Sweet 16 Day One Odds (March 27)

• The Sweet 16 tips-off Saturday (March 27th), with four games starting at 2:40 pm ET
• Baylor is the biggest favorite on the board, and has moved from -6.5 to -7.5 versus Villanova
• See below for analysis on Saturday’s Sweet 16 odds 

We’re less than 24 hours away from the start of a Sweet 16 round that features some very unlikely participants. Not one, not two, not three, but four double-digit seeds remain, three of which will be in action on Saturday (March 27th), when the action gets underway at 2:40 pm ET.

Sweet 16 Odds – Saturday, March 27

Odds taken March 26th at FanDuel.

Each of the double-digit seeds are sizeable underdogs, but that’s been the story all tournament. 15-seed Oral Roberts is one of just two teams in the entire Sweet 16 that is catching 10 or more points in its matchup, and the Golden Eagles and 12-seed Oregon State Beavers both have a chance to make history this weekend.

Will a Cinderella Story Continue?

No program seeded 12th or lower has ever made the Elite 8. Oral Roberts and Oregon State can change that on Saturday, but upsetting Arkansas and Loyola Chicago will be no easy feat.

Oral Roberts is going to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1974.

The Golden Eagles are the second 15th seed to reach the Sweet 16, joining Florida Gulf Coast in 2013.

Madness. pic.twitter.com/nMcc1wrwcH

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 22, 2021

Despite the difficult matchups, bettors are not shying away from either underdog. 74 percent of the tickets and 68 percent of the money is on the Golden Eagles as 11.5-point underdogs versus the Razorbacks, while 62 percent of the tickets are on the Beavers catching 7-points against Loyola Chicago.

Making Beaver Believers, one doubter at a time. 🦫#GoBeavs x #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/KlgKSyNZO0

— Oregon State Hoops (@BeaverMBB) March 25, 2021

Oregon State has won five straight games overall, with each of its last four victories coming by 9 or more points. Oral Roberts meanwhile, will face Arkansas for the second time this season, after taking a 10-point lead into halftime back in December, before falling apart in the second half to lose by 11.

The Biggest Line Moves

In terms of line movement, the biggest adjustment to the spread and total since lines were released on Monday, has occurred in the Villanova-Baylor matchup. The 5-seed Wildcats have breezed through each of their two South Region contests, although against much weaker competition.

Next stop for Villanova: Sweet 16 pic.twitter.com/XN0mSnrjZI

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 22, 2021

They handled 12-seed Winthrop by 10 in the First Round, and then blew out 13-seed North Texas by 23 in the Second Round. They shot 55.4% against the Mean Green on Sunday, including 50% from 3. They’ve committed only 12 turnovers all tournament, yet have moved from +6.5 to +7.5 against the 1-seed Bears.

Villanova lost its leader for the season, and made its way to the Sweet Sixteen. Amazing. Not a better program culture in the game.

— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) March 22, 2021

Perhaps bettors are banking on the absence of team leader Connor Gillespie (torn MCL) to finally have a major impact on a Villanova outcome. 73 percent of the tickets are on the Bears, as well as 58 percent of the money.

With Gillespie out, Jeremiah Robinison-Earl and Justin Moore have shouldered the offensive load, averaging 20 and 15 points respectively in the NCAA Tournament, helping the Wildcats average 78.5 points per game.

Baylor meanwhile, has been equally as dominant through two games, posting victories of 24 and 13 points. Three players poured in at least 16 in the Bears’ Second Round win over Wisconsin, while the team shot 47.1% from beyond the arc against a very solid Badgers defense.

🌎 We call it MATTHEW MAYER TIME ⌚️@MatthewMayer24 ⚡️#SicEm 🐻 | #TimeIsNow 🏀pic.twitter.com/klE2XMWNai

— Baylor Men’s Basketball (@BaylorMBB) March 22, 2021

Baylor led the nation in three-point field-goal percentage this season (41.5%), and ranked fourth in points per game (83.8). They’ve scored at least 74 points in all but one of their past 12 games, so it’s no surprise the total has moved from 139 to 141.5.