Tennessee forward Uros Plavsic (left), forward Olivier Nkamhoua (13) and the Vols will face Florida Atlantic in the Sweet 16 on Thursday in Madison Square Garden.
The 2023 NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 continues Thursday night as New York's Madison Square Garden will host the nightcap of the East Region semifinals: No. 9 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 4 Tennessee.
The Owls (33-3) are making their first-ever appearance in a regional semifinal after winning the program’s first and second NCAA Tournament games this past weekend.
The Volunteers (25-10) will play in their ninth Sweet 16 in program history.
Tennessee opened as 5-point favorites against upstart FAU.
FrontPageBets takes a look at this Sweet 16 matchup.
Florida Atlantic: Road to Sweet 16
FAU’s road to the region semifinals wasn’t easy, but it could have been a lot harder if it wasn’t for No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson making history by knocking off the East’s No. 1 seed Purdue in the first round.
Still, the Owls beat a game 8th-seeded Memphis squad in Columbus, Ohio, during the first round Friday, and followed that up with a 78-70 win over the Cinderella FDU Knights on Sunday in just their second NCAA Tournament appearance.
FAU can score in bunches, pushing the basketball and taking shots. The Owls average 78.4 points per game, which is good for 32nd in all of Division I. They’ve won 12 out of their last 13 games, including nine in a row.
Sophomore guard Johnell Davis made history in the Owls’ win over FDU, scoring 29 points, grabbing a career-high 12 rebounds, while dishing out 5 assists and recording 5 steals. He’s the first player to record more than 25 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals in a NCAA Tournament game.
Tennessee: Road to Sweet 16
After holding off scrappy 13th-seeded Louisiana, 58-55, in the first round, Tennessee took care of No. 5 Duke, 65-52, in the second round Saturday from Orlando, Fla.
The Vols have reached at least 25 wins in four seasons under head coach Rick Barnes. No other UT men’s coach has more than two 25-win seasons.
The Vols have the No. 3 scoring defense in Division I, giving up an average of just 57.8 points per game. They lead the nation in 3-point defense (.264) and are third in field goal defense (.372). According to KenPom.com, Tennessee leads the country in defensive efficiency, giving up 87 points per 100 possessions.
Offensively, senior forward Olivier Nkamhoua tied a career high against Duke, scoring 27 points, making 10 of 13 from the floor.
Tennessee is just 1-7 all-time in Sweet 16 games; its only victory was in 2010 against Ohio State.
This game will also have a little sibling rivalry, as both school’s athletic directors – Danny White for Tennessee and Brian White for FAU – are brothers.
No. 9 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 4 Tennessee
(All odds courtesy of DraftKings and are subject to change)
When: 8:45 p.m. (approx.); New York
TV: TBS
Spread: Tennessee -5 (-110); Florida Atlantic +5 (-110)
Money line: Tennessee -240; Florida Atlantic +200
O/U: 131.5 (-110)
The pick: Tennessee, 60-50
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Mike Szvetitz is the General Manager and Content Director for FrontPageBets.com. Szvetitz is a 23-year veteran reporter and editor, including serving 17 years as a sports editor in Florida, Alabama and Virginia, covering everything from preps to pros. His "View From The Lazy Boy" column won multiple state and national awards. He can be reached at mszvetitz@timesdispatch.com.
