In a tournament full of upsets, the No. 2-seeded Texas Longhorns versus the No.3-seeded Xavier Musketeers might be the game of the weekend.
Texas staved off a Penn State comeback, while Xavier cruised to a win against Pitt, setting up a chalky, yet entertaining matchup in the Sweet 16.
This game should have tempo, it should have scoring, and at the end of the day, someone is securing a spot in the Elite 8.
Texas vs Xavier Best Same Game Parlay
Texas vs Xavier Best SGP (+190) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
- Texas ML (-200)
- Over 148.5 Points (-115)
This is a simple CBB bet of the day, with just the moneyline for the favored Longhorns and an unteased total but is exactly how I see this game going down.
Texas is the better team — it’s more talented, it’s better defensively, and it’s healthier.
It struggled from beyond the arc against Penn State but has consistently found ways to win games despite bad shooting nights, which is what makes this team so dangerous.
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The Over in this game is simply a play based on the number of possessions these two teams will have.
Texas is more than happy to play to the tempo of its opponent and it can win in fast-paced or slowed-down games.
Creighton is going to want to get up and down, and I don’t think Texas will shy away from a fast-paced, up-and-down game.
Both offenses can make shots, and against an average Creighton defense, Texas is able to get the win in a high-scoring affair.
Texas vs Xavier Longshot Same Game Parlay
Texas vs Xavier Longshot SGP (+425) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 0.5 Units
- Texas: Win By 10+ (+175)
- Both Teams Score Over 65.5 Points (-230)
This is a long-shot for a reason, but if both teams are scoring and it’s a back-and-forth game as I expect, then Texas can pull away late and win by 10.
The Longhorns are the sixth most experienced team in the country according to KenPom, and are 55th in free throw percentage, both of which are excellent metrics to pull away late in a game.
Xavier is one of the best offenses in the country, ranking seventh in KenPom adjusted offensive efficiency, and has gone Over 65.5 points in all but two games this season.
KenPom projects an even higher-scoring contest than the oddsmakers, and Texas is due for some positive regression to the mean after going 1-for-13 from beyond the arc in its last outing.
A 81-68 (or similar) final seems plausible in this game, so taking a shot on this parlay with over (+400) odds feels like a solid bet.
