Tennessee vs Creighton betting odds, predictions, pick and promos

In the final matchup of this round of games, 2nd-seeded Tennessee will face off against 3rd-seeded Creighton fighting for the final seed in the Elite 8.

Expect this matchup to live up to the hype as it is the smallest spread in this round. These teams will be fighting to represent the Midwest region of the bracket. With both teams having legitimate title aspirations, they will face off in Detroit, Michigan to see which team is forced to end their season. 

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Tennessee (2) vs Creighton (3) preview

Creighton enters this matchup with a 25-9 record on the year and has gone 14-6 in Big East play. They opened up the tournament with a 77-60 victory over Akron and defeated Oregon 86-73 in double overtime in the round of 32. This matchup with Tennessee will be a significant step up in the level of competition, but Creighton is a veteran group that has got the job done thus far.

Last year’s Bluejays squad was able to make it past this round before falling to San Diego State in the Elite Eight. 63% of the minutes played and 64.8% of the scoring production from last year’s team have returned and are making an impact again this year. 

At the forefront of this is senior guard Baylor Scheierman. The 6-foot-6 guard has averaged 18.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game this season. Trey Alexander is his dynamic backcourt partner and has produced 17.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists this year. 7-foot center Ryan Kalkbrenner provides balance at the big man position averaging 17.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game. Steven Ashworth also adds 11.0 points per game of his own. 

As a team, Creighton produced 80.6 points per game which is the 31st-best rate in the country. They also rank 18th in offensive rating, are the 51st-best rebounding team, and tally the 17th-most assists per game. They also shoot 48.5% from the field which is the 20th-best rate and connect on 36.6% of their three-point attempts. This is the 36th-best three-point rate of all Division 1 teams which is especially impressive considering they attempt the 9th-most at 29.3 per game.

Defensively, they allow 69.5 points per game which is the 100th-best rate, and rank 91st in defensive rating. The Bluejays also allow the fewest free-throw attempts per game while holding opponents to just 41.8% shooting from the field and 31.7% from beyond the three-point arc. Each of these numbers ranks in the top 67 in the country. 

Creighton finished the season ranked 11th in the AP Poll and in the NET Rankings. They had the 33rd most difficult strength of schedule this season but had some concerning losses. The Bluejays went 8-5 in Quad 1 matchups, 8-4 against Quad 2 opponents, and 9-0 when facing Quad 3 and 4 teams. Their most impressive victories were over Alabama, Marquette, Seton Hall, and UConn. However, they also suffered losses to Villanova, UNLV, Butler, and Providence. 

Tennessee is a worthy opponent entering with a 26-8 record on the season which includes going 14-4 in SEC play. They defeated Saint Peters 83-49 in the opening round but narrowly beat Texas 62-58 in the round of 32. Tennessee was unable to make it past the round of 32 last year, suffering a loss to Florida Atlantic. With 58.2% of the minutes played and 56.2% of the scoring production having returned from last year, the Volunteers are an experienced group loaded with talent. 

Their most notable addition has been Northern Colorado transfer Dalton Knecht. The 6-foot-6 guard has flourished after leaping up in talent level and has averaged 21.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and shot 39.1% on three-point attempts while launching 6.3 long-range attempts per game. Jonas Aidoo and Zakai Zeigler each also average in double-figures.

Zeigler is the primary point guard for the team and is responsible for running the offense for the Volunteers. On the season he has averaged 11.7 points, 6.0 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game despite standing just 5-foot-9. 

As a team, Tennessee ranks 51st in scoring by producing 79.1 points per game. They also are 53rd in offensive rating, tally the 34th-most rebounds, the 20th-most assists, and block the 38th-most shots per game. Defensively, they allow just 67.0 points per game, which is the 48th-best rate in the country, and are 10th in defensive rating. The Volunteers have gone through the 14th most difficult strength of schedule this season.

They went 9-7 against Quad 1 opponents, and a combined 17-1 in Quad 2,3, and 4 matchups. Their most impressive victories came over Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, and Illinois. Tennessee finished the year ranked 6th in the AP Poll and 7th in the NET Rankings.

Tennessee vs Creighton odds

Below are the odds for this matchup, courtesy of BetRivers Sportsbook. 

• Spread: Tennessee -2.5 at -114 odds, Creighton +2.5 at -106 odds
• Moneyline: Tennessee -150, Creighton +123
• Total: Over/Under 144 Points

Tennessee vs Creighton analysis

If the brackets had aligned differently, this could very well be a Final Four matchup. While neither of these teams may have the number of NBA prospects or top-end talent of some other remaining teams, they are experienced, well-coached, and have every characteristic you look for in a team capable of winning it all. This also will be the first matchup between these two programs since 1937. 

Both of these teams had no trouble in the opening round and then showed some concerns in their second game. However, the cracks in the foundation seem far more significant in Creighton. The Oregon Ducks had the Bluejays on the ropes last round and looked as if they were going to finish the job during a significant portion of the final minutes of both regulation and the first overtime period. Oregon’s N’Faly Dante was especially impressive, making his impact felt inside, tallying 28 points and 20 rebounds. While Tennessee does not possess as commanding of a physical presence, these rebounds had a great deal to do with Kalkbrenner not being able to assert himself enough which must be fixed internally. 

Dalton Knecht is also coming off a poor shooting performance in which he shot just 1-8 on three-point attempts and 5-18 from the field overall. The SEC Player of the Year still managed to produce 18 points and 9 rebounds, but his history would suggest don’t expect these types of shooting struggles to occur again. Tennessee also shot just 3-25 (12%) as a team from beyond the arc which should not be expected to occur again.

Tennessee vs Creighton pick

Expect this to be a competitive game with neither side able to separate themselves throughout most of the matchup. This will be a defensive-oriented matchup as each side is careful with their possessions and makes their opponents work for every shot. The under has hit in 8 of Tennessee's last 10 games and this trend should be expected to continue. 

Both teams will begin with a measured attack with neither getting much going offensively early on. Expect things to open up in the second half, but for Tennessee to have an offensive gear that Creighton cannot reach. Don’t expect the game to ever be completely out of reach but for Tennessee to do enough to cover the -2.5 spread and for the number to remain under the 144-point total. 

• Tennessee spread at -2.5 (-114 odds)
• Under 144 points

Tennessee vs Creighton game info

• Who: Tennessee (2) vs Creighton (3)
• Date: Friday, March 29th
• Time: 10:09 PM EST
• Venue: Little Caesars Arena (Detroit, Michigan)
• Where to watch: TBS/TruTV

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