Arkansas vs. Illinois: NCAA Tournament Same Game Parlay Picks (3/16)

Mar 16, 2023 - 9:21 AM

Check out our top same-game parlay for Thursday’s NCAA Tournament game between Arkansas vs. Illinois.

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(8) Arkansas vs. (9) Illinois

Leg 1 – Illinois Moneyline (+112)

The Arkansas Razorbacks and Illinois Fighting Illini have looked underwhelming throughout the year. Both of these teams had high expectations and didn’t deliver.

But it’s a new season now. I like Illinois to at least deliver in its first game in the Tournament.

The Fighting Illini shoot 55.3% from inside the arc but only 30.9% from deep. Meanwhile, Arkansas is shooting 31.7% from deep and 53.7% from inside. It’s an even matchup.

But the difference will be free throws. Arkansas fouls at a much higher rate, which should put Illinois at the foul line more often and help the Fighting Illini escape their first game of the NCAA Tournament.

Leg 2 – Terrence Shannon Jr. Over 17.5 Points (+102)

Shannon averages 17.1 points per game, but he’s had multiple games with 20 points throughout the season.

He is a senior guard with a ton of offensive in him. He’s also had games where he’s attempted ten or more foul shots per game. I’m expecting him to earn plenty of foul shot attempts, but I also think he’ll attempt around 12 shots in this game.

Shannon has a 112.2 offensive rating and a usage nearing 27%. He will be a big reason why Illinois advances to the next round.

Leg 3 – Nick Smith Jr. Under 16.5 Points (-130)

Nick Smith was projected to be one of the best college basketball freshmen this year. He wasn’t able to play earlier in the season, and it seems like he hasn’t adjusted to this level of basketball since returning.

Smith has added just 14 points per game and even has some games with fewer than 10 points. He’s done better as of late. But ultimately, Smith has shot under 40% from the field. He’s attempting ridiculous shots and hurting Arkansas’ chances at winning games.

Don’t be surprised if his shot volume starts to decline when the misses start to pile up. Smith might want another year in college before he tries going into the NBA Draft. He’s a true project.

Parlay Odds: +444 on FanDuel