We might be in for a heck of a weekend of school basketball.
Six of the 8 males’s Candy 16 video games on Thursday and Friday night time have level spreads fewer than seven issues as 14 of the 16 groups nonetheless alive within the NCAA event are No. 5 seeds or upper. All 8 No. 1 and No. 2 seeds are nonetheless alive within the event. It’s the primary time since 2019 that the highest 8 seeds have all made it to the second one weekend.
No. 6 Clemson and No. 11 NC State are the one two groups nonetheless enjoying who weren’t a few of the best 20 seeds on variety Sunday. The Tigers are 7.5-point underdogs to No. 2 Arizona on Thursday night time, whilst NC State is a 6.5-point underdog in opposition to No. 2 Marquette.
The largest underdog of the around is No. 5 San Diego State. The Aztecs meet UConn on Thursday in a rematch of closing season’s identify sport. And similar to UConn’s win a season in the past, oddsmakers are bullish at the Huskies. The nationwide identify favorites are 10.5-point favorites over San Diego State.
Right here’s what you wish to have to find out about all 8 Candy 16 video games, particularly when you’re having a look to make a bet or 3 at BetMGM.
Thursday’s video games
No. 2 Arizona (-7.5) vs. No. 6 Clemson (7 p.m., CBS)
The Wildcats have bounced again well from their first-round go out a season in the past. Arizona beat Lengthy Seaside State through 20 within the first around and Dayton through 10 in the second one around. Clemson took down New Mexico to open the event after which held off an tried rally through Baylor on Sunday night time to get to the Candy 16. The Wildcats are 22-13 ATS this 12 months, whilst Clemson is 19-14-1.
No. 1 UConn (-10.5) vs. No. 5 San Diego State (7:30 p.m., TBS)
UConn is the prohibitive favourite to win the nationwide identify at +200. Conversely, San Diego State has the longest odds of someone to make the Ultimate 4 at +1400. The Huskies beat everybody through double-digits to win the NCAA event a season in the past and feature coated the unfold in two-thirds in their video games this season. SDSU, in the meantime, is solely 14-20 in opposition to the unfold this season.
No. 1 North Carolina (-4.5) vs. No. 4 Alabama (9:30 p.m., CBS)
UNC is the most-bet crew to make the Ultimate 4. Over 9% of Ultimate 4 tickets are at the Tar Heels as their odds have dropped from +300 earlier than the event to +175 now. Alabama were given thru a chaotic second-round sport in opposition to Grand Canyon on Sunday and is 19-15 in opposition to the unfold this 12 months. UNC is 21-15. At 173.5, this sport has the perfect over/underneath of any Candy 16 sport through a long way. The following-closest general is 154.5 in Purdue vs. Gonzaga.
No. 2 Iowa State (-1.5) vs. No. 3 llinois (10 p.m., TBS)
The matchup of midwestern groups has the nearest unfold of any sport within the Candy 16. You’re almost definitely at an advantage taking the cash line on this one. Every crew is -110 with the issues, whilst Iowa State is -125 outright and Illinois is +105 to win. Iowa State is considered one of 4 groups in males’s faculty basketball this season that coated in additional than 70% of its video games. Illinois, in the meantime, is 20-13-3 ATS.
Friday’s video games
No. 2 Marquette (-6.5) vs. No. 11 NC State (7 p.m., CBS)
The Golden Eagles have seemed nice during the first two video games of the event with the go back of level guard Tyler Kolek from an indirect damage. Kolek posted a double-double in each the primary and moment around. NC State has gained seven instantly video games because it turned into the primary crew to win 5 video games in 5 days on the ACC event. In spite of the overdue season surge, NC State remains to be simply 18-19-1 ATS this season.
No. 1 Purdue (-5.5) vs. No. 5 Gonzaga (7:30 p.m., TBS)
Each groups have superb win-loss information however haven’t been superb in opposition to the unfold this season. Purdue is 18-15-2, whilst Gonzaga is 17-16. The Bulldogs have coated the unfold in 5 in their closing six video games. Purdue failed to hide in 5 of its closing six video games earlier than the NCAA event however coated through one in opposition to Grambling State and through 27.5 in opposition to Utah State.
No. 1 Houston (-3.5) vs. No. 4 Duke (9:30 p.m., CBS)
Houston gained the Giant 12 simply in its first season within the convention however is 17-17-2 ATS this season. Duke is 20-13-1 in spite of being a crew this is interesting for informal bettors on account of its title reputation. The closing time the Blue Devils failed to hide in opposition to a crew no longer from North Carolina got here the entire long ago on Jan. 20 in opposition to Pitt.
No. 2 Tennessee (-2.5) vs. No. 3 Creighton (10 p.m., TBS)
We’ve talked so much about Rick Barnes’ porous report ATS within the NCAA event and Tennessee is 1-1 in opposition to the unfold on this 12 months’s event. The Vols coated simply in opposition to Saint Peter’s however failed to hide in opposition to Texas. At the season, Tennessee is 17-16-1 in opposition to the unfold. Creighton is 19-15 in opposition to the quantity and has coated in 9 of its closing 11 video games. It’s simply the fourth time all season the Blue Jays had been an underdog and they’re 1-2 each instantly up and ATS within the earlier 3 video games.