March Madness Betting Odds: Thursday Sweet 16
Thursday, March 24, 2011
by BetUS.com
The Sweet 16 gets underway Thursday, kicking off a big four days of March Madness Betting. Eight of those programs are in action Thursday night. Here’s an inside look at each of those matchups:
- Connecticut Huskies vs. San Diego State Aztecs (pick, 128.5)
This No. 3 vs. No. 2 matchup has the tightest odds in the Sweet 16. Oddsmakers are on the fence when the Huskies’ unstoppable force – Kemba Walker – meets the Aztecs’ immovable defense.
Connecticut carries the most momentum of any team in the tournament, still rolling on the back of a surprise Big East Tournament title. The Huskies downed Bucknell and conference foe Cincinnati en route to this Thursday’s Round of 16, covering the college basketball pointspreads in seven straight postseason outings. Walker has not only stepped up with big performances down the stretch, but also instilled an aura of confidence in his young teammates.
While the Aztecs’ defensive mission is clear, there is a lot to clean up on offense. San Diego State was sloppy with the ball in its overtime win versus Temple in the third round, turning it over 13 times. It has been prone to getting sucked into opponents’ tempos and must rely on senior guard D.J. Gay to dictate the pace of the game.
- BYU Cougars vs. Florida Gators (-3, 149)
Florida’s backcourt had better hope they grow a couple inches between now and tipoff Thursday night.
The Gators have gotten terrific offensive production from the guard tandem of Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton, but the pair will be at the mercy of college basketball’s most lethal scorer when they defend BYU’s Jimmer Fredette. Boynton, who is nursing a sprained ankle, and Walker, who stands only 5-foot-8, don’t have the defensive chops to slow down Fredette and will rely on their towering frontcourt to plug up the paint when No. 32 drives to the hoop.
Fredette will need to put BYU on his back again, especially with holes in the Cougars' frontcourt. Brigham Young was undersized against Gonzaga in the second round, getting out-rebounded 34-23, and will run into a bigger UF squad in the Sweet 16. The Cougars were able to get past this shortcoming by connecting on 14 of their 28 3-point attempts versus the Bulldogs. However, if they shoot like they did in the second round tilt with Wofford – 6 for 22 from beyond the arc – not even the mighty Jimmer can save them.
- Arizona Wildcats vs. Duke Blue Devils (-8.5, 147)
Could the Michigan Wolverines have laid the blueprint for defeating the defending national champs?
Duke struggled against Michigan’s 1-3-1 zone defense down the stretch, allowing the Wolverines to claw back into the game and ruin a win for Blue Devils backers. Mike Krzyzewski will try to exploit his size advantage over the Wildcats on both ends of the floor. Kyle Singler and the Plumlee brothers, Mason and Miles, stand 6-foot-8, 6-foot-10, and 6-foot-10 – which is a tall order for Arizona forward Derrick Williams to handle.
Duke will also have freshman point guard Kyrie Irving up to speed. Irving returned to action in the second round of the tournament after missing most of the season with a toe injury. Irving was limited in floor time but will be more active Thursday night. With him at the point, Duke’s scorers, Seth Curry and Nolan Smith, are able to move without the basketball and find their shots.
- Butler Bulldogs vs. Wisconsin Badgers (-5, 124)
According to the action on this No. 8 vs. No. 4 game, college basketball bettors are expecting the Bulldogs’ NCAA magic to run out.
Wisconsin opened as a 4-point favorite and that has since been bet up to -5. The Badgers are a well-coached, disciplined team that looks after the basketball as well as defends hard. However, Wisconsin is a poor road team, going 4-9 ATS in the last 13 neutral-site contests, and is far from home playing in New Orleans on Thursday.
The Bulldogs have advanced this far on last-second shots and last-second fouls, drawing attention away from just how steady Brad Stevens’ program is. Butler has gone 6-0 ATS in its last six NCAA contests and matches up better with the Badgers than it did with Pitt. That takes pressure off the perimeter shooters, who had to knock down 12 3-pointers to upset the No. 1-seeded Panthers.
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arizona wildcats - brad stevens - butler bulldogs - byu cougars - connecticut huskies - derrick williams - duke blue devils - erving walker - florida gators - jimmer fredette
