The last four matchups of the Sweet Sixteen round will take place on Friday, as four teams will be eliminated and the others will move on to the Elite Eight. A lot of the favorites have done a nice job advancing to this point, but the competition gets tougher moving forward.
The spread and moneyline wagers will continue to be popular in the Sweet Sixteen, but there are also some intriguing scoring total options among Friday’s action. Check below to see the best “over” and “under” plays as the Sweet Sixteen wraps up in March Madness gambling.
We'll have NCAA Basketball Odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2019 NCAA basketball season.
Odds Analysis
The Friday games will kick off with a matchup between the No. 3 seed LSU Tigers and the No. 2 Michigan State Spartans. The spread is Michigan State at -6 and the total has been listed at 148.5 points. LSU has been able to advance without the services of its coach, Will Wade, who is currently suspended for his role in a possible recruiting scandal. Without their coach LSU may try to make this game a fast-breaking style to avoid having to execute in the half court. That means the scoring should end up “over” the total.
The No. 5 Auburn Tigers will face off against top-seeded North Carolina in another Sweet Sixteen matchup. The scoring total is listed at 165 points in this one, which is one of the highest totals seen in the NCAA Tournament to this point. There’s plenty of reason for that, as North Carolina average 86 points per game while Auburn comes in at just a tick under 80. Both teams have score at least 78 points in every game of March Madness thus far. One team should reach 80 in this one, but not both, making the “under” the better choice on the total.
The Houston Cougars will look for an upset of the Kentucky Wildcats to advance to the Elite Eight. Kentucky’s defense was dominant in the regular season and that has continued in the NCAA Tournament. Houston has also been stingy, giving up an average of only 57 points in March Madness. While these teams can lock it down, there is also a lot of talent on the offensive end of the court. The scoring total for this matchup is listed at 134.5 points and that number is too low. The pace is going to be quicker than expected, and the “over” is the choice for this Houston-Kentucky showdown.
Free NCAA Basketball ATS Picks
There is one scoring total number that really stands out among the options on Friday’s Sweet Sixteen games. The No. 1 seed Duke Blue Devils survived a huge scare in the Round of 32 to make it here, where they will face off against the No. 4 seed Virginia Tech Hokies. The scoring total has been listed at 144 points, as this is an interesting clash of styles. Duke is one of the most prolific scoring teams in the country, but Virginia Tech does a nice job slowing down opponents as it gave up only 55 points per game in the regular season.
Duke is going to be ready to go in this one and should come out with a powerful surge. If the Hokies get behind, it will force them to pick up the pace to attempt a comeback. It all lines up for the “over” to be the right play in this showdown. While Virginia Tech would prefer to play a slower pace, it will have no choice but to speed it up in March Madness gambling.
NCAA Basketball Score Prediction: Duke-Virginia Tech to go “over” 144 points
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
