Ricky Dimon
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Only 8 teams remain… Yes, the NCAA Tournament field of 64 has dwindled down and now – starting on Saturday – it is time to hand out spots in the Final Four. It’s another big day in the world of sports, so let’s not waste any time and get right to making your next bet better. Here is our latest installment of Wise n’ Shine!
About Last Night
The slipper still first for St. Peter’s
The Cinderella run of Saint Peter’s has continued into the Elite Eight. The Peacocks made history by becoming the first #15 seed in tournament history to reach this stage after they upset Purdue 67-64 in the Sweet 16. North Carolina, which beat UCLA 73-66, is next up for Saint Peter’s. Kansas and Miami also secured victories to advance to the Elite Eight.
Insult to injury for Warriors
It was not a great day for Golden State. James Wiseman (knee) was ruled out for the rest of the season and then the Warriors lost at Atlanta 121-110. The No. 2 seed in the Western Conference behind Phoenix is getting out of reach, as Memphis now leads Golden State by 3 games.
NHL experts sweep best bets
The betting opportunities on the NHL ice last night were too good to limit ourselves to just 1 best bet. Instead, we had a trio of 3-star plays – and all of them hit! Colorado covered its -1.5 puck line with a 6-3 rout of Philadelphia, Columbus-Winnipeg went over 6.5, and Washington-Buffalo went over 6.
Today’s Slate
Final Four spots on the line
There will be 2 tickets punched to the Final Four on Saturday. Will head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final game come when Duke goes up against Arkansas, or are the Blue Devils headed back to college basketball’s promised land? Check out all of our NCAA Tournament picks.
Potential NBA playoffs first-round preview?
Nets-Heat may be more appropriate for the Eastern Conference Finals, but it could end up being a first-round matchup. Whatever the case, they will square off on Saturday as part of an 8-game NBA schedule. Bucks-Grizzlies is another big one. Head over to our NBA picks page to see all of our previews and predictions.
A whopping 12 games in the NHL
The month of March may belong to basketball, but the NHL doesn’t want to get left out. A huge 12-game slate is on offer for Saturday, headlined by a showdown between the Hurricanes (42-15-7) and Blues (35-19-9). You can find all of our hockey coverage on the NHL page.
Best Bet of the Day
Duke -4 over Arkansas
8:49 pm ET, TBS
The Razorbacks have a tendency to muck up games with their aggressive style, as they like to create contact and get to the free-throw line as much as possible. In fact, Arkansas ranks 26th nationally in free-throw rate and scores the 8th-highest percentage of points from the charity stripe. Unfortunately for Arkansas, Duke is exceptional at defending without fouling. The Blue Devils rank 2nd in opposing free-throw rate and hold opponents to the third-lowest percentage of points from the free-throw line. If the Razorbacks are unable to rely on points from the charity stripe, it might be difficult to keep up with Duke’s offense considering the Hogs rank 244th in effective field-goal percentage and 316th in 3-point percentage. The Blue Devils are coming off a great win over Texas Tech and it just feels like something special is brewing in Coach K’s final season. Read our full game preview for Arkansas vs Duke.
Must-watch
Make sure you catch today’s edition of our daily sports betting show, Let’s Bet It!, at 10:00 am ET on our YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/c/Pickswise.
Lauren Jbara and Jared Smith will be joined by college basketball analyst Dan Servodidio as they break down Saturday’s Elite Eight matchups. Lauren and Jared will also give their NHL Ice Picks and their Plays of the Day.
Must-read
With the Sweet 16 coming to a close and the Elite Eight ready to begin, don’t miss our best bets and player props. If you want to go really big on Saturday, take a gander at our mega parlay!
Check out more great content as it arrives throughout the day on the Analysis tab.
Stat of the Day
Houston is the only team in the top 10 in the nation in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency. The Cougars have also allowed the 2nd-fewest points per possession on pick-and-roll sets, which matches them up well with a Villanova team that loves pick-and-rolls.
Boost of the Day
Kyrie Irving to score 35+ points
Boosted to +255 with DraftKings Sportsbook
DraftKings Sportsbook is celebrating the Nets-Heat game by boosting Kyrie Irving’s odds to score at least 35 points from +215 to +255.
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