FAU vs Memphis Odds, Picks, and Predictions (March 17)

Published: March 16, 2023 at 1:45 pm EDT

Mar 10, 2023; Frisco, TX, USA; Florida Atlantic Owls center Vladislav Goldin (50) dunks the ball against Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders forward Deandre Dishman (2) during the first half at Ford Center at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports

No. 9 Florida Atlantic faces No. 8 Memphis in the Round of 64
The Tigers are 2-point favorites on Friday, March 17
Read below for the latest FAU vs. Memphis odds, predictions, and betting splits

Friday night features two conference-tournament champions in an intriguing 8/9 matchup between the Memphis Tigers (26-8 SU, 17-16-1 ATS) and the Florida Atlantic Owls (31-3 SU, 21-10-1 ATS). These two teams play in the East Region of the March Madness bracket. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:20 pm ET.

Memphis enters March Madness as one of the hottest teams in college basketball. Fresh off an American Athletic Conference Tournament Championship, they have now won nine of their last 11 games including beating No. 1 seed Houston in the AAC title game. The Owls are not unknown to winning streaks, however, as they have won ten of their last 11. FAU is tied for first in the nation in wins this season with 31.

FAU vs. Memphis Odds

Team	Spread	Moneyline	Total
Florida Atlantic Owls	+2 (-110)	+115	O 153 (-110)
Memphis Tigers	-2 (-110)	-135	U 153 (-110)

This 8/9 matchup should be a close one, as Memphis is favored by just two points. Memphis is just 11-14-1 against the spread as a favorite this season, and FAU is 3-2 against the spread as an underdog. A lot of points are also expected Friday night as the total is set at 153 points.

Odds as of March 16 at DraftKings Sportsbook. See the best March Madness betting apps.

Memphis vs Florida Atlantic Betting Splits

From a spread betting perspective, the tickets heavily favor Memphis. 72% of the bets are on Memphis -2, however, just 48% of the handle is on the Tigers. Reversely, only 28% of the bets are on FAU +2 with 52% of the handle backing the Owls as of Thursday morning. 74% of the bets are also on Memphis moneyline.

Looking at the total, 38% of the over/under bets are on the over. 80% of that handle believes more than 153 points will be scored in this one.

FAU vs Memphis Betting Trends

Both of these teams like to score which is why bettors are seeing the total in the 150s. FAU averages 78.8 points per game, while Memphis averages 79.8. The Owls do have an advantage in points given up, as they allow 65.1 points per game, as opposed to Memphis’s 71.9 points per game allowed.

These teams get their points in completely opposite ways, however. Memphis scores primarily by staying inside the arc, while FAU shoots over 26 three-pointers per game. The Owls also rank twelfth in college basketball with 9.7 three-pointers made per game. FAU also has a strong two-point defense, as they hold their opponents to 44.8% from inside the arc.

Despite both teams scoring almost 80 points per game, the under is 3-0 in FAU’s last three games, which were all neutral site games.

Memphis and its opponents have combined to hit over 153 points 16 times this season, while Florida Atlantic has only been a part of eight games with a combined score higher than 153.

Memphis has also won 18 of their last 20 games against Conference USA opponents.

The Tigers rank 159th in the country in offensive rebounds per game with 8.6. The Owls on the other hand rank twelfth in defensive rebounds per game with 26.1.

Florida Atlantic vs Memphis Prediction

This game should come down to the wire as the spread indicates. Memphis is riding high off their win against Houston, but Florida Atlantic does not seem to be getting enough love for being a 30+ win team. The Tigers will be their most talented opponent yet, but the Owls have the talent and size to stay in this one.

A flaw for Memphis has been their offensive rebounding, and that will show in March. FAU has the size advantage with Vladislav Goldin in the post. Goldin averages just under seven boards per game and will have another big game Friday night. The Tigers not being able to get extra possessions will allow the Owls to play at their pace and give them the edge in what will be an exciting March Madness matchup.

Pick: FAU +2 (-110)

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Other March Madness first-round predictions:

Zach Reger

Social Media Manager; Sports Betting Personality & Handicapper

Zach has been involved in the sports betting industry for three years. After starting to bet on sports in college, Zach was interested in how it can make any game interesting. The trends, line movement, and finding unique angles to predict the outcomes of games captivated Zach to get more involved.

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