March Madness – Page 7 – Syndication Server

Broadcast information and tipoff times revealed for Final Four

The final leg of March Madness begins with the men’s Final Four in Phoenix at State Farm Stadium.

The Final Four is officially set as the NC State Wolfpack and Purdue Boilermakers both punched their tickets to Phoenix, or Glendale where the games are being played.

The Wolfpack continued their hot streak knocking off the Duke Blue Devils for the second time since the regular season ended. The Purdue Boilermakers had to fend off a really good Tennessee Volunteers team led by Dalton Knecht. Nothing was going to stop the Purdue redemption tour on that day.

Those two teams joined the Final Four field that already included the Alabama Crimson Tide and UConn Huskies. The action will get going on Saturday from State Farm Stadium. The winners will face off on Monday night for the NCAA national championship. The favorite has to be the champions but history isn’t on their side. No one has repeated as the top dogs since the Florida Gators did it in 2006 and 2007.

Below you will find the tipoff and broadcast details for the game.

NC State Wolfpack vs Purdue Boilermakers

Here’s when you should tune in to see the game:

Date: April 6, 2024
Time: 4:09 p.m. MT
TV Channel: TBS
Live Stream: Sling TV (watch for free)

Alabama Crimson Tide vs UConn Huskies

Here’s when you should tune in to see the game:

Date: April 6, 2024
Time: 6:49 p.m. MT
TV Channel: TBS
Live Stream: Sling TV (watch for free)

WATCH: Clemson players receive warm welcome home after Elite Eight

Clemson Basketball in March Madness: The Clemson Tigers received a warm welcome home when it landed Sunday night following its 89-82 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

Clemson’s season came to a disappointing end in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday night in Los Angeles.

Buoyed by a second-half surge that included 23 points from Mark Sears, No. 4 seed Alabama defeated the Tigers, 89-82, at Crypto.com Arena to advance to the Final Four.

Clemson got out to a 26-13 lead in the first half before the Crimson Tide overtook them with a 22-6 run to end the half.

Sears, who started the game 0-for-6 from behind the arc, made up for it in the second half by connecting on seven of his next eight 3-pointers.

Joe Girard ended up leading the Tigers with 19 points after a slow start, and Ian Schieffelin added 18 points. PJ Hall (14 points) and Chase Hunter (12 points) gave Clemson four players in double figures Saturday.

While the end result was a disappointment for the Tigers, Clemson fans were no less thrilled to welcome the team back home from the City of Angels after the team had made only its second all-time Elite Eight appearance.

The Clemson Athletic Department took to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Sunday night to share a pair of videos of the reception the team received from the Tiger faithful.

Watch below:

Thank you #ClemsonFamily for the warm welcome home! 🧡🐅 pic.twitter.com/8i6wqo02jm

— Clemson Basketball (@ClemsonMBB) April 1, 2024

Women’s NCAA Tournament: LSU vs. Iowa odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Monday’s LSU vs. Iowa odds and lines, with college basketball expert picks, predictions and best bets.

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The LSU Lady Tigers (31-5) and Iowa Hawkeyes (32-4) meet Monday in Elite 8 action in the Women’s NCAA Tournament. Tip-off from the MVP Arena in Albany, N.Y., is slated for 7 p.m. ET (ESPN). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the LSU vs. Iowa odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and best bets.

The 3rd-seeded Tigers meet the 1st-seeded Hawkeyes in the Regional 2 Final for a trip to the Final Four in Cleveland. More importantly, this should be a rating’s bonanza, with F Angel Reese and the defending champion Tigers taking on record-setter G Caitlin Clark and the national runner-up Hawkeyes.

LSU has played better as the NCAA Tournament has moved along. It opened with an uninspiring 10-point win over 14th-seeded Rice in the 1st round in Baton Rouge, never threatening to cover the 28.5-point number as the Under (146.5) easily covered.

In the 2nd round, the Tigers downed 11th-seeded Middle Tennessee 83-56, covering as 16.5-point favorites, again hitting the Under (141.5). They played their best game of the tourney against 2nd-seeded UCLA in Albany Saturday, winning 78-69 to cover as 3.5-point favorites as the Over (144.5) just came through.

For the Hawkeyes, they topped 16th-seeded Holy Cross 91-65 in the opening round but just missed the cover as 38.5-point favorites in Iowa City with the Under (157.5) cashing. In Round 2, Iowa held off a charge from 8th-seeded West Virginia, winning 64-54, but again, Iowa failed to cover — this time as a 14.5-point favorite as the Under (163.5) again came in.

In a Sweet 16 matchup in Albany against 5th-seeded Colorado, the Hawkeyes played their most complete game of the tournament, cashing as 7.5-point favorites with the Under (157.5) hitting.

When these teams met last season in the championship game, LSU won 102-85 as a 3.5-point underdog — cashing as a +125 dog on the moneyline — and the Over (159.5) easily cashed.

Clark scored 30 for Iowa in last season’s title game, while hitting 8 triples. The Hawkeyes shot 50.0% from the field, and 46.7% behind the arc, but they turned the ball over 16 times and were outrebounded 37-26. LSU was led by G Jasmine Carson, who scored 22 off the bench, hitting 5 of the team’s 11 3-pointers in her final college game. Reese had a double-double, scoring 15 points with 10 boards, 5 assists, 3 steals and a blocked shot.

LSU is No. 6 and Iowa is No. 2 in USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

LSU vs. Iowa odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook’s; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 6:10 a.m. ET.

Moneyline (ML): LSU +110 (bet $100 to win $110) | Iowa -135 (bet $135 to win $100)
Against the spread: LSU +1.5 (+100) | Iowa -1.5 (-120)
Over/Under (O/U): 168.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

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LSU vs. Iowa and predictions

Prediction

Iowa 83, LSU 77

Moneyline

IOWA (-135) is worth playing in this highly-anticipated rematch. This is going to be a titanic contest for the women’s game, regardless of which team comes out on top. The TV ratings should be through the roof.

As far as the result, the Hawkeyes have played well in this tournament, played their best game against Colorado last time out.

Against the spread

IOWA -1.5 (-120) is slightly cheaper laying the bucket. Unless you strongly feel the Hawkeyes are going to win, but only by a point, this is a better option than the moneyline.

LSU was tremendous against UCLA, but something has been missing in this tournament. The Tigers just haven’t looked like a dominant team capable of winning it all.

Bank on Clark to get the job done in Albany, evening the score against the Tigers and Reese — after last season’s title-game loss — while the Hawkeyes advance to Cleveland with much bigger fish to fry.

Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+

Over/Under

UNDER 168.5 (-110) is worth a look in this Elite 8 showdown.

The Tigers have cashed the Under in 2 of the past 3 NCAA Tournament games, while the Hawkeyes have ended up going low in all 3 of their games in the tourney. We had a high-scoring game last season in the national championship, but this season these teams have not been nearly as prolific on offense in the tournament.

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

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College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / Iowa / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / USC / Wisconsin /
College Sports Wire: Men’s hoops / Women’s hoops / High School

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Final Four first look: NC State vs. Purdue odds, lines and trends

What you need to know: NCAA Tournament early look at Saturday’s NC State vs. Purdue Final Four odds.

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The No. 11 seed NC State Wolfpack (26-14) and the top-seeded Purdue Boilermakers (33-4) meet in a Final Four matchup Saturday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:09 p.m. ET (TBS). Below, we look at NC State vs. Purdue odds from BetMGM Sportsbook before making our expert college basketball picks and predictions.

The Wolfpack are 9-for-9 in the postseason, while covering 7 of those ACC and NCAA Tournament games. They’re also an on-fire 7-0 against the spread (ATS) in the past 7 as underdogs. It is NC State’s 1st trip to the Final Four since 1983 with coach Jim Valvano, when the “Cardiac Pack” stunned top-ranked Houston 54-52 to win the program’s 2nd national championship.

For the 14th time in NCAA history a school will have its men’s and women’s basketballs teams in the Final Fours. The NC State women won their Elite 8 game against Texas Sunday.

As for the Boilermakers, they gutted out a 72-66 win over the 2nd-seeded Tennessee Volunteers Sunday, covering as 3-point favorites, to punch their ticket to the program’s 1st Final Four since 1980. C Zach Edey was a one-man wrecking crew, going for 40 points on 13-of-21 shooting, while grabbing 16 rebounds against the Vols.

Purdue won and covered all 4 of its games in the NCAA Tournament, while cashing the Under in 3 of those 4 outings. The Boilermakers haven’t faced an ACC team since Nov. 30, 2022, when they won at Florida State 79-69. Purdue actually beat Duke 75-56 in the game prior to that on a neutral floor in Portland.

Purdue is No. 3 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, while NC State is unranked.

Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+

NC State vs. Purdue odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook’s; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 12:17 a.m. ET.

Moneyline (ML): NC State +350 (bet $100 to win $350) | Purdue -450 (bet $450 to win $100)
Against the spread: NC State +9.5 (-115) | Purdue -9.5 (-105)
Over/Under (O/U): 146.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)

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2023-24 betting stats (includes postseason)

Source: Covers.com

ML: NC State 26-14 | Purdue 33-4
ATS: NC State 20-19-1 | Purdue 21-15-1
O/U: NC State 22-17-1 | Purdue 23-14

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NC State vs. Purdue head-to-head

Ironically, Purdue is the last Big Ten team that NC State faced. On Dec. 12, 2021, the Boilermakers topped the Wolfpack 82-72 in OT at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Edey, who was just a sophomore then, finished with 9 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks. NC State G Casey Morsell played in that game, going for 3 points and 5 rebounds off the bench.

These teams have never met in the NCAA Tournament.

Purdue last faced an ACC team in the NCAA Tournament in 2019 when it fell 80-75 in OT to Virginia in the Elite 8. Prior to that, Purdue lost to Duke in the Sweet 16 in 2010. It also lost to Duke in 1994 in the Elite 8. The Boilermakers’ last win against an ACC team in the NCAA Tourney came in 1980 when they eliminated Duke in the Elite 8 — which happens to be the last time Purdue was in the Final Four.

NC State last faced a Big Ten team in the NCAA Tournament in 2005, falling to Wisconsin in the Sweet 16. The Wolfpack beat Michigan State in the first round in 2002, and it topped Iowa in 2OT in the second round of the 1989 tournament. It is 3-3 all time against the Big Ten in the NCAA Tournament.

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

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Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code SBWIRE1000 | $1K First-Bet Offer for Sunday’s Elite Eight

With the Caesars Sportsbook promo code SBWIRE1000 new customers can claim a first-bet offer up to $1,000 to use on Elite Eight, MLB, NASCAR & more.

We may earn a fee if you make a purchase through one of the links in this article. The USA Today Network newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.

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The Elite Eight is one of the best weekends in terms of powerhouse matchups, and this year should be another of that caliber with the South and Midwest Region up for grabs. The Caesars Sportsbook promo code SBWIRE1000 is a way to get some betting action on those games and gain some downside protection for your opening wager with a first-bet offer up to $1,000.

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Instant Access to Elite Eight Betting with Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code SBWIRE1000

📱 Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code	SBWIRE1000
🤑 Caesars Sportsbook Bonus	First-Bet Offer up to $1,000
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✔️ Last verified	March 31

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The next step is an important one, as you will now need to determine your initial wager that has the coverage of the first-bet offer with the Caesars Sportsbook promo code SBWIRE1000.

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Terms, Conditions & Options for First-Bet Offer with Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code SBWIRE1000

Whatever way you choose to go with your first bet after creating a new account with the Caesars Sportsbook promo code SBWIRE1000, do note that this wager must be a real money, standard odds bet.

Let’s say you choose to go the underdog route and use the Caesars Sportsbook promo code SBWIRE1000 to bet $100 on an Elite Eight upset in the South Region final. If your pick wins, you will celebrate this profitable victory, but if it loses Caesars Sportsbook will then send you a $100 bonus bet.

Since this bonus bet from the Caesars Sportsbook promo code SBWIRE1000 has a two-week usage window, you could use it to wager on a Final Four game or the national championship of the NCAA Tournament. If the bet wins, you will get the profits from it, as this bonus bet has a 1X playthrough.

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Elite Eight Betting Opportunities with Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code

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BetMGM Bonus Code SBWIRE | $1500 First-Bet Offer for Elite Eight, Sunday MLB

New users can sign up with the BetMGM bonus code SBWIRE and claim a first-bet offer that pays back a losing first bet with up to $1,500 in bonus bets.

We may earn a fee if you make a purchase through one of the links in this article. The USA Today Network newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.

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It’s win or go home during today’s NCAA Tournament Midwest and South Region finals. But for you, it’s win or get bonus bets when you take advantage of the BetMGM bonus code SBWIRE that grants you a first-bet offer up to $1,500 just for creating an account with BetMGM.

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It’s this ability to play another day that makes BetMGM one of the nation’s best online sportsbooks. To get in the game, all you need to do is launch a BetMGM account with the BetMGM bonus code SBWIRE and you’re guaranteed a first-bet offer up to $1,500.

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How to Get a $1,500 First-Bet Offer with BetMGM Bonus Code SBWIRE

📱 BetMGM Bonus Code	SBWIRE
🤑 BetMGM Promo Offer	First-Bet Offer Up to $1500 in Bonus Bets
✅ Terms and conditions	New customers 21 and older in AZ, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MI, MA, MD, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA & WV. 18+ in WY; 7-day expiration and 1x playthrough on bonus bets. (Bet $5, Get $150 in NC)
✔️ Last verified	March 31

In roughly the time it takes to knock down a couple of free throws, you can register for an account with the BetMGM bonus code SBWIRE that ensures you a first-bet offer up to $1,500. Follow these easy steps:

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Place at least $10 in your new account. Now you’re ready to participate in March Madness.

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Win Big or Receive Matching Bonus Bets from BetMGM Bonus Code SBWIRE

Sometimes there are sportsbook promo codes that rise to the occasion. That’s the case today as there are two high-profile regional finals in the NCAA Tournament — and new customers can capitalize on a monstrous welcome offer: Set up a BetMGM account with the BetMGM bonus code SBWIRE and you’ll be rewarded with a first-bet offer up to $1,500.

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MLB Sunday Betting, Women’s NCAA & More Big Events with the BetMGM Bonus Code

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March Madness: NC State vs. Duke odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Sunday’s NC State vs. Duke odds and lines, with college basketball expert picks, predictions and best bets.

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The NC State Wolfpack (25-14) and Duke Blue Devils (27-8) meet Sunday in Elite 8 action in the NCAA Tournament. Tip-off from the American Airlines Center is slated for 5:05 p.m. ET (CBS). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Duke vs. NC State odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and best bets.

The 4th-seeded Blue Devils surprised the top seed in the South Region, the 1st-seeded Houston Cougars. Duke won a low-scoring defensive battle 54-51 as the Under (134) was never in question. Now, Duke is the top remaining seed in the South Region.

Duke has won and covered 3 straight games since losing in the ACC Tournament to NC State on March 14. The Wolfpack won that tourney game 74-69 outright as an 11-point underdog as the Under (146) connected. The Blue Devils blasted the Wolfpack 79-64 in the previous meeting on March 4 in Raleigh, covering as a 6-point favorite as the Under (150.5) cashed.

NC State has had an amazing postseason ride, winning 5 games in 5 days at the ACC Tournament to win the title, while winning 8 consecutive outings in the ACC tourney and NCAA Tournament. The Wolfpack has covered 6 of the past 7 games, including each of the previous 6 outings as an underdog.

Duke was No. 14 and NC State was unranked in the final USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll of the regular season.

NC State vs. Duke odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook’s; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:01 a.m. ET.

Moneyline (ML): NC State +300 (bet $100 to win $300) | Duke -250 (bet $250 to win $100)
Against the spread: NC State +7.5 (-120) | Duke -7.5 (+100)
Over/Under (O/U): 143.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

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NC State vs. Duke and predictions

Prediction

Duke 72, NC State 67

Moneyline

Duke (-250) will cost you 2 1/2 times your potential return, and that’s quite expensive, especially against a conference rival which knows it well. These teams will be playing for the 3rd time since March 4.

NC State (+300) has been amazing story, but all good things come to an end. Sometimes we get attached to a Cinderella story, but you can’t bet what you might want to happen, you have to use your head. Duke is the better team, and it will show Sunday.

AVOID, and look to the spread instead.

Against the spread

NC STATE +7.5 (-120) is playing with a lot of confidence. While Duke -7.5 (+100) should be able to get the job done, these teams have split the 2 meetings since March 4, with the Wolfpack winning outright in Washington D.C. as an 11-point underdog on a neutral floor.

The Wolfpack has won and covered each of the past 6 games as an underdog. NC State is also 7-2 ATS in the past 9 games on a neutral floor, too. The Pack is likely to run out of gas, but it should have enough left in the tank to keep it within 4 buckets.

Duke used a suffocating defense to beat Houston, the No. 2 team in the nation, at its own game. Look for the Blue Devils to ride a hot defense to splash cold water on the Pack.

Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+

Over/Under

UNDER 143.5 (-115) is worth a look in this Elite 8 matchup, and ACC rivalry game.

NC State has cashed the Under in 2 of the 3 NCAA tournament games, while allowing 69 or fewer points in 5 of the past 7 postseason outings. The Under has cashed in both meetings with Duke since March 4, too.

For Duke, it has leaned heavily upon its defense to get the job done in the NCAA Tournament, allowing an average of just 51.0 PPG in 3 outings, with the Under going 4-0 in the postseason, and 7-1 in the past 8 games. The Under is 14-3 in the past 17 outings dating back to Jan. 27, too.

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

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Final Four first look: Alabama vs. UConn odds, lines and trends

What you need to know: NCAA Tournament early look at Saturday’s Alabama vs. UConn Final Four odds.

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The No. 4 seed Alabama Crimson Tide (25-11) and top-seed UConn Huskies (35-3) will meet in the Final Four Saturday, April 6, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. The start time will be announced after the other semifinal matchup is set — following Sunday’s Elite 8 contests. Below, we look at Alabama vs. UConn odds from FanDuel Sportsbook before making our expert college basketball picks and predictions.

Alabama (25-11) advanced with victories over College of Charleston, Grand Canyon, North Carolina and Clemson. The Crimson Tide defeated 6th-seeded Clemson 89-82 in an Elite 8 contest Saturday. The Tide, who covered the spread as 3-point favorites, sank 16 3-pointers vs the Tigers. G Mark Sears scored a game-high 23 points and hit 7 of those 3-pointers as Alabama advanced to its first Final Four in program history.

UConn, which is No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, defeated 3rd-seeded Illinois 77-52 in the other Saturday Elite 8 matchup. The Huskies, who are 2 wins away from repeating as champions, used a 30-0 run to put away the Illini and easily cover as 8.5-point favorites. The Huskies have beaten their 4 NCAA Tournament opponents — Stetson, Northwestern, San Diego State an Illinois — by an average of 27.8 points per game. UConn is in the Final Four for the 7th time in school history.

Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+

Alabama vs. UConn odds

Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Sunday at 5:04 a.m. ET.

Moneyline (ML): Alabama +470 (bet $100 to win $470) | UConn -670 (bet $670 to win $100)
Against the spread (ATS): Alabama +11.5 (-115) | UConn -11.5 (-105)
Over/Under (O/U): 160.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)

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2023-24 betting stats (includes postseason)

Source: Covers.com

ML: Alabama 25-11 | UConn 35-3
ATS: Alabama 20-15-1 | UConn 26-12
O/U: Alabama 27-9 | UConn 16-21-1

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Alabama vs. UConn head-to-head

UConn leads the all-time series 2-0.

They last faced off early last season on a neutral court in Portland with the Huskies claiming an 82-67 victory. The game was tied at 52-all with 8:55 to go before UConn outscored Alabama 30-15 down the stretch. UConn covered the spread as a 2-point underdog and the Over (148) hit.

While this will be the Crimson Tide’s 1st trip to the Final Four in school history, the Huskies are headed to their 7th.

UConn is 5-1 in its 6 previous Final Four outings and won its 5th national title in program history last April. The Huskies are looking to be the 1st back-to-back champions since the 2006-07 Florida Gators. .

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

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March Madness: Elite 8 strategy for the $2.5K USA TODAY’s Women’s NCAA Tournament Survivor Pool

Win $2.5K in the Women’s NCAA Tournament Survivor Pool: Elite 8 pick and prediction.

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The 2024 Women’s NCAA Tournament moves on to the Elite 8, starting Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. Only 284 entries in USA TODAY’s NCAA Women’s Tournament Survivor Pool contest remain out of the 3,754 who signed up.

Sunday, we have No. 1 seed South Carolina (35-0) facing No. 3 seed Oregon State (27-7) in Albany, while No. 1 seed Texas (33-4) meets No. 3 seed NC State (30-6) in Portland.

Monday, we have a couple of amazing bouts on tap. No. 3 seed LSU (31-5) and No. 1 seed Iowa (32-4) will battle in Albany in a national championship rematch, for a trip to the Final 4 this time around. It’s F Angel Reese and the defending champion Tigers against record-setter G Caitlin Clark and her Hawkeyes in one of the most anticipated games this season.

But don’t sleep on Monday’s nightcap from Portland when G Paige Bueckers and No. 3 seed UConn face freshman phenom G Juju Watkins and top-seeded USC in the final Elite 8 game of the round.

After getting through the 1st round with 3 correct picks for 12 points, I stumbled in the 2nd round and was eliminated. While No. 4 seed Indiana won for me, I was eliminated when 4th-seeded Kansas State lost to No. 5 seed Colorado.

Even though I was done, I still offered out picks for the Sweet 16, hoping to help you. Only having to make 1 pick this round, I rebounded with LSU topping 2nd-seeded UCLA in Albany Saturday in a 78-69 thriller.

As an employee, I wasn’t eligible to win this contest, but there’s no rule against me helping you win $2.5K.

A rules reminder: Remaining entries are required to pick 1 team in Elite 8, 1 team in the Final Four and then the National Championship Game winner — if you still have an eligible team to select.

Points are earned equal to your winning teams’ seeds.

Here is my strategy of which team to pick for the Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournament Survivor Pool in the Elite 8 round.

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Elite 8 pick

PICK 1: UCONN HUSKIES (32-5)

Who they play: USC Trojans (29-5)

When: Monday, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Where: Moda Center, Portland

The Huskies are ranked No. 7 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, while the Trojans are No. 3.

USC narrowly escaped an upset in the Sweet 16, edging 5th-seeded Baylor 74-70 in a physical battle. The good news is that the Trojans held the Bears to 38.6% (27-of-70) shooting from the field, but that bad news is that USC wasn’t much better at 39.4% (29-of-66) on its field-goal percentage. USC turned it over 9 times, too, while managing just 11 assists and 2 steals, to 17 dimes and 5 steals for Baylor. Still, the Trojans managed to get the job done.

Watkins misfired on 20 of her 28 field-goal attempts, including a dismal 2-of-11 from behind the 3-point line. Still, she managed to get to the free-throw line 13 times, knocking down 12 of her attempts. It was one of the strangest 30-point night you’ll ever see. She finished with 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocked shots, too.

USC will have its hands full with Bueckers. The Huskies eased by 7th-seeded Duke 53-45 in a defensive battle. Bueckers was 9-of-21 from the field, posting 24 points with 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocked shots and an assist, while knocking down a pair of 3-pointers. F Aaliyah Edwards was tremendously efficient, too, hitting 6-of-7 from the field, ending up with 12 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks in a complementary role.

Coach Geno Auriemma is one of the game’s greats, and Bueckers and Edwards are outstanding options to confuse Watkins, who is on this stage for the first time. All 4 of the games in the Elite 8 are No. 3 vs. No. 1 seeds. The Huskies are your best bet to pull the upset, with NC State a close 2nd if you’ve yet to use them (I have).

Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

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March Madness Elite 8, can’t-miss parlay: Bank on this 3-teamer

Beat the Sportsbook: Bank on this 3-team parlay in Sunday’s Elite 8 action of the NCAA Tournament.

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We’re halfway through the Elite 8 of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. No. 1 seed UConn and 4th-seeded Alabama advanced to the Final Four with wins Saturday. The final half of the national semifinals will be decided with 2 games Sunday.

After looking at the BetMGM Sportsbook’s NCAA Tournament odds and lines, here is a Sunday can’t-miss, Elite 8 parlay among our expert college basketball picks and predictions.

Sunday’s action kicks off from Detroit’s Little Caesars’ Arena with No. 1 seed Purdue and 2nd-seeded Tennessee facing off at 2:20 p.m. ET in the Midwest Region. The final Elite 8 contest features an ACC battle in the South Region between No. 4 seed Duke and this tournament’s Cinderella in 11th-seeded NC State at 5:05 p.m. ET. They’ll battle it out in Dallas at American Airlines Center.

Purdue is No. 3 and Tennessee is No. 6, respectively, in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. Duke is ranked 14th, while NC State is unranked.

As for Saturday’s winners, UConn is No 1; Alabama is No. 18.

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NCAA Tournament Elite 8 parlay

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:21 a.m. ET. All game Sunday, times ET.

Leg 1: TENNESSEE +3.5 (-115) vs. Purdue — 2:20 p.m. (CBS)

Tennessee (27-8) showed off its suffocating and tenacious defense in an Elite 8 victory over No. 3 seed Creighton Friday 82-75. The Volunteers, who covered the spread as 3.5-point favorites, frustrated the sharp-shooting Bluejays, while going up-tempo in the 2nd half to try and run away with the game.

The Vols have so many different options as they can score down low or they can use the 3-ball with G Dalton Knecht. They were able to get the job done Friday despite G Santiago Vescovi sitting out due to a bout with the flu. He is expected to be ready to go Sunday, which would give the Vols a big boost.

We actually saw these teams meet already this season. They played in the Maui Invitational back on Nov. 21 with Purdue winning 71-67 to hang on for a cover as a 3-point favorite with the Over (133.5) cashing. That was months ago, though. Tennessee has improved and it is a much more physical team, too. The Vols are going to use that tenaciousness and physicality to push around the Boilermakers (32-4).

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Leg 2: NC STATE +7.5 (-120) vs. Duke – 5:05 p.m. (CBS)

Now to the ACC battle in Dallas as we’re ready for a new chapter in this Triangle rivalry.

The Wolfpack (25-14) have had an amazing run, winning 5 times in 5 days at the ACC Tournament before winning 3 in a row at the NCAA Tournament to get to their 1st Elite 8 since 1986 when the late Jim Valvano was at the helm. NC State lost that game by a 75-67 score to Kansas.

NC State has been quite the story this tourney, covering 6 in a row as an underdog, completely transforming into beast mode in the postseason after finishing the regular season rather meekly — the Pack were 9-11 in ACC play. Those late-season struggles included a 79-64 loss at PNC Arena in Raleigh against Duke, which covered as a 6-point favorite.

The Wolfpack exacted revenge in the ACC Tournament March 14, winning 74-69 as 11-point underdogs en route to an unlikely title. Look for the Pack to hang on for the cover, although the Blue Devils (27-8) are fully expected to win outright in a game for the ages.

Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+

Leg 3: NC State vs. Duke UNDER 143.5 (-115)

The Wolfpack are making plenty of headlines for their Cinderella run as a double-digit seed, and as you might expect, it couldn’t be done without a little luck and without a little defense.

NC State has allowed 67 or fewer points in 2 of its 3 NCAA Tournament games, with the lone exception the 73 points it allowed to Oakland in a 2nd-round overtime win. The Wolfpack have cashed the Under in 2 of 3 tourney games, while yielding 69 or fewer points in 5 of the past 7 outings. The Under holds a slight 4-3 edge in the past 7 games.

The Under cashed in the ACC Tournament win over Duke, too, with 143 combined points on an O/U line of 146. In the regular-season meeting in Raleigh March 4, we had 143 combined points against an O/U line of 150.5, also an Under result.

Duke has leaned heavily into its defense in this NCAA Tournament, allowing just 51.0 PPG in 3 games, best among all 68 teams in the tourney. The Under has cashed in 4 straight postseason games, while going 7-1 in the past 8 outings. The Under is also on a 14-3 run in Duke’s past 17 games.

Parlay payout: Bet $10 to profit $54.08 (payout = $64.08).

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

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