- The #2 Tennessee Volunteers held on for a 62-58 win over #7 Texas on Saturday
- The #3 Creighton Bluejays survived #11 Oregon in double-overtime (86-73)
- See the opening Oregon vs Tennessee odds for the 2024 Sweet 16 game in Detroit, MI
Next week at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI, the #3 Creighton Bluejays will square off with the #2 Tennessee Volunteers in the Sweet 16 of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The winner will advance to the Elite Eight where either #1 Purdue, #5 Gonzaga, or #8 Utah State would be waiting.
The opening Creighton vs Tennessee odds slightly favor the Volunteers, but with both teams inside KenPom’s top-15, oddsmakers expect a close game.
Creighton vs Tennessee Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creighton Bluejays | +2.5 (-110) | +130 | O 148.5 (-110) |
| Tennessee Volunteers | -2.5 (-110) | -155 | U 148.5 (-110) |
The first Sweet 16 game on the board in the college basketball odds has Tennessee favored by 2.5 points over the Bluejays. The Vols are -155 on the moneyline while the game total has opened at 148.5. Creighton is a +130 underdog to get back to the Elite Eight for a second straight season.
Odds as of March 24.
Tennessee Survives Texas Comeback Despite Awful Shooting
Tennessee’s defense starred in the Vols’ narrow 62-58 second-round win over #7 Texas on Saturday night. The Longhorns managed just 58 points on 36% shooting from the field. Tennessee forced 16 turnovers and finished +11 on the glass (40 to 29). Tennessee’s defense – which now sits third in efficiency at KenPom – helped the team survive a horrendous 3-of-25 performance from beyond the arc.
Tennessee looked to be in full control against the Longhorns, leading by nine at halftime and stretching the gap to 12 with just 13 minutes to play. But Texas closed within one (56-55) with 30 seconds to play before the Vols sealed the win from the free-throw line.
Leading scorer Dalton Knecht (21.2 PPG) had a team-high 18 points but was just 5-of-18 from the field and 1-of-8 from three, picking up seven of his points from the stripe.
Tennessee is now 9-7 straight-up against KenPom’s top-50 teams, but they failed to cover the spread on Saturday as 6.5-point favorites.
Creighton’s Big Three Lead Bluejays to OT Win
Coming off an Elite Eight run last season, the Creighton Bluejays returned all three leading scorers from last season, and all three came up huge in Saturday’s win over Oregon. Trey Alexander had 20 points and six rebounds, Ryan Kalkbrenner finished with 19 points and a team-high 14 rebounds, while Baylor Scheierman had 18 points and nine boards.
Sharpshooting Utah State transfer Steven Ashworth – who took Ryan Nembhard’s spot in the starting lineup after Nembhard transferred to Gonzaga – had a team-high 21 points, his second-highest output in a Bluejays jersey.
Alexander, Kalkbrenner, and Scheierman – who averaged between 17.3 and 18.3 PPG in the regular season – also scored 15-plus in Creighton’s 77-60 win over Akron in the first round. The trio played all 50 minutes in the double-OT win over the Ducks while Ashworth logged 42 minutes for the top-heavy Bluejays.
In a highly anticipated Sweet 16 matchup, the Tennessee Volunteers are favored over the Creighton Bluejays according to odds analysis. The Volunteers, who are the No. 3 seed in the South region, have been impressive so far in the NCAA tournament, defeating both Longwood and Michigan to advance to the Sweet 16. On the other hand, the Bluejays, who are the No. 7 seed in the West region, have also had a strong showing in the tournament, knocking off San Diego State and Iowa to reach this point.
According to oddsmakers, Tennessee is favored by 5.5 points in this matchup. This means that if you were to bet on Tennessee, they would need to win by at least 6 points in order for you to win your bet. On the other hand, if you were to bet on Creighton, they could either win the game outright or lose by less than 6 points for you to win your bet.
One of the reasons why Tennessee is favored in this matchup is their strong defense. The Volunteers have been one of the best defensive teams in the country this season, holding opponents to just 60.3 points per game. They have also been dominant on the boards, outrebounding their opponents by an average of 6.1 rebounds per game. This could pose a challenge for Creighton, who relies heavily on their outside shooting.
Another factor that could play a role in this matchup is experience. Tennessee has a more experienced roster, with several players who have been through deep tournament runs before. This could give them an edge in a high-pressure situation like the Sweet 16.
However, Creighton should not be counted out. The Bluejays have a potent offense, led by guard Marcus Zegarowski who is averaging 16.1 points per game this season. They also have several other players who can score in double figures on any given night, making them a dangerous team to face.
Overall, this matchup between Tennessee and Creighton is shaping up to be an exciting one. Both teams have shown that they have what it takes to make a deep run in the tournament, and it will be interesting to see which team comes out on top. As always, anything can happen in March Madness, so be sure to tune in to see how this game unfolds.
