Missouri vs Oklahoma Odds and Picks
- The Missouri Tigers battle the Oklahoma Sooners in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday (7:25pm ET)
- Both teams struggled to reach the finish line but did enough early in the year to qualify
- See the odds, spread, analysis, and best bet, below
All eyes will be on Lucas Oil Stadium Equality on Saturday night when the Missouri Tigers (16-9, 8-8 SEC) face the Oklahoma Sooners (15-10, 9-8 Big 12) in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:25pm ET and will be televised on TNT.
The two teams have played seven times since 2009 with Missouri winning four of the meetings. The Sooners took the last one 77-66 back in 2019. This time around, the current odds show Missouri vs Oklahoma as a virtual pick’em.
Missouri vs Oklahoma Odds
| Team | Spread at DraftKings | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri Tigers | -0.5 (-107) | -107 | U 140 (-108) |
| Oklahoma Sooners | +0.5 (-113) | -112 | O 140 (-112) |
Odds as of March 16th.
Missouri has had a rough March so far but that is to be expected when a team plays three of four games against other tournament teams. They looked good in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals against Arkansas but were eventually overtaken 70-64 by the Razorbacks.
Oklahoma is limping into this one after losing five of its last six including a 69-62 loss to Kansas last time out.
Who is Missouri?
The Missouri Tigers were a tough team to get a read on all season long. At times they looked great as they were one of only two SEC teams to beat the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Then, at other times, they played flat an uninspired, like in the late-season loss to the lowly Georgia Bulldogs. Still, they avenged the loss to Georgia in the SEC Tournament and gave the Arkansas Razorbacks all they could handle in the quarterfinal round.
Parker cuts the deficit to 5 with a 3-pointer
Arkansas 63, Mizzou 58
2:18 left. pic.twitter.com/8YyQag6lUP
— Mizzou Hoops (@MizzouHoops) March 13, 2021
Even though the Tigers failed to cover the 5.5-point spread, this game was much closer than the final score indicated. The Tigers took a narrow 33-32 lead into the locker rooms at halftime and looked to be the better team. Bad free-throw shooting once again reared its ugly head as Missouri failed to hit 70% missing seven of their 21 attempts. It’s been a problem area all season as they rank 222nd in the nation in the metric.
Is Oklahoma a Sinking Ship?
Since February 1st, the Oklahoma Sooners have played 10 games and lost six of them. As a result, it’s fair to question their legitimacy in the field of this tournament. At first glance they obviously seem like a sinking ship but a closer examination of their schedule may say otherwise.
Only one of their six losses since the beginning of February was to a team that didn’t qualify for this tournament. Their last one was to the third-seeded Kansas Jayhawks.
Yessirrrrrrr Brady!
📺 ESPN | https://t.co/y0DgF6gYU1 pic.twitter.com/c2DlsXl2MB
— Oklahoma Basketball (@OU_MBBall) March 12, 2021
This game was seemingly over before it started as Kansas flew out to a 35-15 lead at the end of the first half. It was the second game in a row the Sooners were down double digits at the half against a ranked opponent. Both times they clawed back to make it a game but ultimately fell short in each opportunity.
On Wednesday, head coach Lon Kruger announced that second-leading scorer De’Vion Harmon would miss the first two rounds due to COVID protocol. The sophomore is averaging 12.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.
Coach Kruger announced in his pre-NCAA Tournament press conference that sophomore guard De’Vion Harmon will not be available this weekend due to COVID protocols.
— Oklahoma Basketball (@OU_MBBall) March 17, 2021
The spread moved almost immediately from Oklahoma -2 to a pick.
Best Betting Angle
Oklahoma’s recent form definitely sticks out like a sore thumb but it’s hard to ignore their skins on the wall. This season they’ve beaten Kansas, Texas, Alabama and West Virginia (twice). Also, it’s not like they are getting blown out as they have been “in” each of their six most recent losses.
This figures to be a close drag it out type of game that will be decided late. In games like this, it’s important to back the better free-throw shooting team as late-game situations almost always come down to which team is better at the charity stripe.
The Sooners are the 64th-best free-throw shooting team in the nation and that could be the reason why they advance on Saturday night.
The pick: Oklahoma ML (-112)
John has spent the past 20+ years betting sports on a daily basis and is considered by many to be a walking sports betting encyclopedia. From obscure player props to sides and totals, if there is an angle, John will find it.
