Sweet 16 Best Bets, Expert Picks, Predictions for March Madness
Sweet 16 Best Bets, Expert Picks, Predictions for March Madness
I don’t know what the NCAA was thinking when they left us without March Madness for three days this week. Yes, there was CBI and NIT action, but we all know that it’s just not the same. Here are some of my favorite plays on deck for Thursday’s Sweet 16 madness. Let's check out my picks for tonight.
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Thursday’s Sweet 16 Picks
Michigan State vs. Kansas State Prediction: the Blue Bloods vs. the New Guys
Sparty has been here before. Coach Izzo has never lost a game in the Sweet 16, and his boys are playing their best basketball of the season. Well, here comes the new kids on the block, the Kansas State Wildcats. They are no blue blood, but man, do they have some swag and confidence right now. We saw this video go viral the other day of the team vibing to Lil Baby. How can you not love this team?
Coach Tang should win coach of the year after bringing in numerous transfers in the off-season who panned out incredibly. This group of transfers and newbies fit like a glove; Tang not only brought in the right guys, he’s coached them up and led them to Regionals. It won’t be easy facing a Michigan State team who is peaking at the right time.
We all know Tyson Walker is legit. The senior will return to his home state of New York for a chance to ball in front of his hometown crowd. Walker is coming off a 23-point legacy performance the other night against Marquette. This kid seems to play better under pressure and shines in the biggest games. Joey Hauser is making the most of his last few games as a Spartan.
He’s been the consistent veteran Sparty can rely on in big spots. A.J. Hoggard and Jaden Akins have stepped up significantly in recent weeks. Hoggard seems to have his swagger back. He’s been extra aggressive attacking the rim recently. Akins, the hometown kid, has grown up and played much better lately. Tom Izzo has his guys playing at their best when it matters most. Does Coach have one more magical postseason run left in him?
Who is going to cover Mady Sissoko? Nobody on Kansas State matches up with the big man from Mali. If he stays out of foul trouble, Sissoko could be the difference in the paint for the Spartans.
Michigan State opened up as an underdog but quickly moved to a betting favorite, an interesting move considering 65% of bets are on Kansas State moneyline and spread (per VSIN). Back the sharp Spartans to take care of the Wildcats and continue to shine in March, a month Tom Izzo owns.
Michigan State vs. Kansas State Pick
Michigan State ML (-125) Bet $100 to collect $180 DraftKings has the best odds; click here to bet
Tennessee vs. FAU Prediction: Will the Owls Continue to Fly?
Be honest; you didn’t even pick FAU to advance out of the first round, let alone be sitting here in the Sweet 16. The vibes seem to be off for the Owls, though, as they knocked off “public darling” Fairleigh Dickinson. They also beat a very public Memphis team in the first round, crushing square bettors across the nation. FAU isn’t the public’s cinderella story; Princeton is.
The Owls are being completely overshadowed and slept on, which is exactly where we want them. They face a Tennessee team that’s been playing defense out of their minds recently. Even without star point guard Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee was able to finish the season strong, and are coming off a dominant win against the hottest team in the country, the Duke Blue Devils.
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FAU lost three times this season. They have the best record in the country. I don’t know why this team is getting zero respect or credibility, especially with how well Johnell Davis has played in the tournament. Davis is coming off a 29-piece, a number he’s only beaten once this year against conference rival UAB. This kid shows up when it matters, like Tyson Walker on Michigan State. Every cinderella story needs a face, a leader per se. Davis is that guy. He elevates his game on the biggest of stages. After his 29-point performance in the second round, who knows what’s in store for the young star?
Tennessee has gotten by without their best player for too long. They can’t keep winning without Zeigler forever; eventually, they will go cold from deep, and Santiago Vescovi won’t be enough to save Tennessee from an offensive drought. Even with Josiah-Jordan James back and healthy down the stretch, the loss of their electric playmaker in Zeigler will prove too much to overcome against the tournament’s true cinderella team.
The Volunteers are getting pelted with bets, bringing in over 63% of bets and handle on the spread. Everyone has Tennessee moneyline in some parlay, with over 80% of the bets (per VSIN). With all this action coming in on the betting favorite, you’d think the line would be moving at least a little, right? Well, the spread hasn’t moved a speck. The books seem content with being overexposed on Tennessee, which could prove huge for FAU backers. Continue to fade the public and bet with the book in this primetime matchup; take FAU to cover against the red hot ‘Vols.
Tennessee vs. FAU Pick
FAU +5.5 (-110) Bet $100 to collect $190 BetMGM has the best odds; click here to bet
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Article Author
Krabs is a contrarian bettor who isn’t afraid to fade the public or go against the grain. His betting style not only produces winners but has changed the way many think about the sports betting process. You’ll find Krabs betting on anything from the NFL (at a 60% clip in 2022) to the KBO (8-1-1 in 2022). You won’t find many handicappers with more college basketball knowledge or insight than Krabs. A native of the “DMV,” you can find his work @Krabs_Bets on Twitter, or on Behind the Lines, his daily sports betting show on twitch.