McNeese State Cowboys vs Vanderbilt Commodores NCAAB Betting Pick & Prediction for 3/19

The McNeese State Cowboys, a 12 seed, are set to play against the 5 seed Vanderbilt Commodores in the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament. This first-round game in the South Region will take place at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Fans can watch the game on truT on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 3:15 PM ET.

McNeese State had a strong regular season with a 28-5 overall record and a 21-3 record in the Southland Conference. Last year, they made it past the first round by defeating Clemson. Vanderbilt, ranked 16th by AP, finished their regular season with a 26-8 overall record and a 13-8 record in the Southeastern Conference. They will aim to improve on their performance from last year’s first-round exit against Saint Mary’s.

McNeese State Cowboys vs Vanderbilt Commodores Game Day Info

  • Sport: NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball
  • Teams: McNeese State Cowboys vs Vanderbilt Commodores
  • Venue: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City OK
  • Date: Thursday, March 19, 2026
  • Betting Odds: Vanderbilt Spread -11.5, McNeese State Spread +11.5, Vanderbilt MoneyLine -669, McNeese State MoneyLine +452, Over/Under 150.5

McNeese State Cowboys Team Preview

The McNeese State Cowboys have been on a roll lately. They won their last three games, all by double digits. Their recent victory was against Stephen F. Austin, where they scored 76 points with a 51.9% field goal percentage.

Javohn Garcia played a key role in the win over Stephen F. Austin. He scored 31 points, hitting 61.1% of his shots. Tyshawn Archie and Larry Johnson also contributed with 17 and 18 points, respectively.

The Cowboys have a solid record this season, going 28-5 overall and 21-3 in their conference. They average 80 points per game with a field goal percentage of 46.8%. Larry Johnson leads the team in scoring, averaging 17.5 points per game.

Vanderbilt Commodores Team Preview

The Vanderbilt Commodores have had an up-and-down stretch in their recent games. They won against Florida Gators with a score of 91-74 but fell to Arkansas Razorbacks, 86-75. Their victory over the Tennessee Volunteers, 75-68, showcased strong performances from Duke Miles and Tyler Tanner.

Vanderbilt’s offensive stats show they score an average of 86.4 points per game, ranking 16th. They attempt around 61.3 field goals per game with a shooting percentage of 47.5%. On defense, the team averages 8.1 steals and 4.6 blocks per game.

Duke Miles stands out for the Commodores with 16.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. Tyler Tanner contributes significantly with 19.1 points per game. The team’s AP rank is 16, and they hold a regular-season record of 26-8.

BTB Betting Pick

For the spread pick, Vanderbilt is favored by 11.5 points. With their strong offense averaging 86.4 points per game and McNeese State’s lower defensive stats, Vanderbilt is likely to cover the spread. The projected score could be Vanderbilt 88, McNeese State 74, making Vanderbilt -11.5 a good choice.

Regarding the over/under, the line is set at 150.5. Vanderbilt’s high scoring and McNeese State’s decent offensive stats suggest a high-scoring game. The projected total score is 162, so taking the over 150.5 is recommended.