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The NCAA Tournament is underway with exciting action on Thursday. We have 16 more games on Friday, as the field will be pared down 32 teams heading into the 2nd round. We’ll sift through Friday’s games to find a handful of solid parlay opportunities to get into the black.
After looking at BetMGM Sportsbook’s NCAA Tournament odds and lines, here is Friday’s can’t-miss, 1st-round parlay among our expert college basketball picks and predictions.
Last season, the 1st round of the NCAA Tournament had a lot of 1st-round upsets. We’ll try to avoid those pitfalls, so we can build bankroll heading into the 2nd round and beyond.
Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll
Can you survive? USA TODAY Sports’ Men and Women’s Basketball Tournament Survivor Pools are here with a $2,500 prize for each contest! Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now!
NCAA Tournament first-round parlay
Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 4:08 p.m. ET. All game times ET; ML = moneyline.
Leg 1: WESTERN KENTUCKY +14.5 (-110) vs. Marquette – 2 p.m.
The Hilltoppers actually stumbled down the stretch of the regular season, losing the final 4 games, while going 1-3 against the spread (ATS). However, the ‘Toppers picked up the pace in the Conference USA Tournament, winning and covering 3 straight games. WKU comes in with a lot of confidence.
This Western Kentucky team can be dangerous offensively, too, going for 78 or more points in 6 straight outings. Defense is the team’s Achilles’ heel.
For Marquette, the biggest question for the Golden Eagles isn’t whether they’ll advance. The 2nd-seed should be able to ease by WKU. However, G Tyler Kolek enters with an oblique injury, while F Oso Ighodaro is battling a knee. Kolek is expected to play, while Ighodaro carries a questionable tag, making him a 50-50 proposition.
Kolek rolled up 15.0 PPG, 7.6 APG and 4.7 RPG while hitting 40.0% from behind the 3-point line during the regular season. He also led the team with an 88.0% mark at the free-throw line, so he absolutely needs to play, and play without any restrictions.
Ighodaro was right behind Kolek with 14.4 PPG, while leading the team with 7.2 RPG and a sparkling 60.8% field-goal percentage.
There are just too many injury questions for Marquette. This team should still have enough, even if Kolek and/or Ighodaro are on a minutes restriction. However, the spread is awfully high.
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Leg 2: Texas A&M vs. Nebraska OVER 147.5 (-105) – 6:50 p.m.
Normally we like to play sides in these parlay pieces, but it’s impossible not to love the Over in Texas A&M-Nebraska.
The Aggies roll into the Big Dance with 5 straight Over results, including all 3 games in the SEC Tournament against Ole Miss, Kentucky and Florida. The total has also gone high in 11 of the past 13 games for the Aggies since Feb. 7, including 6-1 in 7 games against NCAA Tournament teams.
For “Nebrasketball”, they’ve been rolling up big-time offensive totals all season long. Big Red cashed the Over in both appearances in the Big Ten Tournament, averaging 90.0 PPG, while allowing 82.0 PPG, which is an easy pair of Overs.
The Cornhuskers have seen the total go high in 17 of the past 22 games since Dec. 20. Surprisingly, Nebraska allowed teams to hit just 39.6% from the field, which was top-10 in the nation during the regular season. But as the season went on, the offensive production started to creep up, and the defense wasn’t as suffocating.
The Over is 8-0 in the past 8 games for Nebraska against teams in the NCAA Tournament field dating back to an Under against Creighton on Dec. 3, while going 9-1 in 10 games this season against NCAA Tournament participants.
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Leg 3: ALABAMA -9.5 (-110) vs. Charleston – 7:35 p.m.
A lot of casual fans like to pick upsets. You get those bracket nerds who haven’t watched a game all season, but they donate $5 at the office and pretend to know things. Anyway…
Charleston is a team people know from the past, and many are picking the Cougars for an upset. It ain’t happening.
The Cougars went 0-3 SU/ATS in 3 games against teams in the NCAA Tournament, losing games to Duquesne, FAU and Vermont by at least 9 points, and an average of margin of defeat of 14.3 PPG.
Alabama is battle tested, having been through the gauntlet of SEC play, and this team can get out and run with the best of them. Alabama scored 87 or more points in 8 of the past 9 games, and Charleston just doesn’t have the horses to keep up with that pace. In fact, Bama led the nation with 90.8 PPG. Charleston allowed 73.3 PPG this season, while teams hit 44.4% from the field.
The scoreboard operator at Spokane Arena better limber up, because he/she is going to be busy. Alabama could, potentially, hit triple digits, and it should be able to record the double-digit victory.
Parlay payout: Bet $10 to profit $61.11 (payout = $71.11).
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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College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
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College Sports Wire: Men’s hoops / Women’s hoops / High School
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