McNeese State Cowboys vs Vanderbilt Commodores Point Spread Picks

Don't get caught up in Vanderbilt being in the SEC while McNeese State is in the Southland Conference. The lopsided point spread accounts for that well. History is important here. Vanderbilt is a No. 5 seed. The Cowboys are a 12th seed. The 5 vs. 12 seed has proven dangerous for the favorite through the years. The Commodores haven't won an NCAA Tournament game since 2012. McNeese beat Clemson in the first round of last year's NCAA Tournament, 69-67, as a seven-point underdog. The Cowboys can make things unpleasant for Vanderbilt. McNeese State leads the nation in turnover margin, averaging 7.3 more takeaways a game. The Cowboys rank first in the country in forcing turnovers and points off turnovers, and are fourth in block rate. They feature three excellent players in Larry Johnson, the conference's freshman of the year, fellow first-team all-league pick Tyshawn Archie, and last year's Southland Player of the Year, Javohn Garcia. Take McNeese State.