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Donovan Clingan of the Connecticut Huskies reacts against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the second half in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. We're back Clingan in our March Madness player props & best bets.
Donovan Clingan of the Connecticut Huskies reacts against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the second half in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images via AFP.

With only two games remaining before the NCAA Tournament final, we are providing our top March Madness player props and bets for Saturday’s Final Four matchups, taking into consideration the most favorable March Madness odds available.

The NCAA Tournament is heating up with an exciting Final Four featuring two thrilling matchups on the court. NC State will face off against Purdue at 6:09 p.m. ET, with Alabama taking on UConn at 8:49 p.m. ET, both games airing on TBS. The action will take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, promising an unforgettable spectacle on Saturday.

Based on the most recent March Madness odds, UConn and Purdue are favored in Saturday’s matchups. The focus will be on the standout big men from these top-seeded teams: Donovan Clingan for UConn, who is a top contender for the March Madness MVP title, and Zach Edey for Purdue, currently leading in the Wooden Award odds.

Ranked at No. 4 and No. 11, Alabama and NC State are considered major underdogs by our top sports betting sites. They are facing spreads of over 8.5 points, presenting tough challenges. However, in the unpredictable world of sports, anything is possible, adding excitement to these upcoming matchups.

In preparation for March Madness, we are sharing our player props and top bets for Saturday’s games, including our predictions for NC State vs. Purdue and Alabama vs. UConn (college basketball picks determined by odds from our top March Madness betting sites, with confidence ratings on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Top picks for Saturday’s March Madness games

  • Zach Edey is expected to score over 40.5 points + rebounds with a -113 odds on FanDuel, earning a four-star rating.
  • Braden Smith is projected to have over 6.5 assists with a -130 line on bet365, rated with five stars.
  • Donovan Clingan is expected to score over 15.5 points, with odds of -104 on FanDuel. This is a four-star pick.
  • Mark Sears is favored to score under 19.5 points with -114 odds on FanDuel, earning a three-star rating.

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The schedule and betting odds for Saturday’s March Madness games.

(Odds via bet365)

  • NC State will be playing against Purdue with Purdue favored by 9 points. The total points expected in the game is 146.
  • Alabama is facing off against UConn with UConn favored by 11.5 points and the total points expected to be 160.5.

Player props for March Madness on Saturday

Zach Edey is projected to have over 40.5 points + rebounds against NC State, with odds of -113 on FanDuel. This bet is rated 4 stars.

Edey has been the most dominant player in the NCAA Tournament so far. The 7-foot-4 Canadian is putting up impressive numbers, averaging 30.0 points and 16.2 rebounds per game in the first four rounds. He has had at least 41 points and rebounds combined in three out of four games, with a standout performance of 56 combined points and rebounds against No. 2 seed Tennessee in the Elite Eight.

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Despite the magical Cinderella run by NC State, their defense ranks 44th in adjusted efficiency according to KenPom. The team lacks size to defend against Edey, as they don’t have a player over 6-foot-10. Additionally, the Wolfpack are prone to fouls, which could be problematic against Edey who leads the NCAA with 11.5 free throws per game.

As of now, FanDuel is the sole sports betting app among our top picks that provides this prop bet. The odds of -113 suggest a 53.05% chance that Edey will achieve the Over, as calculated by our odds calculator.

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Braden Smith is predicted to have more than 6.5 assists against NC State with a -130 odds on bet365. This is a highly recommended bet with a 5-star rating.

Even though the odds on bet365 may appear low, they actually offer great value compared to other top sports betting sites. At other sites, Braden Smith’s odds to surpass 6.5 assists are as high as -144, and even shorter at -167 at Caesars. This implies a 62.55% chance of him exceeding the mark, but bet365 is offering these odds at -130. This means a $10 bet could result in a $7.69 profit if he surpasses 6.5 assists.

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Edey’s stellar performance sets Smith up for success against NC State. Smith, Purdue’s lead guard, has been the perfect facilitator for Edey in the NCAA Tournament, dishing out at least seven assists in three out of four games. With an impressive average of 9.5 assists per game, Smith shows no signs of slowing down as he continues to set up his teammate for success.

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Donovan Clingan to score more than 15.5 points against Alabama at -104 odds on FanDuel ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Clingan is Edey’s main competition for the March Madness MVP title. The UConn center has been a dominant force for the Huskies in this tournament, averaging 15.7 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.5 blocks, 2.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. His performance against Alabama could pose significant challenges for their defense, which ranks 105th in adjusted efficiency and allows the seventh-most points per game in the country (81.1).

Clingan has been taking advantage of the Crimson Tide defense, which struggles inside the arc. Alabama gives up an average of 20.3 2-pointers per game, ranking 48th in the nation, and allows opponents to shoot 50.7% from inside the arc.

In this matchup, Clingan’s odds of hitting the Over are as high as -115, suggesting a 53.49% chance of success. With -104 odds from FanDuel, a $10 bet would result in a $9.62 profit if he scores 16 or more points.

Mark Sears is predicted to score less than 19.5 points against UConn, with odds of -114 on FanDuel. This bet is rated three stars.

Alabama’s explosive offense, ranked third in adjusted efficiency this season, will face a different challenge when playing UConn. The Huskies have dominated in the NCAA Tournament, winning by an average margin of 27.7 points and showcasing an impressive defense that has not allowed more than 58 points.

According to EvanMiya, this defense ranks fourth in adjusted efficiency and boasts six players in the top 25 of DBPR in the Big East. Mark Sears, despite being Alabama’s top scorer and most dynamic 3-point shooter, is facing the toughest game of his career against this formidable defense.

The Huskies rank ninth nationally in points allowed (63.3) and have the sixth-best field-goal percentage defense (39%), holding opponents to just 30.9% shooting from beyond the arc. Sears will face a tough challenge trying to score against this strong defensive unit.

The top picks for college basketball games were selected on Thursday at 11:55 a.m. ET.

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Related pages

  • Top Live Betting Sites | Top Promotions (U.S. only)