2024 Men's NCAA Tournament: Best bets for Thursday's Sweet 16 games

Mar 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) and guard KJ Lewis (5) celebrate against the Southern California Trojans in the second half at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The NCAA Men’s Tournament returns with Sweet 16 matchups featuring top-seeded UConn against San Diego State and No. 1-seeded North Carolina against Alabama on Thursday.

No. 2-seed Arizona will face No. 6-seed Clemson in the opening game of the evening, while No. 2-seed Iowa State will conclude the action against No. 3-seed Illinois, with the results starting to shape the Elite Eight.

Here are the best bets for Thursday’s Men’s Sweet 16 games, according to BetMGM.

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NCAA Tournament 2024: Sweet 16 odds, betting lines, spreads for every men’s game

Men’s Sweet 16 Thursday’s Best Bets

Clemson vs. Arizona: Jaden Bradley over 7.5 Points

During the NCAA Tournament, Jaden Bradley scored eight points against Long Beach State University and 12 points against Dayton in a 78-68 win. Despite Bradley’s average of 6.7 points this season, he has been over performing in the March Madness tournament.

North Carolina vs. Alabama: Over 173.5

Alabama scored 109 points in their first-round win against Charleston and 72 points in their second-round victory against Grand Canyon. UNC has also scored 80 points in both of their first two tournament games. Therefore, a high total is expected for this Sweet 16 matchup, making it a solid bet.

UConn vs. San Diego State: Donovan Clingan Over 1.5 blocks

Donovan Clingan has been averaging 2.2 blocks per game this season, and in the second round 75-58 win against Northwestern, he impressively made eight blocks. With a bid to the Elite Eight on the line, Clingan is expected to bring out the same energy from the second-round game, making 1.5 blocks a good bet in the UConn-San Diego State matchup.

Illinois vs. Iowa State: Illinois +1.5

Iowa State has a strong defense going into the Sweet 16 matchup. However, Illinois has demonstrated their determination and fighting spirit, making them a superior rebounding team both on offense and defense. Additionally, Illinois is a confident team when it comes to shooting from behind the 3-point line, which makes them a significant threat to the Cyclones. BetMGM lists picking Illinois +1.5 as the best bet in this Sweet 16 game.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2024 Men’s NCAA Tournament: Best bets for Thursday’s Sweet 16 games