Xavier vs. Kennesaw State: NCAA Tournament Same Game Parlay Picks (3/17)

by Phil Wood |
Mar 17, 2023

The Xavier Musketeers are huge favorites over the Kennesaw State Owls in this 3 vs. 14 matchup. The Owls are making their first NCAA Tournament, and based on key metrics and their regular season results, it should be a short stay for the team. No one is expecting the Musketeers to fall in this game, so what three bets are the best to parlay together for this contest?

Here is the best Xavier vs. Kennesaw State same game parlay for Friday, March 17th.

March Madness First Round Same Game Parlay Bets

Xavier vs. Kennesaw State

Leg 1: Xavier -12.5 (-120)

The most recent Musketeer performance was not a good one, as the Musketeers lost 65-51 to the Marquette Golden Eagles in the Big East finals. Had it not been for that game, the Musketeers would likely be favored by even more in this one.

The Musketeers are ranked seventh in offensive efficiency according to KenPom, and while they are just 73rd in adjusted defense, they are still much better than the Owls in both areas. The Owls are outside the top 150 in adjusted offensive efficiency and outside the top 115 in adjusted defensive efficiency. The Owls simply will not be able to keep up with Xavier's 81.4 points per game.

Leg 2: Terrell Burden Under 14.5 Points (-120)

The Owls feature three players who score in double figures on the season. Chris Youngblood is the leading scorer, averaging 14.7 per contest, while Terrell Burden is averaging 13.5 per contest. It's surprising to see this number a full point higher than his season average, especially when he's not the go-to scorer for the team.

He did get hot in the Atlantic Sun Tournament, scoring 20 in the semifinal and 19 in the final. Prior to those performances, he had gone three consecutive games with 14 or fewer points. The Musketeers' defense will be the best he has faced in a long time, and he and the rest of the offense are going to struggle to find a rhythm.

Leg 3: Jack Nunge 10+ Rebounds (+185)

Nunge is averaging 7.8 rebounds per game this season, and he is primed for a big game on Friday night. Because of the speed at which the Musketeers play, the Owls are going to have no choice but to put up a lot of shots. They do shoot 45.9% from the field on the season, which is a solid number, but they will likely be below that average on Friday.

Nunge is going to have no trouble cleaning up the glass in this one against a much smaller team.

Parlay Odds: +625

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Phil Wood is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Phil, check out his archive and follow him @Phil_Wood_Jr.

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