- Matchup: LIU Sharks vs Arizona Wildcats
- Date: Friday, March 20, 2026
- Venue: Viejas Arena, San Diego, CA
- Broadcast: TNT
- Betting Odds: LIU (+31)
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The Arizona Wildcats (32-2) face off against the LIU Sharks (24-10) at Viejas Arena on Friday in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. LIU is entering this contest as 31-point underdogs, with a total set at 150.5 points.
The LIU Sharks recently secured a victory against Mercyhurst, winning 79-70. In terms of foul count, LIU finished with 15 while Mercyhurst accumulated 23. The Sharks made 6 of 11 attempts from beyond the arc. Mercyhurst managed to shoot 66.7% from the free throw line, converting 8 out of 12. They gathered 26 rebounds (4 offensive, 22 defensive) and did not register any blocks, while handing out 17 assists and achieving 4 steals. On defense, LIU allowed opponents to shoot 47.5% from the field (28 of 59) and contributed 16 assists to their own tally, forcing 8 turnovers and recording 7 steals. Rebounding-wise, the Sharks totaled 33, with 6 being offensive. At the charity stripe, they shot 16 out of 29 for a 55.2% success rate, while boasting a field goal percentage of 55.8% (29 of 52) and hitting 5 of 9 three-pointers.
Greg Gordon was a standout performer, finishing the game with a shooting percentage of 60.0% and dishing out 4 assists. With 31 minutes on court, he secured 3 rebounds, amassing 24 points on 12 of 20 shooting.
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LIU heads into this game with a record of 24-10 this season. The Sharks average 13.0 turnovers and commit 17.6 fouls per game. Collectively, they grab 35.0 rebounds per outing and have recorded 464 assists this year, ranking 150th nationally for assists per game. The Sharks convert 36.1% of three-point attempts (203 of 562) and 66.8% from the free throw line. They average 74.1 points per game (230th in Division 1) while shooting 48.1% overall.
Defensively, the Sharks force 12.9 turnovers per game and receive 17.5 fouls against them. They limit opponents to 31.9% shooting from three-point range and rank 104th nationally in opponents’ points per game (71.1). Additionally, they allow a field goal percentage of 44.5% and concede 33.2 rebounds per contest, placing them 178th in assists allowed with 430 this season.
In their last outing, the Arizona Wildcats triumphed over Houston, finishing 79-74. Arizona recorded 20 defensive rebounds alongside 11 offensive boards for a total of 31. They committed 12 turnovers but also tallied 9 steals. Houston’s 16 fouls led to 27 free throw attempts for the Wildcats, who converted 23 (85.2%). From three-point territory, Arizona sank 6 of 13 attempts (46.2%). Conclusively, they shot 25 of 54 from the floor, achieving a shooting percentage of 46.3%. Defensively, Arizona allowed Houston to connect on 28 of 64 attempts (43.8%) and guarded well against the three-point shot, limiting their opponents to 38.1% (8 of 21) while allowing just 10 of 14 from the free throw line (71.4%). In total rebounds, Arizona allowed 26 (10 offensive) to their opponents.
Brayden Burries was crucial in the Wildcats’ performance, going 6 for 10 from the field for a 60.0% shooting rate, contributing 2 rebounds, and netting 21 points in 33 minutes, while also dishing out 3 assists.
Arizona postures a 32-2 record for the season. The Wildcats commit an average of 16.0 personal fouls per game while maintaining a free throw shooting percentage of 73.4%. They assist teammates 16.9 times per contest (29th in college basketball) and turn the ball over 10.8 times on average. So far this season, Arizona has amassed 2,929 points (86.1 per game) and pulls down 42.5 rebounds per game, showcasing an offensive shooting percentage of 50.2%, ranking them 11th nationally.
The Arizona defense permits opponents to shoot 31.4% from three-point range (249 of 792) and allows 71.5% free throw shooting success. They concede 12.0 assists and 31.7 rebounds per game, ranking 70th and 39th respectively in collegiate basketball. On defense, the Wildcats rank 54th nationally in points allowed per game at 68.8. They force opponents into 12.0 turnovers every contest and limit shooting from the field to 39.2% (9th in Division 1).
Who will emerge victorious in tonight’s NCAA matchup against the spread?
Prediction: Take LIU (+31)
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