Saturday March Madness Late Picks: Texas vs. Penn State, Alabama vs. Maryland
Saturday March Madness Late Picks: Texas vs. Penn State, Alabama vs. Maryland
We are blessed with some epic games on the first day of the Round of 32. There will for sure be some crazy upsets. Let’s try to grab some of these underdogs who have value in the later games.
I've got two picks for tonight. Let's check them out.
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Saturday March Madness Picks
Penn State +5.5 (-110) Bet $100 to collect $190 DraftKings has the best odds; click here to bet
This is the best Penn State basketball team we’ve ever seen. Jalen Pickett is playing like an NBA talent, and Coach Shrewsberry will either be in for a major contract extension or find a better job at the end of the season. This team knows they can beat anyone right now, even the second-seeded Longhorns.
Don’t sleep on Texas, either. The Longhorns are also currently playing their best basketball of the season, defeating Kansas twice in a span of a week and covering/winning all of their previous five games. Dylan Disu filled in for injured Timmy Allen and ended up keeping the starting job with how well he played. Texas is not to be taken lightly, but I don’t see anyone getting in the way of the Nittany Lions train anytime soon.
Penn State’s offense is simple: let Pickett get to the rack and either finish or dish it back to the three-point arch for an open three. Seth Lundy and Andrew Funk have been great secondary options in the Penn State backcourt, a necessity is Pickett gets slowed down.
Let’s not sleep on what Penn State has been able to do this season, especially of late. Their only kryptonite would be a lack of a dominant big man, but they were able to beat Trayce Jackson-Davis and the Indians Hoosiers, along with many of the Big Ten’s best. We’ve seen this movie before in March. It doesn’t matter what seed these teams are; madness is looming. There is always a team or two that gets hot at the end of the season and makes a deep run that nobody expected. This year it could be Jalen Pickett and the Nittany Lions. Back Penn State to cover against the superior Longhorns, and don’t be surprised if they win this game outright.
Maryland +8.5 (-110) Bet $100 to collect $190 DraftKings has the best odds; click here to bet
Who said the Terps can’t win away from College Park? This team can hang with anyone, even the top-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide. There are rumors that the consensus No. 3 overall pick in this year’s NBA draft may be a little more hurt than people think…
There’s a reason Miller dropped a goose egg in Bama’s 96-75 point victory the other night. He is hurt and clearly trying to play through a groin injury that may be too serious about overcoming. If Miller isn’t able to help his team out on the offense end of the floor tonight, it could be a long night for the Tide against the Terps. Maryland is playing great basketball right now, especially on the defensive side of the floor. This is the best defense Alabama has faced in a while, and with a hobbled Brandon Miller, Kevin Willard’s Terps may be able to take advantage of the star’s injury.
Jahmir Young, Maryland’s star point guard, is hitting his stride and carrying this offense. Senior forward Donta Scott is the anchor of this team; they go where he goes. Scott has played well and looks locked in; he should present a mismatch against Bama’s backcourt with his versatility on the inside and outside. Julian Reese will hold down the paint. Although a little undersized, Reese plays big and will be able to do enough against Bediako and Bama’s bigs. Take the Terps on the spread and expect Maryland to keep it close against Alabama and their banged-up superstar.
Article Author
Krabs is a contrarian bettor who isn’t afraid to fade the public or go against the grain. His betting style not only produces winners but has changed the way many think about the sports betting process. You’ll find Krabs betting on anything from the NFL (at a 60% clip in 2022) to the KBO (8-1-1 in 2022). You won’t find many handicappers with more college basketball knowledge or insight than Krabs. A native of the “DMV,” you can find his work @Krabs_Bets on Twitter, or on Behind the Lines, his daily sports betting show on twitch.