As the Elite Eight tips off this weekend, the top two seeds overall in the tournament, UCONN and Purdue, remain on a collision course for a national championship berth.
Let's find some plays from each of the four games.
3-Illinois (+340) vs. 1-UCONN (-440)
Spread: Husky -8.5 | O/U: 155.5
Fun fact: In Big East Conference play this season, the Huskies won the game by single digits eight times. That has only happened once in the past two seasons, when the Huskies have taken the court against a non-conference opponent. Illinois brings an elite offense to this game, led by Terrence Shannon Jr., perhaps the most dynamic player in the tournament. That said, we got Clingan's rebounds and Newton's assists (5.5 OVER/-145) and points (16.5 OVER/+100). All matches of the tournament so far. Let's ride the three-leg parlay again. Let's add in the play where the Huskies scored 5 points (-110) in 1H and in the full game he scored 8.5 (-110).
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6-Clemson (+136) vs. 4-Alabama (-162)
Spread: Crimson Tide -3.5 | O/U: 164.5
surprise! Raise your hand if you have the Tigers and the Tide in the Elite 8. Money is coming in for The Tide following an impressive win over top-seeded North Carolina. Clemson, on the other hand, stepped onto the court knowing full well that the role of underdog was exactly that for the first three games of the tournament. This is a high total for a game involving the Tigers, as they like to control the pace and pack in defensively. Regardless of which team you prefer, consider taking Alabama with less than 83.5 total points (-110), mainly because the pace is expected to be slower. If you're riding with Clemson, you'd be wise to get over his 3.5 assists (-140) from the Tigers' Chase Hunter, who has overachieved in each of Clemson's tournament games.
2-Tennessee (+140) vs. 1-Purdue (-166)
Spread: Boilermaker -3 | O/U: 148
If you still insist Purdue is overvalued, take a step back. I don't deserve a front row seat to the matchup against Tennessee. Edie and his friends. He proved he can wear down opponents, knocking down shots from deep and feeding big guys down low. Next up is Jonas Aidoo and the volunteers. Tennessee continues to play relentless defense all over the court, but ultimately the key will be Aidoo's performance against Eadie under the basket. That's the 40-minute mountain the 6'11-inch junior demands. At the time of publication, no player props are listed, but the Edy Rebound OVER 12.5 is cashed in each game of the tournament. Also consider giving over assists to point guards Braden Smith and/or Zakai Zeigler. Finally, his first half under game total was 69.5. With a ticket to the Final Four on the line, it will definitely be tense early on.
11-North Carolina State (+215) vs. 4-Duke (-265)
Spread: Blue Devils -6 | O/U: 143
It's a rematch of the ACC semifinals. Sunday, conference and in-state bragging rights will be on the line again. The Wolfpack is certainly popular theater here. DJ Burns Jr. has quickly become a fan favorite across the United States. If State is to make it to the Final Four, it will need to stay out of foul trouble. Duke has different players stepping up every night and coming together at the right times. With no player props listed, it's difficult to give him a play or two, especially for a Duke team that has had a different player step up every night through his first three games of the tournament. However, consider his point or rebound totals, as Kyle Filipowski was dominant last time out against State with 28 points and 14 rebounds. For the Wolfpack, take a look at Mohamed Diarra's total rebounds, as he has had 12 or more downs in each of his last seven games.
Elite 8: Redeem your tickets.
