We’ve reached the Elite Eight and we have some interesting matchups on hand. UConn and Purdue are the lone #1 seeds remaining and both have challenging matchups against teams ranked in the top ten of KenPom’s efficiency ratings. Whoever wins the matchup between #6 Clemson and #4 Alabama will reach the Final Four for the first time in program history, while the final game will feature #11 NC State, who has won eight straight games, against ACC-foe #4 Duke.
We’re surely in store for some exciting games and in this article, we will have an Elite Eight Parlay that you can follow to get some action on the games. Our expert three-leg parlay has odds of +549, using odds from DraftKings Sportsbook.
Also, be sure to keep an eye on our March Madness picks for all the content you need to get you primed for all of the games.
Alabama ML (-170)
Purdue-Tennessee Under 148 (-110)
Coleman Hawkins Over 1.5 threes (+114)
NCAAB Parlay odds: +549
Alabama Crimson Tide ML (-170)
Alabama has been a strong team all season, but they have had some games in which they were blown out. A big reason for that is how much they rely on the three-point shot. Per KenPom, the Crimson Tide rank 19th in three-point attempt rate. They make their threes at a 36.8 percent clip, so when they are hot, they can flirt with triple digits on the scoreboard. This matchup with Clemson is interesting, as Clemson is in the Elite Eight largely due to how their opponents have shot the three against them. Clemson’s opponents have made just 14 of their 75 three-point attempts against them thus far in the NCAA Tournament, which is just over 18 percent. If any team can bring that number back to reality, it’s Alabama. Clemson deserves credit for making it this far, but look for Alabama to advance to the Final Four.
Tennessee Volunteers vs Purdue Boilermakers Under 148 (-110)
This game is a rematch from the Maui Invitational (played in Honolulu) earlier this season. In that game, Tennessee jumped out to an early nine-point lead, but Purdue won by a final score of 71-67. The 138 combined points was good enough for Over 133 to hit, but now the Elite Eight matchup has a total of 148. That is obviously a massive adjustment. Both offenses had uncharacteristically poor games, but both defenses rank inside the top 20 in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency. The primary reason the game in November went over was the amount of free throws taken in the game. The teams combined to shoot 78 free throws and made 50 of them. Even if we see better shooting than in the first matchup, the amount of free throws taken should be much lower.
Coleman Hawkins Over 1.5 Threes (+114)
For the last leg of our Elite Eight parlay, we are picking Illinois’s Coleman Hawkins to make at least two three-pointers. Hawkins has made at least two triples in all three NCAA Tournament games and his ability to play on the perimeter could be important against UConn. I suspect that Coach Brad Underwood will try to force UConn’s Donovan Clingan away from the rim where he is a great shot blocker. The best way to do this is by using Coleman Hawkins on the perimeter, where he is more than capable of knocking down open threes. We have seen a similar game plan in a few UConn games this season, most notably in their games against Kansas and Indiana. KU’s Hunter Dickinson went 3/4 from beyond the arc against the Huskies, while IU’s Kel’el Ware was able to go 2/4. Hawkins is the most capable shooter of that trio, so expect to see him knock down a few from deep in this matchup.