David Connelly

Could The Mavericks Miss The Play-In Tournament?

The NCAA Tournament resumes on Thursday with four Sweet 16 games that all feel like must-watch matchups. We preview and reveal the best bet for FAU vs. Tennessee and Gonzaga taking on UCLA.
<h2>#9 Florida Atlantic vs. #4 Tennessee Odds on FanDuel</h2>
<ul>
<li>Spread: Florida Atlantic +4.5 (-104) | Tennessee -4.5 (-118)</li>
<li>Moneyline: Florida Atlantic +190 | Tennessee -235</li>
<li>Total: OVER 129.5 (-110) | UNDER 129.5 (-110)</li>
</ul>
Perhaps not the matchup most were expecting, the Owls and Volunteers will battle for a spot in the Elite Eight on Thursday night. FAU has never reached an Elite Eight in program history, while Tennessee is seeking its first appearance since 2010 and second in program history.
So much for late-season trends. Tennessee looked far from a second-weekend team coming into the tournament after losing seven of 12 games to close out SEC play and limping into the tournament without Zakai Zeigler due to injury.
Despite this, they survived Louisiana and shut down the Duke offense en route to this matchup. There are still doubters despite this run, especially with the iffy tournament track record of head coach Rick Barnes.
FAU may be a Cinderella by seed, but this team is far from a David taking on a Goliath. The Owls rank 22nd in KenPom and have the star power, bench, and chemistry to beat any remaining team in the field. Sophomore guard Johnell Davis willed this team past Fairleigh Dickinson in a 29-point effort and showed his ability to be the go-to guy when the chips are down.
With a rotation that regularly goes nine-deep and the 24th-highest level of roster continuity in the nation coming into this season, this team has all of the makings of a deep Cinderella.
<h2>The Pick: Florida Atlantic ML (+190)</h2>
If this Owls team wore a Power 6 jersey, they&#8217;d be much more respected in this matchup. They are deep with high-major talent and will be able to keep up with Tennessee&#8217;s often-stagnant offense. Back FAU to get the win here at an attractive price.
<h2>#3 Gonzaga vs. #2 UCLA Odds on FanDuel</h2>
<ul>
<li>Spread: Gonzaga +1.5 (-112) | UCLA -1.5 (-108)</li>
<li>Moneyline: Gonzaga -102 | UCLA -118</li>
<li>Total: OVER 144.5 (-115) | UNDER 144.5 (-105)</li>
</ul>
It&#8217;s a grudge match of an unforgettable Final Four battle back in 2021 between Gonzaga and UCLA as they meet again in Las Vegas. The Zags have remarkably reached their eighth straight Sweet 16, while the Bruins are back for a third-consecutive season.
All eyes will be on the matchup between Gonzaga&#8217;s offense and UCLA&#8217;s defense, but we&#8217;re keeping an eye on the other end of the floor. The Zags have the third-lowest ranked defense remaining in the field, while UCLA is more than competent on offense, ranking 21st nationally per KenPom.
If head coach Mick Cronin can find ways to exploit this defense, it could be a long night for the Bulldogs.
The battle for tempo will also be worth watching in this one. The Bruins have slowed things to a crawl in the tournament, going 60 and 65 possessions in their first-weekend games.
Conversely, the Zags were willing to run after posting a 77-possession track meet with TCU on Sunday. If things start fast, Gonzaga may be the beneficiary, while a slower start to this one may play into the hands of UCLA.
<h2>The Pick: UCLA -1.5 (-108)</h2>
Gonzaga&#8217;s porous defense will finally meet its doom on Thursday night. TCU was able to rack up 81 points against the Bulldogs with a worse-ranked offense last weekend, and any sort of mediocre night from the Zags on offense could spell trouble. Back UCLA in this spot.
<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/article/ncaa-tournament-michigan-state-vs-kansas-state-preview">Check out our Michigan State vs. Kansas State Preview</a>

NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Best Bets: FAU vs. Tennessee & Gonzaga vs. UCLA

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We preview and reveal a best bet for Florida Atlantic and Tennessee as well as Gonzaga and UCLA among Thursday night's Sweet 16 action.

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