The Clemson Tigers take on the Arizona Wildcats in the Sweet 16 on Thursday, as we offer our Clemson vs. Arizona picks and best bet based on the best March Madness odds.
The No. 6 seed Clemson Tigers (23-11) hope to keep their storybook season alive as they play the No. 2 seed Arizona Wildcats (27-8) in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. The game is set for a 7:09 p.m. ET tip at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Thursday, and Arizona is a 7.5-point favorite (-108) across our best sports betting sites.
The Wildcats remain one of the favorites by both the March Madness odds and Final Four odds, and they should pose a tough test for the overachieving Tigers. Arizona has lived up to its seeding two games into the tournament while averaging a 15-point margin of victory. The Wildcats will get every advantage against a Clemson team coming off an upset of No. 3 Baylor.
As part of our March Madness predictions, here are our best Clemson vs. Arizona picks and best bets (odds via our best March Madness betting sites; Pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Clemson (6) vs. Arizona (2) best bet: West Region
Best odds: +102 via FanDuel
The Wildcats have been known all season for their explosive offense, with All-American Caleb Love leading the way. Arizona is third in the country in points per game (87.6) and ninth in adjusted offensive efficiency, according to KenPom. But what's made Tommy Lloyd's program such a force has been the pieces supporting Love, specifically big man Oumar Ballo.
The 7-foot senior has been a monster in the paint for the Wildcats. He's second on the team in points per game (12.9) and first in rebounds (10.0). Ballo can provide the most significant mismatch for Arizona agai nst Clemson, with his size and length being an X-factor when pulling in boards. The Tigers are averaging just 36.4 rebounds per game this season and are 278th in the country in offensive rebounds per contest (9.1).
Meanwhile, Ballo has been one of the best rebounders in the country down the stretch this season. His rebounds per game jumped up to 11 in Pac-12 play, and he's notched at least 12 in three of his last four outings. He pulled in 13 boards during the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
He did notch only three against Dayton during the second round, but that was tied to less playing time.
The Flyers' offense is predicated on floor spacing and 3-point shooting, which made Ballo less impactful. That won't be the case now against a Clemson offense that leans on its forwards.
The +102 odds at FanDuel lead to terrific value as well, with a $10 bet translating to a $10.20 profit. Meanwhile, the -105 odds at DraftKings imply a 51.22% probability he hits the Over, according to our odds calculator.
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Best odds: -115 via bet365
While Arizona is known more for its offense, the team's defense also ranks among the top 10 in adjusted efficiency this season. It's been one of the best at limiting opportunities, especially inside the arc where it holds opponents to just 47.4% shooting. Clemson will likely need to lean on its guards to do some damage from deep.
For as good as Arizona's defense has been, it struggled to contain 3-point shooters during Pac-12 play. It faced more 3-point attempts than any team in Pac-12 games (23.4 per matchup) and allowed the third-most made 3-pointers per game (8.1) while teams shot 34.6% from deep. Clemson would be smart to go to guard Joseph Girard to take advantage of Arizona's issues.
Girard leads the Tigers in 3-point attempts (7.0) and 3-pointers made per game (2.9) while shooting 41.4% from behind the arc. The Syracuse transfer has been the perfect outside complement to star forward PJ Hall, and he's hit at least three 3-pointers in 19 of 34 games this season (55.8%).
With his line set at just 2.5 for this game, we'd happily take the -120 odds at DraftKings or the -122 odds at FanDuel. But we love the value f rom the -115 odds at bet365.
Clemson vs. Arizona odds
Clemson vs. Arizona spread & Over/Under analysis
The Wildcats opened as a 7 to 7.5-point favorite at our best sports betting apps, and the line hasn't been moving much. With the Tigers being the second-lowest seed left, and Arizona one of just two programs ranked in the top 10 in adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency, we wouldn't be surprised if this line moves another point in the Wildcats' direction. Arizona is 22-13 against the spread this season, and Clemson is 19-14-1.
Both of these offenses can score, which is why the game total opened as high as 152.5 and has seen little to no movement across our best sports betting sites. The Wildcats are just 16-19 to the Over this season despite their high-scoring offense. Their games have gone Under in five straight. Clemson has also been a goo d Under bet lately, hitting it in 12 of the team's last 17.
Clemson vs. Arizona game info
- When: Thursday, March 26
- Tip-off: 7:09 p.m. ET
- Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, Calif.
- How to watch: CBS
Clemson-Arizona prediction made Tuesday at 10:15 a.m. ET.
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