Florida Atlantic vs. Memphis Predictions, Odds & Picks: Will Tigers Carry Momentum Into March Madness?
Florida Atlantic vs. Memphis Predictions, Odds & Picks: Will Tigers Carry Momentum Into March Madness?iv class=”bodyContent col-lg-9 mb-3″>

Memphis dispatched an eventual No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed to win a conference tournament title. Can the Tigers keep the vibes rolling into their opening March Madness matchup with the Florida Atlantic Owls? Read on for our Florida Atlantic vs. Memphis prediction based on the top NCAAB odds.

Penny Hardaway's Memphis (26-8) squad got things going at the right time, rolling through the American Athletic Conference Tournament with a win over Houston in the finale.

The Tigers probably didn't expect to see another KenPom Top 25 squad in the opening round following a result like that, but Florida Atlantic (31-3) was seeded as a No. 9 and will be a feisty opponent for the No. 8 seed in the East.

Here is our best Florida Atlantic vs. Memphis prediction (odds via FanDuel Sportsbook, Caesars Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Florida Atlantic vs. Memphis odds

Florida Atlantic vs. Memphis prediction

If you trust the metrics, Memphis and Florida Atlantic are two teams that never should have been pitted against one another in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Memphis ranks 19th in KenPom, while FAU slots in at 22nd in the country. Despite the two teams from smaller conferences not getting their due by the selection committee, both the Tigers and the Owls rank inside the Top 40 in adjusted offensive and defensive efficiencies – the only such matchup in the first round of the tournament. 

Check out our March Madness best bets for Friday! Our Mike Spector went 3-1 on Thursday's games.

The Owls have rebounded capably in spite of their general lack of size, with Vladislav Goldin representing their one example of a true advantage down low. But Goldin has frequently found himself flirting with foul trouble, which could be a problem for FAU facing an athletic big like DeAndre Williams.

If the Tigers force the issues with Goldin and get him a couple of early personals, it could negate his shot-blocking ability to open the door for an efficient two-point offense that deploys an overwhelming breakneck pace (17th in adjusted tempo).

The Owls boast the type of quality guard play that can be an equalizer in this tournament. But without a true quality win on their schedule this season, this group may not be up to the task of keeping up with the skill of this Memphis offense.

Check out our best March Madness odds and Wooden Award odds.

Florida Atlantic vs. Memphis best odds

DraftKings FanDuel BetMGM Caesars PointsBet
Memphis -2 Memphis -1.5 Memphis -1.5 Memphis -1.5 Memphis -2
-110 -110 -115 -110 -110

FanDuel and Caesars offer the highest quality of odds for a spread bet on Memphis, listing the Tigers at -1.5 with standard -110 odds. BetMGM is another fine option at that same -1.5 line, but you'll pay a premium there to -115 on the odds.

DraftKings and PointsBet are spots to avoid on the Memphis spread at current values, with the line posted at -2 and no better odds than the ones offered by FanDuel and Caesars. If the line were to balloon to -3, this play would reduce to three stars.

Florida Atlantic vs. Memphis odds analysis

Memphis opened at -2.5 but has moved to a consensus of -2 as of Friday morning. Contrary to the line movement, 67% of spread wagers on this matchup have come in on the Tigers.

The total opened at 152.5 and has been creeping upward to between 153 and 153.5 across o ur recommended sportsbooks. The Over received the bulk of the support through the week but late action has seemingly brought the split closer to even.

Florida Atlantic vs. Memphis game info

  • Date: Friday, March 17, 9:20 p.m. ET
  • TV: TNT
  • Location: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH

Florida Atlantic-Memphis pick made 3/15/2023 at 8:30 p.m. ET.

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