March Madness continues on Friday with four more Sweet 16 games. In the early slate, #6 Ole Miss takes on #2 Michigan State, followed by #3 Kentucky vs. #2 Tennessee. Later on, #5 Michigan faces #1 Auburn, then #4 Purdue battles #1 Houston to finish up the night.
With eight elite teams taking the court, the options for college basketball bettors are endless. Ahead of today’s March Madness action, here are my three favorite college basketball props on DraftKings Sportsbook.
To follow all of my college basketball picks, along with our other DK Network analysts, join the DKN Betting Group on DraftKings Sportsbook (it’s free!).
Want to approach your March Madness Bracket with the same precision as the top 1% of bracket pool winners? Check out what the PoolGenius optimizer has to offer!
Zakai Zeigler 8+ assists (+115)
Tennessee lives and dies by its ability to defend. Still, head coach Rick Barnes needs someone to step up on the other end of the court. This season, the Volunteers have relied on the guard tandem of Chaz Lanier and Zakai Zeigler to put up points. The latter of the two might not be an elite scorer (13.7 PPG), but he knows how to set up his teammates. For the third year in a row, Zeigler has led the SEC in assists per game (7.4 APG). That level of playmaking has carried over into the tournament, where the 22-year-old has recorded 18 assists over two games.
Friday’s battle with conference rival Kentucky presents a different kind of challenge. The Wildcats took down the Vols in both of their matchups this season. However, UK has allowed 14.3 assists to opponents over its last three games. A savvy passer such as Zeigler can find a way to take advantage of a team that likes to push the pace. With extra possessions, there will be several opportunities for the senior to dish out some dimes.
Coen Carr 6+ rebounds (+125)
Thursday night gives us a battle of opposites. Michigan State is a big, physical squad that thrives on the defensive end. Ole Miss plays a more modern, guard-heavy brand of basketball. For Sparty, their edge will come from the front court. Head coach Tom Izzo has several high-impact, high-energy options to choose from, including Coen Carr. The forward has posted 8.0 points and 3.7 rebounds per game this season.
Those numbers might not inspire much confidence in bettors. However, the sophomore has notched at least six boards in three of his last four outings. Opponents have snagged 37.5 rebounds vs. Ole Miss, the 50th-worst mark in the nation. In comparison, Michigan State has the second-best rebounding rate (56.7%) in college basketball. In a battle between big and small, Carr should have ample opportunity to make an impact on the glass.
Milos Uzan 5+ assists (-105)
Houston’s quest for a first-ever national title continues against Purdue, last season’s runner-up. The Cougars will look to play their brand of slow, grind-it-out basketball. However, this group isn’t lacking in offensive firepower. Much of the credit for UH’s suddenly dangerous scoring attack needs to go towards Milos Uzan. The transfer from Oklahoma has shined during his first season in Space City, averaging 11.5 points and 4.4 assists per game.
The junior has recorded at least five assists in 17 of his 36 appearances this season. A near-50/50 split doesn’t scream ‘hammer’ for bettors. However, Purdue struggles mightily to defend the pass. The Boilermakers have surrendered 14.7 assists per game to opponents, the fifth-worst mark for any Big Ten school. Uzan has taken on a bigger role in Houston’s offense recently; he should command enough usage to deliver on this modest total.
Want to approach your March Madness Bracket with the same precision as the top 1% of bracket pool winners? Check out what the PoolGenius optimizer has to offer!
