Creighton Blue Jays vs. Tennessee Volunteers Spread Bet

Creighton Blue Jays (24-9 SU, 19-15 ATS) vs. Tennessee Volunteers (26-8, 17-16), 3/29/24
When: 10:09 pm ET Friday, March 29
Where: Little Caesar’s Arena, Detroit
TV: TBS

Betting Odds

Spread: Crei +2.5/Tenn -2.5
Money line: Crei +120/Tenn -140
Over/under: 143.5

The SEC sent eight teams to this NCAA tournament, but only two are still alive. The Big East only sent three teams to this Tournament, but all three are still alive.

The Big East meets the SEC when Creighton takes on Tennessee in a Sweet 16 match-up Friday night in Detroit.

Who do we like for our Creighton/Tennessee pick?

NCAAB Tournament Betting Odds

The NCAA tournament betting market opened Tennessee at -2.5 over Creighton, with an over/under of right around 142.5. Early betting action bumped that total one point to 143.5.

Creighton-Tennessee Betting Preview

The Blue Jays opened this NCAA tournament last Thursday with a 77-60 victory over Akron, then outlasted Oregon last Saturday in double-overtime 86-73.

Creighton only led the Zips 39-34 at the half Thursday but pulled away in the second half and covered at -10. The Jays then scored the last four points of regulation against the Ducks to force OT, then exploded in the second extra period and covered at -3.5.

Creighton shot 57 percent from the floor against Akron, including 10/17 from 3-point land, but only 39 percent against Oregon. But they hit a bunch of big shots in crunch time.

The Blue Jays began this season ranked in the Top 10 in the polls. Creighton started 8-1 and finished 14-6 in Big East play. The Blue Jays then lost their first game in the conference tournament, but sometimes that’s not a bad thing. Now Creighton finds itself a win away from the regional finals, which is where this team lost in excruciating fashion last season.

Meanwhile, the Volunteers opened their NCAA tournament last Thursday with an 83-49 rout of St. Peter’s and then topped Texas on Saturday 62-58.

Tennessee jumped out to a 29-7 lead against the Peacocks on its way to covering at -22. The Vols then led the Longhorns nearly the entire way, but a long, very late Texas 3-pointer cost Tennessee a shot at the cover at -6.5.

The Volunteers held St. Peter’s to just 29 percent FG shooting and the Horns to just 36 percent. And that’s what Tennessee does.

The Volunteers also began this season ranked in the Top 10 and although they only started 4-3 the three losses came against Purdue, Kansas and North Carolina. Tennessee then played 14-4 in the SEC to win the conference regular-season title. But like Creighton the Vols then got upset in their first game in their conference tournament.

NCAA Tournament Betting Trends

Creighton is 6-3 SU, 5-4 ATS this season vs. teams that made this NCAA tournament.

Tennessee is 12-8 SU, 9-10-1 ATS against teams that made this Tournament.

Totals Report

The totals are split 2-2 over Creighton’s last four games but three of those games played as grinders. For instance, last Saturday’s game against Oregon played under a total of 148 by 24 points through regulation – 62-62 – then played over in overtime.

Unders are 8-2 over Tennessee’s last ten games.

Free NCAA Tournament Betting Pick

Creighton has the edge offensively, but Tennessee has the edge defensively, and in match-ups like this, we love betting on defense. Also, the Volunteers played a much tougher schedule this season—twice as many games against teams that made this Tournament. Also, the Vols only shot 34 percent from the floor last Saturday against Texas; we expect a better performance Friday night. We’re taking Tennessee minus the points.