illinois a decisive 71-58 loss on Sunday.
Now that Loyola is in the Sweet Sixteen, they’ll be facing off against No. 12 seed Oregon State in their next game on March 27.
Oregon State is heading in as the underdog for that matchup.
Loyola is starting to pick up some steam at Indiana’s sportsbooks.
Right now, FanDuel has the Ramblers as +1,500 to win the March Madness tournament, which is the fifth-best set of odds out of all the teams.
Oral Roberts March Madness betting odds
Oral Roberts has been the true underdog story of this year’s tournament.
The No. 15 seed Golden Eagles are the highest seed left in the entire tournament, since it’s very rare for high seeds to make deep runs.
In fact, this is only the second time in March Madness history that a 15 seed has made the Sweet Sixteen. Florida Gulf Coast’s 2013 squad is the only other team to share that honor.
Oral Roberts narrowly took down Florida in its last game, and now has its sights set on Arkansas for the next bout.
The Razorbacks are the heavy favorites for the game.
BetMGM’s futures odds for Oral Roberts are looking just as bleak. The Golden Eagles are sitting at +10,000 to win the National Championship, and +3,500 to make the Final Four.
If you’re a little more optimistic about the team’s chances, no one would blame you.
The Golden Eagles weren’t supposed to make it this far since they’ve been the underdog in all of their games.
How long Oral Roberts can hold out remains to be seen, but at the very least, the team has been one of the most interesting Cinderella squads in recent years.
Abilene Christian NCAA Tournament odds
The Abilene Christian Wildcats are another unexpected team trying to fight into the Sweet Sixteen.
The small No. 14 seed school managed to pull off the huge upset against No. 3 Texas in the opening round.
That 53-52 win was just enough to earn them a trip to the next round to face off against UCLA.
The Bruins are the favorites to come out on top in the game.
Even though Abilene Christian hasn’t gone as far as Loyola or Oral Roberts yet, they’re still a fun Cinderella betting option.
Of course, taking an underdog in a game presents a lot of risk, but for some gamblers, rooting for the March Madness upsets is enough to make it worthwhile.
The team’s NCAA Championship odds reinforce how much of a hail mary that betting on Abilene Christian’s run is. PointsBet has the Wildcats at +20,000 to win the entire tournament.
Michigan March Madness betting odds
Indiana basketball fans are out of local teams to root for, so plenty of Hoosiers will turn their eyes north.
If rooting for the underdog isn’t your thing, then betting on a team like Michigan will be a popular choice.
Second-year coach Juwan Howard has taken the Wolverines to another level.
Michigan snagged a No. 1 seed in this year’s tournament after a stellar 20-4 season.
The Wolverines are heading to the second round after a dominant 82-66 win against Texas Southern.
Now, Michigan will have to face off against No. 8 seed LSU.
Indiana’s online sportsbooks have Michigan as the favorite for the matchup.
The Wolverines also have some decent futures odds over at DraftKings. Right now, Michigan is +300 to make the Final Four and +1,100 to win the National Championship.
The team has plenty of fans throughout the Hoosier State, so the Wolverines will have some local support for their tournament games.
However, even as a No. 1 seed, Michigan is hardly a lock for the later rounds.
Anything can happen in March Madness, so a few mistakes could easily knock the Wolverines out of the tournament.
