Creighton vs. Auburn Prediction, Pick, Odds: Can BlueJays Stun Johni Broome, Top-Seeded Tigers in Round of 32?

The Auburn Tigers will battle the Creighton Bluejays in an exciting Round of 32 matchup tonight on TBS.

The Tigers had their best season under Bruce Pearl since he became head coach, going 29-5 in the regular season. However, Auburn fans know this.

Pearl hasn't gotten out of the Round of 32 in four consecutive seasons. He's also made it out of the first weekend once in his coaching career with the Auburn Tigers.

This is a very dangerous game, especially against the Creighton Bluejays. Ultimately, Sean McDermott has coached Creighton to the Sweet 16 in each of his last two seasons and has also made it to the Sweet 16 in three of the last four years.

He's legitimately had more success in the NCAA Tournament than Pearl has, with less talent over the last couple of seasons. Could Auburn's nightmare of missing the second week of the NCAA Tournament continue after tonight's game?

Here are our picks, predictions, and odds for tonight's game between the Creighton Bluejays vs. Auburn Tigers.

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Creighton vs. Auburn Odds

• ML: Creighton +340, Auburn -450
• Spread: Creighton +8.5 (-105), Auburn -8.5 (-450)
• Total: Over 150.5 (-115), Under 150.5 (-105)

Creighton vs. Auburn Date, Time, and Where to Watch

• Date: Saturday, March 22, 2024
• Game Time: 7:10 PM ET
• Where to Watch: TBS

Click here for latest Arkansas vs. St. John's Odds

Creighton vs. Auburn Prediction

The Creighton Bluejays have shot a 56.1% effective field goal percentage. They've nailed 34.2% from downtown and 60.7% from inside the arc this season.

They've got legitimate potential around the rim. As good as Auburn is on defense, the Tigers have still allowed teams to shoot 47.1% inside the arc this year.

Plus, Creighton doesn't get to the foul line often, but Auburn still fouls a lot. If Creighton can be a bit more aggressive around the rim and get to the foul line, the Bluejays will be in good shape. After all, Creighton has nailed 73% from the foul line this season.

On the other hand, Creighton has the nation's lowest defensive free throw rate. Creighton doesn't foul very often. Louisville got a taste of that in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Ultimately, Creighton doesn't look to force steals. Instead, it looks to force bad shots and dominate the glass. Creighton has limited opponents to 27.1% of offensive rebounds per game, which is three percentage points better than Auburn's defense.

In addition, Creighton has limited teams to 46.1% from inside the arc, which is, again, a better defensive rate than Auburn's.

Auburn hasn't played its best basketball over the last couple of weeks. They peaked at the wrong time. Ultimately, using the eye test, Auburn was the worst No. 1 seed in the first round, earning just a 20-point win against Alabama State.

I've got Creighton at +8.5 and wouldn't even mind some change on the Bluejays at +340 on the moneyline.

Creighton Bluejays vs. Auburn Tigers Pick

• Pick: Creighton +8.5 -105 Click here to see which sportsbook has the best price on Creighton vs. Auburn

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