The first weekend of the 2021 NCAA men’s basketball tournament was definitely madness. Though three No. 1 teams (Baylor, Gonzaga and Michigan) made it through the first weekend, Illinois did not. In fact, this year’s Sweet 16 has four teams that are double-digit seeds. Two Cinderella teams, Loyola Chicago and Oregon State, will tip off on Saturday, March 27, for a slot in the Elite 8.
The lines from William Hill Sportsbook indicate some potentially close games are on the horizon. Only two spreads — No. 1 Gonzaga and No. 5 Creighton in the West Regional, and No. 3 Arkansas vs. No. 15 Oral Roberts in the South — are double digits. Everything else is at 6.5 points or less. A Pac-12 showdown between No. 6 USC and No. 7 Oregon in the West is separated by a single point.
Even after all the madness of the first and second rounds, there’s still plenty more to come. And you’ll want to be on top of all the upset specials and chalky favorites ahead of Saturday and Sunday’s Sweet 16 action. Check out the lines below.
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Sweet 16
South Regional
No. 1 Baylor (-6.5) vs. No. 5 Villanova
No. 3 Arkansas (-11) vs. No. 15 Oral Roberts
Midwest Regional
No. 8 Loyola Chicago (-6.5) vs. No. 12 Oregon State
No. 2 Houston (-6) vs. No. 11 Syracuse
East Regional
No. 1 Michigan (-3) vs. No. 4 Florida State
No. 2 Alabama (-5.5) vs. No. 11 UCLA
West Regional
No. 1 Gonzaga (-13.5) vs. No. 5 Creighton
No. 6 USC (-1) vs. No. 7 Oregon