Sweet 16 Picks: UConn, Iowa State to Advance in East

Hundreds of Illini fans welcomed the winners back to the team hotel tonight. Illinois is taking on Iowa State on Thursday in the Sweet Sixteen: pic.twitter.com/5dYThUFqWx

— Andy Olson (@WCIA3Andy) March 24, 2024

Let’s take a look at the college basketball odds for the Sweet 16 matchups in the East.

UConn Biggest Favorite in the Sweet 16

The Huskies are not just expected to return to the Final Four but are also the prohibitive favorite to win back-to-back national titles. UConn is +200 to win the national championship, a number that has dropped considerably since the start of the NCAA Tournament.

This number offers bettors little value considering either Illinois or Iowa State could present a difficult test for UConn in the Elite Eight.

UConn is an 11-point favorite against San Diego State, representing the largest spread of any Sweet 16 game. The over-under is set at 135 ½ points for March Madness betting.

This is a rematch of last year’s national championship. The Huskies came away with a 17-point victory in the initial matchup. It looks like Vegas is expecting more of the same for part two.

Most Wins in March Madness Over The Past 2 Years:

UConn – 8
San Diego State – 7

NATIONAL TITLE REMATCH ON THURSDAY NIGHT 🙌

TURN ME UP. pic.twitter.com/u0miUFDIfR

— College Basketball Report (@CBKReport) March 25, 2024

San Diego State’s best wins this season include victories over St. Mary’s, Gonzaga and Utah State. The Aztecs did not have the most difficult path to get to the Sweet 16.

San Diego State notched wins over UAB and Yale to advance. It is worth mentioning that the Aztecs came away with a 28-point victory over Yale to punch their ticket to the Sweet 16.

UConn has been extremely comfortable as a favorite throughout the season. The Huskies have been profitable at the window, going 24-12 against the spread this season.

The under has hit in 19 games for the Huskies with the over cashing in 16 contests. UConn is 33-2 straight up as a favorite entering this matchup.

San Diego State has been less consistent in Vegas, going 14-19-1 ATS. The Aztecs are just 2-6 as an underdog this season. The over has hit in 18 games while the under cashed 16 times for San Diego State this season.

Illinois vs Iowa State: Battle of Red-Hot Conference Champs

The Illinois-Iowa State game is more of a coin flip between two surging teams. Iowa State ran through the Big 12 tournament while Illinois won the Big Ten tourney.

The vibes in the Iowa State locker room are HIGH after their big win to advance to the Sweet 16 🔥#MarchMadness @CycloneMBB pic.twitter.com/AsYUFa1YEv

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 24, 2024

The Cyclones are a 1 1/2 -point favorite against the Illini. The over-under is set at 146 points

Both teams have been profitable for bettors throughout the season. Iowa State is 24-10-2 against the spread in the NCAA basketball odds. Illinois is 21-13-2 ATS this season.

Illinois’ offense has been humming, scoring 85 or more points in four straight games. My question is how this offense will perform against Iowa State’s defense.

The Cyclones have not allowed more than 65 points since their Feb. 19 matchup versus Houston where the Cougars dropped 73 points.

March Madness Prediction: UConn, Iowa State Advance to Elite Eight

At the risk of lacking excitement, I like UConn and Iowa State to both advance to the Elite Eight. Yes, we know it is a 1-versus-2 matchup in the NCAA basketball odds.

Yet, this NCAA Tournament has been underwhelming in terms of major upsets. Ultimately, Iowa State enters their matchup much more tested than Illinois thanks to the Big 12 schedule.

UConn may be even stronger than last season, making it more than a tall task for San Diego State to advance. The bigger question is whether anyone can stop the freight train known as UConn from advancing to the Final Four.

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