College Basketball Parlay Picks, Thursday, February 24th
It’s another glorious Thursday college basketball slate. Just the thought that three weeks from now the NCAA Tournament will be tipping off brings joy to my heart. However, there are many games that need to be played and tickets to be punched before we get there. So, let’s lock in and pad our bankroll as we get ready for March Madness.
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Belmont vs. No. 19 Murray St. (9 ET tip)
The Racers are in the midst of an incredible season and are well on their way to an Ohio Valley Conference title, but their last hurdle will be toppling the Belmont Bruins one more time. While the talk of the Ohio Valley is all about Murray State, Belmont is far from a national bottom feeder. They are 65th in KenPom’s rankings, and for a good reason. Their offense has been elite, but Murray State proved they have the Bruins number in the first meeting. Murray State took the first matchup by eliminating perimeter shots and containing Belmont once they got inside. Then the Racers had and will once again hold a significant edge when in possession. Murray State is 35th in adjusted offensive efficiency and is an outstanding rebounding team as they are 10th in the country in offensive rebounding rate. The Bruins may be game, but just as in the first meeting, they don’t have enough to take down Murray State.
No. 1 Gonzaga vs San Francisco (9 ET tip)
Mark Few’s well-oiled machine has reclaimed its spot atop the national rankings thanks to a modest 16-game winning streak. Included in that streak is a 16-point victory over the Dons. Looking back, it was the most competitive game the Bulldogs have had since early December. Now the Dons will get another shot on their home court. However, I highly doubt the result will be any different this time around. San Francisco is a team that deserves much more national recognition as they are an excellent squad that is ranked 24th by KenPom. However, Gonzaga is number one in that ranking and the metrics widen the gap between these two programs. The Bulldogs are one of two teams in the country to be in the top ten in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency. Additionally, when you look at the personnel, the Dons are just outmatched as they have only two consistent scoring options, whereas Gonzaga has at least four legit scorers. In the end, the Dons may put up a fight early, but the Zags will be just too much for them.
No. 12 UCLA vs Oregon (9:30 ET tip)
We are going to stay on the west coast for our final leg as the Bruins are out to avenge their early-season loss to the Ducks. These two teams are simply going in opposite directions. UCLA looks like the team we saw go to the Final Four as their offense is as crisp as it has been all season. They have locked their last few opponents down defensively. On the other hand, Oregon will come into this one off back-to-back losses in which they surrendered 80-plus points in each. Their defense has been an issue throughout the year, and it looks as if it has hit its worth point yet. With the Bruins seemingly locked in, I see them handling business on the road.
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Douglas Ziefel is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Douglas, check out his archive.