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March Madness kicked off with a bang Thursday with dominant wins and Cinderella stories being born. There were expected victories and unexpected unsung heroes that displayed the magic of what March is all about.
After looking at the BetMGM Sportsbook’s NCAA Tournament odds and lines, here is Saturday’s can’t-miss, 2nd-round parlay among our expert college basketball picks and predictions.
While multiple 2nd-round games Saturday feature expected favorites, there are some few predicted, including No. 14 seed Oakland facing off against 11th-seeded NC State. More madness is sure to come. Below are teams you can count on to win some money.
Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll
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NCAA Tournament second-round parlay
Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:08 a.m. ET. All game times ET; ML = moneyline.
Leg 1: ARIZONA -9.5 (-105) vs. Dayton – 12:45 p.m. (CBS)
Second-seeded Arizona is clearly the more dominant team in this matchup, but you cannot deny the fight No. 7 seed Dayton has in it. The Flyers’ 17-point comeback against Nevada in the 1st round is nothing short of impressive, but Nevada and Arizona are totally different programs. Dayton came out slow and was able to creep back vs. Nevada, but against a Wildcats team that is 26-8 and won the Pac-12 regular-season crown with a 15-5 showing, the Flyers will not find themselves as lucky in Round 2.
Arizona is 5-2-2 against the spread (ATS) in its last 9 games as a 9-point or more favorite and has held opponents to 67 points or fewer in 6 of its last 10 games. As demonstrated in its 85-65 opening-round win over Long Beach State, the Wildcats have an ability to create many problems for opposing offenses and imposing their will on both sides of the court.
When playing at their best, the Wildcats can match up to any other team in this tournament and are able to dominate lesser opponents like the Flyers, which is what makes this the perfect 1st leg of the parlay.
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Leg 2: NORTH CAROLINA -3.5 (-115) vs. Michigan State – 3:30 p.m. (CBS)
Top-seeded North Carolina is the obvious favorite in this matchup as one of the top teams in the tournament, but laying just 3.5 points is a steal. UNC has won 9 of its last 10 games and in each of those wins, UNC has won by at least 4 points. The Tar Heels defense has been nearly unstoppable of late, allowing 67 or fewer points in 3 of its last 4 games and 71 or fewer in 7 of its last 9.
Ninth-seeded Michigan State dominated No. 8 seed Mississippi State in the 1st round with a 69-51 win, but it has lost 5 of its last 8 including 2 of its last 4. It has scored more than 69 points just 1 time in its last 5 games which will prove to be problematic against a tough UNC opponent.
Look for F Armando Bacot, who is averaging a double-double this season (14.3 points, 10.3 rebounds) to leave him footprint on this game, allowing the Tar Heels to cover and complete the 2nd leg of this parlay.
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Leg 3: ILLINOIS -10.5 (-105) vs. Duquesne – 8:40 p.m. (TNT)
No. 11 seed Duquesne vs. 3rd-seeded Illinois is an intriguing 2nd-round matchup for many reasons, but the top is the different play styles each team elicits.
Duquesne is 9-1 in its last 10 games and prefers to slow the pace which has led to it scoring 71 or fewer points in 8 of its last 10. Illinois tends to speed up the pace of the game and take down opponents by scoring in droves. It has scored 85 or more in 7 of its last 10.
It is due to this that Illinois will cover. While Duquesne showed its ability to keep up with a difficult BYU team in the 1st round behind a 71-67 win, the Dukes will not be able to find the same opportunities against a stronger Illini squad.
While the Dukes may find ways to stick in this game early, expect the Fighting Illini to overpower them en route to a dominating victory to cover the final leg of the parlay.
Parlay payout: Bet $10 to profit $71.26 (payout = $61.26).
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