Ricky Dimon
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Yes, there are actually sports events other than the Super Bowl taking place today. On the college basketball court there are 3 top-25 teams lacing up their sneakers: Purdue, Illinois, and UConn. There is plenty of afternoon action before Rams vs Bengals kicks off in the evening.
Let’s take a look at our 3-team mega parlay for Sunday’s festivities.
Illinois -9.5 (-110)
Iowa -19.5 alternate spread (+140)
Boise State -4.5 alternate spread (+140)
Parlay odds: +1000
For this parlay we are going with three favorites against the spread – two on an alternate number. Let’s break down each of the legs.
Illinois -9.5 over Northwestern (-110)
Despite giving the Fighting Illini all they could handle at home earlier this season, the Wildcats are in a tough spot in this matchup. Illinois is coming off a double-digit loss at Purdue and is just a half-game ahead of Purdue and Wisconsin in the Big Ten. We should see a focused effort from the Illini, which is scary for Northwestern. The Wildcats are riding a 3-game winning streak, but it has not been the most impressive of performances. They escaped at home in overtime against Rutgers, won at Nebraska, and then needed a second-half comeback to defeat an extremely shorthanded Indiana team. This will be a major step up in class for the ‘Cats, and they don’t match up particularly well. The Illinois offense is built around pick-and-roll and Kofi Cockburn post-ups, both of which pose a challenge for Northwestern’s defense. The Wildcats rank in the 54th percentile in pick-and-roll defense and just the 40th percentile in post-up defense.
Check out our Northwestern vs Illinois preview
Iowa -19.5 alternate spread over Nebraska (+140)
The Hawkeyes are coming off a 110-87 road win over Maryland on Thursday. They improved to an even 6-6 in the Big Ten and have now won 3 of their last 5 games. Their 4th-ranked offense is led by 6’8” sophomore Keegan Murray, who leads the Big Ten with 22.7 ppg as well as a team-high 8.5 rpg — which ranks 3rd in the conference. Teammates Patrick McCaffrey, Jordan Bohannon, and Kris Murray are all scoring in double figures with 11.2 ppg, 10.7 ppg, and 10.0 ppg, respectively. The Cornhuskers are 1-12 in the Big Ten. While the ‘Huskers are coming off a win (finally), it was their first in 2022 and they had lost 10 straight by an average margin of 13.2 points prior to Wednesday’s victory. The Hawkeyes are 12-2 at home and could win this one by 20.
Check out our Nebraska vs Iowa preview
Boise State -4.5 alternate spread over Colorado State (+140)
Boise State is coming off a 69-63 home win over Nevada on Friday. The Broncos improved to 10-1 in the Mountain West Conference and have now won 4 of their last 5 games. Their offense is led by 6’7” senior Abu Kigab, who is averaging 14.1 ppg along with a team-high 6.4 rpg. Teammates Marcus Shaver, Emmanuel Akot, and Tyson Degenhart are all scoring in double figures with 12.7 ppg, 11.0 ppg, and 10.3 ppg, respectively. The top of the MWC has proved to be as competitive as any league in the nation. Colorado State started off the season 12-0, but the Rams are 3-2 on the road this season and both losses have come to MWC teams by an average of 18 points. Boise State is 10-2 at home this season and hasn’t lost there since November. Take the Broncos to win and cover.
Check out all our college basketball previews and picks for Sunday
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