A spot into the Elite 8 is on the line Thursday when the Florida Atlantic Owls and the Tennessee Volunteers square off in timeless MSG. Can Florida Atlantic keep its unprecedented run in the Big Dance going, or will Tennessee put an end to those dreams?

Nitrobetting is ready to dish out key assists and lob passes with betting tips and news coverage throughout the 2023 March Madness tournament. This time, let’s take a closer look at the upcoming Sweet 16 matchup between the Florida Atlantic Owls and the Tennessee Volunteers along with the latest NCAAB odds for this massive 2023 March Madness showdown.

Florida Atlantic vs. Tennessee 2023 March Madness Sweet 16 Game Information

it's gameday in NYC #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/RqZDb9RwFX

— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) March 23, 2023

• When: Thursday, March 23, 9:00 PM ET
• Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
• TV: CBS
• Radio: Fox Sports 640 South Florida (Florida Atlantic) // WIVK-FM 107.7 (Tennessee)
• Live Stream: March Madness Live
• NCAAB Betting Odds: Florida Atlantic (+5.5) // Tennessee (-5.5)

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Why Bet on the Florida Atlantic Owls?

In an unexpected meeting between two Cinderella teams, the Florida Atlantic Owls came out on top with a 78-70 second-round victory over the Farleigh Dickinson Knights. Florida Atlantic got a bit of flack from the media for attempting a dunk instead of dribbling out the final possession against FDU, which staged just the second No. 16 upset of a No. 1 seed in national tournament history days prior.

The Owls now portray the role of villains rather than loveable underdogs in their very first appearance on the Sweet 16 stage. However, they shouldn’t be concerned about what other people think of them and just keep winning. What might surprise many is that FAU averaged nearly 73 points per contest in the regular season (32nd best in Division I).

That being said, it’s up to Florida Atlantic’s top star Johnell Davis to send the Owls soaring past the Vols on Thursday. Davis made March Madness history in the game against Farleigh Dickinson, becoming the only player in the tournament to post a stat line of at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and five steals in a single contest. Will Davis alone be enough to counter Tennessee’s game plan, though?

Why Bet on the Tennessee Volunteers?

Elsewhere, the Tennessee Volunteers had just ended the mighty Duke Blue Devils’ first campaign in the post-Mike Krzyzewski era with a convincing 65-52 win in the second round. Tennessee is looking to make the Elite 8 for the first time in 13 years and the team continues to play its patented lock-down defense to a tee.

The Volunteers held opposing teams to just an average of 57.8 points per game during the regular season and they’ve kept Duke and first-round foe Louisiana to a combined average of just 53.5 points scored in the tournament. Not only that, but the Vols have also limited their opponents to under 27 percent shooting from three-point range.

Tennessee’s tandem of Santiago Vescovi and Olivier Nkamhoua is rolling in the Big Dance and FAU will need to find an answer to this one-two punch. Vescovi sank four three-pointers en route to 14 points against FDU, while Nkamhoua made 10 of his 13 shot attempts for 27 points.

Florida Atlantic vs. Tennessee Betting Trends

• Florida Atlantic is currently on a nine-game winning streak (6-3 ATS).
• The Owls are 2-2 straight-up and against the spread in their last four games at the national tournament.
• The totals went under in four of FAU’s last five games in general.
• Tennessee is 5-3 in its last eight March Madness games since 2019 (2-6 ATS).
• The Volunteers are 4-1 in their last five games as favorites to win (3-2 ATS).
• The totals went over in five of the last eight games the Vols have played in the national tournament.

Florida Atlantic vs. Tennessee Expert Prediction

A battle between two contrasting styles will be fascinating to watch, yet we’ll still have to lean with Tennessee to win Thursday’s Sweet 16 showdown. The Vols have faced tougher competition during the regular season out in the SEC, and still have their elite defense clamping down on their first two opponents at the Big Dance. Chalk this up as a blowout victory for the Volunteers.

Where to Bet on the 2023 March Madness tournament with Bitcoin

Nitrobetting offers a solid channel for those who want to bet on the College Basketball season with crypto. The power of bitcoin and its lightning-fast transactions make your March Madness betting more enjoyable.

This is just one of the many sports betting guides that you can read here at Nitrobetting news. Stay tuned for more 2023 March Madness previews and articles, and don’t forget to check out the latest college basketball betting odds on our online bitcoin sportsbook.