FAU vs Kansas State Odds, Lines & Picks – Wildcats Favored in 2023 Elite Eight
- The Florida Atlantic Owls take on the Kansas State Wildcats in the Elite Eight on Saturday, March 25th
- The Wildcats opened as slight 2-point favorites over the Owls
- Check out the FAU vs Kansas State odds and predictions
After emerging victorious in a blow for blow, overtime slugfest against Michigan State, the No. 3 Kansas State Wildcats (26-9, 23-11-1 ATS) get set for a date with No. 9 Florida Atlantic (34-3, 23-11-1 ATS), who stunned the Tennessee Volunteers as the East region continues to wreak havoc on March Madness brackets.
On Saturday, March 25th, these two teams meet up at the mecca of basketball, Madison Square Garden with a berth in the Final Four on the line. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 pm ET and will be broadcast on TBS.
Florida Atlantic vs Tennessee Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Atlantic Owls | +2 (-110) | +110 | O 145 (-110) |
| Kansas State Wildcats | -2 (-110) | -130 | U 145 (-110) |
It’s a very narrow 2-point spread favoring Kansas State when these teams hook up on Saturday evening. The Wildcats have a .743 win percentage this season, but that mark seems to be something the Owls will embrace.
Florida Atlantic are 11-3-1 ATS in their last 14 games versus teams with a winning percentage above .600. Both teams have terrific ATS marks recently, with the Wildcats 7-2 ATS in their last nine, while the Owls are 7-3 ATS in their last 10.
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Odds as of March 24th at DraftKings Sportsbook. Get all of the best March Madness betting promos.
FAU Shock Tennessee
When this tournament began, 9th seeded Florida Atlantic were nowhere to be seen in the odds to win March Madness. Well, those odds keep getting shorter and shorter. Only Princeton had longer odds entering the Sweet 16, but after stunning Tennessee in the Elite Eight, the Owls are commanding everyone’s respect.
The Florida Atlantic Owls are the 4th team since the field expanded in 1985 to reach the Elite 8 after entering the year with no NCAA Tournament wins. pic.twitter.com/4FqXpYJzbG
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 24, 2023
Down six points with just over eight minutes remaining in the 2nd half, FAU took over against the Volunteers and didn’t look back. The Owls went on an 18-2 run over the next six minutes and never relinquished the lead the rest of the way.
No team in college basketball has won more games than the Owls this season who now have 34 victories, including 10 in a row. The Owls seem to embrace playing tough competition, owning an 8-1 record straight up when battling teams who are positioned in the top 100 of KenPom’s overall adjusted efficiency.
Kansas State in New York State of Mind
What a story the Wildcats are writing in New York City. A kid from Harlem put in a tour de force performance for Kansas State against Michigan in the Sweet 16 at Madison Square Garden, leading his team to the Elite Eight.
Standing only 5’8, Kansas State guard Markquis Nowell played bigger than anybody else on the floor. Dealing with an ankle sprain he sustained in the 2nd half, Nowell still managed to dish out an NCAA tournament record, 19 assists, and iced the game with his fifth steal and a lay in capping off a 20 point performance in his home city.
Of course it’s Markquis Nowell to Keyontae Johnson on an alley oop to tie the March Madness assist record. Iconic as it’s ever been pic.twitter.com/JWnPUyIo8G
— Sully Engels (@sullyengels) March 24, 2023
Expect their Final Four odds to continue to shorten as they are favorites in this one to advance to the tournament semifinals for the first time since 1964.
Only one Wildcats player put up more buckets than Nowell against the Spartans, and that was Keyontae Johnson, who has a fairy tale story of his own.
In December of 2020, Johnson collapsed on the court during a game while at Florida and put in a medically induced coma. He came out of it, but didn’t play basketball again until this season at Kansas State. Now, him and his teammates are one win away from the Final Four.
Needless to say, there’s going to be a lot of people at the Garden rooting for this Wildcats team that has pulled at a neutral fan’s heartstrings in many different ways.
Florida Atlantic vs Kansas State Prediction
Contrary to their seedings, the analytics would have you believe in a Florida Atlantic victory. According to KenPom, they are the 17th ranked team in the nation in overall adjusted efficiency, while Kansas State currently rank 21st in the country.
FAU vs Kansas State Head-to-Head Stats*
| 79.3 (26th) | Points/Game | 75.8 (83rd) |
| 65.7 (60th) | Points Allowed/Game | 68.7 (137th) |
| 47.2 (41st) | FG% | 45.4 (142nd) |
| 37.8 (22nd) | 3PT% | 34.5 (169th) |
*Stats Prior To Sweet 16 Matchups*
Nevertheless, we think this will be FAU’s swan song. Kansas State is coming off wins over a couple of college basketball’s blue bloods, and have the feel of a squad destined for greater things before this competition is done.
Unlike Tennessee, they can score the ball with the best of them, pouring in at least 75 points in five of their last six games. It won’t be a walkover, but we’re going to stick with the higher seed and chalk in the college basketball odds to travel to Houston next week.
Pick: Florida Atlantic Owls Moneyline (+195)
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March Madness Elite Eight articles:
George has had a lifelong love affair with sports and studying sports statistics since he was a kid. He graduated from Ryerson University with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and has worked in the sports & media industry ever since in various roles from writer to producer.
