Princeton vs. Creighton prediction, odds, time: 2023 NCAA Tournament picks, Sweet 16 bets by top expert
The Creighton Bluejays can advance to the Elite Eight for just the second time in program history when they take on the Princeton Tigers in a Sweet 16 matchup on Friday at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. The last time Creighton reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament came in 1941 when the field comprised just eight teams. The Bluejays (23-12), who are the No. 6 seed in the South Region, enter Friday's game after an 85-76 victory over third-seeded Baylor. Meanwhile the No. 15 seed Tigers (23-8) are the Cinderella team of the tournament after knocking off No. 2 seed Arizona and No. 7 seed Missouri in the first two rounds of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. ET. The Bluejays are favored by 10 points in the latest Creighton vs. Princeton odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 139. Before making any Princeton vs. Creighton picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's Larry Hartstein.
A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed while working for Pro Football Focus. He also has been SportsLine's most profitable college basketball expert. In his last 182 college basketball picks, he has gone 103-78-1, which translates to a $1,725 return for $100 bettors.
Now, he has set his sights on Princeton vs. Creighton in the NCAA Tournament 2023. You can head to SportsLine to see his picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Creighton vs. Princeton:
- Creighton vs. Princeton spread: Bluejays -10
- Creighton vs. Princeton over/under: 139 points
- Creighton vs. Princeton money line: Bluejays -500, Tigers +375
- CREI: Ryan Kalkbrenner leads the country in field goal percentage (70.6).
- PRIN: The Tigers rank 11th in the country in rebound margin (6.6).
- Creighton vs. Princeton picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Creighton can cover
Creighton has a dominant big man in Ryan Kalkbrenner. A 7-foot-1, 260-pound center from Florissant, Mo., Kalkbrenner averages 15.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. He also leads the country in field goal percentage (70.6).
In addition, the Bluejays have been excellent from the free throw line all season. They shoot 78.0% from the charity stripe, which is 10th in the country. So far in the NCAA Tournament, they have made 95.1% from the free throw line, which is the best of all 68 teams.
Why Princeton can cover
Princeton has played excellent defense in the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers are giving up just 59.0 points per game during the tournament, which ranks seventh in the field. In the first round, they allowed Arizona to score just 55 points and shoot just 3-of-16 from the 3-point line.
In addition, Princeton is an excellent rebounding team. The Tigers outrebound opponents by 6.6 rebounds per game, which ranks 11th in the country. Over the first two rounds of the tournament, Princeton has outrebounded both Arizona (38-37) and Missouri (44-30).
How to make Creighton vs. Princeton picks
Hartstein has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he's leaning Over the total, he has discovered a crucial x-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back. He's sharing it only at SportsLine.
Who wins Creighton vs. Princeton? And what critical factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Princeton vs. Creighton spread you should jump on -- all from SportsLine's No. 1 college basketball expert, who is 103-78-1 in his last 182 college basketball picks.
