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For the first 12 years of the NCAA Tournament (1939-50), there were only eight teams invited to play for the championship, so having eight teams involved in the First Four round of the tourney just to whittle the field to 64 might seem a bit extravagant to old-timers.
Then again, there have been eight teams – North Carolina, Indiana, Memphis, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Pitt, St. John’s and Washington – to stomp their feet and pout after being snubbed by the selection committee, so we should expect today’s Field of 68 to grow in the coming years.
The only thing that might remain consistent in the future is the odds are good there will always be play-in games for top sportsbooks to hang lines for at the Big Dance.
From 8 to 68
The growth from eight teams 85 years ago to 68 teams today is a history unto itself, and there were many years when byes were awarded as the field increased. But the first true play-in game took place in 2001 when the field went from 64 to 65.
From 2001-2010, the first game of each tournament – or opening round – was played between a pair of 16 seeds. It was one-&-done for all 10 of those winners, three of which met the eventual national champs in the Round of 64.
It was 2011 when the field was expanded to 68 and the First Four was introduced. The new format brought immediate excitement to the tournament when No. 11 seed VCU topped USC in a play-in game, then advanced all the way to the Final Four.
First Four Phenomenon
The UCLA Bruins repeated that First Four to Final Four feat in 2021, and there have been three additional First Four teams to make it as far as the Sweet 16.
Since its introduction in 2011, the First Four has always included a pair of play-in games between 16 seeds, with No. 11 and 12 seeds making up most of the other matchups. The 2024 NCAA Tournament features two games between No. 10 seeds for the first time.
VCU, UCLA & the Nearly Impossible
When the very first First Four was played in 2011, little attention was paid to the eight teams that reached Dayton that year. After all, had the tournament stuck with its 65-team field, the four teams to draw the No. 11 and 12 seeds would’ve been left out and ended up in the NIT.
Those four teams were VCU, USC, Clemson and UAB, and they were expected to simply cop a ‘happy to be here’ attitude.
Shaka Smart and the Rams proved they weren’t satisfied to just be there. VCU was getting 4 from the oddsmakers in a 59-46 win over USC, and remained an underdog the entire trip to Southwest Region championship where the Rams upset No. 1 seed Kansas.
The magic ride ended in the Final Four with a 70-62 loss to Butler, a No. 8 seed out of the Southeast.
The Unlikely Run
The 2021 First Four was the only time Dayton didn’t host the event, and UCLA was a mere afterthought. The Bruins lost their opening game of the Pac-12 Tournament, leaving them with a 4-game losing streak when handed an 11-seed for a play-in game vs. Michigan State.
It took them overtime to get past the Spartans as a small underdog, and the Bruins’ deep run was underway. Upsets of No. 2 seed Alabama and No. 1 Michigan left UCLA as unlikely East Region champs, sending the Bruins to Indianapolis.
Their run would also end in a semifinal matchup, a loss to Gonzaga which marked the Bruins’ third overtime game of the tournament.
How to Bet the First Four
There aren’t any special guidelines or strategies for playing the NCAAB odds compared to regular season games or even the rest of the NCAA Tournament.
It’s still essential to have a reputable sportsbook that offers competitive spreads and totals. That is always the first rule before making any wager.
Bettors also need to remain disciplined with their bankrolls. If a bettor hasn’t been following any of the teams playing as 16 seeds, then don’t start betting on those teams in the First Four. While books need to offer action on every game, bettors don’t need to play them all.
Otherwise, everything remains the same. Essential factors still include the latest injury reports and the current winning/losing streaks teams are on to start the tournament. Knowing a school’s or coach’s March Madness history is another consideration.
Recent First Four Betting Trends
Anyone looking for general tendencies or results in First Four action to help them with their college basketball picks is going to be disappointed.
Since the tournament was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, there are no pronounced trends during the First Four play. In the 12 games from 2021-23, favorites covered the numbers six times and underdogs stayed inside the spreads six times.
There is a slight lean to the ‘under’ for scoreboard bettors, but at 5-7 O/U, it’s barely worth mentioning.
Maybe the best rule for betting the First Four is to simply live within your bankroll, do your homework and have a little fun.
