Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament Best Bets: Back the Huskies and One Under

After four thrilling days, the NCAA Tournament field has been trimmed to 16 teams. Thursday of the Sweet 16 features four games, and SportsGrid has a couple of best bets to get you ready for the action.

Here are SportsGrid’s favorite picks for Thursday night. 

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7:09 p.m. ET – Clemson vs. Arizona

Spread: Arizona (-7.5) | Moneyline: Arizona (-310) | Total: 152.5

Where to Watch: CBS | Location: crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA

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The Clemson Tigers upset the Baylor Bears to advance to the Sweet 16, while the second-seeded Arizona Wildcats comfortably dispatched the Dayton Flyers to move on. The two teams now meet in Los Angeles with a date in the Elite Eight on the line. The SportsGrid model likes Arizona to win this game 85% of the time and likes the Wildcats to cover the 7.5-point spread, but the strongest play is going under the total. The total is listed at 152.5, and the SportsGrid model projects the teams to score only 144.4 points, making the under a 5-star projection. 

Clemson held New Mexico to 56 points and limited Baylor to only 64 points; both marks were well below their opponents’ season averages. Arizona averages the fourth-most points in the country, but its defense has stepped up thus far in the NCAA Tournament, holding both Long Beach State and Dayton to final totals in the 60s. 

SportsGrid’s Best Bets: Arizona (-7.5), Arizona (-310) and UNDER 152.5 | SportsGrid Projections: 5-stars

7:39 p.m. ET – San Diego State vs. UConn

Spread: UConn (-10.5) | Moneyline: UConn (-670) | Total: 135.5

Where to Watch: TBS | Location: TD Garden in Boston, MA

The UConn Huskies rolled to the Sweet 16 with a pair of blowout wins. San Diego State survived an upset bid by UAB in Round 1 and then hammered Yale in the Round of 32 to advance to Thursday night’s rematch of the 2023 National Championship Game. The Aztecs and Huskies meet in Boston, with UConn heavily favored to move on. The moneyline is set at -670, and the total is at 135.5. Neither of those numbers has any value, but the SportsGrid model has a five-star pick for the spread. UConn is a 10.5-point favorite, and the model has the Huskies rolling to a 16.8-point win. 

Connecticut was ahead of Northwestern by more than 30 points before easing off and coasting to the finish. San Diego State should be commended for returning to the Sweet 16, but they lack the firepower and size to hang with the national title favorite. 

SportsGrid’s Best Bets: UConn (-10.5) | SportsGrid Projections: 5-stars

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