College Basketball Parlay Picks Saturday, March 5th
The time has come. Today is the last day of the college hoops regular season. However, the end also marks the beginning of a glorious postseason. For the final time in the regular season, I’ve got the angles that, when combined, can help us end the season with a bang and have us riding high into tournament time.
Connect with sportsbooks to automatically sync your balances and bets >>
No. 16 USC vs. No. 17 UCLA (10 PM ET Tip)
The Trojans got the best of the Bruins during the first meeting at the Galen Center, and they did it without their star Isaiah Mobley. Now the stage is set for the Bruins to exact their revenge in front of a home crowd, but it won’t be that simple. USC is one of the toughest teams to go up against on the defensive end as they have an abundance of size and length that make every shot attempt difficult. They are 10th in effective field goal percentage allowed and 2nd in two-point percentage allowed, where the Bruins get 55 percent of their offense from.
On the other end of the floor, USC should have at least similar success to their first meeting. The Trojans had an average effective field goal percentage in their victory over the Bruins. However, getting Mobley back is a tremendous boost as he is their leading scorer averaging over 14 points per game. In what may be another challenging defensive game, take the undervalued Trojans.
No. 12 Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma State (3 PM ET Tip)
In KenPom’s most thrilling game of the day, Mark Adams and the Red Raiders face their final test as they travel to Stillwater to face off against Oklahoma State. This matchup has all the makings of a slugfest as we have the number two and number nine teams in adjusted defensive efficiency squaring off. However, for all the love that the defenses will get in this matchup, the Red Raiders offense will make the difference.
Potentially without starting guard Kevin McCullar for this contest, Texas Tech will have to lean on Bryson Williams. That certainly seems to be the right idea as Williams has emerged and become the team’s leading scorer. He has scored in double figures in each of the last six games, and if he can hit that mark once again, you have to like the Red Raider’s chances in this one. In a matchup where the defenses cancel each other out, it’s best to side with the better offense.
Pick: Texas Tech ML -140
North Carolina State vs. Florida State ( 2 PM ET Tip)
It has been a rough year for the Wolfpack as they have gotten beaten up by conference opponents this season. Their ACC record of 4-16 puts them in dead last. It is due to sub-par play on both ends of the floor as they rank 322nd in effective field goal percentage on defense and 255th on offense.
However, in this matchup, they will meet a team in Florida State that dropped off tremendously due to multiple injuries. What is incredible is that the Seminoles will come into this matchup off back-to-back wins over Clemson and Notre Dame, and they did it without their starting backcourt and three significant big men. Here they are due to come crashing back to earth as their 49.3 effective field goal percentage has only been slightly exceeded in both their recent wins. Embrace the struggle here, as there will be plenty of missed shots.
Pick: Under 145.5
Parlay Odds: +524
Compare odds from all major sportsbooks for College Basketball >>
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts
Whether you’re new to sports betting or a betting pro, our Sports Betting Strategy and Advice page is for you. You can get started with our 101 section — including 10 Sports Betting Tips for Beginners — or head to more advanced strategy — like Key Numbers When Betting Against the Spread — to learn more.
Douglas Ziefel is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Douglas, check out his archive.