Kansas State vs. Florida Atlantic Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – NCAA Tournament Round Elite Eight

March 24, 2023, by Andy Molitor College Basketball Predictions

The No. 3 seed Kansas State Wildcats (26-9) are 1-point favorites to advance to the Final Four when they play the No. 9 seed Florida Atlantic Owls (34-3) in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight on Saturday at Madison Square Garden, airing on TBS starting at 6:09 PM. The matchup’s point total is set at 144.

Kansas State vs. Florida Atlantic Odds

Kansas State odds to win: -126
Florida Atlantic odds to win: +105
Spread: Kansas State (-1)
Total: 144

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Game Time and Information

Date: Saturday, March 25, 2023
Time: 6:09 PM ET
TV: TBS
Where: New York City, New York
Venue: Madison Square Garden

Who Will Win Kansas State vs. Florida Atlantic?

Kansas State and Florida Atlantic Betting Trends, Records Against the Spread

Kansas State has a 17-3 record against the spread this season when favored by 1 point or more.

Florida Atlantic is 5-2 against the spread when an underdog by 1 point or more this year.

The Wildcats and Owls average 10.2 more points between them than the total of 144 for this game.

Opponents of the two teams average a combined 9.6 fewer points per game (134.4) than this game’s total of 144 points.

The average point total for Kansas State’s games this season is 1.8 more points than the over/under of 144 in this matchup.

The average over/under for Owls games this year is 1.2 fewer points than the point total of 144 for this outing.

The Wildcats have gone 24-11-0 ATS this season.

The Owls have a 23-12-0 record against the spread this year.

Kansas State Stats & Insights

Kansas State’s +230 scoring differential (outscoring opponents by 6.6 points per game) is a result of scoring 76.2 points per game (68th in college basketball) while giving up 69.6 per contest (159th in college basketball).

Kansas State is 179th in the nation at 31.8 rebounds per game. That’s 1.6 more than the 30.2 its opponents average.

The Wildcats make 7.1 three-pointers per game (209th in college basketball), while their opponents have made 6.5 on average.

Kansas State ranks 134th in college basketball with 95.4 points scored per 100 possessions, and 65th in college basketball defensively with 87.1 points conceded per 100 possessions.

When playing at home, the Wildcats are putting up 1.7 fewer points per game (75) than they are in away games (76.7).

Florida Atlantic Stats & Insights

Florida Atlantic has a +486 scoring differential, topping opponents by 13.2 points per game. It is putting up 78 points per game, 36th in college basketball, and is giving up 64.8 per outing to rank 40th in college basketball.

Florida Atlantic averages 35.9 rebounds per game (13th in college basketball) while conceding 30.3 per outing to opponents. It outrebounds opponents by 5.6 boards per game.

Florida Atlantic knocks down 9.6 three-pointers per game (14th in college basketball), 3.1 more than its opponents. It shoots 36.5% from deep (55th in college basketball), and its opponents are shooting 31.4%.

Florida Atlantic scores 100.7 points per 100 possessions (21st in college basketball), while conceding 83.7 points per 100 possessions (16th in college basketball).

At home, the Owls average 82.1 points per game. Away, they average 75.9.

Kansas State Key Players to Watch

The Wildcats leader in points and rebounds is Keyontae Johnson, who scores 17.7 points and grabs 6.9 boards per game.

Kansas State’s best passer is Markquis Nowell, who averages 8.1 assists per game to go with his 17.2 PPG scoring average.

Nowell makes more threes per game than any other member of the Wildcats, knocking down shots from beyond the arc at a clip of 2.4 per contest.

Nowell and Nae’Qwan Tomlin lead Kansas State on the defensive end, with Nowell leading the team in steals averaging 2.5 per game and Tomlin in blocks averaging one per contest.

Florida Atlantic Key Players to Watch

Johnell Davis is the top scorer for the Owls with 13.9 points per game. He also adds 5.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game to his scoring output.

Vladislav Goldin puts up a stat line of 6.4 rebounds, 10.2 points and 0.4 assists per game for Florida Atlantic to take the top rebound spot on the team. Nicholas Boyd holds the top spot for assists with 2.6 per game, adding 8.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per outing.

Alijah Martin averages two three-pointers per game, the most on the Owls.

Florida Atlantic’s leader in steals is Davis with 1.5 per game, and its leader in blocks is Goldin with 1.2 per game.