LIU vs Arizona Expert Picks, Odds and How to Watch

• No. 1 seed Arizona is a massive 30.5 point favorite over No. 16 LIU in West Region action
• The Wildcats defense held opponents to the third lowest effective field goal percentage in the nation
• See below for the full breakdown of my LIU vs Arizona expert picks, plus the odds and how to watch

Day 2 of the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 64 is upon us, with the Arizona Wildcats (32-2 overall, 7-0 neutral) facing the LIU Sharks (24-10 overall, 0-0 neutral) this afternoon in the West Region’s #1 vs #16 showdown.

Arizona enters March Madness fresh off a dominant Big 12 Tournament Title, and are getting a ton of respect from online sportsbooks. They’ve pegged the Wildcats as a 30.5-point favorite over LIU, which is tied for the largest 1st Round spread in the college basketball odds.

That number is a little rich for my blood, but I do think there are ways to profitably back Arizona. Keep reading for my best LIU vs Arizona expert picks, plus the complete set of odds and how to watch this 1st Round matchup.

LIU vs Arizona Expert Picks

• Arizona 1st Half Spread -17.5 (-120 at FanDuel)
• Under 150.5 (–105 at FanDuel)

Instead of sweating out a 30-plus point full-game spread where a late backdoor cover by the underdog is always in play, my expert picks are starting with Arizona to build margin early. I am comfortably laying 17.5 points with Arizona, as their combination of prolific offense and stout defense will overwhelm the Sharks. The Wildcats average over 86 points per game led by March Madness Most-Outstanding Player contender Jaden Bradley, while holding enemy shooters to the third lowest effective field goal percentage in the nation.

On paper, this is a gigantic mismatch. Arizona boasts the third best RPI ranking after surviving a grueling Big 12 gauntlet, posting a 10-2 straight-up record against Top 25 opponents. Conversely, LIU sits at No. 127 in the RPI rankings and went an abysmal 0-3 against top-100 programs this year. LIU simply has not seen the size, speed, or defensive intensity that Tommy Lloyd’s starting rotation brings. Expect LIU to suffer from early tournament jitters, allowing Arizona to build a massive lead before the break.

I’m also looking to target the total, betting Under 150.5. Once Arizona builds its inevitable lead, expect the offensive pace to fall off a cliff as they empty the bench and protect their starters for the next round.

In addition to betting both Arizona’s 1st half spread and the game-total under, I’ll also be combining them into a same-game parlay. That will pay +278 if it hits, which offers a much bigger pay day for those bettors who are happy to take on a bit more risk.

LIU vs Arizona Odds

Odds as of March 18, 2026. New Customers can claim the FanDuel Promo Code to bet on the NCAA Tournament.

As of Wednesday afternoon, FanDuel has the best available odds on both my LIU vs Arizona expert picks. They’re also offering the shortest odds on the Wildcats to cover the full game -30.5 number at -110 odds.

If you want to get wild and back the Sharks to become just the third No. 16 seed to ever knock off a No. 1, FanDuel is also the place to bet. Their +8000 odds on an LIU upset is by far the best price in market, as some other sportsbooks are only offering a +5000 pay day.

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How to Watch LIU vs Arizona

Tip-off for this West Region contest is scheduled for 1:35 pm ET today from the Viejas Arena in San Diego. TNT will provide the broadcast coverage nationwide, with Kevin Harlan on the call, and Robbie Hummel and Stan Van Gundy providing colour commentary.

The winner of this matchup will face the winner of the No. 8 Villanova vs No. 9 Utah State contest in the 2nd Round of the printable March Madness bracket, with a spot in the Sweet Sixteen on the line.