March Madness Betting Lines: Sweet 16 Betting Picks

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March Madness Sweet 16 odds are out. Gonzaga and Kansas are big time favorites while Arizona, Texas Tech, and UCLA should play in tough games. Will the Zags, Wildcats, and Jayhawks win and cover? Check out current March Madness Odds, analysis, and free picks for six top Sweet 16 contests. 

Top Betting Games for the Sweet 16 Round | March Madness Odds

Sweet 16 Round

When: Thursday, March 24 – Friday, March 25

Arkansas Razorbacks vs Gonzaga Bulldogs -9

When: Thursday, March 24

Gonzaga has played well during the tournament, but the Bulldogs aren’t dominating the way so many expected they would.

The Zags struggled to beat Memphis in the second round. In their first game, the Zags allowed Georgia State to hang around until late. Arkansas has a good defense, goes to the charity stripe more than any other team in the nation, and boasts a true superstar in JD Notae. 

The Hogs will have a shot to win this straight up. Taking the points makes sense.  

NCAAM Sweet 16 Pick: Arkansas Razorbacks

Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Duke Blue Devils -105

When: Thursday, March 24

Duke is -115 getting a point. But if you like the Blue Devils to cover at +1, why not grab more profit and back the Dookies to win straight up?

The Blue Devils turned the corner in their win over Michigan State. Paolo Banchero is playing lights out and Mark Williams should control the paint. Veteran Wendell Moore Jr. has become the guy Coach K can count on when Duke needs a basket. 

Texas Tech struggled with Notre Dame. Duke’s offense is one of the best the Red Raiders will have faced all season. Duke wins SU. 

NCAAM Sweet 16 Pick: Duke Blue Devils

Houston Cougars vs Arizona Wildcats -1 ½ 

When: Thursday, March 24

After Houston beat Illinois 68-53, and Arizona required overtime to get past TCU, the Cougars became a hot squad to upset the Wildcats and march to the Elite Eight.

But the Houston – Illinois game was close up until the 4 minute mark. Arizona is a much deeper team than the Illini. The Wildcats got their scare. They may not get another this tournament. Expect U-of-A to get the win and cover. 

NCAAM Sweet 16 Pick: Arizona Wildcats

Providence Friars vs Kansas Jayhawks -7 ½ 

When: Friday, March 25

Rock Chalk struggled to get past the Creighton Blue Jays, beating Creighton 79-72. On Friday, Kansas takes on arguably the best team from the Big East, the Providence Friars.

Providence didn’t allow 60 points in either of their first two NCAA Tournament games. The Friars play defense as well as any team left in the tournament. Providence lost 4 games during the regular season. They’re a legit top 10 squad. Don’t be surprised if the Friars pull off the moneyline upset.

NCAAM Sweet 16 Pick: Providence Friars 

North Carolina Tar Heels +115 vs UCLA Bruins

When: Friday, March 25

UCLA bounced from their first round struggle to dominate the Saint Mary’s Gaels. Saint Mary’s, though, bounced in the game.

While the Gaels hit everything they threw at the basket versus Indiana, they missed almost every shot versus UCLA. North Carolina dusted Marquette and then beat Baylor in overtime. Armando Bacot should dominate the paint. UNC wins this on the moneyline. 

NCAAM Sweet 16 Pick: North Carolina Tar Heels

Iowa State Cyclones vs Miami Florida Hurricanes -2 ½ 

When: Friday, March 25

Iowa State has played great to make it this far. But the Cyclones got to beat LSU, which should have been no better than a 10-seed and definitely not a 6-seed, and Wisconsin, a team that shoots less than 43% from the field and less than 32% from three.

Miami beat USC and Auburn, a couple of teams favored over them. The Miami Hurricanes dominated Auburn 79-61. The Hurricanes have impressed more then that Cyclones and figure to secure an Elite Eight spot with a win and cover. 

NCAAM Sweet 16 Pick: Miami Florida Hurricanes 

2024 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament | 2024 March Madness Calendar

Updated March Madness lines to win this season.

Online March Madness Lines
MyBookie Odds for the Games

Previous Betting News

There’s a reason it’s called “March Madness”, and this year’s tournament epitomizes madness. With numerous top seeds getting upset in the first two rounds, a 15-seed in the Sweet 16, and a #1 seed already sent home, this tournament has already been full of surprises. With the Sweet 16 tipping off on Thursday, Las Vegas has released the most up-to-date odds on who is going to win the National Championship. Let’s take a look at some of the favorites, along with their NCAA Basketball Championship Odds, who survived the first weekend of this year’s version of “March Madness”.

Updated Odds on Who Will Win the Championship Before Sweet 16 Starts

Gonzaga Bulldogs +225

They were the favorite coming into the tournament, and after a close call against Memphis, they’re still the favorites. The top-seeded Bulldogs will take on the Arkansas Razorbacks in the round of 16. Gonzaga is the best shooting team in the country, and they’re also one of the best defensive teams as well. Playing teams from the Power 5 conferences will be much more difficult than playing teams in the West Coast Conference.

Arizona Wildcats +500

Arizona has been the surprise team this season. Not much was expected of first-year head coach Tommy Lloyd’s squad. However, their length and athleticism, along with some clutch shooting has made them one of the favorites to win the tournament. The Pac 12 regular season and tournament champions barely survived TCU in the second round. Now they’ll go up against a tough Houston Cougars squad that is one of the best defensive teams in the country.

Kansas Jayhawks +500

Many experts say that Kansas has the easiest road to the National Championship. Now that point guard Remy Martin is back and healthy, the Jayhawks have taken off. They have a matchup with the Providence Friars in the Sweet 16. Providence will try to slow things down and play a very physical game with Kansas, but we think the Jayhawks will prevail.

Houston Cougars +800

Many weren’t sold on the Cougars coming into the tournament. Even though they won the AAC regular-season and tournament titles, many weren’t sure that they could beat teams from bigger conferences. With no starters returning from last year’s Final Four team, no one predicted the success that Houston has had. The committee gave them a #5 seed, which showed that the committee didn’t believe in them either.

After a telling win over Illinois, many fear playing Houston and their tough defense. We’ll see if Arizona can solve Kelvin Sampson’s squad.

Purdue Boilermakers +900

After their second-round win over Texas, the Boilermakers are ready for the next round. They have the Cinderella of the tournament in the round of 16, as they play the #15-seeded St. Peter’s Peacocks. St. Peters won’t be able to match up with the size of Purdue, but Purdue is one of the weakest defensive teams remaining in the tournament. We see St. Peters hanging around, but Purdue will prevail in the end. Jaden Ivey is one of the top players in the country and has shown a penchant for taking games over in crunch time. 

Previous Betting News

Has this been a chalk NCAA Tournament or what? In the Round of 32, all 16 NCAA Betting favorites won straight up. That had never happened in tourney history. Will we see any upsets in the Sweet 16? Here are two we think are possible with March Madness odds.

2019 March Madness Sweet 16 Betting Predictions

No. 3 Purdue vs. No. 2 Tennessee (-1)

When: Thursday, 7:29 PM ET (TBS)

Purdue has been quite impressive in wins over Old Dominion and defending national champion Villanova – the Boilers crushed the Wildcats 87-61 on Saturday. Carsen Edwards (42 points) established a school record with nine 3-pointers. Purdue’s 26-point advantage against Villanova was the Wildcats’ worst loss in NCAA tournament history. After recording a subpar 0.94 points per possession against Old Dominion, Purdue exploded with a 1.38 PPP and 53 percent clip from the 3-point line.

It was the second-largest margin of victory over a defending national champion in NCAA Tournament history (1990; Loyola Marymount 149, Michigan 115). The win was Purdue’s first against a defending national champion since beating Michigan twice during the 1989-90 season (Michigan was the champ in 1989).

Purdue has reached it’s third straight Sweet 16, the second time in school history with three straight Sweet 16 berths (1998-2000) … the Boilermakers are one of four teams to make three straight Sweet 16s (Purdue, Kentucky, Gonzaga, Michigan).

Edwards’ 42 points were the second-most by a Big Ten player in NCAA Tournament history (44 by Purdue’s Glenn Robinson vs. Kansas; 1994). His 42 points are the most in NCAA Tournament history against a defending national champion. Edwards surpassed 800 points this season and is now ranks third on the school’s single-season points list with 803. His nine 3-pointers tied for the third-most in the NCAA Tournament’s first, second or third rounds in NCAA history.

Tennessee squandered a 25-point lead in its eventual 83-77 overtime win against Iowa in the second round on Sunday. Had the Hawkeyes won that game, it would have tied the record for the greatest comeback in NCAA tournament history. The Volunteers are 31-5 overall and ranked No. 6 in the country. Tennessee has five players averaging in double figures, led by two-time SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams (18.8 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.1 APG).

These teams are meeting for the second straight year after Tennessee defeated Purdue 78-75 in overtime in the opening round of the 2017 Battle 4 Atlantis.

No. 3 Texas Tech vs. No. 2 Michigan (-2)

When: Thursday, 9:39 PM ET (CBS)

Texas Tech is the nation’s top defensive team by a few ratings and that showed in a 76-58 rout over No. 6 Buffalo in the Round of 32. The Bulls were held 30 points below their season average. Tech’s defense held the Bulls to 0-for-9 shooting to start the second half before they would make their first shot eight minutes into the half. By that time, the Red Raiders owned a 53-30 lead.

Norense Odiase established a new Texas Tech tournament record by securing 15 rebounds and added a season-high 14 points. The 15 rebounds were a career-high and is the sixth time this season he’s recorded 10 or more rebounds. Star Jarrett Culver produced his fifth double-double of the season by leading the Red Raiders with 16 points and having 10 rebounds. Culver will be a very high 2019 NBA draft pick.

The 28 wins by the Red Raiders are now the second most in a season in program history behind only the 1995-96 team that went 30-2 and advanced to the Sweet 16. The program returns to the NCAA Sweet 16 round for the second straight year and for the fourth time in program history (1996, 2005, 2018, 2019) since the tournament expanded to 64 teams.

Michigan is in a third straight Sweet 16. It routed Florida 64-49 in the Round of 32. The Wolverine defense held Florida Gators to just 28.6 percent shooting in the second half and 34.5 percent for the game. Sophomore Jordan Poole had a big game on the offensively, scoring 19 points and draining four three-pointers, while Isaiah Livers also tallied a double-digit effort with 10 points. Michigan saw balanced scoring as senior Charles Matthews and sophomore Zavier Simpson scored nine each and junior Jon Teske netted eight. In all, Michigan used 34 points in the paint and 11 off turnovers to secure its victory over Florida.

It’s the third time in school history UM has made the Sweet 16 three straight years: Also the Cazzie Russell era (1964-66) and Fab Five teams (1992-94). The Wolverines reached last year’s national title game after holding their first five opponents in the NCAA tournament to an average of 58.6 points and relying on a defense that ended the season ranked third overall on KenPom. This season’s team, on a per-possession measurement, is even better.

Expert March Madness Betting Picks

We’re rolling with both underdogs to win outright.

Previous Betting News

After a wild opening week, we are down to the Sweet 16 in the college basketball tournament. It has been one of the more memorable affairs to date, with the top teams dropping like flies, including a #1 team, Virginia, going out in the opening round for the first time in tournament history. The upsets have busted a ton of March Madness betting brackets and made some bettors a little gun shy, but there is still money to be made over the next couple of weeks, which means it’s time to look ahead and make some NCAA Basketball betting predictions.

I am going to quickly cover all 8 games in this round, going by region and making SU picks in each. We will talk about potential parlays for this round in another post.

2018 March Madness Betting Predictions: Sweet 16

Season: 2017–18
TV: CBS, TBS, TNT

South Region

We start out with a pair of Wildcats going head to head, as Kansas State and Kentucky hook up in the Sweet 16. Kansas State benefitted from Virginia going down in Round 1, and may finally have met their match here, as Kentucky came into the tournament hot and have just kept rolling. Kentucky to win.

In Loyola-Chicago, we have our Cinderella team, and they have what looks to be a potentially winnable game against Nevada in this round. This is, in my opinion, going to be an incredibly close one, but I have Nevada coming out on top.

West Region

Florida State comes into the Sweet 16 on a high after taking out top-seeded Xavier in the previous round, but they cannot afford any sort of letdown against a Gonzaga team that has looked very good through the opening two rounds. I’m sticking with the Bulldogs to win this by a 7-10-point margin.

The Michigan Wolverines needed a buzzer beater to get past Houston in the last round and will now go against the Texas A&M Aggies in the Sweet 16. That little scare should be enough to drive them forward to bigger and better things, including a win over the Aggies in this one.

East Region

Of the 16 teams left in the tournament, it can be argued that the Villanova Wildcats have looked the most impressive from top to bottom, winning in blowout style in the opening two rounds. They will next go head to head with the West Virginia Mountaineers who have also won big in their first two games. I think Villanova continue to roll. Both Texas Tech and Purdue had to overcome tight battles in the last round after breezing through Round 1 and will now meet in what looks to be one of the best match-ups of this round. Since I have Purdue winning it all, I need to stick with them here.

Midwest Region

Kansas got off to a slow start in the opening round before waking up and taking down Penn State, which they then followed up with a tight win over Seton Hall. Next p will be the Clemson Tigers, who appear to be getting better as the tournament progress, destroying Auburn in the last round. Another close one here, but Kansas survives.

We knew all about Duke’s offensive capabilities prior to the start of the tournament, and they have not been shy in showing that off in the opening two rounds, which is why they remain as one of the 2018 March Madness Betting favorites. They will next face Syracuse, a team that plays great D but does not score much. How are they going to stop that Duke offense? The answer is that they won’t.

Last 10 NCAA Basketball Champions

Previous Betting News

Whether you’ve consistently cashed in since the start of the 2017 NCAA Tournament or have struggled to stay in the black, you’re going to have a chance to cash in with a triumvirate of potentially winning Sweet 16 matchups thanks to the trio of expert picks that you’re about to get.

Now, let’s find out which teams are offering that NCAA basketball point spreads value.

In Depth Analysis On The NCAA Basketball Sweet 16 Betting Predictions

No. 7 Michigan vs. No. 3 Oregon

When: Thursday, March 23, 2017 at 7:09 PM ET Where: Sprint Center, Kansas City, Missouri TV: CBS NCAAB Odds: Michigan -1.5 / Total: 146.5

Analysis:  Michigan (26-11 SU, 17-17 ATS) struggled virtually all season, but caught fire at just the right time. Oregon (31-5 SU, 20-15 ATS) was a top 10 ballclub virtually all season long, but right now, the Wolverines are now slight 1.5-point favorites to beat the Ducks because of the phenomenal play they’ve shown since just prior to the Big Ten conference tournament.

Michigan has won seven straight and nine of 10 and got past Louisville 73-69 in the last round to cash in as a 3-point underdog and advance to this intriguing matchup. While Oregon has won both of their tourney games and got past Rhode Island 75-72 in their Round of 32 matchup the last time out, the Ducks certainly didn’t look overpowering by any stretch of the imagination. Michigan may be favored in this contest, but it’s still really going to be an upset of epic proportions when the Wolverines win.

Oregon is 2-5 ATS in their last seven games following an SU win and just 1-5 ATS in their last six games against a team with a winning record while Michigan has gone 7-1 ATS in their last eight neutral site games, 6-1 ATS in their last seven games and 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 neutral site games as a favorite. Michigan wins and narrowly covers!

Pick: Michigan 81 Oregon 77

No. 4 Purdue vs. No. 1 Kansas

When: Thursday, March 23, 2017 at 9:35 PM ET Where: Sprint Center, Kansas City, Missouri TV: CBS NCAAB Odds: Kansas -3.5 / Total: 156.5

Analysis:  Kansas (30-4 SU, 13-18 ATS) may be the No. 1 seed in this contest, but I’m thinking the Jayhawks look like they’re going to be in trouble against streaking Purdue (27-7 SU, 19-10 ATS) in their Sweet 16 matchup on Thursday. I know Kansas manhandled both, UC-Davis and Michigan State in their two tournament matchups so far, but Purdue has looked much better in their two wins against far more quality opponents in Nevada and red-hot Iowa State.

The Boilermakers have a dangerous offense that averages just 3.1 fewer points per game than the Jayhawks, but a defense that gives up 4.5 fewer points per game defensively. Purdue has a Player of the Year candidate in power forward Caleb Swanigan (18.5 ppg, 12.6 rpg) and another forward that is blossoming at just the right time in junior Vince Edwards.

Kansas has struggled to cover the spread by going 3-10 ATS in their last 13 games following an ATS win, 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games as a favorite of 6.5 points or less and 7-16 ATS in their last 23 games against Big ten ballclubs. On the flip side of the coin, Purdue has gone 6-1 ATS in their last seven neutral site games, 5-1 ATS in their last six NCAA Tournament games and 9-3-2 ATS in their last 14 games against a team with a winning SU record. Swanigan and Edwards will control the glass and the paint to lead the Boilermakers to the upset!

Pick: Purdue 81 Kansas 76

No. 4 West Virginia vs. No. 1 Gonzaga

When: Thursday, March 23, 2017 at 7:39 PM ET Where: SAP Center, San Jose, California TV: TBS NCAAB Odds: Gonzaga -3 / Total: 148

Analysis: Gonzaga (34-1 SU, 22-9 ATS) has been outstanding all season long in reaching the No. 1 national ranking for four weeks and losing just one game all season long. The Bulldogs got past South Dakota State in their opener but struggled to put Northwestern away in their 79-73 second round win the last time out.

Right now, I’m thinking the Zags are ripe for the picking against a dangerous West Virginia Mountaineers (28-8 SU, 14-16 ATS) team that narrowly got past an overachieving Bucknell ballclub in their tourney opener – before manhandling dangerous Notre Dame 83-71 in their Round of 32 matchup the last time out. I know Gonzaga is the better statistical team at both ends of the floor, but I’m expecting Mountaineers junior guards Jevon Carter and Daxter Miles Jr. to wreak havoc with their pressing style of play and fast hands.

While West Virginia has compiled a bunch of pitiful ATS trends like they’re 1-4 ATS marks in their last five neutral site games and 1-9-1 ATS mark in their last 11 neutral site games as an underdog, I still like the Mountaineers and their up-tempo style of play to lead them to the stunning upset over a Gonzaga team that plays very smart basketball but isn’t the most athletic ballclub around.

Pick: West Virginia 77 Gonzaga 75

Previous Betting News

With the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament in the books, college basketball betting enthusiasts will be eager to see what March Madness has to offer in the Sweet 16 games set to take place this week. Here is our sweeping look into the Sweet 16 games and SU NCAA Basketball betting picks to consider for this coming round of action.

Sweet 16 SU March Madness Betting Picks

#3 Miami vs. #2 Villanova

Miami and Villanova are tied at 3-3 SU and ATS in their all-time series, though the Hurricanes won the last meeting in 2004. Things have, however, changed a lot since then and the Wildcats are arguably the better team right now, something that can be avowed by their 31 wins on the season against Miami’s 27 victories. That, along with the fact that Villanova ranks better than Miami in both in points scored and allowed per game, makes the Wildcats our winning pick.

Sweet 16 SU NCAAB Pick: Villanova

#3 Texas A&M vs. #2 Oklahoma

Besides leading 6-4 SU in their last 10 meetings, the Aggies are an all-rounded team, as opposed to the Sooners who tend to be a bit too over-reliant on Buddy Hield. It won’t be easy stopping the in-form Hield, but we’ve seen enough of Texas A&M’s solid defense (allowing just 66 PPG on the season) to believe that, if the Aggies can put the clamps on the Oklahoma superstar and prevent the Sooners from getting too many open looks from downtown, they should be able to upset their way into the next round.

Sweet 16 SU NCAAB Pick: Texas A&M

#5 Maryland vs. #1 Kansas

Besides being arguably the most balanced team in the nation, the No. 1-seed Jayhawks are coming into this game on the back of the best run in the nation, having gone 14-1 SU in their last 15 games, making them an obvious pick for the win against the middling Maryland (5-5 SU in their last 10 games) that have been a disaster waiting to happen since the NCAAB calendar hit March.

Sweet 16 SU NCAAB Pick: Kansas

#4 Duke vs. vs. #1 Oregon

These two teams have met just once in their history—in 2010 when Duke won 98-71—and many Blue Devil fans are hoping to go 2-0 on their rivals. The problem, however, is that Duke is having one of its toughest seasons and is just 6-4 SU in its last 10 games. Against the on-song Duke that are riding hot into this Sweet 16 matchup on a 10-0 SU run, it would be illogical not to trust the top-seeded Oregon to beat the overrated Blue Devils. Sweet 16 SU NCAAB Pick: Oregon Friday, March 25

#4 Iowa State vs. #1 Virginia

As one of the hottest offensive teams in the Tournament, it is really tempting to hang on the Cyclones for an upset opportunity over Virginia. After all, Iowa State is 2-1 SU in the all-time series against Virginia. Unfortunately, Virginia’s nation-best defense is the real deal, and their offense has just been as good in Tournament so far (averaging nearly 80 PPG scoring). Added to the strong momentum they bring to this Sweet 16 game, the Cavs feel like the safest (and best) pick for the win in this clash. Sweet 16 SU NCAAB Pick: Virginia

#7 Wisconsin vs. # 6 Notre Dame

Both Wisconsin and Notre Dame have been sputtering in their form this season, something that was punctuated by their scrappy wins in the Round of 32 games. Keeping that in mind, this game is likely to be as muddy as its gets in the March Madness, with the winner probably coming down to final plays of the game. And given the fact that close games tend to favor better defensive teams, I will go out on a limb and pick Wisconsin and its superior defense (allowing 63.88 PPG on the season) to eke out a close win here. Sweet 16 SU NCAAB Pick: Wisconsin

#11 Gonzaga vs. #10 Syracuse

It’s not that Syracuse isn’t a good team, it is just that the Gonzaga are masters of playing and winning in the NCAA Tournament, as was showcased in their thorough dismantling of the No.3-seed Utah Utes in the Round of 32. So, however strong the Orange will try to hang here, the Zags should be more than capable of coming out on top eventually, most probably with another blowout win. Sweet 16 SU NCAAB Pick: Gonzaga

#5 Indiana vs. #1 North Carolina

Yogi Ferrell and the underrated Hoosiers will be looking to make their mark against the tad overrated Tar Heels this Friday. No doubt, UNC is a well-coached team and nothing shows better for North Carolina than puckering to the pressure of Tournament. That said, UNC—just like powerhouses Duke and Kentucky—have been a bit shaky in big games, and nothing screams big than playing against the Hoosiers, winners of the Big Ten regular-season title. Of course, North Carolina’s class may eventually show, and it most likely will do, but I am inclined to trust the sharpshooting Hoosiers (2-1 SU and 3-0 ATS in their all-time meetings against UNC) to blow up the brackets with an upset win over the favored Tar Heels.

Sweet 16 SU NCAAB Pick: Indiana

Previous Betting News

Look, like every college basketball betting fan across the globe, I’ve been massively inspired by Steph Curry’s insane ability to make three-point shots from anywhere on the court. To that end, we’re going ‘beyond the arc’ with a trifecta of Sweet 16 ATS picks that are sure to please. So as we get just a few hours from Sweet Sixteen’s tip off, let’s get started with the intriguing pairing between No, 5 Maryland and No. 1 Kansas in the nation’s heartland.

Top March Madness Sweet 16 ATS Picks

No. 5 Maryland vs. No. 1 Kansas -6.5

When: 9:40 PM ET, Thursday, March 24, 2016 Where: KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, Kentucky Betting Spread: Kansas -6½ Game Total: 144.5

Analysis: I’m going to get right to the point by saying that Maryland (27-8 SU, 16-17 ATS) is the kind of team that epitomizes the up-and-down nature of the 2015-16 college basketball season. The Terps can beat any team in the country when they’re firing on all cylinders or they can lose to a bunch of middle schoolers when they’re not.

Having said that, let me also say that, despite their lofty ranking and impressive winning streak, I believe Kansas (32-4 SU, 23-11 ATS) is a team that can be beaten because of their lack of a true superstar. Maryland has a pair of very good backcourt players in Melo Trimble (14.8 ppg) and Rasheed Sulaimon (11.1 ppg) and I believe they’re going to give Kansas’ perimeter-based lineup featuring guards Wayne Selden, Frank Mason Jr. and Devonte’ Graham, a run for their money in this contest.

Maryland has a solid defense that ranked 47th in the nation by limiting the opposition to just 66.3 points per game. The Terps are 19-7 ATS in its last 26 neutral site games while Kansas has gone 5-14 ATS in their L/19 games against Big Ten ballclubs. Maryland is my pick to cover the spread in a thriller.

The Pick: Maryland +6.5 Points

No. 3 Texas A&M vs. No. 2 Oklahoma

When: 7:37 PM ET, Thursday, March 24, 2016 Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, California Betting Spread: Oklahoma -1.5 Game Total: 145

Analysis: I’m going to get right to the points with my pick on this contest by saying that I love the Over. Texas A&M (28-8 SU, 16-13 ATS) has scored an identical 92 points in each of their last two games while playing Over the total in three straight, five of six and seven of their L/10 games overall.

Oklahoma (27-7 SU, 12-20 ATS) has scored at least 82 points in each of their two tourney games so far while playing over the total each time out – following an eight-game Under streak. The Aggies and Sooners combine to average 156.8 points per game while allowing a combined 136.8 points per contest defensively.

Danuel House (15.7 ppg) and Jalen Jones (15.4 ppg) will likely approach the 20-point plateau for the Aggies, while Hield (25.4 ppg), Isaiah Cousins (13.1 ppg) and Jordan Woodward (12.8 ppg) will also get their fair share of buckets. The Over is 5-1 in the Aggies’ last six games against Big 12 ballclubs and 4-1 in their last five games following an SU win. The Over is also 401 in Oklahoma’s last five non-conference games and I’m expecting a high-scoring thriller.

The Pick: Over 145 Total Points

No. 4 Duke vs. No. 1 Oregon

When: 10:07 PM ET, Thursday, March 24, 2016 Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, California Betting Spread: Oregon -2.5 Game Total: 155

Analysis: The Oregon Ducks (30-6 SU, 20-13 ATS) are my final and top pick to cash in against the Sweet 16 college basketball betting odds.

Duke (25-10 SU, 14-18 ATS) got past Yale 71-64 on Sunday to advance to this contest, but I’m not very impressed with the Blue Devils outside of the eye-opening talent that is Brandon Ingram (17.1 ppg) and hard-nosed play of ‘cheater’ Grayson Allen(21.8 ppg). Oregon may not get the ‘love’ they deserve, but I’ve been watching the Ducks intently and I gotta’ say, they’re really a lot better than I initially thought.

Oregon has four players that average at least 12.1 points per game and has a duo of stars in forwards Dillon Brooks (16.8 ppg) and Elgin Cook (14.5 ppg). With five of their top six leading scorers being frontcourt players, Oregon’s size, length and athleticism will wear the Blue devils down in this matchup. The Blue Devils are just 1-4 ATS in their last five games against a team with a winning straight up record, 1-6 ATS in their L/7 games overall and a discouraging 1-7 ATS in their last eight neutral site games.

Oregon is 6-2 ATS in their last eight games overall, 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games versus a team with a winning straight up record and 11-5 ATS in their last 16 games following an ATS loss.

The Pick: Oregon 80 Duke 74