Wildcats Remain Top Contenders in Arizona Sports Betting NCAA After Securing 2nd Round Victory
After two victories over the weekend, the Arizona Wildcats men’s basketball team has reached the Sweet 16 for the first time in five years.
The Wildcats clinched their 20th Sweet 16 appearance by defeating TCU 85-80 in overtime on Sunday.
The Wildcats easily defeated 16th-seeded Wright State with an 87-70 victory in the opening round on Friday. They continued their winning streak with another victory two days later, earning a matchup against fifth-seeded Houston on Thursday.
The Wildcats and Cougars are set to compete in San Antonio at 6:59 p.m. Arizona time, airing on TBS.
Arizona won two games to remain in the season, but their performance against the spread in the NCAA Tournament was still disappointing. The Wildcats went 0-2 ATS over the weekend, making their record 12-15 in their last 11 tournaments.
Arizona’s chances of winning the national title have decreased.
Tommy Lloyd’s team has fallen to third place on the March Madness odds boards in Arizona, now trailing behind Gonzaga and Kansas.
Previously, the Wildcats were ranked lower than the Bulldogs at sportsbooks, with odds ranging from +600 to +650. However, in the span of just one week, Arizona’s odds have slightly improved while Kansas has experienced a notable increase.
According to BetMGM Arizona, the Wildcats are listed at +500 to win their first national title in 25 years, with Gonzaga (+230) and Kansas (+450) ranked higher.
The current odds at Caesars Sportsbook Arizona have Lloyd’s group at +500, putting them behind the Bulldogs (+225) and Jayhawks (+475).
DraftKings Sportsbook Arizona oddsmakers have given the Wildcats similar odds to win, with the Pac-12 champions at +550. They are trailing behind the Bulldogs (+200) and Jayhawks (+400) in the odds.
FanDuel Sportsbook in Arizona has the Wildcats listed at +600 to win the championship, tied for second place with the Jayhawks and trailing behind the Bulldogs at +240.
Analyzing How the Wildcats and Cougars Stack Up Against Each Other
Arizona is expected to win by two points in early college basketball betting against Houston on Thursday night.
The odds for Thursday’s Arizona sports betting game are the second closest of all Sweet 16 matchups, with only Duke vs. Texas Tech having narrower odds (Red Raiders are -1.5).
Kelvin Sampson’s team utilizes a deliberate, defensive-focused approach, which is different from Lloyd’s preference for a quick-paced, space-oriented offense.
The Cougars score an average of 75.8 points per game, almost nine points fewer than the Wildcats’ average of 84.6 points per game. Despite this, the Cougars also have a defensive average of 60.5 points per game, which is 14.5 points lower than the Wildcats’ average of 75.0 points allowed per game.
Houston has been dominating in their first two March Madness games, beating Illinois (68-53) and UAB (82-68), as they advance to the program’s third consecutive Sweet 16 appearance.
The Wildcats are gearing up for their most difficult postseason matchup yet against the Cougars, who made it to the Final Four just last year. The Cougars are determined to reach the Final Four for the first time in more than 20 years.
Author
Peterson Christopher has dedicated more than seven years to covering sports and sports betting in Arizona. He has held roles at ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly, and the Green Valley News. Currently, Christopher serves as the lead writer at yengols.com.
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