NCAAB: #6 Clemson vs #2 Arizona Odds, and Picks (Mar 28)

• Clemson upset 3-seed Baylor in the second round, defeating them by a score of 72-64.
• Arizona took down Dayton with relative ease, winning 78-68, and making the Sweet 16.
• These two teams last faced off on December 10, 2011, in a game that Arizona won 63-47.

The NCAA Tournament has reached the Sweet 16! Let’s take a look at this matchup between the Clemson Tigers and the Arizona Wildcats. The Tigers are seeking another upset, utilizing their experience against ranked teams. The Wildcats aim to stop them.

How to Watch

• CBS

Preview

Clemson advanced to the second weekend of the tournament following triumphant wins over New Mexico and Baylor. The Tigers stopped the red-hot Lobos in their tracks in round one, stifling them on defense en route to a 77-56 victory. After dominating New Mexico, they entered their second-round game against Baylor as 4.5-point underdogs. Clemson was hardly intimidated by the spread, leading Baylor from wire-to-wire in the win. C PJ Hall was in foul trouble in both games, limiting his overall impact.

Arizona cruised to the Sweet 16, picking up double-digit victories against mid-major opponents, Long Beach State and Dayton. They’ll face their first real test of the tournament in this round, against a potentially underseeded Clemson team. The Wildcats enter this game favored by 6.5 points, with their balanced offensive and defensive abilities making it difficult for opponents to keep things close. They’ll be relying on North Carolina transfer Caleb Love to keep providing the bulk of their perimeter offense.

Prediction

This should be an excellent Sweet 16 matchup that could go either way. Clemson is one of just two teams seeded lower than the 5-line remaining in the tournament. They’ll aim to keep their momentum going in this game against the Pac-12’s final team in Arizona. The Wildcats will have a talent advantage in this game, and have proven they can hold up against ACC competition by beating Duke on the road in November. I don’t expect Clemson to go down easy, so Arizona may not cover, but they should win.

NCAAB Picks:

• Arizona 80, Clemson 74 (CLEM +6.5)