Two of college basketball's greatest offensive teams take to the hardwood for the right to advance to the Final Four tonight. Both National Championship favorite UConn and Illinois can score points in bunches. Saturday night's Elite Eight contest promises to be a spectacular show, offering bettors who love offensive basketball another chance to cash in.
Jump into my UConn vs Illinois same-game parlay:
NCAAB Same-Game Parlay: UConn vs Illinois
| Pick | Odds |
|---|---|
| Illinois +9 | -108 |
| OVER 155 Total Points | -110 |
| Tristen Newton OVER 5.5 Assists | -150 |
| SGP Odds | +455 |
Matchup: UConn vs Illinois
Pick 1: Illinois +9
UConn are the most dominant team in the country, winning nine consecutive tournament games by an average of nearly 23 points per game.
However, they haven't faced an offense with the versatility and scoring ability of the Fighting Illini. Four Illinois starters score in double figures, led the flamethrowing Terrence Shannon Jr. The senior guard is leading March Madness in scoring while shooting an unfathomable 59.2% from the field.
In good company. @Sn1per_T is averaging 28.3 points per game during our NCAA Tournament run. #Illini | #HTTO | #EveryDayGuys pic.twitter.com/ieW8elVfso
— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) March 29, 2024
Illinois has both the size and scoring ability to keep things close against UConn. The Huskies are one of the most dominant teams in NCAA history, but this 9-point line is far too high. Bet on the Illini to cover.
Pick 2: OVER 155 Total Points
This is a battle of the top-two offensive teams in the nation according to Haslametrics and KenPom. Both UConn and Illinois score over 120 points per 100 possessions.
Illinois has shot an unreal 52% so far this tournament, with UConn not far behind at 50.8%.
The total has gone OVER in five of Illinois' last six contests, and I expect that trend to continue here. Take the OVER as the second leg of our UConn vs Illinois same-game parlay.
Pick 3: Tristen Newton OVER 5.5 Assists
While UConn is blessed with a ton of depth, point guard Tristen Newton is the man that makes the Huskies offense tick.
He's averaged nearly seven assists per game this season, and has gone OVER this number in four of his last five contests. The Huskies share the rock, averaging nearly 20 assists per game so far in the tournament. Almost any player from 1-10 on this team can knock down a shot at any given moment. Newton will have plenty of time on the ball, and a ton of opportunities to cash his OVER 5.5 assists prop.
