Paul Skenes vs. Freddy Peralta is a pretty good appetizer.
Purdue (-6.5) over Texas
It is easy (and fair and fun) to point out all of Purdue’s failures in March under Matt Painter, but the Boilermakers have been an ATM in the past three NCAA Tournaments, going 9-0 against the spread, and improving Painter’s win percentage to over 66 percent against the number in tournament games.
Since its Big Ten Tournament run, Purdue has resembled the team ranked No. 1 in the preseason, operating the nation’s most efficient offense and winning its past six games by an average of more than 13 points.
Braden Smith should have little trouble setting up his team — ranked in the top 10 in 3-point shooting — against a perimeter defense ranked 253rd in the nation.
The Longhorns’ strength in getting to the line won’t work against an opponent that rarely fouls.
Iowa (+1.5) over Nebraska
The teams split a pair of close matchups, each winning on its home floor.
The Cornhuskers have better depth and defense, but the Hawkeyes will be able to play at their preferred tempo, with the best player on the floor in future NBA point guard Bennett Stirtz.
Despite his recent shooting slump, Stirtz helped Iowa knock off defending champion Florida, while committing no turnovers.
The 37 percent 3-point shooter is too good to stay cold much longer.
Arkansas (+7.5) over Arizona
The man who took UMass to the Final Four, Memphis within seconds of a national title and Kentucky all the way has a sleeper contender in the Hogs, thanks to Darius Acuff Jr., who scored 36 points in his last outing and might be morphing into Kemba Walker after winning the SEC Tournament.
John Calipari is 7-0-1 against the spread in his past eight tournament games as an underdog, while Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd is 0-3 all time in the Sweet 16, losing twice outright as a favorite.
Take the points with a team that puts up more than 90 of them per game.
Betting on College Basketball?
Illinois (+3.5) over Houston
The Cougars’ home-court advantage will not decide this coin-flip matchup.
It will come down to how well the Illini — the nation’s second-most efficient offense, which scores more than half of its points on 3s — shoot from outside.
Illinois should get plenty of opportunities from deep, owning a top 10 turnover rate and the nation’s third-best offensive rebounding unit against a Houston team that shows weakness on the glass.
Kelvin Sampson is just 4-8 against the spread after the first weekend of the tournament, having lost in the Sweet 16 in two of the past three years despite being a higher seed.
This season: 10-12
2011-25 record: 403-371-12
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Howie Kussoy has long been the New York Post’s main handicapper in college basketball (since 2011) and college football (since 2013).