#8 Ole Miss vs. #9 Oklahoma NCAA Tournament Betting Odds, Spread
- Spread: Ole Miss -2
- Over/Under: 142.5
- Date: Friday, March 22
- Time: 12:40 p.m. ET
- Location: Columbia, S.C.
- TV: truTV
Mississippi's Statistical Profile
Few picked the Rebels as an NCAA tournament team before the season began. In fact, Ole Miss was projected to finish last in the SEC a season after going 12-20 and 5-13 in league play. But Kermit Davis’ team far exceeded expectations winning 20 games and finishing above .500 in a tough SEC conference, which earned him Coach of the Year honors.
Mississippi is making the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2015. The program does not have a history of deep runs as the Rebels have only played in one Sweet 16 (2001). It is hard to imagine the team reaching the second weekend of play this year after going 2-4 against ranked opponents in the regular season.
This is the fourth time that Davis has led a team to the NCAA tournament. In his previous gig as coach at Middle Tennessee the Blue Raiders went 2-3 straight up and ATS during March Madness. — John Ewing
- Record: 20-12
- Adj. Efficiency Rank: 44
- Adj. Offensive Efficiency Rank: 32
- Adj. Defensive Efficiency Rank: 63
- Tempo Rank: 129
All advanced metrics via KenPom as of Friday, March 15
Oklahoma's Statistical Profile
Oklahoma is going dancing for the second straight year and the sixth time since Lon Kruger took over the program in 2011. The Sooners finished seventh in the Big 12 with their best win coming against No. 13 Kansas in early March.
OU’s strength according to KenPom is its defense which ranks 23rd in efficiency. But the team’s success comes down to shooting. The Sooners were 19-0 in the regular season when they had a better shooting percentage than their opponent and 0-11 when they didn’t.
This year’s appearance in the NCAA tournament will be the 12th game for the Sooners that Kruger has coached. Oklahoma has been a disappointment for bettors going 3-8 ATS in the previous 11 games. — John Ewing
- Record: 19-13
- Adj. Efficiency Rank: 38
- Adj. Offensive Efficiency Rank: 74
- Adj. Defensive Efficiency Rank: 22
- Tempo Rank: 110
All advanced metrics via KenPom as of Friday, March 15
Ole Miss-Oklahoma Instant Bracket, Betting Picks
Both Ole Miss and Oklahoma struggled to win games down the stretch. The Rebels lost five of their last seven while the Sooners have lost eight of their last 12.
The teams are evenly matched in the advanced metrics, with the Ole Miss offense and Oklahoma defense having similar ranks. But Ole Miss is the pick here, as we focus on free throws and offensive rebounds. The Rebels are fifth in free throw percentage compared to Oklahoma's rank of 234th. While the Ole Miss rank in offensive rebounding is just 102nd, Oklahoma is one of the worst on the offensive boards at 243rd.
I'm looking for a close game, but one that Ole Miss pulls out in the end.
Early ATS lean: Ole Miss
Early bracket pick: Ole Miss — Collin Wilson
Sean Koerner's Mississippi-Oklahoma Projections
Sean Koerner's proprietary projections also power our Bracket Simulator, which helps you find the most optimal bracket for your pool size.
- Spread: Mississippi PK
- Total: 140
- Proj Score: Mississippi 70 | Oklahoma 70
- Win Probability: Mississippi 50% | Oklahoma 50%
