NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Auburn vs Michigan Odds, Best Bets

The Sweet Sixteen continues on Friday night with action in the South and Midwest regions. The third game of the evening is a South Region showdown between the top-seeded Auburn Tigers from the Southeastern Conference and the fifth-seeded Michigan Wolverines from the Big Ten. Auburn handled Alabama State and then pulled away from Creighton after a tough first half to advance to the Sweet 16 under head coach Bruce Pearl. Michigan won the Big Ten Tournament, came into the tournament on a high, survived UC San Diego’s comeback bid, and then knocked off Texas A&M to reach the Sweet Sixteen in Dusty May’s first season in Ann Arbor.

SportsGrid has a few best bets to prepare for this outstanding matchup in Atlanta.

Auburn vs Michigan 

• Arena: State Farm Arena
• Location: Atlanta, GA
• Where to Watch: CBS
• Time: 9:39 p.m. ET
• Spread: Auburn -9.5 | Total: 154.5
• Moneyline: Auburn -465 | Michigan +350

Please be aware that betting odds may change after the publication of this article.

Auburn vs Michigan Best Bet: Auburn -9.5

The Auburn Tigers struggled down the stretch, losing three of their final four games, including a disappointing 11-point defeat to the Texas A&M team that Michigan just knocked off in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Despite that, the Tigers appeared to recapture some of the magic they had during the rest of the season as they overcame a hot-shooting start from the Creighton Bluejays and pulled away for an impressive 82-70 victory. Michigan offers a similar challenge as Creighton, but the Wolverines have a pair of big guys that could provide a real challenge for the Tigers. SportsGrid’s model is unfazed by the perimeter prowess of Michigan and has a ton of belief in Auburn, projecting a 20-point victory and making the Tigers a five-star pick to cover the spread. 

Auburn vs Michigan Best Total Bet: UNDER 153.5

The SportsGrid model also has a projection for the total, picking this game to go under the posted number of 153.5 points. This projection is not nearly as strong as the pick for the Tigers to cover the 9.5-point spread, but it is still a two-star pick. Auburn has athletes in the backcourt and on the wing, which will cause Michigan’s guards problems. The Tigers held Ole Miss to 57 points, Tennessee to 70, Alabama State to 63 points, and Creighton to just 70 despite a hot start from the perimeter that kept them in the game until the second half. That defense should keep this game under the total.

Auburn Best Player Bet: Tahaad Pettiford OVER 11.5 Points

The Michigan Wolverines are strong defensively, but five-star freshman Tahaad Pettiford is full of confidence after 16 points against Alabama State and 23 points against Creighton. The freshman will have many opportunities, as Vladislav Goldin and Danny Wolf will make things difficult for the Auburn interior. Pettiford was very aggressive in the first and second round games, taking 14 shots against Creighton and getting to the free-throw line for eight attempts. Take Pettiford to go over 11.5 points.

Michigan Best Player Bet: Vlad Goldin UNDER 17.5 Points

The Auburn Tigers have a pair of big men that will challenge Vladislav Goldin in a way that most teams cannot begin to do. Goldin is a terrific player, but big man Dylan Cardwell’s primary role for the Tigers is to defend. He averages 1.5 blocks per game in just 20 minutes and pairs with Johni Broome to form one of the nation’s better defensive interiors. Auburn will pressure the ball, making it difficult for Michigan to get it to Goldin. Goldin will go under his 17.5 total.

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