It's a weekend loaded with hoops, and one day remains before a pause in the action. This year's tournament has featured fewer upsets than usual, but high quality basketball is still on display.
With eight games Sunday to close the Round of 32, here are three picks we're rolling with.
No. 7 Saint Mary's +5.5 vs. No. 2 Alabama
This matchup features two contrasting styles. Alabama plays with the fastest tempo among tournament teams and jacks up threes frequently, while Saint Mary's plays with the third-slowest pace and isn't a high-volume 3-point-shooting team. The Gaels score in the paint and dominate the offensive glass for second-chance opportunities. Alabama also has the highest-scoring offense in the tournament, while Saint Mary's allows the third-fewest points per game among tourney teams.
Something has to give. Saint Mary's slow pace should limit the possessions, favoring a low-scoring matchup and potential upset. Alabama will try to speed the game up, but that's a difficult task given the Gaels' style.
The Crimson Tide struggled in their opening-round game against No. 15 Robert Morris before pulling away in the final minutes. If they come out stumbling against Saint Mary's, they'll go home earlier than expected.
No. 4 Maryland -7.5 vs. No. 12 Colorado State
Maryland has a great path to the Sweet 16 for a No. 4 seed, including a Round of 32 showdown against Colorado State.
The Terps have the highest-scoring starting five in the country, and although the bench has been an issue, DeShawn Harris-Smith and Jordan Geronimo have been productive reserves. They also have a balanced scoring attack, a daunting frontcourt, dependable guards, and one of the best defenses in the country. Even if shots aren't falling, Maryland can grind out results by shutting down the opposing team's offense, as it did when it beat Grand Canyon by 32 in the opening round.
Maryland has been on the wrong end of some unlucky breaks in close contests, but this one shouldn't be close. The discrepancy between Maryland's starting lineup and Colorado State's is as large as the Atlantic Ocean.
No. 6 Illinois -1.5 vs. No. 3 Kentucky
Illinois is finally healthy and playing its best basketball of the season at the perfect time. The Fighting Illini won five of their last six games, including a comfortable win over Xavier in the Round of 64.
Kentucky's offensive firepower is enough to carry it deep into the tourney, but the Wildcats' inconsistency has been an issue the last few months. Their problems are on the defensive end, where they surrender 77.9 points per game, the second most of any tournament team. Illinois, meanwhile, has averaged over 90 points per game in its last five wins.
The Fighting Illini will score easily against Kentucky and advance to the Sweet 16 as a lower-seeded favorite.
Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X @soshtry for more betting coverage.
