NCAA Tournament Betting: Creighton vs. Tennessee Picks, Prop Bets and Odds

Very few things on the sports calendar can match the excitement and unpredictability of the NCAA Tournament. So why not add betting to the mix via the college basketball odds at FanDuel Sportsbook?

The 2024 edition of the big dance is approaching the Sweet 16, and here at FanDuel Research, we'll have you covered with a betting guide for each game.

For Friday's nightcap, we'll be treated to a Midwest Region clash between the No. 3 Creighton Bluejays and No. 2 Tennessee Volunteers. As the final game of the round, this bid will take place at Detroit's Little Caesars Arena.

All signs point to a tight contest here. Entering the weekend, FanDuel Sportsbook has the Volunteers labeled as 2.5-point favorites. For reference, that is the second-most narrow betting line of the 2024 Sweet 16.

All college basketball odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook, and lines may change after this article is published.

NCAA Tournament Betting Picks

Creighton vs. Tennessee Betting Odds

Date and Time: Friday, March 29th at 10:09 p.m. ET

Spread: Tennessee -2.5 (-112)

Total: 143.5 (-115/-105)

Moneyline:

• Creighton: +118
• Tennessee: -142

Creighton vs. Tennessee Statistical Breakdown

Advanced stats from KenPom, Bart Torvik and numberFire.

Creighton

• numberFire Ranking: 12th
• Bart Torvik Ranking: 12th
• KenPom Ranking: 11th
  • Adjusted Defensive Efficiency Ranking: 23rd
  • Adjusted Offensive Efficiency Ranking: 11th
  • Adjusted Tempo Ranking: 227th

Tennessee

• numberFire Ranking: 6th
• Bart Torvik Ranking: 7th
• KenPom Ranking: 8th
  • Adjusted Defensive Efficiency Ranking: 3rd
  • Adjusted Offensive Efficiency Ranking: 29th
  • Adjusted Tempo Ranking: 78th

Creighton vs. Tennessee Best Bet

Tennessee -2.5 (-112)

I feel for you East Coasters on this one -- tipping just after 10 p.m. ET, there is a strong likelihood that Creighton-Tennessee will be Friday's grittiest contest. Of course, there is a better likelihood that this game takes us past midnight for those on the Atlantic seaboard. Stay up late with me, won't you?

Undoubtedly, the on-court matchup will be fierce. Tennessee has been a buzzsaw through the season's entirety, winning the SEC regular-season title while holding opponents to only 67.0 PPG. As for Creighton, they finished third in a hyper-competitive Big East conference. Largely, the Bluejays were powered by a methodical offense, scoring 80.6 PPG to this point (91st percentile of Division I).

The coaching matchup will also be tight between these two. Creighton's Greg McDermott and Tennessee's Rick Barnes have a combined 25 years of experience at their current posts. Both programs reached the Sweet 16 in 2023 but only Creighton moved onto the Elite Eight -- the Vols were upset by Florida Atlantic last year.

Through the current NCAA Tournament, I have been slightly more impressed with UT. This group from Knoxville has proven they can win in a variety of ways. So far in the big dance, the Volunteers trounced St. Peter's by 34 points before outlasting a very good Texas Longhorns team. Across the court, Creighton looked a little shaky against Oregon. The Jays were flying behind the Ducks through majority of the evening, but Creighton ultimately soared to a double-overtime victory.

I find it tough to make a play against Tennessee right now. Senior guard Dalton Knecht -- who was the SEC Player of the year -- is humming on the floor, scoring 20.5 PPG at the tourney. Behind him, the Vols have been stifling on defense. UT opponents have produced a field-goal percentage of only 38.6% this year, which is the second-lowest clip in college hoops.

Undeniably, the chalk has been hot as of late. In the Round of 32, favorites won 15 of 16 games outright. I believe that will apply for this late-night affair in Motor City. With respect to the side from Omaha, laying a slim 2.5 points on the Vols is my preference.

According to ESPN Analytics, Tennessee has a 57.8% chance at victory on Friday. Being that the spread is still within one-possession, I like Volunteers -2.5.

Creighton vs. Tennessee Prop Bet

Trey Alexander 2+ Made Threes (-160)

When perusing through three-point prop markets, you have to initially feel good about a player with a first name like Trey. At FanDuel Sportsbook, Trey Alexander is currently listed with -160 odds to sink two or more shots from three-point range.

A junior guard from Oklahoma City, the 6-foot-4 Alexander can really shoot it. He has converted from behind the arc at a 37.1% clip over the past two campaigns.

In the current year, Alexander has already made 60 three-point baskets, which equates to 1.8 per game. However, his production has ramped up of late as he's nailing 2.4 made three per game since February 25th.

Amongst Creighton's current roster, Alexander is the Bluejays' second-leading scorer. In a contest of this magnitude, I expect Trey to get his shots up from deep. Even against Tennessee's tough perimeter defense, I like Alexander to sink at least a couple triples.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.