Detroit and Dallas are the locations for today’s NCAA Tournament Elite Eight Sunday! Purdue and Tennessee meet in the chalky Midwest region, while Duke and NC State meet again in the more volatile South Region. All four teams have shown signs they have what it takes to reach The Final Four while also showing some signs of vulnerability. Let’s take a look at today’s NCAA Tournament Elite Eight Sunday.
NCAA Tournament Elite Eight Sunday: March Madness Upsets, Picks, and Bets for March 31st, 2024
(2) Tennessee vs. (1) Purdue (-3.5) (O/U 147.5)
The Vols and Boilers have both looked dominant thus far. Whoever wins this matchup will erase years of heartbreak. These two teams have done nothing but fail in the month of March over the last decade.
This will be an elite matchup when Purdue is on offense. Tennessee has one of the best defenses in the entire nation, while Purdue has one of the best offenses in the entire nation.
On the other side of the court, Purdue actually has the edge. The Vols offense gets a lot of praise as Knecht can drop 30 points any night, but the defense anchored by Edey is truthfully solid.
Although Tennessee’s defense is elite, they will struggle with Edey, but that is a given. The Vols will be able to exploit Purdue’s guards on the offensive end which gives them the edge around the perimeter.
This game will be a battle from the jump as both teams have avenues to success, but I believe Purdue has what it takes. Give me the Boilers to cover with free throws.
The Pick: Purdue -3.5
(11) NC State vs. (4) Duke (-6.5) (O/U 143.5)
NC State and Duke square up for the ACC Cha- I mean Elite Eight in Dallas. This is their third meeting of the month, which is crazy. They split those matchups, with Duke winning the first and NC State winning when it mattered more in the ACC Tournament.
Big-shot from Flip ➡️ He’s got 14 pts, 9 rebs (3-5 3pt)pic.twitter.com/fhhqyFGXGl
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) March 30, 2024
NC State will play with nothing to lose. They are extremely physical and will look to out-hustle The Blue Devils. In years past, I would say this would be a dagger for Duke. The consensus around them is that they are soft which is true more times than not.
We all know they are extremely talented, but sometimes they lack the extra edge. What Duke did against Houston was extremely impressive.
I am aware Shead went down, but after getting punched in the gut the first five minutes, they matched The Cougar’s toughness, which Houston did not expect.
If Duke shows up like that, this can be a boat race. Give me Duke in a revenge spot with a trip to The Final Four in the balance.
The Pick: Duke -6.5
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