Arkansas Razorbacks vs. UConn Huskies odds predictions pick betting line spread

March Madness: Thursday’s best NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 underdog upset pick and prediction

Assessing Thursday’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 betting odds and lines, tabbing the best underdog upset pick and prediction.

With a fun and upset-laden 1st week in the books, the NCAA Tournament rolls into week No. 2. After looking at Tipico Sportsbook’s NCAA Tournament odds and lines, here is Thursday’s best Sweet 16 upset pick among our expert college basketball picks and predictions.

Thursday’s 4 Sweet 16 games will be held in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena and in New York at Madison Square Garden. The opener in Vegas features the best upset target of the night.

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Thursday’s best Sweet 16 upset pick

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:14 p.m. ET.

ARKANSAS +4.5 (-118) vs. UConn – 7:15 p.m. ET.

Arkansas went 8-10 in a strong SEC and was ousted in the SEC Tournament after 1 win. When the Razorbacks entered this tourney, they came in having lost 4 of their last 5.

But this is also a UA team that from Jan. 21-Feb. 21 went 7-3 with wins over well-regarded teams like Kentucky and Texas A&M. Over that stretch, the Razorbacks registered a 67-64 loss at Baylor.

Analytic measures for Arkansas are solid. The UA team plays at a fast tempo, with efficient defense and abilities to force turnovers and block shots at standout levels. On offense, the Razorbacks like to get their points in 2-by-2 fashion. When they do get 3, it’s likely on an and-1; Arkansas is not a frequent launcher of triples (348th NCAA-I in frequency of 3-point attempts). Nor should it be: UA is shooting just 31.3% from distance.

UConn does shoot a lot of 3s. If the Huskies have a great night from beyond the arc, they’ll win and cover. But Arkansas is a top-25 squad in defending the perimeter. Over their last 9 games, the Razorbacks have held foes to a 25% mark from 3-point range. In a neutral-site contest, the contrasting-offensive-styles battle can often sway toward the side getting its buckets at the rim on the blocks.

UConn should have the edge on the boards, but the Huskies can be loose with the basketball. If Arkansas can stay on a roll in forcing turnovers, Connecticut can be had in the transition game. UA is 6-1 in its last 7 neutral-site games, and ARKANSAS +4.5 (-118) is solid play Thursday. Some aggressive bettors may want to pair this action with RAZORBACKS (+160) on the moneyline.

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March Madness: Best NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 upset picks and predictions

Analyzing NCAA Tournament betting odds for the Sweet 16, with predictions and picks for the 3 best underdog bets.

The best weekend of the year is over, and now we enter the upcoming weekend with the Sweet 16 and Elite 8. Below, we break down Tipico Sportsbook’s NCAA Tournament odds and lines and list the best Sweet 16 upset bets to cash in on among SportbookWire’s expert college basketball picks and predictions.

There are 4 teams that sit outside of the top-6 seeds, No. 9 FAU, No. 15 Princeton, No. 7 Michigan State, and No. 8 Arkansas.

With No. 1 seeds like Kansas and Purdue having already fallen, fans will have all eyes on Houston and Alabama to make sure they don’t go down as well. As with every week of March Madness, expect chaos to ensue.

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NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 upset picks

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 11:08 a.m. ET. All game times ET.

FAU (+200) vs. Tennessee – Friday, 9 p.m.

Florida Atlanta ranks No. 22 in Kenpom because of its elite offense which sits 30th in adjusted rating. Its defense is also top 35. Tennessee doesn’t have a top-tier offense, but does have the No. 1-rated defense. The Owls have won 9 straight games and have scored 75 or more in 3 of their last 5.

Florida Atlanta has the offense to make noise. It ranks 50th in the nation in 3-point field-goal percentage (36.7%). It should be able to space the court and knock down shots.

With the Vols still without G Zakai Zeigler, they should start to regress defensively. At this value, back FAU (+200).

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ARKANSAS (+150) vs. UConn – Thursday, 7:15 p.m.

It seems like everyone is already counting Arkansas out. The Razorbacks have a gritty team though, having taken down No. 9 Illinois 73-63 and No. 1 Kansas 72-71. They also have wins over Kentucky and San Diego State this season. The guard play with G Ricky Council IV stepping up, especially against Kansas with 21 points, will matter against G Ryan Nembhard.

UConn is an impressive side, but the Razorbacks play at a pace, ranking 50th in adjusted tempo, that could throw the Huskies off as well. Arkansas has the 51st-best offense and 15th-best defense. It is good enough on both sides of the court to upset the No. 4 seed.

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XAVIER (+160) vs. Texas – Friday, 9:45 p.m.

The Musketeers have what it takes to pull off the upset. Xavier’s 6-foot-11 C Jack Nunge is shooting over 40% from deep for the 1st time in his career this season and can space the floor, forcing C Timmy Allen outside of the paint. Xavier has the 7th-best offense while Texas ranks 15th in offense.

Xavier ranks 5th in 3-point FG percentage (38.9%). It has the ability to run and gun. Scoring against Texas isn’t easy, but the Musketeers offense is a proven side. With wins over UConn, Creighton, Marquette, Providence and many other top-tier programs, it should be able to pull off the upset. Back XAVIER (+160).

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Sweet 16 first look: Arkansas vs. UConn odds, lines and trends

Looking at Thursday’s Arkansas vs. UConn Sweet 16 odds, lines and trends. Here’s what you need to know.

The No. 8 seed Arkansas Razorbacks (22-13) will face the 4th-seeded UConn Huskies (27-8) Thursday in the Sweet 16. Tip-off for the West Region contest from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is slated for 7:15 p.m. ET (CBS). Below, we look at Arkansas vs. UConn from Tipico Sportsbook. Plus, check out our expert college basketball picks and predictions.

Arkansas upset No. 1 seed Kansas 72-71 on Saturday to cover as a 3.5-point underdog. After being down 35-27 at halftime, the Razorbacks erupted for 45 points in the 2nd half. They were propelled by 25 points from G Davonte Davis and 21 points from G Ricky Council IV. They were also the leading scorers when the Razorbacks took down No. 9 seed Illinois 73-63 in the 1st round as 2.5-point favorites.

UConn advanced to the Sweet 16 with a 70-55 win over Saint Mary’s as a 3.5-point favorite. It was a defensive effort that led to the victory, with the Huskies not allowing a single Saint Mary’s player to score double digits and holding them to just 39% shooting from the field. The Huskies trampled Iona 87-63 to cover as 9-point favorites in the 1st round, holding Iona to just 24 points in the 2nd half and 39% shooting for the game.

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Arkansas vs. UConn odds

Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 12:27 a.m. ET.

Moneyline (ML): Arkansas +150 (bet $100 to win $150) | UConn -175 (bet $175 to win $100)
Against the spread (ATS): Arkansas +3.5 (-105) | UConn -3.5 (-115)
Over/Under (O/U): 139.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

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2022-23 betting stats (including postseason):

ML: Arkansas 22-13 | UConn 27-8
ATS: Arkansas 18-16-1 | UConn 23-11-1
O/U: Arkansas 14-20-1 | UConn 19-16

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Arkansas vs. UConn head-to-head

Arkansas and UConn have met twice since 2011, splitting the series 1-1. Arkansas defeated UConn 102-67 on the road to cover as a 6-point favorite on Nov. 26, 2017. UConn defeated Arkansas 75-62 at home as a 12.5-point favorite on Dec. 3, 2011.

This is Arkansas’ 10th NCAA Tournament appearance since 2000 and its 3rd Sweet 16 appearance in the last 3 years; last year the Razorbacks bowed out in the Elite Eight when it advanced as a 4-seed.

UConn has a very storied history in March. The Huskies won the National Championship as a 7-seed in 2014. Since 2000, they have been in the tournament 13 times including this year, winning the championship 3 times, reaching the Elite Eight twice, and reaching the Final Four once.

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