Tennessee vs. Florida Atlantic decide: March Insanity predictions, odds, finest wager
After beating Memphis on the buzzer within the first spherical, Florida Atlantic survived an impressed effort from NCAA Tournament darling FDU to achieve its first Candy 16 at school historical past.
Now it’ll face its hardest opponent all yr in Tennessee, which slayed red-hot Duke within the second spherical and is the most important favourite of Thursday’s four-game slate.
Right here’s how we’re betting this Candy 16 contest, which ideas off at 9 p.m. Japanese on TBS.
Tennessee vs. Florida Atlantic odds
(by way of BetMGM)
- Tennessee -5.5 (-115), moneyline -275
- Florida Atlantic +5.5 (-105), moneyline +210
- O/U 130.5 (-110)
Tennessee vs. Florida Atlantic prediction and evaluation
(9 p.m. ET)
It makes excellent sense why Tennessee is dealing as a modest favourite right here after its assertion win within the second spherical.
However this additionally appears like a harmful spot towards some of the undervalued groups on this match.
The Volunteers deserve loads of credit score for the way nicely they performed final Saturday towards Duke, which entered that recreation as one of many hottest groups within the nation and a rotation filled with former prime prospects and future NBA gamers.
It hardly mattered: Tennessee went proper on the inexperienced Blue Devils, who had almost as many turnovers (15) as made discipline targets (21) and couldn’t match the Vols’ physicality on protection.
Rick Barnes’ group additionally compelled Duke into an unusually excessive quantity of 3-point photographs (6-for-22) within the face of Tennessee’s lengthy and athletic frontcourt.
That strategy received’t be as efficient towards Florida Atlantic, which includes a deep rotation filled with versatile playmakers who not often flip the ball over and might gentle it up from deep.
The Owls generate 37.2 p.c of their factors from 3-pointers, which ranks first amongst remaining match groups and twenty fifth within the nation general.
Main scorer Johnell Davis (13.9 PPG) – who posted a ridiculous 29 factors, 12 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals within the second spherical – is one in every of three regulars taking pictures 38.8% or higher from lengthy vary in a rotation that legitimately runs 9 gamers deep.
That depth ought to assist FAU match the depth that Tennessee relied on to overwhelm Duke final weekend.
Get the lowdown on the Greatest USA Sports activities Betting Websites and Apps
It additionally helps hold this crew contemporary and aggressive on each ends of the courtroom – a key motive why the Owls are amongst simply 10 groups nationally with top-35 effectivity on each offense (twenty ninth) and protection (thirty fourth).
It’s additionally necessary to think about the lingering vulnerability of those Volunteers with out place to begin guard Zakai Zeigler (ACL), who has missed his crew’s final 5 video games and received’t be on the market on Thursday, both.
Senior guard Santiago Vescovi has completed an admirable job because the lead ball-handler, however FAU’s protection is among the many nation’s finest at stopping simple help alternatives.
That’ll put a ton of strain on this Tennessee offense to create its personal photographs and keep away from turnovers, which has been a transparent difficulty since Zeigler’s harm.
Throw all of it collectively, and this simply merely appears like too many factors to be laying on Thursday’s favorites – particularly given Barnes’ shaky match historical past that features a 3-13-1 file towards the unfold in his final 17 video games.
With every week to organize for the Zeigler-less Vols, I just like the Owls’ probabilities to maintain this one shut and even pull the outright upset.
Tennessee vs. Florida Atlantic decide
- Florida Atlantic +5.5 (-105 BetMGM)