Teams looking to advance to the Final Four for the first time in program history match up in the Sweet 16 in the Midwest Region when the No. 2 seed Tennessee Volunteers take on the No. 3 seed Creighton Bluejays on Friday in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The Vols reached the Sweet 16 by beating Saint Peter's in the first round and Texas in the second round. The Bluejays beat Akron in the first round, then needed double overtime to get by Oregon in the second round. Tennessee finished the regular season in first place in the SEC, while Creighton finished in third place in the Big East.
Tipoff is 10:09 p.m. ET at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The latest Tennessee vs. Creighton odds via SportsLine consensus list the Vols as 3-point favorites, while the over/under is 144. Before making any Creighton vs. Tennessee picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Jimmie Kaylor.
Kaylor is a betting and DFS expert for SportsLine, who has covered college sports and the NFL for close to a decade as a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. His background as a former high level athlete -- he was a Division-I All-American and professional athlete -- gives him a unique perspective when building his fantasy lineups and locking in his betting picks. He has his finger on the pulse of the college basketball landscape and has been cashing in big for SportsLine members for the last two years.
Kaylor enters the Sweet 16 round on a 22-10 run overall on his college basketball picks, with a 7-2 record on 2024 NCAA Tournament picks for SportsLine. He is up 11.05 units during his roll, returning a profit of $1,105 for $100 bettors. Anyone who has followed his picks this season is way up.
Now, the Kaylor has his sights on Creighton vs. Tennessee in the 2024 Sweet 16 and just locked in his picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several college basketball oddsand trends for Tennessee vs. Creighton:
- Tennessee vs. Creighton spread: Tennessee -3
- Tennessee vs. Creighton over/under: 143.5 points
- Tennessee vs. Creighton money line: Tennessee -160, Creighton +134
- TENN: The Vols are 17-15-2 against the spread this season.
- CRE: The Bluejays are 19-15 against the spread this season.
- Tennessee vs. Creighton picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Tennessee can cover
Despite their shooting struggles against Texas, the Vols are one of the top offensive teams in college basketball. Tennessee averages 79.1 points per game, and scores 116.4 points per 100 possessions. While Rick Barnes' team is solid on the offensive end, it is elite on the defensive end. The Volunteers rank third in the country in defensive efficiency, allowing only 89.9 points per 100 possessions.
Transfer Dalton Knecht leads the way for Tennessee. The SEC Player of the Year averages a team-high 21.1 points to go along with 4.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Junior forward Jonas Aidoo leads the Vols' supporting cast averaging 12.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.See which team to pick at SportsLine.
Why Creighton can cover
Creighton is a veteran team that returned the core of its starting five off last year's team that came within seconds of reaching the first Final Four in program history. The Bluejays are one of the top offensive teams remaining in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The Jays average 80.6 points per game, and rank 11th in the country in offensive efficiency, averaging 120.2 points per 100 possessions. Creighton also ranks in the top-25 in the country in defensive efficiency, allowing 96.3 points per 100 possessions.
Doug McDermott's team features three players that average over 17 points per game. The trio of Baylor Scheierman, Trey Alexander, and Ryan Kalkbrenner form one of the best core groups in the country. Scheierman leads the way averaging 18.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.See which team to pick at SportsLine.
How to make Tennessee vs. Creighton picks
Kaylor has analyzed Creighton vs. Tennessee from every angle and he's leaning Over on the point total. He has also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread.He's only sharing what it is, and which side to back, at SportsLine.
So who wins Tennessee vs. Creighton in the 2024 Sweet 16, and what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the expert on a 22-10 roll on his college basketball best bets, and find out.
