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College Basketball Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Sunday (3/12)

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Congratulations everybody, we’ve made it to Selection Sunday. For what I see as a national holiday, it’s one of the best days of the year as we will finally have a bracket by tonight. Of course, before that happens, we have five spectacular conference championship games to get to, and they should all be an absolute treat. Be sure to check back to BettingPros when the bracket is released because there will be all the content needed and more ready for you to fill the best possible bracket out there. 

Here are my best bets for Sunday.

This Season: 110-120-8

Also, take a look at our other best bets for Sunday:

Championship Sunday’s Best Picks

All odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Purdue Boilermakers

It’s David vs. Goliath here in the Big Ten title game. Penn State entered the tournament as a clear bubble team while Purdue as the one seed has looked like nothing but that. 

If you’ve watched any of Penn State’s games over the last few days, you know their preference for the perimeter look. Over 43 percent of the Nittany Lions’ points come from beyond the arc, the second highest in the nation. Purdue will pack the lane, allowing nothing but mid-range looks and 3pt shots, which should go well for Penn State, who rarely turns the ball over.

The Boilermakers, are going up against the 111th-ranked KenPom defense with Purdue repping the third-best offensive rebound rate in the nation. They’ve been playing like they have a chip on their shoulder with how they’ve been handling teams, and I don’t expect that to stop. Despite both teams’ slow pace, Purdue posted 76 and 80 points against Penn State when playing them earlier this year.

Now, both teams are playing their best basketball. They have experience with the court and rims their using, and it should be one awesome game. 

Play: Over 134.5 (-115)

Texas A&M Aggies vs. Alabama Crimson Tide

When Alabama faced the Aggies in the regular season finale, Bama shot 7-36 (.194) from beyond the arc. You regress that to the mean, and Alabama wins that game.

Both teams are playing their best basketball right now, and the Crimson Tide are going to get a lot of open looks from beyond the arc again. Both teams are playing their third game in three days and the Aggies are going up against the third-best defense in the nation.

If Nate Oats takes anything away from their previous matchup, we will see fewer fouls from Alabama with more control. Their pace and depth might just run the Aggies out of the gym, considering how fatigue may seriously set in for Texas A&M in this game. Alabama is seeking revenge and this might just be a blowout. 

Play: Alabama -5.5 (-105)

VCU Rams vs. Dayton Flyers

These two teams split the regular season with a total point differential of three. It makes sense why this spread is essentially a pick-em. They know each other quite well. VCU will try and get to the hoop as their free throw rate ranks ninth in the nation with nearly 22 percent of their points coming from the charity stripe. 

Dayton’s 56th-ranked defense is elite at defending the rim and avoids contact while doing it. Meanwhile VCU forces turnovers at one of the highest clips in the nation on 24 percent of opponents’ possessions. These are two defensive-based teams who know one another’s sets like their own. It will be tough to come by a basket in this game.

Play: Under 124.5 (-110)

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Be sure to follow me @rcoleman98 on the BettingPros app, as I post all my selections there that may not make it in these articles. Remember to monitor injury news because if you can beat the curve, there is plenty of value to be had on any given game day.