Free Sweet 16 Betting Picks and Best Bets
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Who doesn’t like March Madness? I meet people all the time, especially in the combat sports industry, who don’t like ball/team sports. When it’s time to tip off the NCAA Tournament, though, they are calling and messaging with a thousand questions.
I told them to use the betting odds to make their selections, and from there, see who is playing well and possibly go with the team with the higher analytics, like the KenPom rankings, for example.
There are some soccer moms out there, I know, that have some of the best brackets still going. This has been a very chalky path to the Sweet 16, with all the #1 and #2 seeds still in the Big Dance.
If you are one of us whose bracket has already been busted, that’s okay. We are here for you today with odds and best bets for some of the Sweet 16 games coming up in a couple of days.
We've seen some magic when Oakland beat Kentucky, and, most recently, when the Aggies of Texas A&M almost made one of the most memorable comeback wins ever against the Houston Cougars but fell short in overtime.
Other than those games, though, it has been a calm tournament. I hope that changes in the Sweet 16! Let’s check the betting odds for some of these games and make our best bets to cash some tickets.
Doc’s Sports offers college basketball expert picks for every game on our NCAA basketball predictions page.
Arizona Wildcats vs Clemson Tigers
Point Spread
Arizona: -7
Clemson: +7
Moneyline
Arizona: -310
Clemson: +260
The Clemson Tigers have surprised many by making it to this point, as they were a popular #6 seed to lose in the first round.
The Wildcats of Arizona were a powerhouse for the majority of the season, only to falter towards the end of the season. They have looked good in the tourney to this point but have played only Long Beach State and Dayton.
I like the length of the Tigers, as well as their confidence, heading into this matchup. Clemson is also playing without as much pressure here as the #6 seed, with betting odds of (+260) on the moneyline.
The defense of the Wildcats is atrocious. I am not high on them carrying a 15-point lead into the final 5 minutes. If they don’t, a backdoor cover is likely.
If the refs get busy with those whistles, it's another good sign for the Tigers. They rank 8th in the nation in free throw percentage, while Arizona is 198th. Other than that, these two teams match up fairly evenly on paper. Clemson turns the ball over far less frequently, as well.
I will take them and the 7 points.
Pick: Clemson (+7)
Houston Cougars vs Duke Blue Devils
Point Spread
Houston: -4
Duke: +4
Moneyline
Houston: -195
Duke: +170
It is hard to say whether the Blue Devils are playing well, because their first two games in the tournament were against weak competition. We know they look better than they did at the end of the regular season and in the ACC Tournament. That's for sure.
Duke can certainly get past Houston in the Sweet 16. However, the high shooting percentages they've had in the previous two rounds of the tourney were not against the best defense in the nation.
I like Houston to contest the vast majority of three-point attempts from Duke. And if you shut them down from there, they struggle to put the ball through the net with consistency.
Pick: Houston (-4)
Creighton Bluejays vs Tennessee Volunteers
Point Spread
Tennessee: -3
Creighton: +3
Moneyline
Tennessee: -155
Creighton: +135
This game is more of a coin flip, And when we're betting, it becomes a dog or pass situation. This, of course, means that we either play the underdog here or simply pass on the bet.
Looking at the yearly statistics from the two teams. Creighton has the clear edge. They have also had their fair share of difficult games this season as well, with battles against UConn, Marquette, and Alabama, all teams still in the Big Dance.
I don’t even want the 3 points. Give me Creighton to get hot from downtown and drain their way to an outright upset win over the Vols. The Bluejays are 8th in the nation in three-pointers made per game, while Tennessee ranks worse than 200th in threes allowed.
Pick: Creighton Moneyline (+135)
Alabama Crimson Tide vs North Carolina Tar Heels
Point Spread
North Carolina: -4
Alabama: +4
Moneyline
North Carolina: -190
Alabama: +165
Hey, I love my Heels, but I don't like the matchup here against the Crimson Tide. If the stars of the Tar Heels can stay on the court, they will find openings in this porous defense and make plays.
Cool story, but Carolina is not a deep team. Playing fundamentally sound has led them to overachieve to this point. The size in the backcourt and on the wings from Bama could lead to RJ Davis reaching.
Carolina's leader isn't a physical force, and I can see a great offensive team like the Tide doing everything they can to get him into foul trouble. They had better do so because that is their clearest path to victory,
Pick: Alabama (+4)
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