Wise n' Shine: NBA picks, NHL predictions, XFL and college basketball best bets for Sunday, March 12

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Phil Agius

NBA

Show Bio

I've been writing about the NFL and a host of other sports for the UK's top daily betting paper the Racing Post for more than 20 years. An incurable Browns fan (1-31 survivor), I also specialise in all kinds of motorsport betting including F1, MotoGP, IndyCar and NASCAR.

Good morning Pickswise Nation, and welcome to another super Sunday of sports. It’s Selection Sunday in college basketball and we also have NBA, NHL, college basketball,  XFL and soccer games, plus NASCAR, golf and baseball action, so let’s get straight to making your next bet better.

About Last Night

Warriors vs Bucks SGP cashes at +727 odds
Steph Curry inspired the Warriors to a 125-116 overtime win over the Bucks last night, cashing our +727 odds Same Game Parlay in the process. Saturday’s other big games saw the Celtics beat the Hawks 134-125, the Grizzlies beat the Mavericks 112-108 and the Kings beat the Suns 128-119.

Bruins reach 50 wins, clinch playoff berth
The Boston Bruins became the first NHL team to lock up a playoff spot this season when reaching 50 wins with a 3-2 home win over the Red Wings. No other team has more than 43 wins and the Bruins are +400 favorites with FanDuel Sportsbook to win the Stanley Cup.

Texas triumphs against Kansas
Texas took the Big 12 title with a convincing 76-56 win over Kansas, while Arizona overcame UCLA 61-59 to claim the Pac-12 Championship and Duke saw off Virginia 59-49 to win the ACC crown.

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Today’s Slate

Knicks vs Lakers on ESPN
There’s a 6-game NBA slate today, with Nets vs Nuggets getting things started at 3:30pm, while the headline matchup is Knicks vs Lakers at 9:00pm ET on ESPN. Read today’s NBA picks.

8 games in the NHL
Today’s 8-game NHL slate starts with a TNT doubleheader of Bruins vs Red Wings at 1:30pm ET and Rangers vs Penguins at 4:00pm ET, while the evening games include Golden Knights vs Blues on NHL Network at 7:00 pm ET. Read today’s NHL predictions.

It’s Selection Sunday 
The NCAA Tournament lineup will be announced on CBS from 6:00pm ET, but there are games to be played before then, including #1 Houston vs Memphis in the AAC Championship at 3:15pm ET on ESPN, and Purdue vs Penn State in the Big Ten on CBS at 3;30pm ET. Read today’s NCAAB predictions.

There’s soccer, XFL and NASCAR too
We also have soccer picks for today’s EPL and MLS games, plus NASCAR predictions for today’s Phoenix 500 race. In the XFL, the 3-0 DC Defenders meet the winless Vegas Vipers at 7:00pm ET on FX.

Best Bet of the Day

NCAAB: Under 145.5 in Texas A&M Aggies vs Alabama Crimson Tide
1:00 pm ET, ESPN

Alabama has had multiple 100+ point performances this year, but the Tide pride themselves on the defensive end, ranking 3rd nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. Texas A&M ranks 3rd in the SEC in adjusted defensive efficiency and had gone 8 straight games yielding fewer than 70 points before Saturday’s 87-75 win over Vanderbilt. This game will likely consist of contested jumpers and long, empty offensive possessions. In a championship game between two of the country’s most stout defenses, the under is the recommended play. Check out our full Texas A&M vs Alabama predictions.

You can bet on today’s college basketball at DraftKings Sportsbook, which has thousands of betting options available and a great new customer offer where you can bet $5 on any team’s money line and get $150 in bonus bets if your team wins! Click here to sign up for DraftKings.

Must-read

Today’s NBA mega parlay and Knicks vs Lakers Same Game Parlay are available now and you can also read our  NHL mega parlay and hockey player props, plus today’s college basketball best bets.

Read all our great sports analysis as it arrives throughout the day on the Analysis tab.

Stat of the Day

The Blues have covered the puck line in 6 of their last 8 matchups against the Golden Knights.

Quote of the Day

“Just a great first day.”

Team USA manager Mark DeRosa might not have thought that when his star-studded team went 1-0 down to massive underdogs Great Britain, but things worked out just fine as they opened their World Baseball Classic campaign with a 6-2 win.

If you’re looking for a new sportsbook, check out Bet365, the world’s #1 sportsbook. They have an amazing sign-up offer where you can bet just $1 and instantly get $365 in bonus bets! There’s no catch, it’s really that simple. Click here to join Bet365 right now.

Pickswise is the home of free sports picks, news and best bets. Check out our expert NFL Picks, NBA Picks, Soccer Picks and NHL Picks pages for our latest game picks.

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