Arizona has opened as a 13.5-point favorite over Akron in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday in Seattle per the FanDuel Sportsbook. Laying Arizona with points is -120 and taking Akron and the points is -102. Arizona is -1250 on the money line and Akron is +740. The over/under is 166.5.
Arizona is 18-16 versus the spread this season and Akron is 16-16. The Wildcats are 14-11 as a favorite and the Zips are 3-3 as an underdog. Both teams will have five days off in between playing their conference title games on Saturday and the NCAA Tournament first round on Friday.
Arizona is 6-6 versus the spread with four days or more off. Akron is 4-3 against the spread with four or more days off. Arizona is 7-4 this season versus the spread coming off of a loss. Houston beat Arizona in the Big XII Tournament Championship Game on Saturday night in Kansas City.
Akron is 14-12 this season against the point spread after a win. Akron had to rally in the Mid American Conference Tournament Championship Game to beat Miami (Ohio) 76-74. The Zips enter the NCAA on a seven game winning streak and with victories in 23 of its last 24 games.
Arizona has covered in three of their seven neutral site games this season. Akron is 3-3 against the spread at a neutral site. Neither Akron or Arizona have played at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. Akron played at St. Mary's in November which gave their staff an opportunity to know how to have their team adjust to the three hour time change.
Akron and Arizona are both incredibly high-scoring teams. Akron is eighth nationally averaging 84.6 points per game and Arizona is 22nd posting 81.7 PPG. Nineteen Arizona and Akron games each exceeded the over this season. Eight of 12 Arizona games and five out of seven for Akron have gone over with four or more days or rest.
Five out of the seven games Arizona has played at a neutral site have gone over and three out of six for Akron have. Alabama versus Robert Morris which has an over/under of 165.5 is the only game close to having the total that Akron and Arizona have. The betting odds could evolve throughout the week and bets are placed.