NCAA Sweet 16 Betting Picks and Predictions
What a wild weekend it was in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. We are down to 16 teams left, and 15 games. The Sweet 16 has arrived, and we have some amazing games on tap. Let’s get to our NCAA Sweet 16 Betting Picks and Predictions:
Arizona Wildcats -6.5 over Clemson Tigers
The Pac-12 against the Atlantic Coast conference. The ACC has looked great, with four teams into the Sweet 16. Clemson led most of the way against Baylor. Now, they get the Arizona Wildcats, the winner of the Pac-12 regular season title. Arizona is the third highest scoring team in all of College Basketball. The Wildcats scored 85 in the win over Long Beach State, and 78 against Dayton. Caleb Love is the key factor here. Clemson is familiar with the point guard, but can they stop him? We say no. Arizona by 7. The Wildcats win 78-71.
UConn Huskies -10.5 over San Diego State Aztecs
A rematch of the finals from a season ago? Yes - and the same result incoming. Who is going to stop Danny Hurley and the UConn Huskies. A win in this one, and they are halfway to back to back national titles. The Huskies have looked armed and dangerous in wins over Stetson and Northwestern. San Diego State should be applauded for what they have done over the past two seasons, but this season comes to an end. The Huskies win this one by 15. UConn wins 71-56 over San Diego State.
North Carolina Tar Heels -4.5 over Alabama Crimson Tide
Two incredible offensive teams get together in this one. The Crimson Tide are the top scoring team in all of College Basketball, at more than 90 points per game. RJ Davis and Armando Bacot are both having big time tournaments. Bacot had four games in a row of double doubles, and in the win over Michigan State, scored 18 points and ripped down 7 rebounds. For Alabama, they struggled a bit with Grand Canyon, but were able to dominate down the stretch. We like the Tar Heels and Crimson Tide to play a tight one here, but in the end, the tougher team wins out. Betting North Carolina -4.5 is the way to go in this one.
Illinois Fighting Illini +2.5 over Iowa State Cyclones
A battle of two really good College Basketball teams. Both of these teams will be underdogs against UConn, but both could win that game as well. The Fighting Illini have been absolutely unstoppable on offense as of late. Terrence Shannon is in line to be the player of the tournament at his pace. This is the same guy that scored 40 in a game at the Big Ten Tournament. For Iowa State, they are red hot since winning the Big 12 tournament title. The Cyclones have held five straight teams to 65 points or less. They will need their defense in this game. Take Illinois to grab a massive win and move to the Elite 8. Bet the Illini +2.5 over Iowa State here on Thursday night.
NC State Wolf Pack +6.5 over Marquette Golden Eagles
The Wolf Pack have won seven straight games, including back to back wins in the NCAA Tournament. Now the Wolf Pack are down to the Sweet 16. DJ Burns has been the man inside for NC State, and will need to be in this one. The Wolf Pack defense will need to throw the kitchen sink at Tyler Kolek and the Golden Eagles offense. Look for that to get done, and they come away with a win. The ACC wins another. Bet the NC State Wolf Pack over the Marquette Golden Eagles.
Gonzaga Bulldogs +6 over Purdue Boilermakers
Mark Few and the Bulldogs have gone most of the season overlooked. Now they get a chance to take on Zach Edey and the Boilermakers offense. Purdue still has the monkey on their back to get to the Final Four. If the Bulldogs shooting continues to stay red hot, they can win this game. Look for it to be tight throughout. This one is going to come down to the final seconds. Bet the Gonzaga Bulldogs +6 over the Purdue Boilermakers.
Houston Cougars -3.5 over Duke Blue Devils
The Houston Cougars needed overtime to take down Texas A+M on Sunday. The Cougars are an impressive team, with one of the best defensive efforts in the country. LJ Cryer and Jamaal Shead are both tough to slow down. Duke has been great in the NCAA Tournament following back to back losses to end before the tournament. Duke has wins over Vermont and James Madison. Another tight game, but when push comes to shove, taking the Houston Cougars is the right move here. Bet Houston -3.5!
Tennessee Volunteers -2.5 over Creighton Blue Jays
Two teams looking to get to the Elite 8 after having exceptional seasons. The Volunteers, led by head coach Rick Barnes and the Blue Jays anchored by head coach Gregg McDermott. Both teams have solid guard play, but Dalton Knecht is the key here. If Knecht goes and has an impressive game, Tennessee is going to move on to the Midwest Final. That’s how we are going with this game, not betting against Knecht. Bet the Tennessee Volunteers -2.5 over the Creighton Blue Jays on Friday night.
Enjoy the games. We know we will. We are super excited for all the action. Best of luck with all your College Basketball betting!
Derek Hudson
Derek is a long time sports bettor who grew up in Providence, RI. Derek is data driven and believes the key to betting the sportsbooks is finding an edge in analytics. Derek is happily married and has two young boys. Derek will bet on anything if you let him.