Jordan Horrobin

Jordan enjoys writing data-driven game previews and analysis articles — especially for MLB markets or NFL/NBA props. And as a proud Ohio University grad, he’ll always have a soft spot for college sports (especially if the Bobcats are involved). Previous stops include mlb.com, Sportsnet and The Athletic.

March Madness Sweet 16 best bets: NCAA basketball picks on Purdue, Kentucky and Maryland

March Madness best bets

March Madness returns to action on Thursday and Friday, and I’ve got a trio of best bets from the Sweet 16 games.

The pregame narrative: Facing arguably the toughest defensive matchup possible, I like the No. 4 Purdue Boilermakers to break through on offence and clear their modest team total. I’m also backing a pair of underdogs to cover their spreads (No. 3 Kentucky Wildcats, No. 4 Maryland Terrapins)

Check out my March Madness best bets for NCAA college basketball action on March 27-28.

March Madness best bets

Best bet: Purdue over 62.5 points (-114)

Embed: #111674

The Boilermakers play very slowly, and so do their opponents, the 1-seed Houston Cougars. Pacing is the primary concern for this wager.

But I see a pathway to Purdue having an efficient offensive night on Friday — inside and out.

  • In the paint, Purdue has a size mismatch with Trey Kaufman-Renn (6-foot-9) and Caleb Furst (6-foot-10). The tallest players on Houston’s roster are 6-foot-8.
  • On the outside, the Boilermakers rank ninth in NCAA Division I in 3-point percentage (38.5%). They have four players shooting north of 38.0 3PT% on multiple attempts per game.

Purdue has only gone under 62.5 points twice in 35 games this year. For a team that ranks seventh in offensive efficiency, per KenPom.com, why on earth is this line so low?

Well, it’s because Houston ranks No. 1 in scoring defence (58.4 PPG) and No. 1 in defensive efficiency.

But the Cougars have allowed three of five postseason opponents to clear this point total, and I expect the Boilermakers to keep that rolling.

It also helps that this is practically a home game for Purdue despite Houston being the higher seed.

The game will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. That’s an hour south of Purdue’s campus by car … and two hours north of Houston’s campus by plane.

Ket stat: Purdue averaged 77.7 PPG this year (79th in D-I).

NCAA college basketball picks

Kentucky +4.5 (-115): It’s difficult to beat a team three times in one season, and it’s rare to even get the opportunity. But that’s what Kentucky will try to do on Friday night.

The Wildcats beat the Tennessee Volunteers, 78-73, in late January on the road. They followed that up with a 75-64 win at home on Feb. 11.

Kentucky is 8-4 ATS as an underdog this year, so even if the season sweep falls short, I think Mark Pope’s squad will hang around.

Tennessee shoots a lot of 3-pointers (43.3% of its total field goal attempts, which is 79th in D-I), and that’s what Kentucky is best at defending. The Wildcats hold opponents to a 30.6 3PT%, which is 24th in the country.

Maryland +7 (-112): If you have any friends who are Maryland fans, tell them to get their blood pressure checked. It’s been that kind of season for the Terps.

  • All eight of their losses have come by six or fewer points.
  • Each of their past four losses came on a game-winning shot in the final seconds.
  • Maryland is coming off a buzzer-beater win of its own in the second round (vs. No. 12 Colorado State).

Florida is 0-2 ATS to open the tournament, and it suffered a genuine scare over the weekend against No. 8 UConn (trailing inside the final four minutes before gutting out a 77-75 win).

Maryland has the best interior player in this game (all-Big Ten honouree Derik Queen), as well as a perimeter defence (15th in 3PT%) capable of slowing down Walter Clayton Jr.

I expect Florida to win, but likely in heart-racing fashion.

March Madness best bets made at 1:05 p.m. ET 03/25/2025

Best NBA prop bets March 25: Take the over on Butler’s point total vs. Miami, Young’s assist prop

NBA prop bets

Jimmy Butler returns to South Beach to face the Miami Heat tonight, and I’ve got my eye on that matchup.

The pregame narrative: Can vengeance carry Butler to a quality effort against the Heat? I’m hoping so. I also like Trae Young and Spencer Dinwiddie to exceed their respective assist props.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for March 25.

NBA prop bets

Best Bet: Dinwiddie over 5.5 assists (-150)

I’m all in on Dinwiddie, who has taken up the mantle as the primary facilitator for the Mavericks amid their slew of injuries.

His statistical boost in the passing department aligns with Kyrie Irving’s season-ending injury, which was sustained on March 3.

  • In 11 games since Irving’s injury, Dinwiddie has averaged 6.2 assists and is 7-4 against this prop.
  • In previous matchups this season, Dinwiddie had averaged 3.7 assists and was just 13-46 against this prop.

On Tuesday, Dinwiddie faces the New York Knicks, who he thrived against when he last faced them in late November: 21 points and nine assists in 33 minutes.

Dallas is on a back-to-back tonight, so it’ll be worth checking the NBA injury report closer to game time to see about any injuries. But I don’t expect to see Dinwiddie pop up.

The last time Dinwiddie played on zero rest, he had six assists in 37 minutes (on March 10).

Key stat: Dinwiddie has gone over 5.5 assists in seven of his past nine starts. He’s averaging 5.8 assists as a starter this year.

Best NBA picks

Young over 9.5 assists (-143): Young faces arguably his toughest matchup possible tonight, the Houston Rockets, but I still have a difficult time fading him at this number.

  • Young leads the NBA in both assists per game (11.4) and potential assists per game (20.7).
  • He has 10+ assists in 43 of 66 games (65.2%).

The Rockets allow the fewest assists to their opponents, as well as the second-fewest to point guards in particular, per Betting Pros.

Young finished with nine assists against the Rockets on Jan. 28, but he had 14 when he faced them on the road last season.

While understanding the difficulty of the matchup, I still think Young has a better chance than not of cashing this bet tonight in Houston.

Butler over 20.5 points (-112): Heads up, this play is a bit narrative-heavy. But I feel compelled to back Butler in his return to Miami.

Butler is facing the Heat for the first time since a messy departure earlier this season. Following a trade request and three suspensions in a month’s time, Butler was finally dealt to the Golden State Warriors in early February.

https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1904270269465964660

The marriage with the Warriors is working out so far, especially from a volume standpoint. Butler has averaged 11.8 field goal attempts and 7.9 free throw attempts through 19 games.

I am paying a bit of narrative tax here, given that Butler’s points prop is set notably higher than his scoring average with the Warriors (17.6 PPG).

But pettiness can be a powerful drug, and I still want to buy in on Butler.

The veteran forward has scored 23-plus points in three of his past four games.

NBA prop picks made at 10:50 a.m. ET on 03/25/2025.

Best NBA prop bets March 25: Take the over on Butler’s point total vs. Miami, Young’s assist prop

NBA prop bets

Jimmy Butler returns to South Beach to face the Miami Heat tonight, and I’ve got my eye on that matchup.

The pregame narrative: Can vengeance carry Butler to a quality effort against the Heat? I’m hoping so. I also like Trae Young and Spencer Dinwiddie to exceed their respective assist props.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for March 25.

NBA prop bets

Best Bet: Dinwiddie over 5.5 assists (-121)

Embed: #111668

I’m all in on Dinwiddie, who has taken up the mantle as the primary facilitator for the Mavericks amid their slew of injuries.

His statistical boost in the passing department aligns with Kyrie Irving’s season-ending injury, which was sustained on March 3.

  • In 11 games since Irving’s injury, Dinwiddie has averaged 6.2 assists and is 7-4 against this prop.
  • In previous matchups this season, Dinwiddie had averaged 3.7 assists and was just 13-46 against this prop.

On Tuesday, Dinwiddie faces the New York Knicks, who he thrived against when he last faced them in late November: 21 points and nine assists in 33 minutes.

Dallas is on a back-to-back tonight, so it’ll be worth checking the NBA injury report closer to game time to see about any injuries. But I don’t expect to see Dinwiddie pop up.

The last time Dinwiddie played on zero rest, he had six assists in 37 minutes (on March 10).

Key stat: Dinwiddie has gone over 5.5 assists in seven of his past nine starts. He’s averaging 5.8 assists as a starter this year.

Best NBA picks

Young over 9.5 assists (-118): Young faces arguably his toughest matchup possible tonight, the Houston Rockets, but I still have a difficult time fading him at this number.

  • Young leads the NBA in both assists per game (11.4) and potential assists per game (20.7).
  • He has 10+ assists in 43 of 66 games (65.2%).

The Rockets allow the fewest assists to their opponents, as well as the second-fewest to point guards in particular, per Betting Pros.

Young finished with nine assists against the Rockets on Jan. 28, but he had 14 when he faced them on the road last season.

While understanding the difficulty of the matchup, I still think Young has a better chance than not of cashing this bet tonight in Houston.

Butler over 20.5 points (-127): Heads up, this play is a bit narrative-heavy. But I feel compelled to back Butler in his return to Miami.

Butler is facing the Heat for the first time since a messy departure earlier this season. Following a trade request and three suspensions in a month’s time, Butler was finally dealt to the Golden State Warriors in early February.

https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1904270269465964660

The marriage with the Warriors is working out so far, especially from a volume standpoint. Butler has averaged 11.8 field goal attempts and 7.9 free throw attempts through 19 games.

I am paying a bit of narrative tax here, given that Butler’s points prop is set notably higher than his scoring average with the Warriors (17.6 PPG).

But pettiness can be a powerful drug, and I still want to buy in on Butler.

The veteran forward has scored 23-plus points in three of his past four games.

NBA prop picks made at 9:20 a.m. ET on 03/25/2025.

Bucks vs. Suns SGP predictions March 24: Devin Booker, Phoenix should win at home

Bucks vs. Suns predictions

The Phoenix Suns look to build on another successful homestand with Monday night’s showdown against the Milwaukee Bucks.

The pregame narrative: Devin Booker and Giannis Antetokounmpo both factor into this +295 SGP. I’m also taking Phoenix to win as a modest home favourite.

Check out my Bucks vs. Suns SGP predictions for March 24.

Bucks vs. Suns predictions

Parlay: Suns ML | Giannis 30+ points | Booker 6+ assists (+295)

Embed: #111641

Suns moneyline (-143): Staring down the grim reality of a battle to reach the play-in round, the Suns authored their best win of the season on Friday.

As 8.5-point home underdogs, the Suns beat the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers, 123-112.

That marked Phoenix’s fifth straight home win — a stretch that includes an underdog victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Phoenix is 22-13 at home this season, compared to just 12-24 on the road. Milwaukee also has a sub-.500 road record (16-18), so location matters quite a bit in this matchup.

The Bucks are 14-19-1 ATS on the road, per Team Rankings.

NBA SGP legs

Giannis 30+ points (-175): One contributing factor for me backing the Suns is the absence of Damian Lillard, who will miss a third consecutive game due to a calf injury.

Giannis is a 30-point threat even when Lillard is on the floor. But without his co-star, the Greek Freak should have an even greater chance to fill the net.

  • Giannis is averaging 30.2 PPG this year (third straight year averaging 30+ points).
  • In 15 games without Lillard since the start of last season, Giannis has averaged 31.5 PPG and cashed this bet eight times.

Many people will remember Giannis for his 50 points in an NBA Finals-clinching masterpiece against Phoenix in 2021 (and later, the 50 Chick-fil-A nuggets he ordered live on Instagram).

He also cashed this milestone in both matchups against the Suns in the two previous seasons.

Booker 6+ assists (-275): Running point for the Suns, Booker has been very reliable against this milestone in recent weeks.

  • 8.0 assists/game in past 18 games
  • 6+ assists in 16 of 18
  • 7+ assists in 12 of 18

Booker is a combo guard, but he took over primary point guard duties around the beginning of the month when Tyus Jones slid into a bench role.

So far in March, Booker has generated an average of 15.6 potential assists (i.e., passes that lead directly to a shot), per NBA.com’s tracking data. If that keeps up, the assists will follow.

Bucks vs. Suns predictions made at 12:30 p.m. ET 03/24/2025.

Best NBA prop bets March 24: Look for Doncic, Vucevic to shine on Monday

NBA prop bets

After a full weekend of March Madness, the NBA is back in the spotlight on Monday night with an eight-game slate.

The pregame narrative: I’ve got prop bets from three of tonight’s matchups, including a plus-money play on Luka Doncic. I also expect solid performances from Nikola Vucevic and Naji Marshall.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for March 24.

NBA prop bets

Best Bet: Vucevic over 9.5 rebounds (-120)

The Denver Nuggets are among the best rebounding teams in the NBA, ranking second in rebounding rate (52.0%) and sixth in opponent rebounds allowed (42.4/game).

But a key absence on the Nuggets’ side makes Vucevic a solid candidate to hit this rebounding milestone.

Denver head coach Michael Malone told reporters that Nikola Jokic, who’s missed four straight games with an ankle injury, is unlikely to play on Monday.

Given that Jokic averages 12.8 rebounds — and the next highest on the team is Michael Porter Jr. at 7.0 RPG — there should be plenty of vacated rebounds up for grabs … literally.

Vucevic averages 10.1 RPG, so this milestone is right in line with expectations.

And when he faced the Nuggets back in January, with a healthy Jokic on the floor, the Bulls’ big man grabbed 10 boards as part of a 20-point double-double.

Chicago and Denver both play at a frenetic pace, ranking third and sixth, respectively, in possessions per game.

With the prospect of an up-tempo game that doesn’t involve Jokic, I’m all over this prop for Vucevic.

Key stat: Vucevic has 10-plus rebounds in 41 of 63 games (65.1%) this season.

Best NBA picks

Doncic over 3.5 threes (+105): Remember that slow start to Doncic’s tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers? Yeah, that’s long gone.

When Doncic debuted for the Lakers in February, he wasn’t just acclimating to a new team. He was also getting his legs back under him after a six-week injury absence.

But February woes have given way to March wows:

  • February (7 games): 21.0 PPG, 2.0 threes (8.3 attempts), 24.1 3PT%
  • March (10 games): 31.1 PPG, 4.7 threes (11.0 attempts), 42.7 3PT%

The Orlando Magic have faced the fewest 3-point attempts per game this season (31.2), but Doncic is a volume shooter against everyone. While playing for Dallas earlier this season, he went 5-of-13 from deep against Orlando.

Also, the Magic struggle to defend the perimeter from an efficiency standpoint. They allow the sixth-highest 3PT% (36.8).

Marshall over 17.5 points (-118): A depleted Mavericks squad has put Naji Marshall into a starting role — and he’s thriving.

  • In his past nine games (all starts), Marshall is averaging 22.7 PPG.
  • He has 18+ points in nine of his past 10 games.

The fifth-year small forward isn’t much of a 3-point threat, but he doesn’t have to be against tonight’s opponent, the Brooklyn Nets.

Marshall ranks in the 89th percentile in mid-range shooting frequency and accuracy, per Cleaning the Glass. The Nets, meanwhile, allow the 10th-highest FG% on mid-range shots.

NBA prop picks made at 11:20 a.m. ET on 03/24/2025.

Best NBA prop bets March 24: Look for Doncic, Vucevic to shine on Monday

NBA prop bets

After a full weekend of March Madness, the NBA is back in the spotlight on Monday night with an eight-game slate.

The pregame narrative: I’ve got prop bets from three of tonight’s matchups, including a plus-money play on Luka Doncic. I also expect solid performances from Nikola Vucevic and Naji Marshall.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for March 24.

NBA prop bets

Best Bet: Vucevic 10+ rebounds (-110)

Embed: #111626

The Denver Nuggets are among the best rebounding teams in the NBA, ranking second in rebounding rate (52.0%) and sixth in opponent rebounds allowed (42.4/game).

But a key absence on the Nuggets’ side makes Vucevic a solid candidate to hit this rebounding milestone.

Denver head coach Michael Malone told reporters that Nikola Jokic, who’s missed four straight games with an ankle injury, is unlikely to play on Monday.

Given that Jokic averages 12.8 rebounds — and the next highest on the team is Michael Porter Jr. at 7.0 RPG — there should be plenty of vacated rebounds up for grabs … literally.

Vucevic averages 10.1 RPG, so this milestone is right in line with expectations.

And when he faced the Nuggets back in January, with a healthy Jokic on the floor, the Bulls’ big man grabbed 10 boards as part of a 20-point double-double.

Chicago and Denver both play at a frenetic pace, ranking third and sixth, respectively, in possessions per game.

With the prospect of an up-tempo game that doesn’t involve Jokic, I’m all over this prop for Vucevic.

Key stat: Vucevic has 10-plus rebounds in 41 of 63 games (65.1%) this season.

Best NBA picks

Doncic over 3.5 threes (+112): Remember that slow start to Doncic’s tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers? Yeah, that’s long gone.

When Doncic debuted for the Lakers in February, he wasn’t just acclimating to a new team. He was also getting his legs back under him after a six-week injury absence.

But February woes have given way to March wows:

  • February (7 games): 21.0 PPG, 2.0 threes (8.3 attempts), 24.1 3PT%
  • March (10 games): 31.1 PPG, 4.7 threes (11.0 attempts), 42.7 3PT%

The Orlando Magic have faced the fewest 3-point attempts per game this season (31.2), but Doncic is a volume shooter against everyone. While playing for Dallas earlier this season, he went 5-of-13 from deep against Orlando.

Also, the Magic struggle to defend the perimeter from an efficiency standpoint. They allow the sixth-highest 3PT% (36.8).

Marshall over 17.5 points (-127): A depleted Mavericks squad has put Naji Marshall into a starting role — and he’s thriving.

  • In his past nine games (all starts), Marshall is averaging 22.7 PPG.
  • He has 18+ points in nine of his past 10 games.

The fifth-year small forward isn’t much of a 3-point threat, but he doesn’t have to be against tonight’s opponent, the Brooklyn Nets.

Marshall ranks in the 89th percentile in mid-range shooting frequency and accuracy, per Cleaning the Glass. The Nets, meanwhile, allow the 10th-highest FG% on mid-range shots.

NBA prop picks made at 10:50 a.m. ET on 03/24/2025.

Blue Jays futures markets and 2025 predictions: Best bets on Gausman, Guerrero and team win total

Blue Jays futures markets

After whiffing on some big free agents in the winter and failing to extend Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the Toronto Blue Jays could be headed for an inflection point in the 2025 season.

Is a teardown looming if the team starts slow? Will Bo Bichette return to form and lift last year’s underwhelming offence?

Those are some of the questions worth exploring as we dive into some Blue Jays futures markets (team and player) for the 2025 season.

Blue Jays futures markets: Team props

Check out the latest Blue Jays futures markets. Click linked odds to add selection to your betslip.

Blue Jays futures marketsBetting odds
Over 80.5 wins-106
Under 80.5 wins-118
To reach the playoffs – Yes+270
To reach the playoffs – No-375
AL East division winner+1,000
AL pennant winner+2,000
World Series winner+6,500

MLB odds as of 2:30 p.m. ET on 03/22/2025.

The AL East has a well-earned reputation of being a gauntlet, and that should be true again this season.

  • The Yankees (+325) have the shortest odds to win the American League, and the Orioles (+600) are right behind them.
  • The Red Sox had a pair of big offseason acquisitions (Garrett Crochet, Alex Bregman), and they have three top-15 prospects — per MLB Pipeline — who are on track to debut this year.

Toronto is coming off a 74-win, last-place finish in the AL East. Add that to the context of how some of its divisional foes are positioned, and it’s no wonder that the Jays are expected to finish outside the postseason picture.

Blue Jays team futures best bet

Best Bet: Over 80.5 wins (-106)

I don’t expect Toronto to make the playoffs, and its +270 odds to do so backs up that hunch.

But I do think this can be a .500-or-better ball club — and a couple of industry-leading projection systems agree.

Here’s how many games FanGraphs (ZiPS) and Baseball Prospectus (PECOTA) project Toronto to win:

  • FanGraphs: 82.4 wins
  • PECOTA: 85.4 wins

It’s also worth noting that there are some cracks in the AL East armour.

For the Yankees Gerrit Cole is done for the year, while Luis Gil and Giancarlo Stanton will both miss a month or more.

On the Orioles’ side, an already thin rotation will be without Grayson Rodriguez and Kyle Bradish to start the year.

Neither AL East titan is at its best right now, and Toronto has 10 games against those teams in March/April. So maybe the Jays can bank more wins in that stretch than otherwise expected.

Toronto had 89-plus wins in three straight seasons before last year’s nadir. Most of the key pieces are still in place, and there’s too much talent to expect the Jays to be a losing squad.

Blue Jays futures markets: Player props

Best BetsOdds
Gausman over 167.5 strikeouts-113
Guerrero over 169.5 hits-110

Kevin Gausman over 167.5 strikeouts (-113)

At 34, coming off what was easily his worst season since 2019, Gausman is unfortunately a prime candidate to continue trudging along the path of decline.

But I’m not going there with him yet. For a guy with a ton of big-league success and a track record of staying healthy, I know Gausman can hit this over even if this isn’t a huge bounce-back season.

  • Gausman has made 31+ starts and pitched 174+ innings in four straight seasons.
  • From 2021-23, he tallied 200+ Ks in three straight years.
  • From 2019-23, his K rate was 25.3% or higher each season (MLB average was 22.9% in that span).

Last year wasn’t as rosy, with Gausman dipping to 162 Ks and a 21.4 K%. He saw significant whiff rate declines in his best swing-and-miss pitches: his splitter and slider.

The spin rates on those pitches were in line with his fantastic 2023 campaign, though, and Gausman told reporters this spring that command is what needs to be sharpened. If he can do that, it’s possible for him to flirt with another 200-strikeout campaign.

A significant injury would be Gausman’s undoing in this prop market, but that’s true for any player’s season-long futures bets.

Nothing about Gausman’s past five seasons suggest there’s notable risk.

Guerrero futures prop bet

Guerrero over 169.5 hits (-110)

In February, I highlighted the over on Guerrero’s season-long RBI prop as a personal favourite. But that line has since moved from 89.5 to 92.5, so I’m switching gears.

Coming off a career-best 199 hits, Guerrero would need a 30-hit regression to miss this mark.

Now that he’s seemingly locked into the No. 2 spot in the batting order — with a legitimate power bat offering protection right behind him — I just can’t see that happening.

Anthony Santander bashed 44 home runs for the Orioles last year and figures to be Toronto’s No. 3 hitter from Opening Day onward.

Opponents don’t want to pitch to Vladdy, but Santander’s presence should make that more likely.

Guerrero’s plate coverage and pitch selection were at their best last season. He finished with a 13.8 K%, which was in MLB’s 93rd percentile, per Baseball Savant.

Furthermore, Vladdy was in the 98th percentile in average exit velocity (93.8 mph) while posting an MLB-best .321 xBA.

From 2021-24, Guerrero has averaged 180 hits per season and cashed this bet three times.

Blue Jays futures picks made at 3:30 p.m. on 03/23/2025.

Oregon vs. Arizona second-round SGP predictions: Bet on Caleb Love and an alt under

Oregon vs. Arizona predictions

Pac-12 loyalists, avert your eyes. In their debut seasons with new conferences, the 5-seed Oregon Ducks face the 4-seed Arizona Wildcats in the NCAA tournament.

The pregame narrative: I can’t decide which ATS side I prefer, so I’ll roll with the under on an alt total instead. To round out this +320 SGP, I’m looking for fairly modest offensive contributions from T.J. Bamba (Oregon) and Caleb Love (Arizona).

Check out my Oregon vs. Arizona SGP predictions for their second-round matchup on March 23.

Oregon vs. Arizona predictions

Parlay: Under 155.5 points | Bamba 10+ points | Love 2+ threes (+320)

Embed: #111615

Under 155.5 points (-155): Oregon is cashing tons of unders lately, and I’m content to ride the wave.

  • Unders are 8-1 in the Ducks’ past nine games — including all three postseason games.
  • The average total in Oregon’s past nine games is 141.7 points.
  • The Ducks also tend to play more defence-first basketball when the quality of opponent is high. In their 15 Quad 1 games, they hit this under nine times.

Coming off back-to-back unders, Arizona should be up for a low-scoring tussle. Unders were 13-8 in the Wildcats’ Quad 1 matchups this year.

These longtime conference foes most recently met in last year’s Pac-12 tournament, and they combined for just 126 points.

Neither team is exactly what it used to be, mind you, but they’re both in the top 150 in NCAA Division I in minutes continuity, per KenPom.com.

NCAA SGP legs

Bamba 10+ points (-162): For a third straight year — on his third different team — Bamba is averaging north of 10.0 PPG.

He’s not much of a 3-point scoring threat, but the 6-foot-5 wing has enough size to make a difference inside. The fifth-year player is also a respectable free throw shooter (76.1% in his career).

Though he only had six points in Oregon’s first-round win, it’s important to note he played about six minutes fewer than normal due to the lopsided nature of the game.

Prior to Friday, Bamba had cashed this bet in 11 of his previous 15 games, averaging 11.4 PPG in that span.

Love 2+ threes (-375): Love averages 7.7 attempted 3s, which is more than twice the total of any of his teammates (Anthony Dell’Orso is second with 3.2 3PA).

With such high volume, asking for a pair of triples from Love should be a cinch. And the veteran guard is making it look that way.

  • 2+ threes in 8 of 9 since Feb. 22
  • 41.8 3PT% since Feb. 22
  • 2+ threes in 24 of 35 this year

In three games against Oregon last year, Love shot 9-for-24 (37.5%) from deep. I’ll take that kind of volume all day.

Oregon vs. Arizona predictions made at 1:00 p.m. on 03/23/25

Sunday’s best March Madness second-round prop bets: Ride with Oregon’s Nate Bittle, Alabama’s Mark Sears

March Madness prop bets

A pair of 3-point props and a rebounding milestone round out my March Madness prop bets for Sunday’s action.

The pregame narrative: Nate Bittle (Oregon) has peaked at the right time and looks like a good bet to rack up rebounds tonight. I’m also interested in Milan Momcilovic (Iowa State) and Mark Sears (Alabama) finding success beyond the arc.

Check out the best March Madness prop bets for March 23.

March Madness prop bets

Best bet: Bittle over 8.5 rebounds (-106)

My colleague Avery Perri backed Bittle as a rebounder in the first round, and he came through. Despite a reduced workload in a blowout win, Bittle grabbed 10 rebounds in 22 minutes against Liberty.

Bittle, a finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award — presented to the top centre in NCAA Division I — has enjoyed a stellar senior year after two significant waves of adversity as a junior.

Last year, Bittle missed multiple months with a broken wrist. Two games following his return, he was sidelined the rest of the year due to long COVID symptoms that reportedly caused a 30-pound weight loss.

The 7-footer once again tips the scales at 240 pounds, according to the Oregon athletics website, and he’s putting that size to good use on the glass.

  • 7.5 rebounds/game this season
  • 8+ rebounds in 17 of 34 games
  • 7+ rebounds in 22 of 34 games

The 5-seed Oregon Ducks tend to play quickly, with the 100th-fastest average possession length, per KenPom.com. They face the 4-seed Arizona Wildcats, who have the 45th-fastest average possession length.

Put ’em together and we should have ample possessions that lead to ample rebounds.

I like Bittle to cash this bet for a fourth time in five games.

Key stat: Over his past 10 matchups, Bittle has averaged 8.8 rebounds.

Best March Madness picks

Momcilovic over 2.5 threes (+100): Opportunity volume is always an important aspect of prop betting, and Momcilovic should have plenty of chances to score from deep on Sunday night.

The 41.1% 3-point shooter averages 2.3 makes on 5.6 attempts, so efficiency hasn’t been an issue most of the year.

Now he faces the 6-seed Mississippi Rebels, who allow 24.4 attempted 3s per game — 77th-most out of 364 D-I schools.

  • The sophomore forward has cashed this bet in 4 of his past 6 games.
  • He has 2+ threes in 9 of 10 since Feb. 15.

Sears over 1.5 threes (-118): Sunday’s matchup between the 2-seed Alabama Crimson Tide and the 7-seed Saint Mary’s Gaels is an epic clash of styles.

Saint Mary’s plays at the fifth-slowest pace. On a per-game basis, the Gaels allow the second-fewest 3-point makes (5.4) and attempts (17.6).

Alabama, meanwhile, plays at the nation’s quickest pace and averages 29.5 threes per game (14th-most in D-I). Leading the way on that front is Sears, who averages 2.3 made threes on 6.9 attempts.

The matchup is a daunting one, but Sears will have a good chance as long as the Tide — who are 6-point favourites — stick to their game plan.

  • He has 2+ threes in 21 of 34 games this season.
  • In his past six March Madness games, Sears is shooting 21-for-49 (42.9%) from deep. He cashed this bet in five of those matchups.

March Madness prop bets made at 11:50 a.m. ET on 03/23/2025.

Colorado State vs. Maryland second-round SGP predictions: Derik Queen, Terrapins should advance

Colorado State vs. Maryland predictions

The No. 4 Maryland Terrapins look to continue the Big Ten’s dominance at March Madness in Sunday’s second-round matchup against the No. 12 Colorado State Rams.

The pregame narrative: Maryland and the rest of the Big Ten entered Sunday a combined 9-2 so far in the NCAA tournament. I’m backing the Terps to win on a trimmed-down spread and expecting stars on both sides (Nique Clifford, Derik Queen) to show up.

Check out my Colorado State vs. Maryland SGP predictions for their second-round matchup on March 23.

Colorado State vs. Maryland predictions

Parlay: Maryland -4.5 | Clifford 30+ PRA | Queen 10+ rebounds (+380)

Embed: #111608

Maryland -4.5 (-186): KenPom.com and BartTorvik.com both project a seven-point win for the Terrapins. On paper, Maryland seems to be better practically across the board.

  • Maryland: 8-7 record in Quad 1 games, 23rd in offensive efficiency (57th in eFG%), 6th in defensive efficiency (20th in eFG%).
  • Colorado State: 4-5 record in Quad 1 games, 41st in offensive efficiency (24th in eFG%), 52nd in defensive efficiency (66th in eFG%).

The Rams shoot a lot of 3s, but that happens to be what the Terrapins are best at defending. Maryland ranks 20th in NCAA Division I in opponent 3-point percentage (30.4%).

This was a season of close calls for Maryland (26-8, 14-6 Big Ten), a team whose eight losses all came by six or fewer points.

Colorado State enters on an 11-game win streak and is 22-13 ATS on the year. But that doesn’t tell the full story.

All five of the Rams’ Quad 1 losses came by at least eight points, and they own a 5-7 ATS record as underdogs.

NCAA SGP legs

Clifford 30+ points/rebounds/assists (-195): Colorado State scraped by in the first round despite a poor effort from its first-team All-Mountain West star.

Although I don’t except the Rams to win tonight, a better showing from Clifford should be expected.

The fifth-year senior leads the Rams in points, rebounds and assists, averaging 33.0 PRA this year. Any hope of an upset starts with him.

Clifford is in particularly good form over his past 18 games, which dates back to Jan. 18:

  • 35.9 PRA
  • 30+ PRA in 14 of 18 games
  • 49.8 FG%
  • 42.7 3PT%

Queen 10+ rebounds (-137): Queen was recruited to be great, and he’s fulfilling that prophecy.

The five-star freshman has averaged 16.2 points and 9.2 rebounds this season for Maryland. He earned first-team all-conference honours in the Big Ten and has a shot at being a lottery pick in this year’s NBA draft.

NBA dreams can wait, though, because Queen is a force for a strong Maryland squad looking to make a deep tourney run.

  • He had 15 rebounds in Maryland’s first-round win over Grand Canyon.
  • Since Jan. 26, Queen has 10+ rebounds in 11 of 14 games.

At 6-foot-10, Queen is at least two inches taller than anyone in Colorado State’s regular rotation.

The Rams struggle on the offensive glass (272nd in D-I in offensive rebounding rate), so Queen should clean up on the defensive side.

Colorado State vs. Maryland predictions made at 11:05 a.m. on 03/23/25