March Madness Odds: Consider These Final Four Parlay Bets

FAU's Cinderella run comes up short Saturday

by

Mar 31, 2023

With the culmination of the 2023 Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament nearly upon us, let's examine two parlay bets to make on this weekend's Final Four at NRG Stadium in Houston.

Let's start with the contrasting styles between the defensive-minded San Diego State Aztecs and the 3-point chucking Florida Atlantic Owls.

San Diego State moneyline vs. FAU -150, Under 131.5 total points -105, parlay payout +218 on DraftKings
Both teams come into this game with completely different makeups of how they play. The Owls are a true Cinderella shooting their way to this Final Four from the 3-point arc. FAU has made 10 threes per game and has shot nearly 40% from behind the arc. The Aztecs, however, play suffocating defense. San Diego State boasts a top-five defense nationally. The under has cashed in 12 straight games for this team and it is 14-1 to the under since February. I've compared them to a boa constrictor. It feels like as the game goes on, it squeezes its opponents into submission. This is the first trip to the Final Four for both schools, and FAU is the lowest seed to ever make it this far. Ultimately, San Diego State will figure out a way to stifle the Owls' offense and end their impressive, memorable run in this tournament. Give me Under 131.5 total points at -105 and San Diego State on the moneyline at -150 for a parlay payout of +218 available on DraftKings.

UConn moneyline vs. Miami -245, Under 149 total points -110, parlay payout +168 on DraftKings
UConn impressed me so much during the regular season that once this tournament began, I bet them at 9-1 to win the national championship. What stood out when I watched it was it seemed like it could beat you with tough-nosed defense and half-court offense, or pressure defense and fast-break offense. It is extremely disciplined and well-coached by Dan Hurley. Everything I suspected about this team early on, has come to fruition in this tournament. UConn has gotten this far by being a complete team. The Miami Hurricanes are run and gun and they are superior at that. They rank in the top 20 nationally in transition efficiency and frequency. In the Elite Eight win against Texas, Miami was able to amass a 13-2 run after being down by 13 points late in that game. That type of output proves how explosive this team is and it is well-coached by grizzled veteran Jim Larranaga. The Huskies will look to eliminate fast-break opportunities and make the 'Canes take tough shots in the half-court offense. That ground-and-pound style will be why UConn is the team to finally slow down the Hurricanes and send them back to South Beach. Give me Under 149 total points at -110 and UConn on the moneyline at -245 for a parlay payout of +168 available on DraftKings.

Thumbnail photo via Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports Images

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