NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Odds: Why Pittsburgh Will Win

Last year at this time, we had four No. 1 seeds make it to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16. All four went on to the Final Four. Will the same thing happen this year? (AP Images)"]

The Pittsburgh Panthers (30-4 SU, 16-11-1 ATS) should be able to make the first step on Thursday by beating the Xavier Musketeers (27-7 SU, 18-12-2 ATS). Not that Xavier isn’t a talented team, but the odds say it all: Pittsburgh is a 7-point favorite.

The Panthers have earned it. This is the No. 2 ranked offense in Division I in terms of efficiency, led by an absolute gem of a point guard in Levance Fields (10.6 points, 7.6 assists per game). Add the superior inside presence of center DeJuan Blair (15.6 points, 12.4 rebounds per game) and the sweet stroke of guard Sam Young (18.9 points per game), and you have a bona fide Big Three. Check out the Bodog Sportsbook for all your March Madness betting.