How and what to watch for Tennessee vs. Florida Atlantic in Sweet 16 of 2023 NCAA Tournament

The Sweet 16 of the 2023 NCAA Tournament will begin on Thursday, March 23, and will feature a matchup between the No. 4 Tennessee Volunteers and the No. 9 Florida Atlantic Owls. This East Region semifinal will occur at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Game date: Thursday, March 23
Game time: After conclusion of Michigan State-Kansas State (est. 9 p.m. ET)
TV channel: TBS
Location: Madison Square Garden, New York City

Odds

Spread: Tennessee -5.5
Total: 133
Moneyline: Tennessee -240, FAU +200

No. 4 Tennessee 25-10 (11-7 SEC)

First Round: Defeated No. 13 Louisiana 58-55
Second Round: Defeated No. 5 Duke 65-52
KenPom rating: 6 Overall, 60 Offense, 2 Defense
Leading scorer: Santiago Vescovi (12.6 ppg)
Key stat of tournament: Tennessee is ranked second in KenPom defensive efficiency

Tennessee clobbered Duke by 13 points on Saturday to reach the Sweet 16 for the ninth time in program history. Establishing some cushion at the end of the first half, the Volunteers maintained control throughout the second half and sent the ACC Tournament champions packing. Olivier Nkamhoua had 27 points and five rebounds in the win.

No. 9 Florida Atlantic 33-3 (18-2 C-USA)

First Round: Defeated No. 8 Memphis 66-65
Second Round: Defeated No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson 78-70
KenPom rating: 21 Overall, 28 Offense, 37 Defense
Leading scorer: Johnell Davis (13.5 ppg)
Key stat of tournament:

After clipping Memphis in the final seconds on Friday, FAU extinguished the Cinderella dreams of FDU in an exhilarating victory. Both teams traded blows down the stretch of the second half and the tide could’ve turned in either direction. Holding a three-point lead, Brian Greenlee buried a three to deliver the dagger for the Owls. Johnell Davis had 29 points and 12 rebounds in the win.