The Princeton Tigers pulled off the first shocker of the 2023 NCAA Tournament on Thursdau afternoon. Will they be able to continue their Cinderella story against the Missouri Tigers? Here is our best Princeton vs. Missouri prediction based on the top NCAAB odds.
The Tigers ended their game against the Arizona Wildcats on a 9-0 run, and for the third consecutive season, a 15 seed has upset a 2. Throughout the game, the Wildcats looked ready to take over, but the Tigers kept battling back from double-digit deficits. Each of the last two 15 seeds to win advanced to the Sweet 16. Will the Tigers make it three years in a row?
To do so, they'll have to beat the Missouri Tigers. The Tigers pulled away from the Utah State Aggies in the second half on their way to a 76-65 victory. They forced 15 turnovers in the game, and they held the Aggies to just 16.7% shooting from beyond the a rc.
Here is our best Princeton vs. Missouri prediction (odds via FanDuel Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Princeton vs. Missouri odds
Princeton vs. Missouri prediction
Princeton's victory was impressive. The way the Tigers shut down the Wildcats' guards was a perfect game plan. The Wildcats' front court, which has been their strength all season, played great, and yet, the guards were so bad, the Tigers were able to come away victorious. However, this was a matchup victory and nothing more.
The Tigers matched up well with the Wildcats and executed their plan to perfection. They do not match up nearly as well with Missouri. The Missouri Tigers are 19th in the country in points per game, averaging 79.4 per. Princeton just shut down a top-five offense in the country, so why will Saturday be different?
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Because the Tigers play a small lineup and get most of their scoring from their guards. Missouri's D'Moi Hodge has had three 20-point games in a row, including a 23-point game performance against the Aggies on Thursday. He will not be as easily contained as the Arizona guards were.
The Tigers will need to enact a completely different strategy in this game than they did on Thursday. Because of the personnel on their team, they won't be able to take away the strength of Missouri like they were against Arizona. This spread should honestly be closer to double digits. Don't be surprised if this is very one-sided.
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Princeton vs. Missouri best odds
| DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM | Caesars | PointsBet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mizzou -6.5 | Mizzou -6.5 | Mizzou -6.5 | Mizzou -7 | Mizzou -6.5 |
| -110 | -110 | -110 | -110 | -110 |
With the exception of Caesars, every major sportsbook is offering this line at 6.5. If Caesars was offering -7 for a better price than the other books, then we would recommend wagering there. But since they are offering the same price, there is no benefit.
Feel free to wager at any of the other four sportsbooks. But we also recommend that you consider alternate lines. You may be able to find a good price for a spread of -8.5 or -9.5 before tipoff. Especially if bettors back Princeton.
Princeton vs. Missouri odds analysis
Some late action has come in on Princeton to split the betting activity 50/50 on the spread but the number has remained at the opening line of Missouri -6.5. That number was initially expected to grow, but there as been no consensus movement as of Saturday morning.
The total for this one is listed at 149.5 and 66% of bettors are backing the Under. After what Princeton did to Arizona on Thursday, this number may start to plummet before tipoff. That may actually make the Over a valuable play considering how well Missouri plays offense. If this drops to 147.5 or lower, consider playing the Over.
Princeton vs. Missouri game info
- Date: Saturday, March 18, 6:10 p.m. ET
- TV: TNT
- Location: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
Princeton-Missouri pick made 3/17/2023 at 11:31 a.m. ET.
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