Sweet 16 betting preview: Friday's games
After an upset-filled Thursday in the first set of Sweet 16 games, the stage shifts to a more traditional-looking bracket for Friday.
While five of Thursday's eight teams held a No. 7 ranking or higher, Friday's games only feature Syracuse (No. 11) ranked below five.
Here's how the betting board looks for the second half of the field.
Clemson vs. Kansas (-4)
Clemson comes into Friday's contest after demolishing Auburn in the Round of 32. The Tigers hit the 70-point mark before Auburn reached 30 in an incredible showing. Unfortunately, all that result has done is lower the spread in this contest against Kansas, making it very attractive to backers of the Jayhawks.
Kansas is 5-1 against the spread in its last six games versus the ACC, while Clemson is 0-4 ATS in its previous four contests against Big 12 opposition. That trend, combined with the experience of Bill Self and the Jayhawks, makes this a very attractive bout for Kansas bettors. Kansas 72, Clemson 62
West Virginia vs. Villanova (-5)
This blockbuster contest is arguably the best in the Sweet 16 and will be heavily decided on the turnover battle. Villanova is exceptional at protecting the ball, ranking 13th in the country with only 10.4 turnovers per game, while West Virginia thrives on taking possession away, sitting 10th nationally with 16.53 turnovers forced per game.
The good news for the Wildcats is Jalen Brunson is among the best players in the country at protecting the ball, sporting a 2.71 assist-to-turnover ratio. He's going to have the nation's steals leader, Jevon Carter, all over him from the opening tip, but we like the Villanova star to figure out the Mountaineers' press. Villanova 68, West Virginia 60
Syracuse vs. Duke (-11)
Syracuse is once again making an improbable March Madness run thanks to suffocating defense and timely shot-making. The Orange smothered Michigan State in the Round of 32, holding the third-ranked Spartans to just 25.8 percent shooting from the field. It's a good thing the defense is on point, though, because Syracuse's offense is among the worst in the tournament field.
That's a problem against an explosive team like Duke, as the Blue Devils roster features five players that can easily carry the load. The teams met in Durham this year, and while Syracuse held Duke to its lowest scoring total of the season, the Blue Devils still emerged with a 16-point win. Expect more of the same on Friday. Duke 68, Syracuse 50
Texas Tech (+1.5) vs. Purdue
Despite losing star center Isaac Haas to a fractured elbow for the remainder of the tournament, Purdue was able to avoid upset against Butler, using a balanced scoring attack in the victory, with Vince Edwards leading the way with 20 points. That will be needed once again against a feisty Texas Tech outfit.
The Red Raiders will have the advantage on the glass without Haas in the lineup and should benefit from a number of second-chance opportunities. Purdue must shoot well from beyond the arc to stay in this one, and that will be tricky against Ken Pomeroy's fourth-best defense in the country. Texas Tech 68, Purdue 63
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