The Madness resumes with the Sweet 16 after a few days of rest and recovery. The matchups across the bracket are competitive and provide plenty of betting opportunities. Thursday’s four-game slate features games with tight spreads that could easily come down to the last possession. Each game is broken down below with recommendations for where to place wagers on the best Sweet 16 bets for Thursday, March 23.
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NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Bets | March 23
On top of these Sweet 16 bets, don’t forget to check out Ben’s college basketball parlay on YouTube!
Kansas State (+1.5) vs. Michigan State (DraftKings)
Kansas State is favored by seeding, but the seventh-seeded Michigan State team has a slight advantage according to bookmakers. This is not surprising given that Kentucky was also favored over Kansas State but failed to take them down. Kansas State has a strong presence on the inside and boasts a legitimate superstar in Markquis Nowell at point guard. Nowell played every second of the previous game, scored 27 points and dominated down the stretch. A repeat performance is expected, giving Kansas State the edge in this matchup.
UConn (-4) vs. Arkansas (DraftKings)
UConn is favored by 4 points over Arkansas. This is a tough game, as Arkansas has shown flashes of brilliance, fighting back to defeat defending champ Kansas in the previous round and having a roster filled with NBA talent. The question is whether they can slow down UConn’s bigs, who have had no challengers in the paint thus far. UConn’s star big Adam Sanogo has been dominant, going 13-for-17 against Iona and 11-for-16 against Saint Mary’s. Unless Arkansas can limit their paint touches, they may struggle as much as UConn’s previous opponents. Despite Arkansas’ abilities, UConn’s size advantage will give them the edge in this matchup.
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Florida Atlantic (+5.5) vs. Tennessee (BetMGM)
The Florida Atlantic Owls are the underdogs, with a 5.5-point spread against Tennessee on BetMGM. The Owls, a No. 9 seed, have made an impressive run so far, beating Memphis and avoiding disaster against 16th seed Fairleigh Dickinson in the Round of 32. With a well-balanced team that plays solid defense, shoots the ball well from 3 and has plenty of depth, Florida Atlantic will give Tennessee a tough challenge. Although Tennessee is known for being one of the more physically imposing teams, they have limitations on offense due to the loss of their star point guard. With a game total sitting at 129.5, this will be a low-scoring, back-and-forth affair that could come down to the wire. Florida Atlantic will be in the game late, so take the 5.5 points.
Gonzaga (+1.5) vs. UCLA (DraftKings)
Gonzaga, the top-scoring offense in the country, will face a tough challenge against UCLA. The two teams have met in the past, and it always turns into an instant classic. While both teams have strengths, there are questions about UCLA’s health, as they lost a key guard for the season right before the tournament and now have multiple players banged up again. Despite UCLA’s top-end defense, Gonzaga’s offensive firepower will ultimately prove too much for UCLA to handle. Gonzaga struggled early against TCU but turned up the heat in the second half to win. Although both teams have what it takes to make a deep run in the tournament, Gonzaga has a stronger overall team and a more dominant player in Drew Timme.
Editor Note: Looking for other college basketball best bets for the NCAA Tournament? We have you covered here!
