NCAA Tournament Pick: East Region – Arizona vs. Akron – Friday, March 21, 2025

The first round in the East Region of the NCAA Tournament will showcase exciting matchups. One of those matchups will be the 13th-seed Akron Zips (28-6) taking on the fourth-seed Arizona Wildcats (22-12) on Friday, March 21 at 7:35 PM ET at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. MyBookie has the Wildcats as moderate favorites with a point spread at -14.5 (-110).

Akron Zips Betting Preview

The Zips have found success over their last seven consecutive games. They are coming off a 76-74 win against the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks in the MAC Championship Final.

Several key contributors in the lineup play a big role in their success. Nate Johnson leads with 14.0 points a game while connecting on 44.7 percent of his shots and he is 79.2 percent from the foul line. Tavari Johnson averages 3.9 assists, showing that he sparks the offense into moving the ball.

Akron puts up 84.6 points a game and ranks eighth for their effort. Defensively they rank 255th in giving up 74.5 points per game. This spread is in danger if their offense takes a hit since their defense is not as strong

The Zips rank 110th overall for their strength of schedule and point margins. Offensively per 100 possessions, their efficiency on this end ranks 24th. On defense at the same rate, their efficiency ranks 118th.

Arizona Wildcats Betting Preview

The Wildcats had their two-game win streak come to an end when they fell short 72-64 against the Houston Cougars in the Big 12 Championship Final. Over their last five games, they have gone 3-2.

Caleb Love will be key to their success, as he leads with 16.6 points a game while shooting 38.6 percent from the field and 88.5 percent from the foul line. Tobe Awaka leads with 7.8 rebounds and Jaden Bradley gets 3.7 assists each matchup.

Arizona averages 81.7 points a game while allowing 72.4 from opponents. This ranks 23rd and 198th, respectively, but also displays a great margin of error.

The Wildcats are 10th in their strength of schedule and point margins of victory. Per the last 100 possessions of efficiency, they rank 31st in offense and 117th on defense. While the Zips have similar numbers, they are in a weaker conference.

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

MyBookie is your source for the best Akron Zips vs. Arizona Wildcats betting odds, favoring the Wildcats by 14.5 points. The Wildcats have a 92.7 percent chance of winning according to market predictions.

Akron is appealing here with their offense, but their defense is not that great especially in a weaker conference. Look for the Wildcats to make a good attempt to cover the spread.

Final Pick: Arizona Wildcats -14.5 (-110)