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The 1st round of the NCAA Tournament ended with a flare Friday with some favorites advancing and more underdog stories being created. March Madness is in full swing as we move toward the Round of 32.
After looking at the BetMGM Sportsbook’s NCAA Tournament odds and lines, here is a Sunday’s can’t-miss, 2nd-round parlay among our expert college basketball picks and predictions.
Many predicted some of the 2nd-round matchups that will be played on Sunday, but some teams, like James Madison and Grand Canyon, surprised a good number of fans by advancing. Below are teams you should keep an eye out for when putting together your parlay.
Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll
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 Saturday at 7:37 p.m. ET. All game times ET.
Leg 1: PURDUE -11.5 (-110) vs. Utah State – 2:40 p.m. (CBS)
No. 1 seed Purdue (30-4) dominated 16th-seeded Grambling Friday with a 28-point win (78-50), sending a message to the rest of the teams in the tournament. C Zach Edey proved to be too much to handle with 30 points and 21 rebounds. He will be the key reason the Boilermakers have another commanding victory.
Eighth-seeded Utah State (28-6) had an impressive 88-72 win over No. 9 seed TCU in the 1st round. A large reason for the victory was the Aggies’ ability to put the ball in the basket at a high rate. They shot 55.0% from the field, including 42.1% from 3, sinking 8 of 19. However, against a larger, more athletic Boilermakers team, the Aggies won’t find it as easy, making PURDUE -11.5 (-110) a solid 1st leg of this parlay.
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Leg 2: BAYLOR -4.5 (-110) vs. Clemson – 6:10 p.m. (TNT)
Third-seeded Baylor (24-10) looked like one of the best teams in the tournament in its 92-67 1st-round victory over No. 14 seed Colgate. With 4 of the 5 starters scoring in double figures and the team shooting a whopping 53.3% from beyond the arc, the Bears are a difficult team to stop when they get hot.
The Bears have hit their stride at the most ideal time in the season and present a much more difficult matchup for No. 6 seed Clemson (22-11) than New Mexico did in the Tigers’ 77-56 opening-round win.
At 4.5 points, the Baylor spread is perfect for the 2nd leg of the parlay.
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Leg 3: ALABAMA -5.5 (-115) vs. Grand Canyon – 7:10 p.m.
No. 4 seed Alabama (22-11) laying 5.5 points against 12th-seeded Grand Canyon is a steal and the icing on the cake for our parlay. While Grand Canyon (30-4) has had an impressive season, including its 1st-round upset of 5th-seeded Saint Mary’s, Alabama’s offense will simply be too much for the Gaels.
The Crimson Tide scored 109 points in their 1st-round victory over Charleston, and have scored 87 or more points in 9 of their last 10. Expect Alabama to push the pace of the game Sunday and exhausting Grand Canyon allowing the Tide to win, cover and finish the parlay out strong.
Parlay payout: Bet $10 to profit $68.14 (payout = $58.14).
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