Creighton vs. Akron: 2024 NCAA Tournament Odds, Preview & Predictions

March Madness is officially here! The 2024 NCAA Tournament Bracket has been announced, and the teams are lining up for the Big Dance. Let's take a look at the early odds, preview, and predictions for the 2024 NCAA Tournament game: Creighton vs. Akron. And make sure to check out our 2024 NCAA Tournament Bracket Optimizer to take down your pools!

2024 NCAA Tournament Odds, Preview & Predictions: Creighton vs. Akron

Here are odds and team previews for each of the two squads in this opening-round matchup of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Creighton 2024 NCAA Tournament Preview

Creighton’s team identity has to start with their remarkable dependence on the three-ball. With almost 48 percent of their shots coming from deep, they win and die by the three. That’s why you see crazy results like beating UConn 85-66 when they shot 50 percent from beyond the arc, followed by an 80-66 loss to St. John’s (23% 3pt). This is also why they rank 320th in the Haslametrics consistency metric.

If any team will lead to a lot of hair-pulling when filling out your bracket, it has to be the Blue Jays because they could lose in the first round or win it all. With a top-20 offense and top-40 defense, Creighton falls into the KenPom pre-tourney holy land of what it takes to win the NCAA Tournament. They won’t rebound their misses and have a remarkably low free throw rate, but their effective field goal percentage ranks in the top five across Division I, and they have a lot of people who can make shots. Greg McDermott’s squad depends on the three-ball, but when given other looks, they make them, sinking mid-range shots at a 52 percent clip, the best in the nation. Their near-proximity number sits around 68 percent, the third-highest.

Defensively, they do a great job of forcing awkward shots. Opponents attempt the fewest perimeter shots against Creighton, and Ryan Kalkbrenner is a force down low. Creighton won’t force turnovers, but they also won’t allow a second chance and send opponents to the charity stripe at the lowest percentage in the sport. The Blue Jays defense has ranked outside the top 50 since February 1, which is a bit concerning, but that is partly due to a tough schedule. Trust the process when filling out your bracket with Creighton, and look at how their opponents defend the perimeter. Otherwise, your guess is as good as mine with how far this Creighton team can go.

Akron 2024 NCAA Tournament Preview

Considering their performance this season, opponents shouldn’t overlook Akron as the auto-bid out of the MAC. The Zips’ strength lies in their defensive capabilities, as they are ranked in the top 100 teams in defensive efficiency. Particularly noteworthy is their prowess in defending against three-point shots, ranking in the top 15 teams nationally by holding opponents to just 30% from beyond the arc.

Now, what will be limiting for John Groce’s team is offense. Ranking outside the top 150 in adjusted offensive efficiency, it’s tough to trust this team making a Cinderella run, considering they lost to two sub-300-ranked KenPom teams to finish the regular season. Ali Ali is solid in the front court, and Greg Tribble is a capable shooter, but beyond that, there isn’t much to particularly highlight about the Akron squad, who were bailed out in the first place to even earn their auto-bid.

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2024 NCAA Tournament Sports Betting Picks

Now that the 2024 NCAA Tournament brackets have been announced, it’s time to make your sports betting picks to increase the excitement of March Madness. Let's take a look at the early odds and picks for the 2024 NCAA Tournament

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2024 NCAA Tournament Bracket Pool Strategy & Picks

Below we provide strategy, advice, and picks to create the optimal NCAA Tournament bracket. And be sure to use our FREE bracket optimizer to build a winning men’s NCAA tournament bracket and take down your contest!