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If you like NCAA Tournament upsets, but only in the early going then this year’s South Region is right up your alley. Four double-digit seeds won first-round games, but only one has advanced to the second weekend. No. 1 seed Houston leads the way, but how do the rest of the 2024 March Madness South Region odds for the Sweet 16 look?

Here’s the outlook for the South Region games in Dallas, on Friday, March 29.

• No. 2 Marquette (-6.5) vs. No. 11 North Carolina State, 7:09 p.m. ET (CBS)
• No. 1 Houston (-4) vs. No. 4 Duke, 9:39 p.m. ET (CBS)

March Madness South Region Odds: Houston Cougars Lead the Way

It should be no surprise that the Houston Cougars remain atop the March Madness South Region odds after the first two rounds. Houston crushed Longwood in the first round but then had to escape No. 9 seed Texas A&M in overtime in round 2.

Houston’s offense has been better than expected thus far, which is a great sign for the Cougars because their usually-stout defense was exposed against the Aggies. Houston opponents scored more than 70 points three times during the regular season, but Texas A&M scored 86 in regulation on Sunday night.

Will the Cougars be able to regroup in time for their Sweet 16 match-up against Duke?

Speaking of Duke, the No. 4 seed Blue Devils looked incredible in their second-round win over James Madison. The No. 12 seed Dukes were a popular upset pick, but the Blue Devils dominated early and never let up in a 93-55 victory. Duke certainly has the offensive talent to give Houston its strongest challenge of the season.

If Duke beats Houston, there is a chance the Blue Devils will face ACC foe North Carolina State in the Elite Eight. For that to happen, though, the No. 11 seed Wolfpack will have to score another upset.

NC State will take on No. 2 Marquette, which has looked like a strong Final Four contender in the first two rounds. The Golden Eagles are one of the biggest favorites in the Sweet 16 round.

Can they keep it going to finally eliminate NC State, which had to win five games in five days during the ACC Tournament just to qualify for the NCAA Tournament? It was fair to expect the Wolfpack to run out of gas when March Madness began, but they have looked good in two wins.

March Madness Women’s NCAA Odds: Iowa, LSU chasing Favorite South Carolina

There have barely been any surprises in the first two rounds of the women’s NCAA Tournament, and that means the pre-tournament favorites are still at the top of the March Madness women’s NCAA Tournament odds.

No. 1 overall seed South Carolina won its first two tournament games by a combined 99 points while fellow No. 1 seeds Iowa, Texas, and Southern California, also rolled into the Sweet 16.

The fact that DraftKings Sportsbook lists South Carolina as a -150 odds-on favorite to win the title at this stage says something about how dominant the Gamecocks have been all season. They have yet to lose, and there is no sign of that happening before the Final Four — if at all.

Right behind South Carolina are Iowa and LSU. Led by the game’s best player Caitlin Clark, Iowa is safely into the Sweet 16 after a pair of double-digit victories.

If the Lady Hawkeyes are to reach the national championship game for the second year in a row, they may have to get past LSU, who they lost in last year’s title game. Despite being a No. 3 seed in Iowa’s region, the Lady Tigers are the third favorite to win the national title.

What a doozy it will be if those teams meet in the Elite Eight.