The Little Caesars Arena will light up on Friday when the No. 2 seed Tennessee Volunteers face the No. 3 seed Creighton Bluejays in the Sweet Sixteen Midwest region contest. A place in the Elite Eight is on the line, and both sides will need to be at their best for this one. This promises to be a tight contest and will probably be decided by little details. Who will triumph, The Volunteers or the Bluejays?
Tennessee Volunteers
The Tennessee Volunteers are on course to secure an Elite Eight place at the 2024 NCAA tournament, the first since 2010. It is possible if they can beat the Creighton Bluejays on Friday. Looking at how they’ve been seeded, the Volunteers are favorites. Their seedings may be insignificant at this point because they are facing a side that can be clarified as their most formidable opponent so far this season. Nevertheless, we expect the Southeastern regular season champions to oust Greg McDermott and his Bluejays.
The Volunteers started their March Madness campaign in the first round with an 83-49 win over the Saint Peter’s Peacocks, with Dalton Knecht scoring 23 points. The campaign got tougher in the second round as the University of Tennessee basketball team struggled for a win over the Texas Longhorns. A four-point margin victory was enough for the Volunteers to make their 10th Sweet Sixteen appearance after a disappointing second-half display against the Longhorns. Knecht was again the difference, scoring a game-high 18 points to ensure the win. While the quality of the guard is obvious, the Volunteers will need much more than a Dalton Knecht masterclass to make the Elite Eight.
Creighton Bluejays
The Creighton Bluejays made the Elite Eight in the 2023 NCAA tournament and are tasked with repeating it this year. They will be up against one of the best sides, the Tennessee Volunteers, who are just a seed above them in the Midwest region. If the Bluejays will beat the Volunteers, they must put in their best performance on the night, leaving it all out on the court.
A 77-60 victory over the Akron Zips in the first round of the NCAA Championship was enough for the Bluejays to go further in the competition. It was different in the second round, but the team’s never-say-never attitude pulled them through. It was one of the most intense games in the tournament so far, as the Bluejays needed two overtimes to secure an 86-73 win over the Oregon Ducks. The Ducks guard Jermaine Couisnard recorded the most points in this encounter, 32, but the collective efforts of the Creighton University basketball team ensured that they clinched a Sweet Sixteen place. They will again require such efforts on Friday to make their second consecutive NCAA tournament Elite Eight appearance.
Head-to-Head Tennessee vs Creighton
The game between these two teams will be the second time they lock horns. Their first meeting happened in 1937, with the Volunteers winning the game. Both teams have been involved in many NCAA tournaments since then, with the Volunteers making the Elite Eight in 2010 and the Bluejays making the Elite Eight in 1941 and 2023. Only one of these teams will advance to the last eight this time, and odds are available for this encounter among other NCAA basketball picks of the night.
Tennessee vs Creighton Predictions
We expect a tight affair between the Volunteers and the Bluejays at the Little Caesars Arena on Friday. The University of Tennessee basketball team is backed to win at 8/13 Moneyline odds, while the Bluejays are priced at 23/20. At a -2.5 Point Spread, the Volunteers are priced at 9/10 odds, while the Creighton University basketball team at a 2.5 Point Spread is also priced at 9/10 odds. For bettors who prefer the Total Points market, odds of 19/20 are offered for Over 144.5 and 4 ⁄ 5 odds for Under 144.5. Keep in mind that basketball is unpredictable, and wagering should only ever be for fun.
Players To Look Out For
The Tennessee Volunteers have an incredible talent in Dalton Knecht. The senior guard averages 21.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. Jonas Aidoo and Zakai Zeigler are also players to look out for on the team. Aidoo averages 12 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, while Zeigler averages 11.7 points and six assists per game.
The Creighton Bluejays also have an interesting squad, with players like Baylor Scheierman, Trey Alexander, and Ryan Kalkbrenner capable of influencing the outcome of a game. Scheierman averages 18.3 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, Alexander averages 17.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game, and Kalkbrenner averages 17.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game.
All odds are correct at time of publishing and are subject to change. Please gamble responsibly 18+
