Let's cook up a three-leg NCAA Tournament parlay for Sunday as we continue March Madness.
In addition to parlaying these picks, I'm playing all three straight.
NCAA Tournament Parlay for Sunday, March 23
- Illinois ML vs. Kentucky
- Alabama ML vs. Saint Mary's
- Arizona ML vs. Oregon
Parlay Odds: +294 (Fanatics)
Remember that some parlays are long shots for a reason, so please bet responsibly.
Illinois ML
vs. Kentucky at 5:15 p.m. ET · CBS
Let's start in the Midwest Region, where Illinois and Kentucky meet on Sunday.
The Illini are coming off a blowout win over the Xavier Musketeers on Friday. Brad Underwood’s team shot the ball well from 3 (40%), which was the difference in the game. Meanwhile, freshman Will Riley led the Illini with 22 points, shooting 8-for-12 from the floor.
Kentucky will attempt to run back a similar performance to its opening-round win over Troy. The Wildcats defeated Troy 76-57 in a dominant performance. Otega Oweh led the Cats with 20 points on Friday.
Head coach Mark Pope has done an outstanding job in his first year in the program.
I expect a fast-paced, back-and-forth contest in this one, as Kentucky and Illinois are elite offensive teams that will place with tons of pace.
The difference in this contest will be the Illini's ability to clean up on the offensive glass and create fast breaks and second-chance opportunities. Illinois ranks second nationally in rebounds per game (42.6)
Alabama ML
vs. Saint Mary's at 6:10 p.m. ET · TNT
The second leg of this parlay will take place in Cleveland, Ohio, where the Saint Mary's Gaels and the Alabama Crimson Tide will meet for a heavyweight battle.
The Gaels stormed back from a double-digit deficit to defeat Vanderbilt on Friday — Jordan Ross led the way with 15 points.
Meanwhile, Alabama survived a round-one scare against Robert Morris on Friday. The Tide came into the game as a 21-point favorite but played sluggishly in the first half. Alabama would hit some key shots down the stretch to earn a 90-81 win. Mark Sears led the team with 22 points.
I expect the Tide to control the pace here.
Saint Mary's is used to playing a slow-paced, half-court game, while Alabama is one of the nation's fastest teams.
Alabama's prolific offensive unit should be too much for Saint Mary's to keep pace with today.
Arizona ML
vs. Oregon at 9:40 p.m. ET · TBS
Climate Pledge Arena will be the site for the final leg of this parlay, where the Oregon Ducks and the Arizona Wildcats will meet on Sunday.
