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NCAA Tournament Same Game Parlays: Sweet 16 (Thursday)

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The first four games of the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 round feature some of the best teams in the country. Fans are in for four fantastic college basketball games. Between the traditional betting lines and player props, there are plenty of advisable bets for each, making it a great night to bet on an NCAA tournament same game parlay (SGP).

There are tons of great markets you can combine in each game to create solid same-game parlays. The following is my favorite and features the last game of the night on Thursday, the Illinois Fighting Illini versus the Houston Cougars.

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Thursday’s Best NCAA College Basketball Same Game Parlays & Picks

(Odds courtesy of bet365)

No. 3 Illinois Fighting Illini vs. No. 2 Houston Cougars

The Illini have one of the most efficient offenses in the country, according to KenPom (currently No. 2 behind Purdue at 131.6). Houston has one of the most efficient defenses in the country, coming in at No. 4 (90.9 points per game allowed). So, who is going to win, the best defense or the best offense? Good arguments can be made for both, and for the final score to go over or under the total.

I'm going to bypass the traditional betting line because I'm not confident in who will win or in the final score, and I’ll stick with player props.

Leg #1: Chris Cenac Jr. Over 7.5 Rebounds (-130)

Chris Cenac Jr. has gone over this number in both NCAA Tournament games with 18 and nine, but neither early-round opponent was much of a challenge. Illinois most certainly will be. During the regular season, he went over this total just 14 times.

But there was no middle ground for him; he either went well over or well under. However, Cenac seemed to have his best games against the tougher competition Houston faced:

  • 14 rebounds vs. Kansas in the Big 12 semifinal.
  • 13 rebounds vs. Arizona on February 21st.
  • 12 rebounds vs. Iowa State on February 16th.

Illinois's bigs will make him work for it, but in the most important game of the season to date, I don't think Cenac will let the team down.

Leg #2: Keaton Wagler Under 16.5 Points (-125)

Keaton Wagler averaged 17.8 points per game during the regular season and put up 19 against Wisconsin in the Big Ten quarterfinals. He has performances of 18 and 14 points in tournament play. Wagler is the primary scoring option for the Fighting Illini, but Houston will force Illinois to lean on someone else to beat them.

Illinois has an efficient offense with four other players averaging in double digits that can step up.

Leg #3: Andrej Stojakovic Over 10.5 Points (-112)

One of the first places the Illini will look once the Houston defense cracks down on Keaton Wagler will be Andrej Stojakovic down in the paint. He averaged 13.3 points per game during the season and scored 21 versus VCU in the second round.

This game will be decided in the paint. I can't be certain he'll beat his season average, but I think Stojakovic will create enough second-chance shots on his own to go over this total.

Parlay Odds: +460 - A $100 wager will result in a $560 payday; your stake plus $460 in winnings.

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