Ricky Dimon
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Saturdays don’t get much bigger than this one. With March Madness on the horizon, college basketball is heating up in a big way. A whopping 21 of the top-25 teams are taking the court today and there are four all-ranked showdowns. That doesn’t even include Duke vs North Carolina, the best rivalry in all of basketball. We also have Baylor vs Kansas and USC vs Arizona.
We have cashed three college basketball parlays in the last four days. Now we’re looking to go even bigger with a mega parlay success.
Miami ML (+160)
Duke -3 (-110)
Vanderbilt ML (+130)
Parlay odds: +1042
For this parlay we are going with two underdogs on the money line and one favorite against the spread. Let’s break down each of the three legs one by one.
Miami ML over Virginia (+160)
The Hurricanes are much better offensively than they showed in Wednesday’s loss to Notre Dame. They are 1st in the ACC in offensive efficiency (22nd nationally) and 2nd in 3-point% (55th nationally). In typical Jim Larranaga fashion, the Hurricanes’ offense under their veteran head coach includes frequent ball screens and operates primarily through their trio of guards — Kameron McGusty, Isaiah Wong, and Charlie Moore, each of whom average more than 12 ppg. Virginia deploys a pack-line defense that is typically very good at defending ball screens, but this Cavalier team does not defend at the same high level that we are accustomed to seeing from head coach Tony Bennett’s bunch. The Wahoos struggled to defend N.C. State and Notre Dame in pick-and-roll situations and now will be tasked with defending Miami’s trio of guards, all of whom are very good in pick-and-roll play. The Cavaliers figure to have a difficult time matching Miami’s offense and could be in for a long day.
Check out our Miami vs Virginia preview
Duke -3 over North Carolina (-110)
This will be Coach K’s last trip to Chapel Hill to take on rival North Carolina. Given the disparity between the teams this season, it looks like he should get a win. Top wing prospect AJ Griffin has really come on of late, creating a situation where Paolo Banchero does not have to be the top option every time down the floor. Fellow freshman Trevor Keels is back, too. He did not look great in their last game against Notre Dame but their depth and talent can overwhelm teams. This North Carolina team is solid and will probably go to the NCAA Tournament, but it is a tier or two behind Duke — even though just a half-game separates them in the ACC standings. There just aren’t any star players on the Tar Heels, while Duke has a couple of guys who are expected to be lottery picks. The Heels have thoroughly underwhelmed against tough competition so far this season.
Check out our Duke vs North Carolina preview
Vanderbilt ML over LSU (+130)
After starting the season 15-1, LSU has lost 5 of its last 6 games. The Tigers have the 2nd-rated defense in SEC play and hold SEC opponents to 66 ppg on 40.3% shooting from the field. However, their offense leaves a lot to be desired. The Tigers rank dead last in the SEC in offensive efficiency, effective FG%, turnover rate, and 2-point%. They score just 64.4 ppg on 41.3% shooting in conference play and shoot under 40% from the field when they play on the road. Starting point guard Xavier Pinson is currently listed as doubtful due to a knee injury that has been lingering. When head coach Will Wade was asked about Pinson’s status on Thursday, he said that Pinson is not likely to play Saturday and “if it costs us a game, it costs us a game. We’ve got to get him right.” Well, it will probably cost them the game. Vanderbilt boasts a capable offense led by Scotty Pippen Jr., Myles Stute, and Jordan Wright. They will likely be too much for LSU.
Check out all our college basketball previews and picks for Saturday
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