When Virginia became the first #1 seed to lose to a #16 seed back in 2018, the Cavaliers responded the next season by winning the national championship. The #1 Purdue Boilermakers, who fell to #16 Fairleigh Dickinson last season as a one-seed, are now two wins away from doing the same.

A 72-66 win over #2 Tennessee on Sunday in the Midwest Regional final put the Boilermakers into their first Final Four since 1980. Next Saturday (April 6) in Glendale, AZ, Purdue will square off with the #11 NC State Wolfpack, who notched an impressive win over #4 Duke in the South Region Elite Eight.

The opening NC State vs Purdue odds favor the Boilermakers going at least one step further in their quest for the ultimate redemption.

NC State vs Purdue Odds

Purdue has opened as a 8.5-point favorite and -410 on the moneyline. The Wolfpack come back at +320 to win, while the game total is sitting at 147.5. Tip-off of NC State vs Purdue is scheduled for 6:09 pm MT/8:09 pm ET at State Farm Arena.

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Edey’s Huge Game Sends Purdue Past Tennessee

Zach Edey, soon-to-be back-to-back national player of the year, was at is best in the Elite Eight against Tennessee. Edey dropped a career-high 40 points on 13-of-21 shooting while also grabbing a game-high 16 rebounds.

Edey’s big night was imperative in a game where Purdue’s (usually excellent) three-point shooting was way off. A DI-best 41% from beyond the arc this season, the Boilermakers went just 3-of-15 from three against the Volunteers.

Edey is now averaging an even 30 PPG in the NCAA Tournament and raised his nation-leading scoring average to 24.6 PPG.

Purdue remains #3 overall at KenPom (#2 on offense and #16 on defense).  They haven’t played an ACC team this season, but beat Duke 75-56 in Portland last year on the strength of 21 points and 12 rebounds from Edey, and Florida State 79-69 in a true-road game.

The Boilermakers cashed as +165 favorites to win the Midwest in the Final Four odds. Their NCAA Tournament championship odds have improved to +230.

NC State Wins Rubber Match with Duke

Another day, another moneyline upset for NC State. The Wolfpack were NIT bound before a miracle run of five wins in five days (four as underdogs) in the ACC Tournament gave them an auto-bid to the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

NC State’s miracle run has continued in March Madness with four more victories (three as underdogs), including a 76-64 win over in-state rival Duke in the Elite Eight on Sunday night in Dallas, coming back from a 27-21 deficit at halftime.

DJ Burns, NC State’s 6’9, 275-pound power forward, had a huge night with 29 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two blocks.

DJ BURNS SPIN CYCLE 🫨

THE WOLFPACK EXTEND THE LEAD 😳 #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/QeMLCXIeEl

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 31, 2024

The Wolfpack defense was the real MVP of the game, holding the Blue Devils – who rate seventh in offensive efficiency at KenPom – to just 33% from the floor (19-of-58).

The Wolfpack started the tournament with an 80-67 win over #6 Texas Tech as 4.5-point underdogs. In the second round, they gutted out a 79-73 OT win over #14 Oakland as 6.5-point favorites. In the Sweet 16, they put the boots to #2 Marquette, leading by 13 at halftime cruising to a 67-58 victory as 7.5-point ‘dogs. NC State’s lead was never fewer than six in the final 20 minutes.

The Wolfpack were rated 76th in overall efficiency at KenPom before the ACC Tournament began. They had improved 48th (43rd on offense, 57th on defense) ahead of their Elite Eight matchup with Duke and will be knocking on the door of the top 40 tomorrow.

NC State was a +10000 longshot to win the South Region after Selection Sunday.

The post NC State vs Purdue Odds – Opening Spread, Moneyline & Total for Final Four appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

Tonight, the St Louis Cardinals (1-2, 1-2 away, 2-1 O/U) close out a four-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers (3-2, 2-1 home, 3-2 O/U) in the first Sunday Night Baseball game of the 2024 season.

After starting the season with back-to-back losses, and getting outscored 13-4, the Cardinals got in the win column yesterday with a 6-5 extra-innings victory over LA. Oddsmakers heavily favor the Dodgers taking the final game of the series on Sunday night, despite trotting out an untested starter.

Cardinals vs Dodgers Odds

The Dodgers are -166 chalk in Sunday’s MLB odds with the Cardinals at +140 to earn a split in the four-game series. The over/under is listed at 8.5.

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After a busy offseason that included acquiring Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers are listed as +542 favorites in the World Series odds. At +3383, the Cardinals are right in the middle of the 30-team MLB pack.

LAD vs STL Starting Pitchers for Sunday Night Baseball

The pitching matchup for the fourth and final game of the series sees both teams reaching deep into their rotations. The Cardinals send veteran Steven Matz to the bump opposite young Gavin Stone for the Dodgers.

Matz is coming off of one of the better seasons in his nine-year career, posting a 3.86 ERA with a 1.33 WHIP in 105 innings. His career ERA is still well over four (4.25).

Stone pitched 31 innings last year, his first in the bigs. He had an inflated 9.00 ERA and 1.90 WHIP in that small sample size.

Steven Matz vs Gavin Stone

*All statistics in table from 2023 regular season. 

Matz doesn’t have terribly encouraging numbers against the Dodger lineup. In 127 total at-bats, LA’s hitters are slashing .268/.316/.425 against the 32-year-old lefty. He has limited them to just three homers, though, with Freddie Freeman, Kiki Hernandez, and Teoscar Hernandez each taking him yard once.

Matz faced the Dodgers once in 2023, taking the loss in a 5-0 LAD victory. Matz went 4.2 innings, allowing six hits and two walks but limiting the damage to just one (unearned) run.

Stone, a 25-year-old righty, has never faced any of the Cardinal batters.

Nolan Arenado is hitless in 11 at-bats through three games this season. Paul Goldschmidt is 3-for-10 and drove in the game-winning run in the 10th inning last night. Giovani Gallegos picked up the save, striking out the first two batters he faced in the 10th before getting Ohtani to pop out to end the game.

STL Cardinals vs Dodgers LA Prediction

Stone didn’t look ready for the majors last season, and even his triple-A numbers were a little concerning: 100.2 innings, Stone posted a 4.52 ERA and 4.78 xFIP in 2023. With a little major-league time under his belt, it’s possible he starts 2024 much more effectively. But that’s not something I’m prepared to bet on.

While Matz isn’t a pitcher I back often, he’s done a solid job of keeping the Dodgers hitters in the park during his career. I expect him to give the Cardinals a significant advantage in the starting-pitching matchup, and I am going to bet St Louis on the first 5 innings moneyline as a result.

STL vs LAD picks:

• Cardinals first 5 innings moneyline (+124)
• Nolan Arenado over 0.5 hits (-215)

Sascha Paruk’s 2023-24 MLB betting record: 2-0 (+1.54 units)

All wagers one unit unless expressly stated otherwise.

The post St Louis Cardinals vs LA Dodgers Odds, Picks & Starting Pitchers for Sunday Night Baseball appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

Despite an NBA-best 11-game win streak, the Houston Rockets (38-35, 26-11 home, 41-30-2 ATS) would still be on the outside looking in if the NBA playoffs started today. Sitting a game back of Golden State for the #10 seed, the Rockets will host the in-state rival Dallas Mavericks (44-29, 22-14 away, 42-31-0 ATS) on Sunday night at the Toyota Center in Houston (6:10 pm CT).

The Mavs are riding an impressive streak of their own – winning six straight overall and five in a row on the road –  and oddsmakers slightly favor Dallas keeping its run going in the Mavericks vs Rockets odds.

Dallas Mavericks vs Houston Rockets Odds

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Dallas has moved up to sixth in the West in the NBA playoff bracket, just half a game behind #5 New Orleans and 1.5 clear of #7 Phoenix. If the postseason started today, the Mavericks would matchup with defending-champion Denver in the first round, though the Nuggets are within half a game of the top seed in the West.

Rockets Run Win Streak to 11

Houston stretched its win streak to 11 games on Friday with a narrow 101-100 victory at Utah, its sixth road win during the current streak. For the eighth straight game, third-year guard Jalen Green led Houston in scoring with 34 points plus nine rebounds and six assists.

Green, who has scored at least 26 points in his last eight games (and at least 34 in five of those), is now averaging exactly 20.0 PPG this season along with 5.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

Green’s explosion started at almost the exact time that leading scorer Alperen Senguin (21.4 PPG) went down with a season-ending ankle injury on March 10.

Sengun is joined on the Houston injury report by Tari Eason (9.8 PPG, 7.0 RPG) and Cam Whitmore (12.1 PPG, 39 RPG), who are out with various leg injuries.

Houston ranks just 20th in the NBA in Offensive Rating (113.2) but has moved up to ninth in D-Rating (112.0) and 16th in Net Rating (+1.2) during the last three weeks.

Their 11-game win streak only includes three against teams currently in top-eight positions: 112-104 at Sacramento, 117-103 vs Cleveland, 132-126 at OKC. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did not play in Houston’s win over the Thunder.

Doncic, Irving Dominating for Dallas

After going 2-5 in its first seven games after the All-Star break, Dallas has rattled off ten wins in its last 11 games, including six in a row. Luka Doncic continues to have an MVP-caliber season while Kyrie Irving has managed to stay healthy and finally play up to his potential in a Mavericks uniform. Irving (25.4 PPG, 5.0 APG) has scored at least 23 points in seven of his last eight games and averaged 26.0 PPG and 7.0 APG in that span.

Kyrie had a team-high 30 in Friday’s 107-103 win at Sacramento, their second road win over the Kings in three days. Doncic added 26 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds.

Dallas is now sixth in the NBA in O-Rating (117.8) but just 21st in D-Rating (115.8). The antithesis of the defense-first Rockets, Dallas sits ever-so-slightly higher in Net Rating (14th, +2.0).

Doncic remains the third-favorite in the 2024 NBA MVP odds, but with Nikola Jokic (-515) taking his game to a new level in the last month, Luka’s odds have faded to +1050.

DAL vs HOU Player Props

Player prop odds as of March 31 at DraftKings. Claim the DraftKings promo code for new users to bet on Sunday’s NBA player props. 

Mavericks vs Rockets Prediction

An 11-game win streak in the NBA is never something to sneer at, but looking under the surface reveals a fairly modest streak of Ws. Eight of the 11 came against sub-.500 teams. They have only been underdogs three times in those 11 games.

Dallas, meanwhile, has played its best defensive basketball of the season over the last two weeks. The Mavericks have held six straight opponents to 107 or fewer. They’ve also held four of their last nine opponents to single-digits.

Eventually all of the Rockets’ injuries are going to catch up with them, and I expect that to start tonight.

DAL vs HOU pick: Mavericks -2.5 (-110)

Sascha Paruk’s 2023-24 NBA betting record:

• 17-23 moneyline (+2.06 units)
• 22-18-2 ATS (+3.99 units)
• 0-1 over/under (-1.00 units)
• 8-14 player props (-7.08 units)
• 0-3 same-game parlay (-3.00 units)

All wagers one unit unless expressly stated otherwise 

The post Dallas Mavericks vs Houston Rockets Picks, Predictions, Odds & Props (March 31) appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

Not your typical “Cinderella”, the #11 NC State Wolfpack (25-14, 9-2 neutral, 19-19-1 ATS) were nonetheless +10000 longshots to reach the Final Four after Selection Sunday. Tonight, the Wolfpack need just one more victory against the #4 Duke Blue Devils (21-13-1  ATS) to capture the South Region.

For the third time in four games, the Wolfpack are sizable underdogs in the NC State vs Duke odds. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:05 pm CT/4:05 pm ET at American Airlines Centers in Dallas, Texas.

NC State vs Duke Odds

The Blue Devils are 7.5-point favorites as of Sunday morning, up half a point from the opening NC State/Duke odds. Duke is a -290 favorite on the moneyline to advance to the Final Four, with NC State a +240 underdog. The total (143.5) has climbed 1.5 points since opening at 142.

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Duke started the tournament as the +295 second-favorite to win the South Region in the Final Four odds, trailing only #1 Houston (+150), whom Duke beat in the Sweet 16.

If the line is going to move further, it’s likely to come back towards the Wolfpack. The college basketball public betting splits show NC State getting 65% of ATS handle as of Sunday morning.

NC State Dominates Marquette to Reach Elite Eight

The Wolfpack’s Sweet 16 victory over #2 Marquette was arguably the most impressive during its current eight-game win streak, which dates back to a run of five victories in five days during the ACC Tournament.

NC State started the game on a 20-12 run in the first six minutes and held a 13-point edge at halftime (37-24). Marquette never got closer than six in the second half of the Wolfpack’s dominant 67-58 win.

DJ Horne led the Wolfpack with 19 points while center Mohammed Diarra had 11 points, 15 rebounds, a block, and a steal. Diarra was the biggest factor in NC State’s 42-35 edge on the glass.

NC State’s tournament run started with an 80-67 win over #6 Texas Tech as 4.5-point underdogs. They needed OT to get by #14 Oakland 79-63 as 6.5-point favorites before the assertive win over the Golden Eagles in the Sweet. 16.

The Wolfpack’s run to the ACC Tournament championship included four straight victories as moneyline underdogs: 83-65 vs Syracuse (+105), 74-69 vs Duke (+500), 73-65 OT vs Virginia (+122), and 84-76 vs North Carolina (+405).

Horne also had a team-high 18 in the win over Duke, when three-point shooting proved the biggest difference: NC State shot 43.8% from three (7-of-16) while Duke was just 25% (5-of-20).

Duke Survives Houston in Sweet 16

The Blue Devils dominated their first two games of the NCAA Tournament, blowing out #13 Vermont (64-47) and #12 James Madison (93-55), easily covering both games against the spread. They headed into the Sweet 16 as 4.5-point underdogs to the #1 Houston Cougars – the first time in eight games they weren’t favored – and immediately fell behind 14-7.

Shortly thereafter, the Cougars would lose Big 12 Player of the Year Jamal Shead to an ankle injury, and Duke would take full advantage. The Blue Devils came all the way back to take a 23-22 lead by halftime. Houston was able to pull even at 32-32 in the second half – and Duke’s lead was never more than six – but the Blue Devils never trailed in the final 20 minutes of their narrow 54-51 victory.

Leading scorer Kyle Filiposki (16.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG) lead the team with 16 points and nine rebounds. Houston’s inability to shoot the three (2-of-8, 25%) was a massive issue for the Cougars. Duke’s defense now sits 14th in the nation in efficiency, while their offense is up to #7.

In the first meeting of the season between Duke and NC State, the Blue Devils cruised to a 79-64 road victory on March 4. Senior guard Jeremy Roach (14.0 PPG) had a team-high 21 points in the win while Duke as a team grabbed 19 offensive rebounds. 

NC State vs Duke Player Props

The college basketball player props for Oakland vs NC State from DraftKings Sportsbook on March 31. 

Filipowski leads the tightly-clustered point totals at 16.5 while Horne (15.5) is the highest on the NC State side. Diarra, NC State’s leading rebounder at 7.9 RPG, has a massive rebound total of 11.5. He’s had at least 11 in four straight games, but only exceeded that number once.

NC State vs Duke Prediction

I was a little shocked to see the line move in the Blue Devils’ direction after opening at Duke -7. NC State has proven it’s a very different team than the one that finished the regular season just 17-14. The Wolfpack were full value for their win over Duke in the ACC Tournament, and they have taken down a litany of quality competition during their current eight-game run.

The injury to Shead was a stroke of serious good luck for Duke, who would likely be at home right now if the Houston point guard didn’t get knocked out of Friday’s game.

NC State vs Duke picks:

• NC State moneyline (+240)
• Diarra under 11.5 rebounds (-120)

The post NC State vs Duke Predictions, Picks & Player Props for the Elite Eight (March 31) appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

The #1 UConn Huskies dominated another quality opponent on Saturday night at TD Garden in Boston when they blew out #3 Illinois 77-52 thanks to a 30-0 run that spanned halftime.

UConn is now two wins away from becoming the first back-to-back national champion in 17 years (2007 Florida), and oddsmakers aren’t terribly bullish on the Huskies’ Final Four opponent.

In the Final Four for the first time in school history, the #4 Alabama Crimson Tide punched their ticket to the national semifinals with an 89-82 win over #6 Clemson. Alabama was a 4.5-point underdog in its Sweet 16 victory over West #1 North Carolina, but it is staring down a much bigger spread against UConn in the Final Four.

Alabama vs UConn Odds

Dan Hurley’s Huskies have opened as 10.5-point favorites over Nate Oats’ Crimson Tide. The moneyline favors UConn at -600 with Alabama a +440 underdog to reach the national championship game.

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UConn paid out as a +110 pre-tournament favorite to reach the Final Four. Alabama bettors landed a much bigger payday; the Tide were a +1000 fourth-favorite to win the West Region after Selection Sunday.

UConn Dominantes Excellent Illinois Team

An explosive, athletic Illini team looked like it might have the horses to keep up with tournament-favorite UConn early in the teams’ Elite Eight matchup on Saturday night. But after the Illini tied the game at 23-23 with just over a minute left in the first half, the Huskies went on a ludicrous 30-0 run that spanned halftime.

That included scoring the first 25 points of the second stanza. Seven-foot-two sophomore center Donovan Clingan dominated with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting plus 10 rebounds, five blocks, and and three steals.

Four other Huskies finished in double-figures, but it was UConn’s stifling defense that was the true star. Illinois’ offense, which ranks second in efficiency and averages 84.2 PPG, was held to its lowest point total of the season while shooting just 25.4% from the field.

Terrence Shannon Jr, the third-leading scorer in all of DI (23.5 PPG), was held to just eight points on 2-of-12 shooting.

The win raised UConn’s overall efficiency rating at KenPom to +35.10, which is nearly four higher than #2 Houston and nearly six higher than their rating at the end of last year’s national-championship run.

Alabama Holds Off Clemson

In a thrilling battle between two schools looking for their first ever Final Four berths, Alabama held of Clemson for a 89-82 win on Saturday night at crypto.com Arena.

Leading scorer Mark Sears was as-advertised with 23 points on 8-of-18 shooting (7-of-14 from beyond the arc). Freshman forward Jarin Stevenson had a massive 19 points off the bench on a night when some of Alabama’s starters weren’t at their offensive best. Senior forward Nick Pringle had a game-high 11 rebounds. The Tide finished just 46% from the field but won the rebounding battle by a massive 40 to 28 margin to more than make up for it.

The Tide reached the Elite Eight with an 89-87 victory over #1 UNC on Thursday night. Senior center Grant Nelson starred in that victory with a team-high 24 points and 12 rebounds.

Alabama now sits 13th overall in efficiency at KenPom and 14th at Haslametrics. KenPom has the Tide offense at #3 but their defense at 102nd.

Now 25-11 straight-up this season, the Tide improved their record against top-50 KenPom teams to 8-11 with Saturday’s win over Clemson, but they are just 2-6 against top-15 squads.

Alabama and Purdue will meet at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Saturday, April 6. Tip-off time is still TBD.

The post Alabama vs UConn Odds – Opening Point Spread, Moneyline & Total for Final Four appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

Dating back to last season’s national-championship run, the #1 UConn Huskies (34-3, 9-0 neutral, 25-12 ATS) continue to destroy every team they meet in the NCAA Tournament, winning nine straight games by at least 13 points, including Thursday’s 30-point demolition of #5 San Diego State (82-52).

On Saturday, UConn matches up with the #3 Illinois Fighting Illini in the East Region Elite Eight at TD Garden in Boston at 6:09 pm ET. UConn opened as a 7.5-point favorite on Thursday night but that line has been bet up considerably.

Illinois vs UConn Odds

The Huskies are now nine-point chalk in the Illinois vs UConn odds and -425 to win straight-up (shortening from -325 in the opening odds). The Illini are +330 moneyline underdogs to win their eighth straight game, which includes a run to the Big Ten Tournament title. The game total has come down one point from 156.5 to 155.5 as of Saturday morning.

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UConn started the 2024 NCAA Tournament as +110 favorites to win the East Region in the Final Four odds. Illinois was the +700 fourth-favorite in the East on Selection Sunday.

Illinois Takes Down Iowa State to Reach First Elite Eight Since 2005

The Illini had a fairly easy run to the Sweet 16, running over #14 Morehead State (89-63) and then getting a favorable draw against #11 Duquesne, who upset #6 BYU in the first round. Illinois took full advantage, blowing the doors off the Dukes 89-63, including a 50-26 edge in the first half.

The free ride came to an end in the Sweet 16 where the Illini faced #2 Iowa State, owners of the nation’s most-efficient defense. But Terrence Shannon Jr and company used another big first-half performance (36-26) to edge out the Cyclones (72-69).

Shannon (23.5 PPG) finished with a team-high 29 points in the Iowa State victory and is now averaging 28.3 PPG in the tournament.

Illinois’ defense – rated just 84th at KenPom – played one of its best games of the season, holding the Cyclones to just 39.7% from the field and finishing +4 on the boards.

UConn Blows Out San Diego State (Again)

A year after taking down the Aztecs in the national championship game (76-59), #1 UConn put the boots to #5 San Diego State again on Thursday night in the Sweet 16. The Aztecs stayed within contact in the first half, which ended with a 40-31 UConn lead. But the second half was all Huskies, who held a double-digit lead for the last 18 minutes of their 30-point victory.

UConn’s guard trio of Cam Spencer, Tristen Newton, and Stephon Castle all scored between 16 and 18 points while the Huskies absolutely dominated the glass (50 to 29), making up for a subpar 30-of-65 (46.2%) performance form the field.

UConn trounced #16 Stetson (91-52) in the first round and #8 Northwestern (75-58) in the second. Dating back to the regular season, UConn has now held six of its last seven opponents to 60 points or fewer.

The Huskies rate first in overall efficiency at both KenPom and Haslametrics, and it’s no longer close. At +34.09, UConn is nearly three full points ahead of #2 Houston, which bowed out in the Sweet 16 to Duke last night.

ILL vs UConn Player Props

College basketball player props from DraftKings on March 30. 

Shannon has the highest point total of the night at 22.5 but five different UConn players (all the starters) are at 10.5 or higher, led by Tristen Newton at 16.5.

UConn center Donovan Clingan, who’s grabbed at least __ rebounds in the first three tournament games, has a game-high rebound total of 8.5 O/U.

Illinois vs UConn Prediction

If the Illini can keep this game within single-digits, they will be the first team to do so against UConn since the 2022 Tournament, when the Huskies bowed out to New Mexico in the first round.

But Illinois is not built like most college basketball teams. The Illini now have the number two offense in DI in terms of efficiency and Shannon is arguably the most-dynamic player in the country.

The real key to this game will be whether Illinois can contend on the glass. The Illini currently rank an excellent 17th in offensive-rebound percentage and a solid 64th on defense, which are remarkably similar rankings to UConn (12th offense and 79th on defense). Illinois’ trio of Coleman Hawkins, Dain Dainja, and Quincy Guerrier give head coach Brad Underwood a trio of big, athletic bodies to battle in the post.

On paper, Illinois is uniquely suited to matchup with this UConn freight train. They have the firepower to keep up on offense and the athleticism to contend on defense.

ILL vs UConn pick: Illinois moneyline (+330)

The post Illinois vs UConn Predictions, Picks & Player Props for Elite Eight (March 30) appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

The #1 Purdue Boilermakers are living up to their billing in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, something they failed to do last year. After falling in the first round to #16 Fairleigh Dickinson a year ago, Matt Painter’s team has strung together three dominant victories to reach the school’s first Elite Eight since 2019 and just its second since the year 2000.

After Purdue took down #5 Gonzaga on Friday night, the #2 Tennessee Volunteers used a huge second half to beat #3 Creighton (82-75) and set up their second game of the season against the Boilermakers.

Purdue took the first meeting in Maui (71-67) and are favored in the opening Tennessee vs Purdue odds for the 2024 Elite Eight.

Tennessee vs Purdue Odds

Zach Edey and company are slim two-point favorites and -142 on the moneyline. The Vols come back at +120 to reach the Final Four for the first time in school history. The game total has opened at 148.5.

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Purdue started the tournament as the +165 favorite to win the Midwest Region in the Final Four odds, with Tennessee a +330 second-favorite.

The winner of Tennessee vs Purdue will move on in the March Madness bracket to face the winner of the South Region, which features #11 NC State vs either #1 Houston or #4 Duke.

Purdue Cruises Past Gonzaga (Again)

Purdue blew out its first two opponents (78-50 over #16 Grambling; 106-67 vs #8 Utah State) but looked to be in a dogfight against #5 Gonzaga in the Sweet 16. The Zags left for most of the first half before a late Boilermaker surge gave Purdue a four-point lead at the break. The second half was all Boilermakers: a 16-2 run circa the 26-minute mark gave Purdue a 16-point lead that was never threatened thereafter.

Zach Edey wound up leading the team with 27 points and 14 rebounds, but it was the guard play that kept Purdue in contact early on. Purdue, which leads the nation in three-point percentage, went 9-of-20 from three (45%) while point guard Braden Smith dished out a career-high 15 assists (while also playing every minute of the 40).

Purdue remains the #3 team in overall efficiency at KenPom, sitting third on offense and 17th on defense.

The Boilermakers took a hardfought 71-67 decision against Tennessee at the Maui Invitational on Nov. 21.  Fletcher Loyer had a team-high 27 points in that victory, including a 10-of-11 performance form the free-throw line.

Tennessee Uses Huge Second-Half Run to Takedown Creighton

Tennessee trailed Creighton by one after a razor-tight first half (35-34) before a decisive 18-0 run early in the second stanza gave the Volunteers a 55-39 lead that they would not relinquish. The Bluejays made a game of it, trimming the lead to three at one point (62-59) but the Vols regained their composure to close it out

Leading scorer Dalton Knecht led Tennessee with 26 points on 8-of-21 shooting with five rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block.

In the opening round of the tournament, the Vols took down #15 Saint Peter’s 83-49 in a laugher. Their second-round matchup with Texas was tighter, at least at the end. Tennessee held a seven-point lead with just over two minutes to play, yet found themselves up just one in the final 30 seconds before closing it out at the free-throw line.

Knecht also led the Vols in scoring in the first two rounds, dropping 23 against Saint Peter’s and 18 against Texas.

Tennessee is currently seventh overall at KenPom, third on defense but just 29th on offense.

The post Opening Tennessee vs Purdue Odds – Moneyline, Spread & Total for 2024 Elite Eight appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

The #11 NC State Wolfpack pulled off their sixth moneyline upset in their last seven games on Friday night with a 67-58 win over #2 Marquette as 7.5-point underdogs in the Sweet 16. The victory sent the Wolfpack through to their first Elite Eight since 1986, where they will face the #1 Duke Blue Devils for the right to represent the South Region in the 2024 Final Four.

The opening NC State vs Duke odds set the Wolfpack as underdogs once again.

NC State vs Duke Odds

The Blue Devils have opened as a seven-point favorite in the NC State vs Duke odds for Sunday’s Elite Eight game at American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX.

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Despite an impressive run to the ACC Tournament title, NC State entered the NCAA Tournament as a +10000 longshot to win the South Region in the Final Four odds. Duke opened as the second-favorite to win the South at +295.

Wolfpack Dominate Marquette in Sweet 16

NC State opened its tournament with an impressive 80-67 win over #6 Texas Tech as 4.5-point underdogs, but needed OT to get past #14 Oakland (87-81) in round two. The Wolfpack’s Sweet 16 matchup with #2 Marquette saw the team get back to dominating. NC State opened up a 13-point lead by halftime (37-24) and kept the Golden Eagles at arm’s length throughout the second half.

NC State’s size and length proved too much for Marquette. The Wolfpack finished +four on the boards led by 15 rebounds from center Mohammed Diarra. Marquette, which shot 35.2% from three as a team this season, went an uncharacteristic 4-of-31 (13%) from beyond the arc.

Leading scorer DJ Horne (16.7 PPG) had a team-high 19, hitting four of seven three-point attempts. Big man DJ Burns Jr dished out a career-high seven assists.

Now riding an eight-game win streak that includes five wins in five days during the ACC Tournament, NC State has won six of its last seven as moneyline underdogs. The Wolfpack’s run to the ACC title included wins over the top-three teams in the conference (UNC, Duke, and Virginia).

NC State lost to Duke in the regular season (79-64 home) but avenged that loss in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament with a 74-69 win in Washington, DC.

Duke Outlasts Houston to Reach First Elite Eight Under Scheyer

Duke steamrolled its first two opponents in the NCAA Tournament (64-47 over #13 Vermont; 93-55 over #12 James Madison) before a hard-fought Sweet 16 matchup with #1 Houston. The Blue Devils led by one after a low-scoring first half (23-22) and kept a nose in front throughout the second half of their 54-51 victory on Friday night in Dallas.

Sophomore center Kyle Filipowski lead the team with 16 points and nine rebounds while senior guard Jeremy Roach added 14 points. The Blue Devils had to benefit of facing a Cougars team that lost point guard and Big 12 Player of the Year Jamal Shead to an ankle injury just 13 minutes into the game.

After bowing out in the second round last year – Duke’s first under Jon Scheyer – the Blue Devils will be playing in their third Elite Eight in the last six NCAA Tournaments.

Overall, Duke rates fifth at KenPom (fifth on offense, 18th on defense). They are 7-6 against teams inside KenPom’s top 50, which now includes NC State. The Wolfpack started their ACC Tournament run rated 77th and have now climbed to 49th.

The post NC State vs Duke Odds – Opening Spread, Total & Moneyline for Elite Eight appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

On a quest to become the first repeat national champions since the Florida Gators in 2006 and 2007, the #1 UConn Huskies have already gotten further than any reigning champion since by reaching the Elite Eight. On Thursday night, the Huskies punched their ticket to the East Region final with an 82-52 win over San Diego State .

Standing in the tracks, awaiting the UConn freight train, will be the #3 Illinois Fighting Illini, who took down #2 Iowa State in the late game at TD Garden.

The opening Illinois vs UConn odds heavily favor the reigning-champion Huskies.

Illinois vs UConn Odds

The Huskies are 7.5-point favorites in the opening Illinois vs UConn odds and -325to win straight-up. The Illini come back as +260 moneyline underdogs, while the total has opened at 156.5.

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UConn has been the East Region favorite from the outset, opening at +110 to win the East in the Final Four odds on Selection Sunday. Coming off a Big Ten Tournament win, Illinois was +700 in the Final Four odds ten days ago.

UConn Wins Ninth Straight NCAA Tournament Game by Double-Digits

With Thursday’s 82-52 demolition of #5 San Diego State, the Huskies now have a 28.7 average margin of victory in this year’s NCAA Tournament, and have won each of their last nine March Madness games by at least 13 points dating back to last season’s tear through the bracket.

UConn didn’t shoot particularly well on Thursday night against the Aztecs (46.2% from the field and 38.5% from three) but they finished with a +21 rebounding margin while limiting the Aztecs to just 36.2% from the floor.

Cam Spencer finished with a team-high 18 points while Tristen Newton and Stephon Castle added 17 and 16, respectively.

The Huskies already rated first in adjusted efficiency at KenPom prior to the victory over SDSU, and will only see its +33.14 rating rise. To put that number in perspective, last year’s title-winning team finished at just +29.86.

Illinois’ Offense Stays Hot

While Illinois’ run of four 80-point games was stopped by Iowa State – the nation’s top defense in terms of efficiency – Terrence Shannon Jr and company still put on an impressive display against the Cyclones on Thursday night.

At the 14-minute mark, Shannon was personally outscoring the Cyclones (14-12) while his Illini held a 12-point cushion. Iowa State showed its championship mettle in coming back from a ten-point halftime deficit (36-26) in the second half, narrowing the gap to two (53-51) with 5:48 to play. But Shannon proved too much down the stretch in Illinois’ 72-69 win.

The nation’s third-leading scorer (23.3 PPG) finished with 29 points on 10-of-19 shooting from the field.

In the first round, Illinois ran over #14 Morehead State (85-69) and followed that up with an 89-63 blowout of #11 Duquesne with Shannon scoring 26 in round one and 30 in round two.

The post Opening Illinois vs UConn Odds for the Elite Eight – Spread, Moneyline & Total appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

Picked by many – including oddsmakers – to lose in the first round, the #6 Clemson Tigers have won three straight as moneyline underdogs to reach the school’s first Elite Eight since 1980. The Tigers will face the West Region #4 Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday at crypto.com Arena for a spot in the Final Four.

To no one’s surprise, the Tigers are underdogs once again in the opening Clemson vs Alabama odds.

Clemson vs Alabama Odds

The Clemson vs Alabama line has opened at Alabama -1.5 with the Tide -125 on the moneyline. The game total is at 165.

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Alabama was +1000 to win the West Region on Selection Sunday, while Clemson was a +4000 longshot in the Final Four odds.

Clemson Outlasts Arizona

Clemson has used a trio of dominant first halves to book its ticket to the Elite Eight.

In the first round, the Tigers led #11 New Mexico 42-28 at the break before cruising to a 77-56 win; in the second round, Clemson opened a 35-25 lead on #3 Baylor and held on for a 72-64 win; in the Sweet 16, the Tigers held a 39-31 lead on #2 Arizona and, despite falling behind by one (46-45) five minutes into the second half, stormed back to earn a 77-72 win.

Chase Hunter had a team-high 18 points against the Wildcats, while center PJ Hall added 17 and a team-leading eight rebounds.

The Tigers showed that they had this type of run in them early in the season. Clemson started the year 11-1 win victories over Boise State (85-68 home), Alabama (85-77 away), Pitt (79-70 away), South Carolina (72-67 home), and TCU (74-66 neutral).

But many left the Tigers for dead after they went just 10-10 the rest of the way, and bowed out to Boston College (71st at KenPom) in the first round of the ACC Tournament.

Clemson did manage to split its two meetings with UNC in the regular season, dropping a low-scoring 65-55 verdict at home on Jan. 6, but repaying the favor in Chapel Hill on Feb. 6 with an 80-76 road win.

Alabama Comes Back to Upset UNC

The Crimson Tide’s Final Four chances were on life support against #1 UNC at halftime, trailing the Tar Heels by eight at the break. But a consummate team effort allowed Alabama to come all the way back for a 89-87 win as 4.5-point underdogs. Grant Nelson led the Tide with 24 points while Aaron Estrada (19), Rylan Griffen (18), and Mark Sears (18) all approached 20 as well.

The offensive explosion was just the latest for Alabama’s electric offense. The Tide trounced #13 Charleston (109-96) in the first round and then survived a 72-61 decision against #12 Grand Canyon in the round of 32.

Led by Mark Sears (21.5 PPG), Alabama rates fourth in offensive efficiency, but a lowly 101st on defense. Clemson beat the Tide 85-77 in Alabama during the regular season.

The post Clemson vs Alabama Odds – Crimson Tide Open as Betting Favorites in Elite Eight appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

A second neutral-site game between the #5 Gonzaga Bulldogs (27-7, 5-2 neutral, 17-16 ATS) and #1 Purdue Boilermakers (31-4, 7-1 neutral, 18-15-2 ATS) will take place on Friday, March 29, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI, as part of the Sweet 16. The winner will move onto the Elite Eight in the Midwest Region of the March Madness bracket.

The Gonzaga vs Purdue odds opened at Purdue -5.5 last Sunday and the spread remains unchanged as of Thursday night.

Gonzaga vs Purdue Odds

Purdue is still a 5.5-point favorite for Friday’s game and -230 on the moneyline. The total, however, has moved up significantly over the week: after opening at 152.5, the over/under has been bet up two full points to 154.5.

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Odds as of March 28. Claim the Fanatics Sportsbook promo code to bet on Gonzaga vs Purdue. 

The winner of Gonzaga vs Purdue will face the winner of #3 Creighton vs #2 Tennessee on Sunday in a very chalky Midwest Region. The Boilermakers enter the Sweet 16 as a +120 favorite to win the Midwest in the latest Final Four odds. Gonzaga is the longest of the quartet at +500. Tennessee sits at +210 with Creighton at +450.

Gonzaga Steamrolls McNeese, Kansas

Mark Few’s Bulldogs have been nothing short of sensational while reach the school’s ninth straight Sweet 16. Gonzaga blew out upset-minded McNeese (86-65) as 6.5-point favorites in the first round, and then used a big second half to gap Kansas (89-68) in the round of 32 as 4.5-point chalk.

Gonzaga’s depth has been on display so far. Five different Zags were in double figures both wins, while eight scored at least seven points in the McNeese game.

Point guard Ryan Nembhard has only scored 13 points combined in the tournament (after scoring at least 13 in the five previous games) but his ball-handling and vision have been crucial to Gonzaga’s success on offense. The junior Creighton transfer has 21 total assists so far and has dished out at least nine dimes in five straight.

Gonzaga’s size has been a big problem for both its Tournament opponents to date. With four rotation players 6’8 or taller, the Bulldogs finished +12 on the boards against McNeese, and +5 against Hunter Dickinson’s Jayhawks.

The first time they met Purdue this season, Gonzaga ended up on the wrong side of a 73-63 decision in Maui on Nov. 20, but that was due to cold shooting (37.7% from the field and 18.2% from three). The Zags actually managed to play Zach Edey and company even on the boards (38 rebounds apiece).

Purdue Dominates First Two Opponents

Coming off a devastating first-round loss to #16 Fairleigh Dickinson in the first round last year – becoming just the second #1 team to lose in the first round – Purdue showed no jitters in the first weekend. The Boilermakers ran over #16 Grambling State (78-50) before demolishing #8 Utah State (106-67) in a game that was decided by the 17-minute mark after Purdue went on an 18-1 run to build a 15-point lead.

Soon-to-be two-time national player of the year Zach Edey has been as advertised. The 7’4 center is averaging 26.5 points and 17.5 rebounds per game in the Tournament so far (after leading the nation at 24.5 PPG and finishing second in rebounding at 12.1 RPG during the regular season).

Purdue still sits third at KenPom in overall efficiency behind UConn and Houston, third on offense and 15th on defense. Unlike last season, when the offense was basically Edey-or-bust, this year’s Boilermakers have an excellent supporting cast. Sophomore Braden Smith, in particular, has developed into an elite point guard, averaging 12.3 PPG on a ludicrous 44% clip from beyond the arc, along with 7.3 assists per game, which is third in DI behind Marquette’s Tyler Kolek (7.9) and Minnesota’s Elijah Hawkins (7.5).

With Smith leading the way, Purdue currently ranks first out of all 362 DI teams in three-point percentage (40.9%). Last year, they shot just 32.2% from beyond the arc (276th).

GONZ  vs PUR Player Props

Gonzaga vs Purdue college basketball player props from DraftKings on March 28, 2024.  

Edey’s point total has been set at 25.5, exactly one higher than his season average and half a point more than he scored in the first meeting with the Zags. His rebound total of 12.5 is 0.4 higher than his average; he finished the first game against Gonzaga with 14.

Graham Ike, Gonzaga’s leading scorer at 16.5 PPG, leads the Bulldog player at 16.5 points O/U, while Nembhard has the highest assist total at 7.5.

Gonzaga vs Purdue Predictions

The first matchup between the teams ended with a double-digit deficit but the game was competitive throughout. Gonzaga led by as many as nine in the first half (30-21) and were still up five at halftime (35-30). The Zags weren’t overwhelmed by Edey’s size inside and they are one of the few teams that has enough big bodies to really make the Purdue center work.

If Gonzaga shoots slightly better than it did in the first meeting, this game will be a back-and-forth affair. I love the value on the Zags’ moneyline at +188, which gives Gonzaga just a 34.72% implied win probability.

Gonzaga vs Purdue picks:

• Gonzaga moneyline (+188)
• Nembhard over 7.5 assists (-115)

The post Gonzaga vs Purdue Picks, Predictions & Player Props for the Sweet 16 appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

Coming off their first AL East crown since 2014, the Baltimore Orioles (101-61, 49-32 home) will aim to do something this season they haven’t done since 1974: go back to back as division champs.

Baltimore opens the season with a three-game set against the Los Angeles Angels (73-89, 35-46 away), who are adjusting to life without Shohei Ohtani.

With Brewers/Mets postponed, Angels vs Orioles will begin the Opening Day action at 3:05 pm ET at Camden Yards.

LA Angels vs Baltimore Orioles Odds

The Orioles are listed as -175 moneyline favorites in Thursday’s MLB odds with the Angels +145 road underdogs to win. The game total is at just 7.5 with both teams sending their aces to the bump on Opening Day.

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Baltimore (+202) begins the season as the second-favorite to win the AL East in the MLB division odds, slightly trailing the revamped New York Yankees (+144).

LAA vs BAL Starting Pitchers

The Orioles will send Corbin Burnes to the mound on Opening Day, whom they acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Milwaukee Brewers in the offseason. Burnes is three years removed from winning the 2021 NL Cy Young Award and has been named to three straight NL All-Star teams.

The Angels counter with 27-year-old lefty Patrick Sandoval, who is coming off a down year. Sandoval saw his ERA balloon from 2.91 in 2022 to 4.11 last season.

Patrick Sandoval vs Corbin Burnes

*All statistics in table from 2023 regular season. 

Burnes has very minimal history against the LAA lineup, but the history that exists is encouraging for Oriole fans. In 21 total at-bats, Angel batters are hitting just .190 with no home runs, two doubles, and eight strikeouts. Burnes made one start against the Angels last season, pitching a phenomenal eight innings, allowing just two hits, no walks, and no runs while striking out nine.

Sandoval made one (ugly) start against Baltimore last season, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and four walks over 5.0 innings in a 10-3 loss. Overall, the Oriole lineup is slashing .250/.381/.269 in 52 total at-bats. All except one of their 13 hits have been singles, but they also have 11 walks.

Angels vs Orioles Prediction

Baltimore is returning basically the same batting order that racked up 807 runs last year (4.98 runs per game) and has now added one of the most-dominant pitchers in baseball.

Even with Ohtani claiming his second AL MVP Award last year, the Angels still finished -90 in run differential while scoring just 739 runs on the year.

In light of the way Burnes dominated this Angels team last year, and how poor Sandoval pitched against the O’s, I will gladly lay some juice on a Baltimore victory.

LAA vs BAL pick: Orioles moneyline (-175)

The post LA Angels vs Baltimore Orioles Odds, Picks & Starting Pitchers for Opening Day (March 28) appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

A stark contrast in styles is on tap in the East Region Sweet 16 when the #3 Illinois Fighting Illini (28-8, 7-0 neutral, 20-13-3 ATS) square off with the #2 Iowa State Cyclones (29-7, 6-2 neutral, 25-10-1 ATS).

Tip-off between Illinois and Iowa State is scheduled for 10:10 pm ET at TD Garden in Boston, MA, on Thursday night, and  the odds are the narrowest on the board among the eight Sweet 16 matchups, with the Cyclones listed as slight 1.5-point favorites.

Illinois vs Iowa State Odds

The Illinois/ISU moneyline shows Iowa State as a modest -120 favorite to win straight-up with the Illini at even money. The game total is sitting at 146.6.

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Odds as of March 28. Download one of the best March Madness betting apps to bet on the Sweet 16. 

The winner between Illinois and Iowa State will move onto the Elite Eight in the March Madness bracket, facing either #1 UConn or #5 San Diego State, who meet earlier in the day at TD Garden in a rematch of last year’s national championship game.

UConn is a heavy -230 favorite to win the East Region in the updated Final Four odds, followed by ISU at +425, Illinois at +600, and San Diego State at a distant +1400.

Illinois Offense Clicking

After a dominant offensive performance led the Illini to a Big Ten Tournament title, Illinois’ attack has stayed hot in the NCAA Tournament. The Illini dropped 85 points in their first-round win over #14 Morehead State (85-69) and then blew out #11 Duquesne 89-63 in round two.

Terrence Shannon Jr – the third-leading scorer in the nation at 23.3 PPG – had a game-high 26 against Morehead and 30 against Duquesne. Shannon has now scored at least 25 points in six straight games, including a 40 spot against Nebraska in the Big Ten semifinals.

Illinois’ hot streak has moved its offense to first in efficiency at KenPom. The team is hitting at 35.3% from three (105th) and 55.3% from two (21st) while grabbing 36.2% of offensive-rebound chances (16th).

Marcus Domask – a Southern Illinois transfer who’s playing a point-forward role for Brad Underwood’s team – became just the tenth player to record a triple-double in the NCAA Tournament during the first round, with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists against Morehead State.

The Illini defense is a different story, sitting 91st in efficiency at KenPom and allowing 73.4 PPG. in five of Illinois’ eight losses this season, the opposition scored at least 80 points.

Illinois is 9-6 straight-up against top-50 teams this season, but only 3-5 against teams in KenPom’s top 50.

Cyclones Distance Cougars in Second Half

With its offense sputtering, Iowa State found itself in an early 11-1 hole against #7 Washington State in the round of 32. But the Cyclones had come back to tie the game at 27s by halftime and dominated the second half en route to a 67-56 victory as 6.5-point chalk.

Four different Cyclones finished in double-figures, led by 15 from Tamin Lipsey and 14 off the bench from Curtis Jones. Iowa State’s stifling defense held WSU to 43.1% from the field and just 21.7% from three (5-of-23) while forcing 13 turnovers and sending the Cougars to the line just nine times.

While Illinois now sits first in offensive efficiency, the Cyclones have moved into first in defensive efficiency. ISU has held ten straight opponents under 70 points and is allowing just 61.3 PPG for the year.

They sit second on turnover percentage on defense, forcing turnovers on 25.2% of possessions, which more than makes up for a subpar defensive-rebound percentage (70.6%, 196th).

Iowa State is 12-5 against top-50 teams and 5-3 against top-25 teams, including a pair of victories over Houston (57-53 home, 69-41 neutral).

ILL vs ISU Player Props

Shannon has the highest point total at 21.5, which is two points under his season average and 3.5 fewer than he’s scored in each of his last six games. ISU leading scorer Keshon Gilbert leads the Cyclones at 13.5 O/U, which is right on his season average of 13.7 PPG.

Illinois vs Iowa State Prediction

Excepting a 90-89 OT loss to Penn State, all of Illinois setbacks this year came against teams with elite defenses. Duquesne was of a similar ilk (31st in defensive efficiency, 264th in tempo) but didn’t have the horses to keep up with Shannon and company. Iowa State will be a different story. There won’t be any gap in athleticism between the teams, and I am sticking with the Cyclones – who I have in the national championship game in my expert bracket – to advance.

ILL vs ISU pick: Iowa State moneyline (-120)

Sascha Paruk NCAA Tournament betting record: 19-17 (+0.51 units)

The post Illinois vs Iowa State Predictions, Player Props & Picks for the Sweet 16 appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

Two teams adjusting to depleted starting rotations meet in their first game of the 2024 MLB season on Friday afternoon (after a postponement on Thursday). Without Corbin Burnes (Orioles) or Brandon Woodruff (shoulder surgery) in the mix, the Milwaukee Brewers (92-70, 43-38 away) send Freddy Peralta to the mound on Opening Day opposite Jose Quintana for the New York Mets (75-87, 43-38 home), who at this time last year had both Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer on the roster.

Oddsmakers have listed the Brewers vs Mets odds as a veritable pick’em.

Brewers vs Mets Odds

The Mets are slight -115 moneyline favorites over the Brewers in the MLB odds for Opening Day, with the Brewers at -105 to win straight-up. The game total is sitting at just 7.5.

The Mets were one of the best under bets in the league last year at 67-88-7 O/U. Only Cleveland and San Francisco hit more unders. Milwaukee’s O/U record also leaned heavily to the under at 73-85-6.

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Odds as of March 27 at BetMGM.

Milwaukee vs NYM Betting Splits

The MLB public betting splits show the public hammering the hometown Mets on the moneyline. So far, 91% of moneyline handle is on New York to win on just 61% of the tickets.

The public went 1,447-966-18 on its moneyline plays last year but take that SU record with a grain of salt as the public was loath to back moneyline underdogs.

Freddy Peralta vs Jose Quintana

*All statistics in table from 2023 regular season. 

Mets Add JD Martinez to Subpar Offense

After scoring just 717 runs last year (4.42 runs per game, 11th-fewest in MLB), the Mets signed free agent designated hitter JD Martinez last Saturday. In a one-year stint with the Dodgers last year, Martinez slashed .271/.321/.572 with 33 home runs, 27 doubles, and 103 RBI.

Martinez joins a batting order anchored by Pete Alonso (.821 OPS, 46 home runs, 118 RBI) and Francisco Lindor (.806 , 31 HR, 98 RBI).

Peralta has mostly dominated the Mets batters that he’s faced. In 52 total at-bats, New York hitters are slashing just .154/.254/.346 against the 27-year-old righty with two homers and two doubles.

Alonso is 1-for-4 with a double, a walk, and a strikeout. Lindos is also 1-for-4 with a home run, three walks, and three Ks. Jeff McNeil and Brandon Nimmo are a combined 0-for-9 with just one walk and three strikeouts.

Peralta made just one start against NYM last season, and it was coincidentally his first of the season. Peralta pitched a scoreless six innings in a 10-0 Milwaukee win, allowing just two hits and three walks with seven Ks on April 3.

Brewers Beef-up Lineup with Rhys Hoskins

The Brewers were also among the more anemic offenses in baseball last season with 728 runs scored, just nine more than the Mets. But thanks to a solid starting staff (3.94 ERA) and an elite bullpen (3.40 ERA), Milwaukee allowed just 647 runs last year, the fewest in the majors.

With Burnes gone to Baltimore and Woodruff injured, the Brewers figure to surrender more runs this season, but they are also likely to have a more-potent lineup with the addition of Rhys Hoskins from the Phillies.

Hoskins is coming off a 30-homer, 33-double season with Philadelphia in which he recorded a career-best 3.1 WAR despite his OPS dropping under .800 for the first time in his five-plus-year career.

Only three Brewers accounted for more than 50 RBI last season, but all three are return: shortstop Willy Adames (.717 OPS, 24 HR, 80 RBI), outfielder Christian Yelich (.818 OPS, 19 HR, 76 RBI), and catcher William Contreras (.828 OPS, 17 HR, 78 RBI).

The Milwaukee hitters have a much better history against Quintana than the Mets do against Peralta. In 66 total at-bats, the Brewers lineup has a .288 average with three homers, seven doubles, and just 15 Ks. Adames, Contreras, and Hoskins have all taken Quintana deep once.

Quintana didn’t face Milwaukee in an injury-shortened 2023. He faced the Brewers three times in 2022, though, while still with the Cardinals. He went 14.1 combined innings, allowing 14 hits, four walks, and six earned runs with an impressive 18 strikeouts. St Louis went 1-2 straight-up in those three games.

Brewers vs Mets Predictions

The Mets are coming off a relatively awful season and really didn’t do much to address the issues that plagued them in 2023. Management is simply hoping for better production from the existing lineup.

I don’t love Milwaukee’s chances of repeating as NL Central champs – or even getting back to the postseason – with two of its top-three starters gone, but Peralta gives the Brewers a decided edge in the starting pitcher matchup and they still figure to have a much better bullpen than the Mets, who finished 22nd in the majors in bullpen ERA last year.

 MIL vs NYM picks: Brewers moneyline (-105)

The post Milwaukee Brewers vs New York Mets Odds, Picks & Predictions for March 29 (UPDATED) appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

It’s SEC vs ACC in the West Region Sweet 16 on Thursday as the #4 Alabama Crimson Tide ( 19-15 ATS) meet the #1 North Carolina Tar Heels ( 21-15 ATS) at crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles at 6:50 pm PT (9:50 pm ET).

Alabama had a scare against Grand Canyon in the round of 32, but both Bama and UNC wound up covering their first and second-round matchups. Thursday’s Alabama vs UNC odds list the Tar Heels as a 4.5-point favorite.

Alabama vs North Carolina Odds

The moneyline odds set UNC as a -190 favorite to advance to the Elite Eight with Alabama a +160 underdog in Thursday’s college basketball odds. The total of 173.5 is 19 points higher than any of the other Sweet 16 games. (Gonzaga/Purdue has the second-highest at 154.5.)

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Odds as of March 27 at ESPN Bet North Carolina.

The winner will advance to face either #2 Arizona or #6 Clemson in the Elite Eight section of the March Madness bracket.

The Tar Heels remain the second-favorite to win the West Region at +170 in the Final Four odds. Alabama is third of the four remaining teams at +470. The #2 Arizona Wildcats, who have been the chalk since Selection Sunday, are the +120 favorites to reach the Final Four heading into their Sweet 16 matchup with #6 Clemson.

Tar Heels Dominating on Offense and Defense

North Carolina has used two solid all-around efforts to reach the Sweet 16. After running over #16 Wager (90-62) in the first round, the Tar Heels stormed back from an early 26-14 deficit to rout #9 Michigan State (85-69).

Despite playing at the 41st-fastest tempo in the nation, UNC has now held for of its last five opponents under 70 points, while scoring at least 80 in five of its past seven.

North Carolina heads into the Sweet 16 rated ninth overall at KenPom (sixth on defense) and 11th at Haslametrics. In addition to going 10-1 straight up in their last 11 games, the Heels are also 7-4 against the number in that span. At 19-15 for the season, UNC has a 55.9% cover rate.

Hubert Davis’ two senior leaders have both been at their best in the NCAA Tournament. Leading scorer RJ Davis (21.3 PPG, 3.4 APG) is averaging 21 points through the first two rounds, while Armando Bacot (14.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG) is averaging 19 points and 11 rebounds. Both were significant contributors on the UNC team that lost the 2022 national championship game to Kansas, combining for 29.8 PPG that season.

Alabama Gets by Grand Canyon Despite Cold Shooting

In the round of 32 against #12 Grand Canyon, the Tide did something I highly doubted they would in this tournament: win a game when they weren’t lighting it up from three. While Bama wound up covering the 5.5-point spread in a 72-61 win, the game was much closer than the final score suggests.

Grand Canyon held a 58-55 lead with six minutes to play before the Tide ended the game on a 17-3 run.

As he does most nights, Mark Sears (21.5 PPG, 4.2 APG) led Alabama with 26 points and was a respectable 8-of-18 from the field. But as a team, the Tide shot a woeful 24-of-56 from the floor (36.9%) and just 8-of-31 from beyond the arc (25.8%), all well below their season averages. A +9 differential on the glass helped overcome the ice-cold shooting.

Alabama remains a top-20 team at KenPom entirely due to its shooting. The Tide are ninth in the nation in two-point percentage (57.4%) and 31st out of all 362 DI teams in three-point percentage (36.7%). Despite the off night on Sunday, Alabama’s offense remains fourth in adjusted efficiency. It’s defense, however, is still outside the top 100 (101st).

Alabama vs UNC Player Props

College basketball player props from DraftKings on March 27.

Davis has the highest point total of the night in the Alabama/UNC player props, sitting at 22.5 O/U, which is one point higher than Sears (21.5). Bacot’s rebound total of 11.5 is three higher than any other player on the board. No one on the Tide is over 6.5.

Alabama vs North Carolina Prediction

The Tide were lucky to be facing an undersized Grand Canyon on a night when their shots weren’t falling. The Tide were able to scoop up 20 offensive rebounds on 41 missed field goals.

That is not something that will repeat against UNC. The Tar Heels are one of the best rebounding teams in the nation – at both ends of the court. North Carolina sits 74th in offensive-rebound percentage (32.6%) and sixth on defense (76.8%). UNC’s defense is also 15th in DI in effective field-goal percentage, holding opponents to a 46.5 EFG%.

On nights when Bama is knocking down threes, they are obviously a hard team to beat. They play at a breakneck pace (eighth-fastest tempo) and can open up double-digit gaps in minutes. But few teams manage to score in bunches against the large, long, tenacious UNC defense.

BAMA vs UNC pick: North Carolina -4.5 (-110)

The post Alabama vs North Carolina Predictions, Picks & Player Props for the Sweet 16 appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

The Golden State Warriors (36-34, 18-15 away, 37-32-1 ATS) try to break out of a two-game losing streak on Tuesday night when they visit the Miami Heat (39-32, 18-16 home, 34-36-1 ATS) at the Kaseya Center at 7:10 pm ET.

Miami is battling a long list of injuries to starters and rotation players, which has led oddsmakers to list Golden State as a slight road favorite on March 26.

Golden State Warriors vs Miami Heat Odds

Golden State is 1.5-point road chalk in Tuesday’s Warriors vs Heat odds and -135 on the moneyline. Miami, which has been curiously mediocre at home this season, comes back as a +110 underdog to improve its record to 19-16 straight-up at the Kaseya Center. The total is listed at 217.5 in Tuesday’s NBA odds.

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Golden State remains the #10 seed in the West in the NBA playoff bracket, now 2.5 games behind the #9 Lakers and only half a game up on the #11 Rockets, who have won an NBA-best nine straight.

Warriors Drop Back to Back Games

Golden State is perilously close to falling out of the postseason picture altogether after back-to-back losses to Indiana (123-111 home) and Minnesota (114-110 away).

The Warriors led both games at the half but were outscored 57-44 in the second by the Pacers and 68-56 by the Timberwolves. Steph Curry had a team-high 25 against Indiana and 31 against Minnesota.

The good news for the Dubs is that they’ll head into Tuesday night as the considerably healthier team. Trayce Jackson-Davis (7.4 PPG, 4.5 RPG) is the only player on Golden State’s injury report, listed as questionable with a sore right knee.

Golden State lost its first game with Miami this season, 114-102 at home on Dec. 28 as 6.5-point home favorites.

Heat Demolish Cavs to Win Fourth of Last Six

Miami put the boots to Cleveland on Sunday, crushing the Cavaliers 121-84 in arguably the team’s best defensive performance of the season. Seven different Heat players scored in double-figures, led by 18 off the bench from Haywood Highsmith, as Miami won each of the first three quarters by at least ten points.

Cleveland was missing leading scorer Donovan Mitchell, but the Heat were also without several significant contributors, which will be the case again on Tuesday.

Tyler Herro (20.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.4 APG), Duncan Robinson (13.5 PPG, 40.5 3P%), Kevin Love (9.0 PPG, 6.2RPG), and Josh Richardson (9.9 PPG) are all out, while Caleb Martin (10.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG) and Jaime Jaquez Jr (12.3 PPG, 4.0 RPG) are both questionable.

Miami has now won four of its past six games, but that includes a pair of road wins over the Pistons, and the team is actually just 1-3 straight-up in its last four at home.

GSW vs MIA Player Props

NBA player props from DraftKings on March 26. 

Curry has the highest point total of the night at 25.5 while Butler leads the Heat players at 22.5.

Warriors vs Heat Prediction

As good as the Heat looked last time out, and as much as I want to back them at plus money, I have to fade them on Tuesday night. Miami’s litany of injuries is just too long, and Golden State’s position is too perilous. With only 12 games remaining in the regular season, the Warriors will need a playoff effort each and every time out to ensure they’re still playing come late April.

GSW vs MIA picks:

• Warriors -1.5 (-115)
• Curry over 25.5 points (-140)

The post Golden State Warriors vs Miami Heat Picks, Player Props & Predictions (March 26) appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

Both teams will be playing the second leg of back-to-backs on Monday night when the Indiana Pacers (40-32, 19-17 away, 38-32-3 ATS) visit the LA Clippers (44-26, 22-12 home, 34-36 ATS) at crypto.com Arena at 7:40 pm PT/10:40 pm ET.

In a fierce battle for a top-six seed in the East, the Pacers are listed as 6-point road underdogs after falling to the Lakers in the same stadium last night.

Indiana Pacers vs LA Clippers Odds

Coming off a lopsided loss to the 76ers in a Sunday matinee, LAC is a -240 moneyline favorite to end its skid at one game. Indiana is a +190 longshot to win straight-up, while the total sits at 233.5, the second-highest among the 11 games in Monday’s NBA odds. (Dallas vs Utah is the highest at 237.5.)

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Odds as of March 25 at Fanatics. Claim the Fanatics Sportsbook promo code to bet on Pacers/Clippers tonight. 

Indiana is currently the #6 seed in the East in the NBA playoff bracket, but is only half a game up on both #7 Miami and #8 Philadelphia, while trailing #5 Orlando by 2.5 games.

The Clippers are #4 in the West but their lead over #5 New Orleans has shrunk to just half a game, while the gap between LAC and #3 Minnesota is now 4.5.

Clippers Suffer Rare Blowout Loss at Home to Sixers

Big 8.5-point home favorites last night over the shorthanded 76ers (who are still without Joel Embiid), the Clippers never fully recovered from a 41-29 first-quarter deficit. The offense was sloppy (14 turnovers) and the defense was subpar, allowing the Sixers to shoot 53.3% from the field and 48.6% from three in a 121-107 Philadelphia victory.

Kawhi Leonard had a team-high 20 points, but Leonard, Paul George, and James Harden combined to shoot just 19-of-44 (43.2%).

The loss dropped the Clippers to 20-12 straight-up at home this season and just 16-18 ATS at crypto.com Arena.

LAC’s offense remains a top-five unit in terms of efficiency (118.9 O-Rating, fourth in the NBA) but its defense is only 14th in the league (115.0 D-Rating). They are currently seventh in point differential at +3.8.

Monday’s game will be the second of two meetings between the Clippers and Pacers this season. LA won in a rout (151-127) at Indiana on Dec. 18. But take that result with a grain of salt; it predated the midseason trade that sent Pascal Siakam (21.4 PPG, 8.0 RPG) to Indiana, and center Myles Turner (17.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG) didn’t play due to a hamstring injury.

On the injury front, Russell Westbrook (11.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.4 APG), who hasn’t played since March 1, remains sidelined following hand surgery. He’s the only notable Clippers out of Monday’s NBA lineups.

Pacers Can’t Complete Comeback vs Lakers

Despite a strong start (36-30 lead after the first quarter), the Pacers found themselves trailing the lakers by 17 heading into the fourth quarter last night. Indiana had a monster fourth quarter and narrowed the gap to just four (127-123) with 5:33 still on the clock, but that’s as close as it would come in a 150-145 loss.

Midseason acquisition Pascal Siakam had his best games in a Pacer jersey, scoring a team-high 36 points with 12 rebounds and two assists on 16-of-29 shooting from the field (55.2%). Tyrese Haliburton had another double-double with 12 points and 10 dimes, but was an inefficient 5-of-13 from the field.

Indiana’s defense was, as usual, porous. It was also undisciplined, sending the Lakers to the line 43 times. LeBron James and company outscored Indiana 38-9 from the stripe.

Indiana remains second to the Celtics in O-Rating (120.0) but is a woeful 25th in D-Rating (117.9) and just 13th in Net Rating (+2.0) as a result.

Last night’s loss dropped the Pacers to a still-respectable 19-17 on the road and a rock-solid 19-15-1 ATS away (55.1% cover rate).

The only notable injury on the Pacers side is Bennedict Mathurin (14.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG), who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery two weeks ago

IND vs LAC Player Props

Leonard has the highest point total of the night at 24.5, followed by teammate George (23.5) while Siakam (22.5) leads the Pacers. Haliburton is pegged for another double-double with an 18.5 O/U for points and 10.5 O/U for assists.

Pacers vs Clippers Prediction

The Clippers have been a fairly streaky ATS team this season. They have three ATS win streaks of three or more and four ATS losing streaks of three or more. After a loss, they are just 11-14 against the spread.

Indiana, on the other hand, has been one of the best ATS best after a defeat, going 19-11-2 against the number after a straight-up loss.

Given that the Pacers haven’t had to travel at all, this isn’t as difficult as most back-to-back road games. And prior to last night, Indiana had won five away games in a row, including four as sizable underdogs against Dallas (137-120), Orlando (111-97), OKC (121-111), and Golden State (123-111).

As long as the officiating isn’t as one-sided as it was against the Lakers last night (reminder that the Pacers were outscored 38-9 from the free-throw line), I love Indiana to cover.

The spread is still as high as +6 at DraftKings.

IND vs LAC pick: Pacers +6 (-112)

Sascha Paruk’s 2023-24 NBA betting record:

• 17-23 moneyline (+2.06 units)
• 21-18-2 ATS (+2.23 units)
• 0-1 over/under (-1.00 units)
• 8-13 player props (-6.08 units)
• 0-3 same-game parlay (-3.00 units)

All wagers one unit unless expressly stated otherwise 

The post Indiana Pacers vs LA Clippers Odds, Predictions, Player Props & Picks (March 25) appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

In a very chalky West Region, the #1 North Carolina Tar Heels will face the #4 Alabama Crimson Tide in the Sweet 16 of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

North Carolina has opened as the favorite in what projects to be a fast-paced, high-scoring game. The West Regional Sweet 16 will take place at crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA, on Thursday, March 28.

Alabama vs North Carolina Odds

UNC has opened as 3.5-point favorites against the spread in the Alabama vs North Carolina odds.

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Point spread as of March 24 at FanDuel. Claim the best FanDuel promos for the NCAA Tournament. Moneyline and total from DraftKings. 

North Carolina Counterpunch KOs Michigan State

After blowing by #16 Wagner in their tournament-opener (85-61), the Tar Heels were in trouble early against #9 Michigan State in the second round. MSU was up 26-14 midway through the first half and, at that point, had a 72.5% win probability according to KenPom. But the Tar Heels would go on a 26-3 run (which spanned halftime) to take a double-digit lead that was never seriously threatened.

UNC’s three leading scorers all had big games. Senior guard RJ Davis (21.3 PPG) led the way with 20 points, while senior forward Armando Bacot added 18 points and seven rebounds and  junior wing Harrison Ingram had 17 points and seven boards.

Davis also had a team-high 22 against Wagner and has scored at least 20 in each of his last four games.

North Carolina currently sits ninth at KenPom and was as high as sixth earlier in the season. They won the ACC regular-season title with a 17-3 record in conference play before losing in the ACC Tournament final to NC State.

Last season, Alabama took a four-overtime thriller against UNC (103-101) in Portland as part of the Phil Knight Invitational. While both teams have several new faces in their rotations, their current stars were (mostly) part of that game. Mark Sears led Alabama with 24 points and five assists. Bacot had 20 points and 10 rebounds for UNC, while Davis added 19 points, nine boards, and four dimes.

Alabama Offense Stays Hot

All season, Alabama has paired an elite offense with a highly-suspect defense. Its first-round game with #13 Charleston exemplified that dynamic to a tee. With senior guard Mark Sears scoring a game-high 30 points, the Tide hit triple-digits for the eighth time this season in a 109-93 victory. Alabama shot 60% from the field, including 56.5% from three (13-of-23).

Bama’s second-round game with #12 Grand Canyon was a much tamer affair by comparison. After Alabama took an eight-point lead into halftime (38-30), Grand Canyon would storm back in the second to take a 58-55 lead with six minutes to play. But Bama went on a 14-3 run to end the game and, with it, GCU’s 30-win season.

Sears led the way again with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists. The Second-Team All-American has now scored at least 20 points in 15 of his last 16 games, including eight in a row.

Alabama sits 14th overall at KenPom (and 15th at Haslametrics). Their offense is fourth in efficiency, while their defense was just 118th before the GCU game.

The winner of Alabama vs UNC will face the winner of #6 Clemson vs #2 Arizona on Saturday, March 30.

The post Alabama vs North Carolina Odds – Tar Heels Favored in Sweet 16 Matchup appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

In what projects to be a contrast of styles, the defensively-oriented #6 Clemson Tigers will face the fast-paced #2 Arizona Wildcats in the Sweet 16 of the West Regional.

The opening Clemson vs Arizona odds list the Wildcats as 6.5-point favorites. The Tigers and Wildcats will meet at crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 28.

Clemson vs Arizona Odds

The Wildcats are -295 moneyline favorites to advance with Clemson a +235 underdog. The game total has opened as 151.5.

Arizona last made the Elite Eight in 2015, while Baylor is making its first trip since winning the national championship in 2019.

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Arizona was the only non-#1 seed to start the 2024 NCAA Tournament as the betting favorite to win its region in the Final Four odds. The Wildcats opened at +180, slightly ahead of West #1 North Carolina (+235). Clemson started as a +4000 longshot.

Arizona Makes Short Work of Dayton, Long Beach State

It’s been a fairly easy run for the Tommy Lloyd’s Wildcats so far. Arizona raced away from #15 Long Beach State in the first round (85-65) and led #7 Dayton by as many as 17 in the first half en route to a 78-68 victory.

All five starters finished in double-figures against the Beach, led by 20 from Kylan Boswell. Leading scorer Caleb Love (18.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 3.5 APG) had a team-high 19 against the Flyers. Arizona finished +4 on the boards against Dayton despite a quiet three-rebound night from center Oumar Ballo, who averages exactly 10 per game.

Arizona remains #5 at KenPom (ninth on both offense and defense) and #6 at Haslametrics. The Wildcats win over Dayton improved their record against top-50 KenPom teams to 9-4, and their resume includes a 78-73 true-road win over Duke plus a pair of victories of Colorado and a decisive 87-74 win over Alabama in Phoenix.

Third-year coach Tommy Lloyd is already making his second Sweet 16 appearance with Arizona. His Wildcats lost to drastically-underseeded Houston (72-60) in the Sweet 16 during the 2022 tournament when Arizona was a #1 seed and the Cougars were a #5.

Clemson Pulls Off Second Straight Upset

Despite being the better seed, #6 Clemson was a 2.5-point underdog to #11 New Mexico in the first round. The Tigers made oddsmakers look foolish during a 77-56 rout of the Lobos, a game they led by 14 at halftime.

Clemson used another big first half to beat #3 Baylor on Sunday night as 4.5-point underdogs, winning the first 20 minutes 35-25 and ending up on the right side of a 72-64 win. The situation got hairy at the end (Ja’Kobe Walter was at the line for two potentially game-tying free throws in the final minute) but he clanked them both – part of an ugly 16-of-26 performance from Baylor at the free-throw line – allowing the Tigers to hold on.

Leading scorer PJ Hall (18.7 PPG, 6.5 RPG), a 6’10 senior center, has been fairly quiet on offense, with 14 points against New Mexico and 11 against Baylor.

Senior guard Chase Hunter has been the main catalyst in Clemson’s pair of victories, scoring a team-high 21 against New Mexico on 8-of-16 from the floor with six assists and three rebounds. Hunter also had a team-high 20 points in the impressive win over Baylor.

Clemson had two very different stages in the regular season. The Tigers started the year 11-1 with wins over Alabama, TCU, South Carolina and Boise State. Thereafter, they went just 10-10 and were upset by Boston College in their first game of the ACC Tournament.

They entered the Baylor game rated 25th at KenPom (jumping eight spots from #33 after the New Mexico victory). The Tigers were as high as 19th after their 11-1 start and as low as 39th on Feb. 3.

Arizona plays at the 16th-fastest tempo in the nation, while the more-methodical Clemson is just 260th.

The winner of Clemson vs Arizona will face the winner of #1 UNC vs either #12 Grand Canyon or #4 Alabama in the Elite Eight section of the March Madness bracket.

The post Clemson vs Arizona Odds – Opening Spread, Total and Moneyline for Sweet 16 appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

One of the hottest teams in the nation, the #5 Gonzaga Bulldogs will be hoping for a much different result when they face the #1 Purdue Boilermakers for the second time this season in the Sweet 16.

Gonzaga booked its ninth straight trip to the Sweet 16 with an 89-68 blowout of #4 Kansas. Purdue ran over Utah State to reach the Sweet 16 for the second time in the last three tries, helping to erase painful memories of last year’s first-round loss to #16 Fairleigh Dickinson.

The opening Gonzaga vs Purdue odds project a closer game than the first meeting between the teams at the Maui Invitational, which ended in a 73-63 Boilermaker victory.

Gonzaga vs Purdue Odds

Purdue has opened as a 5.5-point favorite for this Midwest Region Sweet 16 games at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. The Boilermakers are -225 on the moneyline (69.23% implied win probability) with the Zags at +184 (35.21%).

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Odds as of March 24 at FanDuel. 

Gonzaga Breezes Through First Two Rounds

Arguably the most-impressive team in the tournament to date, Gonzaga won each of its first two games by 21 points. In the round of 64, Gonzaga led (almost) from the jump while crushing #12 McNeese 86-65 as 6.5-point favorites. After a back-and-forth first half with Kansas, which saw the Jayhawks take a one-point lead into the break, the Zags dominated the second half and cruised to an 89-68 victory.

Wyoming transfer and leading scorer Graham Ike (16.4 PPG, 7.3 RPG) led the charge against McNeese with a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double (both team-highs). As a team, the Zags shot 51.7% from the field and 47.6% from three, and five players finished in double-figures.

Against Kansas, four different Zags finished with at least 15 points, led by 21 from Anton Watson on 8-of-11 shooting. Point guard Ryan Nembhard had a career-high 12 assists, his fifth straight game with at least nine dimes.

Gonzaga nows rates 12th overall at KenPom, sixth on offense but just 40th on defense. Haslametrics (seventh) and Torvik (10th) both rate the Bulldogs slightly higher.

Purdue’s Edey Too Much for Utah State

Coming off a gargantuan 30-point, 21-rebound performance in Purdue’s 78-50 rout of #16 Grambling on Friday, Zach Edey was at it again on Sunday in his team’s win over #8 Utah State. The wire-to-wire favorite in the Wooden Award odds, Edey had 23 points and 14 rebounds against the Aggies in just 26 minutes.

His 21 points and 11 rebounds in the first half helped his team open a 49-33 edge by the break, a lead that only grew in the second half; Matt Painter was able to empty his bench with over five minutes to play.

Edey also had a huge night when he led Purdue to a 73-63 win over Gonzaga in Maui, finishing with 25 points and 14 rebounds on 8-of-16 shooting from the field and a subline 9-of-10 performance from the free-throw line.  Edey’s free-throw percentage has dipped slightly from last season (73.4%) but he’s still hitting at a solid 71.1% from the stripe.

Purdue started the tournament as the +165 favorite to win the Midwest Region in the Final Four odds. The Boilermakers enter the Sweet 16 as the betting favorite, but their odds are relatively unchanged in a very chalky region that features four of the top-five seeds.

Purdue remains third overall in KenPom’s efficiency ratings (fourth on offense, 19th on defense), while also sitting third (behind UConn and Houston) at Haslametrics and Torvik.

The winner of Gonzaga vs Purdue will meet the winner of #3 Creighton vs #2 Tennessee in the Elite Eight portion of the March Madness bracket.

Purdue head coach is just 1-5 lifetime in the Sweet 16, reaching his one and only Elite Eight in the 2019 NCAA Tournament. Gonzaga coach Mark Few is 5-7 in the Sweet 16, but 5-3 since 2015. The Zags beat UCLA (79-76) in the Sweet 16 last year, eventually bowing out to eventual-champion UConn (82-54) in the Elite Eight.

The post Gonzaga vs Purdue Odds – Boilermakers Open as Favorites Over Zags appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.