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Dayton vs. Arizona Prediction, Odds and Key Players for NCAA Tournament Second Round (Ride with the Flyers)

College basketball betting preview, prediction and best bet for Dayton-Arizona. 

By Shelby Dermer

Mar 21, 2024; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Dayton Flyers guard Koby Brea (4) celebrates during the NCAA Tournament against Nevada.
Mar 21, 2024; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Dayton Flyers guard Koby Brea (4) celebrates during the NCAA Tournament against Nevada. / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports
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No. 7 Dayton pulled off a miracle in Salt Lake City Thursday night as the Flyers used a late-game rally to stun No. 10 Nevada, 63-60. The Flyers will need better consistency Saturday if they want to beat No. 2 Arizona and reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2014. 

Arizona used a big second half to pull away from No. 15 Long Beach State in the first round. A national title contender, Arizona is once again a big favorite against the Flyers. Can they win with margin? Here’s the betting breakdown of the second-round matchup with a best bet. 

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Dayton vs. Arizona Odds, Spread and Total

Dayton vs. Arizona Betting Trends

  • Dayton is 16-15-1 ATS this season
  • Arizona is 21-13 ATS this season
  • Dayton is 4-1-1 ATS as an underdog this season
  • Arizona is 19-13 ATS as a favorite this season
  • The OVER is 18-13-1 in Dayton games this season
  • The OVER is 16-18 in Arizona games this season

Dayton vs. Arizona How to Watch

  • Date: Saturday, March 23 
  • Game time: 12:45 p.m. EST
  • Venue: Delta Center
  • How to watch (TV): CBS
  • Dayton record: 25-7
  • Arizona record: 26-8

Dayton vs. Arizona Key Players to Watch

Dayton

Kobe Brea: The junior guard averages 11 points per game and is part of a Dayton team that is one of the best 3-point shooting offenses in the nation. Brea knocked down five 3-pointers for 15 points in the first-round comeback win over Nevada.

Arizona 

Oumar Ballo: The senior 7-footer keeps up in Arizona’s fast-paced scheme, averaging a double-double at 13 points and 10.2 rebounds per game while shooting 65.4% from the field. He did his usual damage in the Wildcats’ first-round win over Long Beach State, turning in 11 points, 13 rebounds and 4 blocks .

Dayton vs. Arizona Prediction and Pick 

From a stylistic standpoint, these two teams couldn’t be any more different. Arizona likes to speed the game up while playing at the No. 16 tempo in the nation, according to KenPom. Meanwhile, Dayton likes to slow the game down and relies on its elite shotmaking to take advantage of fewer possessions. The Flyers play at the No. 336 tempo in the country. 

Arizona played in a Pac-12 that is littered with teams that like to run-and-gun, but the Wildcats had trouble against slow-moving clubs (Purdue, Washington State (twice) and Oregon State). Arizona’s defense can force stops, but struggles to contain the perimeter. The Wildcats are No. 127 at defending triples (No. 54 from 2-point range) and Dayton is the No. 3 3-point shooting team in the country.

Defensively, Dayton’s defense doesn’t force a lot of turnovers but can do enough to slow the game down and frustrate an Arizona offense into taking bad shots. Back the Flyers as an underdog. 

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Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.

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