UConn vs. Arkansas: NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Picks & Predictions (Thursday)
It was absolute madness through the first two rounds of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, as more upsets than ever were seen seemingly across all regions. With a few days of respite, here is a look at the two games in the West Region that are on deck for Thursday’s Slate. Below we dive into UConn vs. Arkansas.
Thursday Sweet 16 Picks & Predictions
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Sweet 16 Picks & Predictions (2023 NCAA Tournament)
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
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UConn vs. Arkansas
Arkansas’ victory over Kansas was remarkable but wasn’t as smooth sailing as the final score indicates. After the first half, the Razorbacks were down by eight points, and they also played somewhat poorly in the second half as the Jayhawks fell apart even more so. Things would have looked quite different if the Jayhawks had not committed 23 fouls and prevented the Razorbacks from making 21 free throws.
A UConn team that penalizes opponents for poor shooting is now in front of the Razorbacks, as the Huskies allow just 64.7 points per game, and they grab 24.3 defensive rebounds per game in the process. In addition, they have only committed 15 fouls on average over their last three games, so the Razorbacks will likely spend less time at the charity stripe than they did in their previous game.
Moreover, UConn has a strong offensive game, scoring 78.5 points per game, and their ball movement causes fits for every team they play. Furthermore, the Huskies are 4-1 ATS against their last five SEC opponents, in addition to covering the spread in seven of their last eight games. I like for UConn to take this one rather easily, as they roll the Razorbacks from the jump.
The pick: UConn -3.5 (-110)
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