The NCAA Tournament tipped off in full on Thursday and has already delivered some exciting moments thanks to some close games in the First Four matchups.
We'll look to get you a few winners to back in the March Madness player prop market for Friday with five top picks, plus a bonus.
All the NCAA Tournament games: March Madness predictions, odds, TV schedule
Best March Madness player prop picks for Friday's NCAA Tournament first round
Here are our best bets for player prop picks in Friday's first-round NCAA Tournament games. Listed odds are the latest from top-rated US sports betting sites.
Can I bet NCAA Tournament player props?: NCAA basketball betting rules by state
Utah State vs. TCU props: Great Osobor OVER 24.5 points and rebounds
The Mountain West Player of the Year couldn't save the Aggies against San Diego State in a semifinal loss this past Friday in the conference tournament, but he still finished with 19 points on 7-for-10 shooting. He grabbed just five rebounds, well below his average of 9.2 for the season, but should bounce back against the Horned Frogs in the 8-9 game in the Midwest Region.
Osobor had a monster game in the quarterfinals, posting a 29-point, 17-rebound game in an overtime win over Fresno State, and has been reliably brilliant for most of the season in leading Utah State to a great run in a loaded league. Osobor has scored in double-digits in 20 of his last 21 games and has posted double-doubles in two of the last three.
He should have another big game against a TCU squad that isn't blessed with a lot of size and will likely have to send double-teams his way. The 6-foot-8, 250-pound native of England is a great option to ride on Friday night and is the top choice to ride because this number hasn't been set high enough.
More: Utah State vs. TCU odds, prediction | Best March Madness betting sites
Wisconsin vs. James Madison props: A.J. Storr OVER points
The Badgers no longer employ tactics that slow games down and come off a nice run in the Big Ten Tournament, getting to the final with an OT upset of Purdue before losing to Illinois. Although Storr shot just 5-for-17 from beyond the arc in the final two games against the Boilermakers and Fighting Illini, the fact he's been entrusted to become such a high volume scorer makes him attractive in what should be a high-scoring affair against the Dukes inside Brooklyn's Barclays Center.
Storr, a transfer from St. John's, has scored in double-figures in 30 straight games and is capable of beating a defense from beyond the arc or by aggressively getting into the paint and getting to the free-throw line. He's averaged 24.7 points over the last three games and rebounds well for a guard, so you may want to add points and rebounds to the mix here, too, although we'll stick to the scoring option to keep it simple, backing the OVER.
More: James Madison vs. Wisconsin odds, prediction | Who will win 2024 March Madness?
Grambling vs. Purdue props: Zach Edey UNDER rebounds
We're not looking to fade this All-American often in this tournament, but Edey's rebounding number is a little high for a first-round game in which we're not expecting the Tigers to be terribly competitive. Obviously, Purdue of all teams isn't going to overlook a first-round foe given what went down in last year's tournament against Fairleigh Dickinson, but Edey isn't likely to be tasked with his usual workload in this matchup. He had 28 points and 11 boards against Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament semifinal loss after finishing with 29 and 12 against Michigan State in a competitive quarterfinal.
The 7-foot-4 Edey has had some monster games over the past few weeks and has averaged just under 30 points over his last six contests, but he's only had more than 11 rebounds in three of the last seven despite staying out of foul trouble and playing significant minutes. We're expecting he'll be watching down the stretch in garbage time with the outcome in hand, so his usual usage won't come into play. Ride the UNDER on this high rebound total.
More: Grambling State vs. Purdue odds, prediction | 2024 March Madness odds
Longwood vs. Houston props: LJ Cryer OVER points
Cryer comes off a dreadful game against Iowa State in the Big 12 Tournament final, finishing with just seven points on 3-for-12 shooting. Houston scored just 41 points in an uncharacteristic 28-point loss, so they'll be in bounce-back mode against Longwood at FedEx Forum. Cryer by no means was the lone culprit since the Cougars shot 4-for-22 from beyond the arc and fellow guards Jamal Shead and Emmanuel Sharp weren't much better, but Cryer's bar is set pretty low since he averages 15.3 points per game.
The Baylor transfer has some streakiness to his game, but he's capable of getting hot and is one of those players who can get aggressive once he sees one shot go down. Cryer has scored at least 15 points in five of the last eight and is a solid bet to flush last weekend's disappointment with a strong start to these NCAA's.
More: Longwood vs. Houston odds, prediction | March Madness futures bets
Alabama vs. Charleston props: Aaron Estrada OVER 26.5 P+R+A
Estrada isn't the primary ball handler for the Crimson Tide, often deferring to Mark Sears, but he's plenty capable of taking over games and has been regularly stuffing the stat sheet for Alabama's high octane attack. Although Bama's stint in the SEC Tournament ended quickly with a 102-88 loss at the hands of Florida, Estrada shot 7-for-12 and finished with 17 points, six assists and added three boards. Estrada has scored in double-figures in 13 straight games and has dished out at least five assists in 10 of the last 15.
Given the fast pace Nate Oats employs, he's good to grab a handful of rebounds and has played at least 35 minutes in seven straight contests, rarely leaving the floor. The well-traveled Estrada is at his fourth different stop, having started his college career at Saint Peter's before a short stint at Oregon and a great two-year run as Hofstra's leading scorer prior to landing in Tuscaloosa. Expect him to shine against his old friends from the CAA in what should be a high-scoring affair in Spokane.
More: Charleston vs. Alabama odds, prediction | March Madness 2024 longshot bets
Vermont vs. Duke props: Jared McCain OVER points
While Estrada is the most experienced player on this list, McCain, a talented freshman, is the youngest. He's also a bounce-back candidate, coming off scoring just eight points in the Blue Devils' ACC Tournament quarterfinal loss to NC State. He took just six shots, matching the second-fewest he's attempted this season, so the expectation here is that he'll be a lot more aggressive against the Catamounts. Duke has dropped consecutive games for just the second time this season, but we should see them bounce back at Barclays Center.
McCain struggled with foul trouble against the Wolfpack and failed to find a rhythm in a rough performance but has been Duke's best player numerous times this season and had a 35-point effort on Feb. 17, hitting eight 3-pointers. He's averaging 13.4 points per game and is likely to be the x-factor for Duke to make significant noise in this Big Dance. Expect him to get started immediately by topping this rather low total.
More: Vermont vs. Duke odds, prediction | Betting on Duke March Madness odds in North Carolina
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