Creighton vs. Baylor Odds, Spread & Predictions (March 19)
It’s a virtual pick ’em game when Creighton meets Baylor in the round of 32. Check out Chris Wassel’s full list of odds and expert tips.
- Baylor is a 1.5 point favorite over Creighton in the NCAA tournament on Sunday, March 19th
- The winner of Creighton vs. Baylor advances to the Sweet 16
- Below are Creighton v Baylor odds and tips for Sunday afternoon
The sixth-ranked Creighton Bluejays (22-12, 17-17 ATS) take on the third-ranked Baylor Bears (23-10, 16-14-1 ATS) in Denver on Sunday, March 19. A win grants access to the Sweet 16.
The bookmakers opened somewhat uncertainly here and set the spread by plus or minus 1 to 2 points, depending on the side.
Creighton vs Baylor Odds
| team | spread | money line | In total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creighton | +1.5 (-115) | Self | O 146.5 (-110) |
| Baylor | -1.5 (-105) | -120 | U 146.5 (-110) |
Creighton and Baylor are both capable in the March Madness bracket. The Bluejays (+3217) sit about midway in the March Madness odds, while the Baylor Bears sit at +1967.
This tilt is scheduled to kick off on Sunday, March 19th at 4:00pm ET at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. The game will be shown on TNT. Baylor is currently a -125 favorite for promotion.
Odds of March 17th at FanDuel. Unlock a BetMGM Sportsbook promo or download one of the other March Madness betting apps.
Creighton vs Baylor betting trends
Creighton is one of those teams that plays well defensively but doesn’t generate a lot of turnovers. This allows some teams using guard play to be successful against the Bluejays. Creighton finished 4-4 in their last eight games before retiring from NC State late Friday. Also, they are .500 ATS in the season. In contrast, Baylor is 3-2 in his last five ATS. Throw away the Iowa State Games and they’ve covered seven of the previous nine competitions.
Oddly enough, Baylor had a rough time with UCSB in the first half, but Adam Flagler and the guards came through in the second half. That boost gave the Bears an 18-point triumph. It helped the bears cover as the gauchos had no answers for the third seed in the south region.
So a total of 146.5 points, the over/under is quite accurate. On the other hand, this may move a bit more ahead of Sunday. Both teams can score in the mid to high 70s but can get freezing in sections. We saw that in both teams in the first half on Friday. Creighton and Baylor are two of the nation’s top 13 teams by simple rating system. At second glance, this is more of a Sweet 16 matchup.
Both teams play fast, but Creighton has the better defensive ratings and metrics. The problem again is that Baylor has been generating more sales lately. However, their central defense allows 53.3% shots and the Bluejays can easily exploit this to stay in the game.
Creighton did what it had to do on Friday
Creighton hobbled into the tournament after being beaten by Xavier at 22. This was after he won three games in a row. All year long, the Bluejays were consistently inconsistent. Well, this Greg McDermott team has easy top-ten potential, but asking them to win six straight games is a lot. This Bluejays squad won six straight to open the year and then lost six straight.
Baylor Scheierman shot just 2/10 in the last 3 minutes of the game against NC St
Then Scheierman knocked down two of the biggest shots of the Creighton season
Creighton Bluejays survive and thrive pic.twitter.com/V7rdV9a7lz
— Ryan Cassidy (@ryancassidycbb) March 18, 2023
Creighton was neck and neck with NC State for most of that game. In the last few minutes, the Bluejays pulled away 72:63. It wasn’t pretty, but the Bluejays persevered and made progress.
Baylor poured it on in the second half
Keynote George is a long way off at +25,000 Wooden Award odds, but this Bears team knows their keepers are their bread and butter when times get tough. In the second half, the Bears beat the Gauchos 39-20. Now it was these guards who scored 33 of the 39 points.
(3) Baylor makes it 🐻
The Bears open their NCAA tournament run with a win over (14) UCSB, 74-56 #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/TMWtYP9CwC
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 17, 2023
Yes, guards are key to March progression. Just ask teams like Purdue what happens when that doesn’t come to fruition. George, Adam Flagler and LJ Cryer can be matchup nightmares for any team. That’s especially true for Creighton, who again doesn’t make many turnovers.
Baylor’s guards have to put down shots while their forwards clean up on the glass. It’s that simple. The Bears won’t have an easy time containing Baylor Scheierman and Ryan Kalkbrenner. Schierman was ice cold, but heated up in the closing minutes. Can Baylor Stop Those Mini Creighton Runs From Getting Bigger?
Creighton vs Baylor Prediction
Baylor is fortunate to draw a team that can be a little wrong defensively, as the Bears can be at times. Creighton have managed against the spread as they have covered four of their last five games.
However, Baylor played in a tougher conference and had the fifth-toughest schedule in the nation. This is a game where that fact pays off. Creighton might call this game a bear on Sunday.
Choice: Baylor -1.5 (-105)
Predictions for the second round of March Madness:
Chris Wassel
sports journalist
A veteran journalist for over two decades, Chris has taught the spectrum of fantasy hockey online, from injuries to news to prospects and more. He has betted on multiple sports and has written sports betting articles covering the NBA, MLB, NCAA football, NFL and NHL for USA Today.
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