Ricky Dimon
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We have a relatively small college basketball slate on Sunday. After all, this afternoon belongs to the NFL conference championships. But we still have plenty to work with as we try to formulate another winning mega parlay. Yes…another one. I cashed Saturday’s at +1034 thanks to double-digit wins by Auburn and Texas Tech plus a Virginia Tech upset of Florida State. Among the teams taking the court on Sunday are Purdue, Ohio State, Providence, and Marquette.
Here is my three-team mega parlay for the festivities.
Washington State -9.5 alternate spread (+170)
Providence -1.5 (-110)
Pittsburgh ML (+140)
Parlay odds: +1137
For this parlay we are going with two favorites against the spread – one on an alternate number – and one underdog on the money line. Let’s break down each of the three legs one by one.
Washington State -9.5 alternate spread over Colorado (+170)
The Buffaloes might have killed their NCAA at-large bid with a loss at Washington in their last game. Sure it was on the road, but they need all the wins they can get and can’t really afford bad losses like that. Now there is even more pressure on them to win against a solid Washington State program. Colorado forward Jabari Walker continues to post good numbers and he might even be an NBA talent, but the rest of the team is very inconsistent. Washington State is looking to turn some strong performance metrics into some actual results. The Cougars are also looking to avenge a loss at Colorado earlier in the month. They have won their last 2 games and they need another victory to prove they are at least in that second tier in the Pac-12. Washington State could win this one big.
Check out our Colorado vs Washington State preview
Providence -1.5 over Marquette (-110)
This Big East Conference game was originally set for Saturday but the snowstorm in the northeast pushed it back a day. The Golden Eagles are on a 7-game winning streak since losing to Creighton at home on New Year’s Day. However, they have a tough test in the form of the Friars. Providence has been much better this season than anyone could have expected. They have lost just 2 games — to Virginia and Marquette. The Friars are on a 4-game win streak after beating St. John’s, Georgetown, Butler, and Xavier. That was a massive 65-62 road win against Xavier on Wednesday, when the Providence bench really stepped up. Jared Bynum and Ed Croswell came off the bench and added double-digit scoring to lead the team to their 7th Big East win. Providence will be back at home and seeking revenge on Marquette after losing to the Eagles in the last meeting. The Friars can get revenge at home.
Check out our Marquette vs Providence preview
Pittsburgh ML over Boston College (+140)
Neither of these teams is very good, which automatically starts the lean toward the underdog. In this case it is Pitt. But you may not even need the points. Looking at the prior meeting and the matchup, the Panthers plus the points is the wise play. The prior meeting finished with a Pitt victory by the score of 69-67. The rematch seems destined for a similar type of game that is decided by one possession. From a matchup perspective, both teams rank near the bottom in 3-point attempt rate — preferring to do most of their damage inside the arc. The difference is that Pitt’s interior defense is very strong while Boston College’s is just mediocre. Per Hoop-Math, Pitt’s defense ranks 27th in shots allowed and 104th in field-goal percentage allowed near the rim. Boston College ranks 160th and 164th in those categories. Go with Pittsburgh.
Check out all our college basketball previews and picks for Sunday
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