Jon Rothstein Breaks Down Friday's Sweet 16 Games

This is March!

Check out our breakdown below for Friday's Sweet 16 games.

Breaking Down Friday's Sweet 16 Games

Houston vs. Duke

On paper, this is a mismatch. For Kelvin Sampson, though, he didn't build his program based on recruiting rankings and preconceived notions. Houston -- a 4.5-point favorite in this one, per the college basketball odds at FanDuel Sportsbook -- is the toughest team in college basketball, and it will need to play like it to beat the Blue Devils.

Keep an eye on Duke's Kyle Filipowski, who will have to deal with the Cougars' relentless double teams in the low post.

Marquette vs. NC State

From 17-14 to the Sweet 16? You better believe it. The Wolfpack have won seven straight games, but their full-court pressure may play into the Golden Eagles' hands.

Keep an eye on Marquette's Tyler Kolek, who is averaging 18.0 points, 11.0 assists, and 5.5 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament.

Purdue vs. Gonzaga

The Boilers are 2-0 against the Bulldogs in the past two seasons, mostly due to Zach Edey, who averaged 24.0 points and 11.5 rebounds in the two meetings. Purdue is two wins away from immortality and its first Final Four since 1980. The Boilers are 5.5-point favorites over Gonzaga.

Creighton vs. Tennessee

The Vols have averaged 24.3 wins in the past seven seasons under Rick Barnes but have never advanced past the Sweet 16. They'll need to find a way to generate offense against the Bluejays' Ryan Kalkbrenner, who has won Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors in three straight seasons.

This should be one of the best games in the Sweet 16. The Vols are just a 2.5-point favorite.

Looking for NCAA basketball odds? Check out all of the college basketball odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

Jon Rothstein is not a FanDuel employee. The reporting of Rothstein is not subject to FanDuel's verification and does not represent the views or input of FanDuel. Betting based on Rothstein's reporting will not guarantee a successful outcome. Always do your own due diligence and use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.

Rothstein has been a college basketball insider for CBS Sports since 2010 and a contributor to the CBS Broadcast Network since 2016. He joined FanDuel in 2022 as a Content Creator. Rothstein is also the host of the College Hoops Today Podcast via Compass Media Networks.