Thursday NCAA Tourney Parlays

Thursday’s loaded NCAA Tournament slate has arrived with the college basketball betting lines already on the move at Caesars Sportsbook since the selection show announced all the matchups. Before any more line value is lost, it’s time to break some games down in hopes of finding a few legs that we can throw into some Thursday NCAA Tourney parlays – SLAM YOUR MAN!!

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Michigan State Spartans (-1.5) vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs

I love the situation for Tom Izzo and the Spartans who in my opinion are overseeded as a No. 9 considering I truly felt they’d have to play their way into the NCAA Tournament as owners of a 19-14 record. They get a nice draw against a Mississippi State team that closed the regular season with four straight losses and non-covers before winning two games in the SEC tourney which included a shocking drubbing of the regular season champion Tennessee Vols. Josh Hubbard and Tolu Smith are studs and the Dawgs defense is legit (#20), but Sparty ranks No. 8 in AdjD per KenPom and the Dawgs offensive turnover issues (#291) will give MSU enough extra possessions and transition points to get over the top in this one. The dub could springboard the Spartans into a nice ticket cash on the odds to make the Sweet 16 against a North Carolina outfit I’ve faded all season long.

Drake Bulldogs (-1) vs. Washington State Cougars

I respect the job Kyle Smith has done with Wazzou to this point of the college basketball betting season, but I love the father/son combo going down at Drake who caught fire at the tail end of the season winning seven of eight before winning three straight in the tourney to take home Valley tourney bragging rights. Tucker DeVries will be the best player on the court late Thursday night. The kid just drained 50 percent of his 3-point shots in the tournament to will the Bulldogs to the title coming off a regular season in which he drained shots from deep at a 35.3 percent clip. While the Cougars strength comes at the defensive end of the floor (#28), its offense is severely lacking (#145) and it’s a horrendous free throw shooting team (#261). Drake on the other hand drains freebies at a 75+ percent success rate (#46), and enters this tilt the short chalk regardless of being the higher seed of this 10/7 showdown. I fully expect to see an in-state grudge match playout in the Round of 32 against Iowa State.

Samford Bulldogs vs. Kansas Jayhawks Over 150.5

College total bettors are getting a nice discount on the total of this game right now due entirely to the true unknown availability of both Kevin McCullar and Hunter Dickinson. Bill Self stated that each was rested in the Big 12 Tournament to be ready for round one of the Big Dance. I’m going to believe the Jayhawks head coach and recommend CBB bettors slam this over now before the steam ransacks the current offering once news of each being healthy and ready to go is leaked. Per Torvik, the Bulldogs play to one of the nation’s fastest tempo ratings (#12) which has seen their games average over 72 possessions per contest. It also shoots at a near 40 percent clip from deep (#8) and isn’t shy about firing away (#87). KU’s defense is sound in the paint (#15), but ranks 165^th in defensive 3-point percentage and #300 in defensive 3-point rate. The Jayhawks will also have no issues partaking in a barnburner with it playing to the nation’s 93^rd ranked tempo rating. Samford won’t stop coming at Kansas, but the No. 4 seed will respond with a bevy of points of their own. This should be a fun one!

NC State Wolfpack (+5.5) vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Kevin Keatts just made himself a boatload of extra money leading his kids to the ACC Tournament title by winning five games in five days to send the city of Raleigh into a frenzy. While many will be of the belief that a mother of all letdowns will occur in the first round of March Madness, I’m not done riding the coattails of what looks to be a confident and locked in squad that’s hopefully hungry for more. Texas Tech had a tremendous first season under new head coach Grant McCasland, but the Red Raiders will have their hands full with the behemoth that is D.J. Burns down low without having any size of its own due to the unfortunate injury to key big Warren Washington who is out indefinitely and hasn’t suited up since March 5. The Wolfpack take tremendous care of the basketball (#9) due to the excelled guard play of D.J. Horne and others. Because of it, the team has printed money the last 10 times linemakers installed them underdogs (7-3 ATS). The pairing doesn’t scare me, so I see no reason to jump off this money train just yet.

Bet CBB Parlays at Caesars Sportsbook