It’s a No. 2 vs. No. 3 matchup in the Midwest Region when the Tennessee Volunteers (23-8) and Creighton Bluejays (22-9) meet in the final game of the Sweet 16 round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Friday. The Vols went ice cold from the field in the second round against Texas but found a way, thanks in large part to clutch free throw shooting, to pull out a 62-58 win. Creighton was also pushed in the second round, holding off Oregon 86-73 in overtime. Tennessee is looking for its first trip to the Elite Eight under head coach Rick Barnes, while Creighton went last season under coach Greg McDermott.
Tipoff at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit is scheduled for 10:09 p.m. ET. The Volunteers are 3.5-point favorites in the latest Tennessee vs. Creighton odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under is 145.5. Before making any Creighton vs. Tennessee picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Jimmie Kaylor.
Kaylor is a betting and DFS expert for SportsLine, who has covered college sports and the NFL for close to a decade as a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. His background as a former high level athlete — he was a Division-I All-American and professional athlete — gives him a unique perspective when building his fantasy lineups and locking in his betting picks. He has his finger on the pulse of the college basketball landscape and has been cashing in big for SportsLine members for the last two years.
Kaylor enters the Sweet 16 round on a 22-10 run overall on his college basketball picks, with a 7-2 record on 2024 NCAA Tournament picks for SportsLine. He is up 11.05 units during his roll, returning a profit of $1,105 for $100 bettors. Anyone who has followed his picks this season is way up.
Now, the Kaylor has his sights on Creighton vs. Tennessee in the 2024 Sweet 16 and just locked in his picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Tennessee vs. Creighton:
- Tennessee vs. Creighton spread: Tennessee -3.5
- Tennessee vs. Creighton over/under: 145.5 points
- Tennessee vs. Creighton money line: Tennessee -173, Creighton +145
- TENN: The Vols are 17-15-2 against the spread this season.
- CRE: The Bluejays are 19-15 against the spread this season.
- Tennessee vs. Creighton picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Tennessee can cover
Despite their shooting struggles against Texas, the Vols are one of the top offensive teams in college basketball. Tennessee averages 79.1 points per game, and scores 116.4 points per 100 possessions. While Barnes’ team is solid on the offensive end, it is elite on the defensive end. The Volunteers rank third in the country in defensive efficiency, allowing only 89.9 points per 100 possessions.
Transfer Dalton Knecht leads the way for Tennessee. The SEC Player of the Year averages a team-high 21.1 points to go along with 4.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Junior forward Jonas Aidoo leads the Vols’ supporting cast averaging 12.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. See which team to pick at SportsLine.
Why Creighton can cover
Barnes’ teams have covered just four times in their last 20 NCAA Tournament appearances, whereas Creighton is now on a 5-1 ATS run in the NCAA Tournament dating back to last season. After a great regular season, Tennessee’s offense has been shaky in the postseason. The Vols shot 30.6% from the field in their SEC Tournament loss to Mississippi State before bouncing back against an overmatched Saint Peter’s team in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. However, they then went cold again against Texas, hitting just 33.8% from the field and 12% from 3-point range.
Creighton’s roster has a lot of NCAA Tournament experience and three dangerous scorers who can all take over a game. Guards Baylor Scheierman (18.3 ppg) and Trey Alexander (17.7 ppg) lead the way, while center Ryan Kalkbrenner is right behind at 17.4. He also averages 7.6 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game, and that rim protrection should prevent too many easy buckets for the Vols, forcing them to have a significantly better 3-point shooting night to cover in this one. See which team to pick at SportsLine.
How to make Tennessee vs. Creighton picks
Kaylor has analyzed Creighton vs. Tennessee from every angle and he’s leaning Over on the point total. He has also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He’s only sharing what it is, and which side to back, at SportsLine.
So who wins Tennessee vs. Creighton in the 2024 Sweet 16, and what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the expert on a 22-10 roll on his college basketball best bets, and find out.
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