12-Seed Vs. 5-Seed NCAA Tournament March Madness Odds
#12 New Mexico State Vs. #5 UConn
Connecticut opened up this game as a -6.5-7 point favorite as sportsbooks quickly made UConn a decent-sized favorite for the opening round. Out of all the 12-5 matchups so far, New Mexico State does have the lowest spread.
#12 Richmond Vs. #5 Iowa
Iowa is on a real tear after winning the Big 10 conference tournament and four of their last five heading into that tournament. They will take on a Richmond team that comes from a strong Atlantic 10 conference. However, early oddsmakers have given Iowa a double-digit spread and one of the higher totals of Round 1.
#12 UAB Vs. #5 Houston
Houston is expected to move on fairly easily with a -9.5 opening spread. Houston’s defense will have their hands full with the 7th scoring team in the nation and a team that can get hot from three. However, Houston’s defense was one of the tops in the country, allowing just 59.1 points per game.
#12 Indiana/Wyoming Vs. #5 Saint Mary’s
This matchup is going to be intriguing regardless of the play-in game. You could say Indiana got a rough draw here, but they will need to come out to play against Wyoming. Both teams have potential to pull off a 12-5 upset, although Saint Mary’s is a very good five-seed and a team that could also make a deep run.
Recent 12 Seed Vs. 5 Seed Upsets
- 2021 – Oregon State Def. Tennessee 70-56
- 2019 – Murray State Def. Marquette 83-64
- 2019 – Liberty Def. Mississippi State 80-76
- 2019 – Oregon Def. Wisconsin 72-54
- 2017 – Middle Tennessee Def. Minnesota 81-72
- 2016 – Yale Def Baylor 79-75
- 2016 – Little Rock Def. Purdue 85-83