NCAA Tournament 2021: Tips for Odds, Over-Under Scores for Sunday's Sweet 16
Four teams secured their spots in the Elite Eight round of the 2021 NCAA men's basketball tournament Saturday. Four more will join them by winning their Sweet 16 matchups Sunday.
No. 1 Baylor, No. 2 Houston, No. 3 Arkansas and No. 12 Oregon State were the four teams that advanced to the Elite Eight with victories Saturday. The Beavers are only the second No. 12 seed to make it this far in the tournament, joining Missouri in 2002.
On Sunday, a pair of No. 1 seeds (Gonzaga and Michigan) will be in action, as well as No. 11 UCLA, which will look to join Oregon State as a double-digit-seeded Pac-12 team in the Elite Eight.
Here's a look at Sunday's Sweet 16 schedule, along with odds and picks for the games.
Sunday Schedule, Odds, Picks
No. 1 Gonzaga (-13) vs. No. 5 Creighton; O/U 159 (2:10 p.m. ET, CBS)
No. 1 Michigan (-2.5) vs. No. 4 Florida State; O/U 143 (5 p.m. ET, CBS)
No. 2 Alabama (-6.5) vs. No. 11 UCLA; O/U 146 (7:15 p.m. ET, TBS)
No. 6 USC (-2) vs. No. 7 Oregon; O/U 138 (9:45 p.m. ET, TBS)
Picks in bold against the spread. Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
No. 1 Seeds Gonzaga, Michigan Will Advance
Baylor became the first No. 1 seed to reach this year's Elite Eight when it defeated No. 5 Villanova on Saturday. Gonzaga and Michigan will be looking to join the Bears in the next round with victories Sunday.
Gonzaga has been unbeatable this season, winning all but one of its 28 games by 10 or more points. The Bulldogs rolled through the first two rounds of the men's NCAA tournament, easily notching victories over No. 16 Norfolk State and No. 8 Oklahoma. They will aim for another sizable win when they take on No. 5 Creighton.
Michigan lost three of its final five regular-season games to fall to 20-4 heading into March Madness. However, it's bounced back with wins over No. 16 Texas Southern and No. 8 LSU to open the tournament. The Wolverines will face a much tougher test when they go up against No. 4 Florida State.
Both of these No. 1 seeds are likely to win and cover the spread. Gonzaga is a 13-point favorite, but it should have no trouble winning big yet again. Meanwhile, Michigan is a 2.5-point favorite and will play a more competitive game, but the Wolverines should prevail to move on to the Elite Eight.
These teams are among the top contenders for the national championship, and neither is going to have its run end Sunday.
Alabama Should Pull Away Late to Top UCLA
The Pac-12 has had a ton of success in this year's tournament. No. 12 Oregon State is already in the Elite Eight, and either No. 6 USC or No. 7 Oregon will be joining it. No. 11 UCLA also has an opportunity to make it if it can win Sunday.
That's not going to be an easy task, though. No. 2 Alabama has been one of the best teams in the country this season, and it hasn't slowed down since the tournament began. The Crimson Tide rolled to big wins over No. 15 Iona and No. 10 Maryland, putting them in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2004 (which was also the only time they have ever reached the Elite Eight).
Alabama has dominated the glass in each of its first two tournament games and is averaging 40.5 rebounds per contest this season. If the Tide maintain that against the Bruins, it could be difficult for UCLA to pull off another upset.
As a 6.5-point favorite, Alabama is likely to cover that spread and pull away late in the second half to earn another sizable win. The Crimson Tide's offense will be too much for the Bruins, especially because of the second-chance points they will score.
USC Will Win Competitive Pac-12 Matchup
This won't be the first time that USC and Oregon have faced off this season. The Pac-12 rivals played Feb. 22, when the Trojans built a big lead early and cruised to a 72-58 home victory. But could things go differently this time on a neutral court with the stakes raised?
Oregon is likely going to play a closer game Sunday. The Ducks bounced back from that loss to USC by winning six straight games, and it rebounded from a Pac-12 tournament loss to Oregon State by beating No. 2 seed Iowa in the second round of the NCAA tourney.
But USC has made a statement with its first two wins of March Madness. The Trojans own a pair of lopsided victories, having defeated No. 11 Drake 72-56 and taken down No. 3 Kansas 85-51.
With Oregon allowing 80 points per game this season, USC could be set for a big offensive showing, especially if freshman forward Evan Mobley (16.5 points per game this season) has a strong night. Expect the Trojans to win by at least three points and move on to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2001.
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