NCAA Basketball: “Best Bets” for Sweet 16 matchups in 2022 NCAA Tournament
By Greg Waddell
The first weekend of the NCAA Tournament is done, Cinderella is one step closer to finding her slipper, and there are eight more NCAA Basketball games to be played this Thursday-Friday. Which means……there are bets to be placed.
Here are my eight best bets for the Sweet 16, using the latest odds from out betting partners at WynnBET.
Gonzaga -8.5 vs. Arkansas
Arkansas survives as the lone SEC team to make it to the Sweet 16, beating Vermont by a mere four points and New Mexico State by 5 in a 53-48 game. The Razorbacks have the talent to make this a game with Gonzaga, but I can’t shake the feeling that the Zags are due to blitz somebody and this feels like the right spot.
Gonzaga and Arkansas both prefer an extremely up-tempo game, and that opens the door for a blowout if the Razorbacks’ offense can’t keep up with the excellence of Andrew Nembhard, Drew Timme, and Chet Holmgren. I’ll take the Zags in a comfortable, double-digit win.
Michigan +4.5 vs. Villanova
It shouldn’t surprise anyone too much that Michigan has made it to the second weekend, they were a Top 10 team in the country preseason and the Wolverines’ talent has finally strung together back-to-back quality wins when it mattered most – and it has started with Hunter Dickinson.
Colorado State’s small-ball approach required constant double teams and Dickinson still feasted on 8-10 shooting in Michigan’s first-round win against the Rams. Villanova’s front line will give up a similar size advantage to Dickinson, which bodes well for Michigan’s chances, as the Wildcats boast just the 133rd best 2-point percentage defense in the country and Michigan’s offense ranks 48th in scoring inside the arc (KenPom).
Collin Gillespie and Justin Moore have the advantage in the backcourt, but the Michigan defense has struggled more with quick guards than crafty ones this season. Give me the Wolverines to cover.