Akron vs. Creighton March Madness Preview and Prediction
In the No. 14 vs. No. 3 matchup in the NCAA Tournament Midwest Region, the Akron Zips face the Creighton Bluejays in first-round action.
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How to Watch Akron vs. Creighton
When: 1:30 pm ET on Thursday, March 21st
Where: PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Watch: TNT
Odds for Akron vs. Creighton
(odds current at time of publish)
Spread: Creighton -13
Total: 140.5
DraftKings Betting Splits | Live College Basketball Odds | Akron vs. Creighton Matchup
Midwest Region No. 14 Akron Zips
Akron is very fortunate to be in the NCAA tournament. Kent State took a one-point lead in the MAC championship game, but a Golden Flashes player forgot the score and intentionally fouled — despite the Zips being in the bonus. Akron’s Greg Tribble then stepped to the line and buried the two free throws to punch a ticket for the Zips. But Akron had the best statistical profile of any of the teams in the conference, so the Zips are probably the best representation of the MAC. Akron is a team that can really score around the basket, with double-double machine Enrique Freeman leading the charge there. The Zips also have solid guards in Tribble and Ali Ali. Defensively, Akron does a great job of closing out on shooters. This is just a tough team with a good amount of talent, making the Zips a dangerous opponent for anyone.
Midwest Region No. 3 Creighton Bluejays
Creighton is pretty loaded this season with Trey Alexander, Baylor Scheierman and Ryan Kalkbrenner all being excellent players. Alexander is capable of scoring in a variety of different ways, and he’s also a very good passer and defender. Scheierman is a sniper from deep and is also a good rebounder for a player his size. On top of that, he constantly sets his teammates up, whether it’s with his passing or his overall gravity. Finally, Kalkbrenner is a massive body that can finish around the basket and protect the rim with the best of them. He can also really move his feet for a guy that stands at 7-foot-1, making him the perfect anchor for a Bluejays defense that is top 25 in the nation. And Creighton is even better on the offensive end. That speaks to this team’s balance. The Bluejays are as talented as anyone, and they play a winning brand of basketball.
Akron vs. Creighton Preview & Prediction
You certainly make your own breaks in sports, but Akron is a little lucky to be here. Who knows what would have happened on the Zips’ last possession of the MAC Championship Game, but they were gifted two free throws, got one stop, and cut down the nets in Cleveland.
To be honest, I don’t think this is a completely awful matchup for the Zips. They are one of the few low-to-mid-majors with a big talented enough to keep Ryan Kalkbrenner at bay in Enrique Freeman. They’ll be pretty well-represented in Pittsburgh, which is a reasonable two-hour drive from the Rubber City. Both teams love to take a ton of jump shots and a cold shooting effort from Creighton could make this game really close for comfort.
Greg McDermott is 9-8 in the NCAA Tournament with the Bluejays, who did make the Elite Eight last season and lost by a point to San Diego State. They shot very well en route, but jump shots can be fickle. Creighton has also been really strong defensively over the last four seasons and ranks in the top 30 in adjusted defensive efficiency and top 20 in eFG% and 2P% defense per Bart Torvik.
By the metrics, they are a borderline elite team. They force opponents into a lot of mid-range jumpers, which Akron has actually found success with. It is impressive that Creighton’s efficiency and defensive shooting metrics are so good with the lowest TO% in the nation on defense. Imagine what they could do with extra possessions.
My guess is that Creighton’s overwhelmingly good profile and Akron’s “lucky” win could skew perceptions and the betting odds here. Akron is a pretty decent team, though, especially with Freeman, and I can see them hanging around here.
Estimated Score: Creighton 76, Akron 63
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