- The #7 Dayton Flyers are big underdogs to the #2 Arizona Wildcats in second-round NCAA Tournament action
- Dayton needed a 17-point second-half comeback against Nevada to advance
- See the Dayton vs Arizona predictions, player props and odds for Saturday’s game in Salt Lake City
The #7 Dayton Flyers (25-7, 3-2 neutral, 16-15-1 ATS) pulled off a miracle comeback over Nevada on Thursday to advance to the second round in the West Region of the NCAA Tournament. Waiting for the Flyers in the round of 32 is the #2 Arizona Wildcats (26-8, 3-2 neutral, 21-13 ATS).
The Wildcats cruised past Long Beach State (85-65) in the first round and are 9.5-point favorites in the Dayton/Arizona odds for Saturday’s game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Dayton vs Arizona is the earliest tip on March 23, scheduled for 10:45 am MT/12:45 pm ET.
Dayton Flyers vs Arizona Wildcats Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton Flyers | +9.5 (-110) | +360 | O 149.5 (-114) |
| Arizona Wildcats | -9.5 (-110) | -480 | U 149.5 (-106) |
Saturday’s college basketball odds list Arizona as a -480 moneyline favorite with Dayton at +360. The odds have moved significantly towards Arizona in the last 24 hours. The opening Dayton/Arizona odds had the Wildcats as -385 chalk. The game total is sitting at 149.5, up one point from where it opened.
The college basketball public betting splits show 94% of moneyline handle on Arizona so far.
Odds as of March 22nd.
Arizona (+200) is the favorite to win the West Region in the latest Final Four odds, ahead of #1 North Carolina (+380). Dayton shortened to +2500 after the Nevada game.
Dayton Comes Back from 17 Down to Beat Nevada
The Flyers’ tournament looked like it would end almost as soon as it began. Dayton fell behind Nevada 34-25 at halftime and the deficit ballooned to 17 (56-39) with just over seven minutes to play. At that point, Dayton’s win probability had fallen to just 1.5%. But the Flyers ended the game on a 24-4 run to emerge with an unlikely 63-60 win.
Co-Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Da’Ron Holmes (20.1 PPG, 8.4 RPG) had a game-high 18 points on just 5-of-7 shooting from the field and 8-of-9 from the stripe, plus a game-high nine rebounds.
Dayton is now 3-2 against top-50 KenPom teams, beating St John’s (88-81 neutral), Cincinnati (82-68 away), and Nevada, while falling to Houston (69-55 neutral) and Northwestern (71-66 away).
Dayton vs Arizona H2H Stats
| Wagner | Stat | Howard |
|---|---|---|
| 30th | Overall Efficiency (KenPom) | 5th |
| 21st | Offensive Efficiency | 9th |
| 70th | Defensive Efficiency | 10th |
| 40.2 (3rd) | 3P% | 37.1 (22nd) |
| 53.6 (51st) | 2P% | 54.5 (39th) |
| 56.6 (9th) | Eff. FG % | 54.8 (25th) |
| 15.9 (94th) | Turnover % | 16.0 (104th) |
| 26.5 (266th) | Off. Reb % | 35.9 (18th) |
| 71.2 (167th) | Def. Reb. % | 76.4 (10th) |
| 336th | Tempo | 16th |
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Arizona Defense Smother LBS
The Wildcats allowed Long Beach State to go on an 11-0 run early in the first half and found themselves in a 22-17 hole, but Arizona only allowed 43 points in the final 29 minutes en route to an easy 85-65 win. Center Oumar Ballo accounted for four of Arizona’s eight blocks and Long Beach shot just 33.3% from the floor (17.6% from three).
,Sophomore guard Kylan Boswell (10.1 PPG) had a season-high and game-high 20 points for Tommy Lloyd’s team, while leading scorer Caleb Love (18.1 PPG) was right on his season average with 18 points, while adding 11 rebounds, five assists, and a pair of steals.
Arizona had an excellent 8-4 record against top-50 teams this season, including a 78-73 win at Duke early in the year. The Wildcats won the final Pac-12 regular-season title with a 15-5 record in conference play.
DAY vs ARI Player Props
| Player | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Three-Pointers Made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caleb Love (ARI) | 18.5 (Ov -105 | Un -135) | 3.5 (Ov -150 | Un +110) | 3.5 (Ov -115 | Un -125) | 2.5 (Ov -140 | Un -100) |
| DaRon Holmes (DAY) | 19.5 (Ov -130 | Un -110) | 8.5 (Ov -140 | Un -100) | 2.5 (Ov +125 | Un -165) | 0.5 (Ov -160 | Un +120) |
| Enoch Cheeks (DAY) | 9.5 (Ov -115 | Un -125) | 4.5 (Ov -115 | Un -125) | 2.5 (Ov +115 | Un -155) | 0.5 (Ov -165 | Un +125) |
| Keshad Johnson (ARI) | 11.5 (Ov -110 | Un -130) | 5.5 (Ov +105 | Un -145) | OFF | 1.5 (Ov +165 | Un -225) |
| Kobe Elvis (DAY) | 9.5 (Ov -110 | Un -130) | 2.5 (Ov +115 | Un -155) | 3.5 (Ov -125 | Un -115) | 1.5 (Ov +125 | Un -165) |
| Koby Brea (DAY) | 11.5 (Ov +110 | Un -150) | 3.5 (Ov -140 | Un -100) | OFF | 2.5 (Ov -115 | Un -125) |
| Kylan Boswell (ARI) | 9.5 (Ov -115 | Un -125) | 6.5 (Ov -115 | Un -125) | 3.5 (Ov -115 | Un -125) | 1.5 (Ov -120 | Un -120) |
| Nate Santos (DAY) | 10.5 (Ov -145 | Un +105) | 5.5 (Ov -115 | Un -125) | OFF | 1. 5(Ov +110 | Un -150) |
| Oumar Ballo (ARI) | 12.5 (Ov -125 | Un -115) | 10.5 (Ov -140 | Un -100) | OFF | OFF |
| Pelle Larsson (ARI) | 11.5 (Ov -120 | Un -120) | 3.5 (Ov -115 | Un -125) | 3.5 (Ov -100 | Un -140) | 1.5 (Ov +130 | Un -170) |
The college basketball player props for Dayton/Arizona come from DraftKings Sportsbook on March 22.
Dayton’s Holmes (19.5 points) and Arizona’s Love (18.5 points) are head-and-shoulders above their teammates in the Dayton/Arizona player props, while Zona big man Oumar Ballo has the highest rebound total at 10.5 O/U.
Dayton vs Arizona Prediction
Arizona certainly had the better first-round performance, but this is a big spread against a solid Dayton team. Not only is Holmes one of the best players in the nation, the Flyers as a team are one of the best in the country from three (40.2%, third). The final seven minutes of the Nevada game showed their very high ceiling, and they only have one double-digit loss all season (69-55 to Houston).
DAY vs ARI picks:
- Dayton +10 (-110)
- Holmes over 19.5 points (-130)
The Dayton Flyers are set to take on the Arizona Wildcats in a highly anticipated matchup on March 23. Both teams have had successful seasons thus far, with Dayton boasting a 26-7 record and Arizona sitting at 21-11. This game is sure to be a thrilling showdown between two talented teams vying for a spot in the Sweet 16.
Dayton comes into this game as the higher seed, but Arizona has proven to be a formidable opponent throughout the season. The Flyers are led by star player Obi Toppin, who is averaging 20 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Toppin is a dynamic player who can score from anywhere on the court and will be a key factor in Dayton’s success against Arizona.
On the other side, Arizona is led by freshman sensation Nico Mannion, who is averaging 14 points and 5.3 assists per game. Mannion is a skilled point guard who can create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. The Wildcats will look to him to lead the way against Dayton’s tough defense.
In terms of predictions, this game is shaping up to be a close one. Both teams have the talent and depth to make a deep run in the tournament, so it could go either way. However, I believe that Dayton’s experience and leadership will give them the edge in this matchup. I predict that the Flyers will come out on top with a final score of 75-70.
As for player props, keep an eye on Obi Toppin to have a big game for Dayton. Look for him to score over 25 points and grab at least 10 rebounds. For Arizona, Nico Mannion will need to have a strong performance in order for the Wildcats to have a chance at winning. I predict that Mannion will score over 20 points and dish out 8 assists.
Overall, this game is sure to be an exciting one for college basketball fans. Be sure to tune in on March 23 to see Dayton take on Arizona in what promises to be a thrilling matchup with plenty of action and drama.
