A toss-up of an eight-nine matchup will be in the works as the Florida Atlantic Owls will battle it out in the first round versus the Memphis Tigers in Columbus, Ohio. Join us for our March Madness odds series where our FAU-Memphis prediction and pick will be revealed.

One of the more intriguing teams entering tournament play, the Florida Atlantic Owls certainly made a strong impression during the regular season as they combined for a whopping 31 wins including a Conference USA Championship title over UAB. Without a doubt, this Owls squad will be a tough out as they present a multitude of problems for the opposition. Can FAU capture their very first NCAA Tournament win?

Alas, the Memphis Tigers are also coming off a conference title run that ended in a championship, as it was Penny Hardaway's crew that stunned the number-one team in the nation in Houston by a score of 75-65 to capture an automatic berth to the Big Dance. While the Tigers would've received an at-large bid at the minimum, their ferocious play versus the Cougars was a firm reminder of how dangerous this team can be in the next few weeks.

Here are the FAU-Memphis March Madness odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

March Madness Odds: FAU-Memphis Odds

FAU: +1.5 (-110)

Memphis: -1.5 (-110)

Over: 152.5 (-115)

Under: 152.5 (-105)

How To Watch FAU vs. Memphis

TV: TNT

Stream: March Madness Live App

Time: 9:20 ET/6:20 PT

*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why FAU Could Cover The Spread

At first glance, Florida Atlantic has the pieces to make a run, and despite possibly playing Purdue with a win, the amount of confidence that the Owls showcase is second to none. Facing off with Memphis for the first time in school history, Florida Atlantic's best attribute includes an offensive attack that is explosive enough to give opposing coaches fits. With the 36th-most points scored per game with 78.8 each contest, the Owls don't always play great defense and prefer to get into shootouts since this offensive onslaught is so efficient. Led by leading scorer Johnell Davis at the point guard position, the Owls also boasted top 50 marks in field goal and three-point percentage as well.

Clearly, this offense will serve as the catalyst in this one, but if there is one area for concern for the Owls, it will be their shaky 71% percent from the free-throw line. Simply put, FAU is an aggressive team when dribbling to the rack, and it will be extremely vital for the Owls to convert on their free throws, especially if this game ends up coming down to the wire.

Lastly, it is evident that Memphis turns the ball over more frequently than not, as FAU needs to prioritize putting the pressure on the Tigers defensively.

Why Memphis Could Cover The Spread

No doubt the Memphis Tigers are considered to be the future of the American Athletic Conference, but they are certainly more concerned about the right now. Winners in six of their previous seven games overall, Coach Hardaway has to be absolutely thrilled about his team's play up to this point.

On paper, March Madness bettors looking to wager some dollars on the Tigers will be in good shape if first-year guard Kendric Davis continues to go on a tear in the scoring department. After playing a season at SMU and then another three campaigns as a TCU Horned Frog, Davis has finally tapped into his superstar potential at his third college stop. On the season, Davis is averaging a hefty 22.6 PPG and is a force to be reckoned with when the ball is in his hands.

If there is one specific thing that Memphis excels at, it is the fact that the Tigers know how to get out on transition by flying by their opponents with ease. When taking a closer look, Memphis will need to force FAU to some uncharacteristic turnovers as the Owls average less than 12 giveaways per contest. Even if the Owls end up taking good care of the basketball as a whole, be on the lookout for Memphis to tire out Florida Atlantic with a hectic pace off of missed shots to push the tempo considerably. If all else fails, don't expect the Tigers to fall stagnant with a half-court offensive approach.

Final FAU-Memphis Prediction & Pick

Believe it or not, but teams just don't randomly stumble upon 31 wins without any talent from the floor. Combine FAU's winning ways with an extreme amount of depth from their starting lineup and even their bench, and the realization hits that the Owls ar simply the real deal.

Final FAU-Memphis Prediction & Pick: Florida Atlantic +1.5 (-110)