March Madness Sweet 16 Thursday Night Picks: Will Acuff Continue to Dominate?
By Daniel Destler in College Basketball
Published:
We’ve been spoiled with the nonstop thrill of March Madness, and after what felt like the longest three days without college basketball, the Sweet 16 is finally here. The matchups are loaded with high-stakes action, big scoring potential, and plenty of opportunities for DFS players to find an edge.
With so many games set to be fast-paced and high-scoring, it’s shaping up to be an exciting day of hoops. I have three PrizePicks plays that I have fallen in love with.
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My Picks for Thursday Night of the Sweet 16
Darius Acuff (Arkansas) higher than 24.5 points vs Arizona
Darius Acuff Jr of Arkansas presents an intriguing over play with his 24.5-point line against Arizona. Acuff is a prolific scorer, averaging 23.3 points per game, which ranks him fourth nationally, and he has demonstrated the ability to exceed expectations in tournament play. In Arkansas’s previous matchup against High Point, Acuff scored 36 points, showing he can take over games when necessary.
This game also has a high total relative to other Sweet 16 matchups, which signals the potential for a high-scoring affair. If Arkansas wants to advance, Acuff will likely need to exceed his current 24.5-point line, making the over a strong DFS target. His combination of volume scoring and efficiency in critical games provides both floor and ceiling, giving DFS players a high-upside option to anchor their lineups.
Braden Smith (Purdue) higher than 8.5 assists vs Texas
One of my top options is Braden Smith of Purdue, who is lined up for over 8.5 assists against Texas. Smith has proven to be one of the best distributors in college basketball, recently becoming the NCAA’s all-time assist leader, passing Duke legend Bobby Hurley with his 1,077th assist. This milestone underscores his consistency and court vision, making him a reliable target for DFS pick’em contests.
He ranks second in the country, averaging nine assists per game, which makes the 8.5-assist line very attainable. Beyond passing, Smith also contributes as a scorer, and maintaining this dual-threat role is crucial if Purdue hopes to advance in the tournament. If he continues to orchestrate the offense efficiently, hitting this assists line should be well within reach.
Texas enters this matchup with a somewhat mediocre defense, ranking 253rd in Division I in 3-point percentage allowed. On the other hand, Purdue boasts an elite 3-point attack, sitting 8th in 3P% while taking over 40% of their field goal attempts from beyond the arc. That said, the matchup isn’t quite as one-sided as it looks. Texas does a solid job limiting opponent attempts from deep, allowing only 33.1% of shots from three, which ranks 20th-best in Division I.
Pyrce Sandfort (NEB) higher than 16.5 points vs Iowa
Another player to consider is Pyrce Sandfort from Nebraska, who has a line of 16.5 points against Iowa. I like Sandfort here to show up in a big way against his former team that he spent two seasons at. Looking at prior matchups this season, Sandfort scored 13 and 15 points in his two games versus Iowa, I am not worried that he will exceed these numbers in the biggest game of his career. Look for Sandfort to do what he does best at the three-point line, as he ranks 5th in the country in 3-pointers made this season at 3.6 per game.
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Danny Destler is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A graduate of Marist University, Dan covers a wide range of sports topics, creating engaging and evergreen content for DFS enthusiasts and casual fans.
