What’s better than cashing in with a winning March Madness wager? Cashing in on multiple matchups as part of a bankroll-boosting parlay selection!!!!
Thanks to the bettor-friendly management at MyBookie.ag and the trio of expert mixed parlay picks that you’re about to get from yours truly, you’re going to have a great opportunity to strike pay dirt not once or twice, but a whopping three times. Okay, with all of that said, let’s get into the March Madness betting action!
NCAAB Sweet 16 Parlay Picks
No. 4 Iowa State vs. No. 1 Virginia
When: 7:10 PM ET, Friday, March 25, 2016
Where: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Line: Virginia -5.5
Total: Over/Under: 141
Analysis: High-scoring Iowa State (23-11 SU, 17-13 ATS) is all about offense as they average a stellar 82.1 points per game. Defensive-minded Virginia (28-7 SU, 18-14 ATS) is all about lock-down defense and gives up just 59.5 points per game to rank second in the nation in points allowed.
So what’s going to give when these two title contenders meet up? Well, let me just say that defense wins championships and it’s pretty evident that only one team in this matchup plays any sort of competent defense. Iowa State got by Little-Rock Arkansas 78-61 the last time out after beating Iona 94-81 in their opener. The Cyclones have a legitimate superstar in All-American forward Georges Niang and a whopping five other players that all average at least 10.9 points per game.
Virginia put the clamps on Hampton 81-45 in their opener before doing likewise to Butler in their 77-69 win on Saturday. The Cavs have their own All-American in shooting guard Malcolm Brogdon (18.6 ppg) and two other players that also average double-digits in scoring. In the end, I’m going to pick Virginia to win and advance, but Iowa State to narrowly get the ATS cover.
Virginia is 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games and 4-1-1 ATS in their last six neutral site games, but Iowa State has gone 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall, 5-1 ATS in their last half-dozen neutral site games and 6-2 ATS in their last 8 NCAA Tournament games.
The Pick: Virginia 77 Iowa State 73
No. 7 Wisconsin vs. No. 6 Notre Dame
When: 7:27 PM ET, Friday, March 25, 2016
Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Line: Notre Dame -1
Total: 128
Analysis: Both, Wisconsin (22-12 SU, 18-16 ATS) and Notre Dame (23-11 SU, 15-16 ATS) are still alive despite the fact that no one expected much out of either ballclub.
For me however, the Badgers are the easy pick to win this game and cover the spread as a slight underdog. Wisconsin squeaked past a very good Xavier team in their 66-63 win on Sunday night while Notre Dame narrowly got by Stephen F. Austin in their 76-75 victory. Now, the more offensively efficient Fighting Irish (75.6 ppg) will look to do the same to Wisconsin, but I don’t see it happening as the Badgers are one of the best defensive teams in the nation (63.9 ppg).
Wisconsin has a trio of heady and experienced players in forward Nigel Hayes (15.9 ppg), guard Bronson Koenig (13.3 ppg) and forward Ethan Happ (12.4 ppg) that I expect to counter Notre Dame’s Demetrius Jackson (15.5 ppg) and the four other players that average double figures for the Badgers in scoring.
The Badgers are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games following an SU win, 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games overall, 5-1 ATS in their last six NCAA Tournament games and a blistering 10-2 ATS in their last dozen games against a team with a winning straight up record.
Notre Dame is 7-1-1 ATS in their L/9 games following an ATS loss and 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games against teams from the Big Ten, but the Fighting Irish are also just 2-5 ATS in their L/7 games against a team with a winning SU record, 3-9 ATS in their last 12 NCAA Tournament games and 1-4 ATS in their last five non-conference games. Wisconsin wins and cashes in.
The Pick: Wisconsin 68 Notre Dame 65
No. 11 Gonzaga vs. No. 10 Syracuse
When: 9:40 PM ET, Friday, March 25, 2016
Where: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Line: Gonzaga -5.5
Total: 134.5
Analysis: Syracuse (21-13 SU, 18-15 ATS) has looked fantastic in holding Dayton to just 51 points and Middle Tennessee to just 50 points the last time out, but the Orange will have their hands completely full with a talented Gonzaga (28-7 SU, 17-15 ATS) team that just doesn’t beat itself very often.
-The Bulldogs absolutely pounded red-hot Seton Hall by 16 points (68-52) and Utah by 13 points (82-59) and are the easy pick to win and cover the March Madness betting line.
-Gonzaga is the better scoring team by nine points exactly and they also hold the edge in this matchup in defensive rebounding, field goal shooting and free throw shooting.
-The Bulldogs will also have the best two players on the floor in this matchup in sweet-shooting forward Kyle Wiltjer (20.4 ppg) and center Domantas Sabonis (17.5 ppg) although Syracuse does have a legitimate star in forward Michael Gbinije (17.8 pg).
-The Orange lost three straight and five of six just before the start of March Madness and likely shouldn’t have even been in the field this year. No matter, Gonzaga is going to bounce the Orange out on their rear ends.
-The Bulldogs are a perfect 6-0 ATS in their last six games following an SU win, 7-0 ATS in their last seven games overall, 5-0 ATS in their L/5 neutral site games and a nearly pristine 4-1 ATS in their last five NCAA Tournament games.
-While Syracuse has gone 5-1 ATS in their last six games and an identical 5-1 ATS in their last six neutral site games, I expect the jump up in competition after their first two games against so-so ballclubs, will come back to haunt them in this contest.
The Pick: Gonzaga 76 Syracuse 71
