In the final game to determine this weekend’s Elite Eight matchups, No. 3 seed Creighton will face No. 2 in a Midwest Region matchup in Detroit on Friday night (10:09 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV). They will face seeded Tennessee.
This is one of two games on my betting card for the night.
Creighton vs. Tennessee odds
| team | spread | money line | total |
|---|---|---|---|
| clayton | +2.5 (-108) | +120 | o144,5 (-105) |
| tennessee | -2.5 (-112) | -144 | u144.5 (-115) |
Creighton vs. Tennessee Analysis
Creighton runs a drop coverage defense that overplays perimeter ball handlers and wing shooters, concentrating everything at the rim.
The Blue Jays have one of the best drop-cover defenses in the country, as they have a great rim protector in Ryan Kalkbrenner.
But you overcame that drop with an on-ball mid-range shot. Dalton Knecht is one of the best mid-range shooters.
He ranks in the 90th percentile of DI players in midrange efficiency and has done well against drop coverage defenses this season, totaling 57 points in two games against South Carolina, 25 points against Alabama, and 39 points against Florida. Dropped.
Knecht will be essential to Tennessee’s offense defeating Creighton’s defense.
However, Volante’s defense should be able to hold up well against the Blue Jays’ offense.
Creighton runs a motion-based inside-out offense, relying heavily on Kalkbrenner’s post buckets and secondary 3-pointers from Baylor Scheierman, Trey Alexander and Stephen Ashworth.
However, Rick Barnes’ defense is dominant at the rim, excellent in gaps, and solid at shutting down shooters.
In other words, the Vols can stop anything the Jays want to do.
For example, Creighton ranks second nationally in 3 points per rim and possession, while Tennessee ranks fourth in 3 points per rim and possession.
Do you want to bet on March Madness 2024?
Creighton vs. Tennessee picks
The Blue Jays are physically soft. They kept Oregon in the game without help from N’Faly Dante and Jermaine Quinard during the second round.
With this, they won’t be able to play against Tennessee, which has almost the same physicality as Houston.
Knecht will score, the defense will perform, and Volante will surely advance to the Elite 8.
Pick: Tennessee -2.5 (-109, Bet Rivers)
