Only eight teams remain in the NCAA Tournament, with all four No. 1 seeds facing either a 2-seed or 3-seed.
They're all marquee (and hopefully competitive) matchups, and my three-leg parlay for the Regional Finals features an Over, an Under, and a favorite to cover.
Here are my best March Madness picks for the Elite 8 on Saturday, March 29, and Sunday, March 30.
Today’s best March Madness parlay: Elite 8
Alabama/Duke Over 174
Tennessee/Houston Under 123.5
Auburn -5.5
Alabama/Duke Over 174
The first two games played in this regional in Newark featured 201 points and 193 points — and these two teams combined for 213 points in those games. The Alabama Crimson Tide have the top-scoring offense in the country, while the Duke Blue Devils rank 12th in scoring and are also the most efficient offense in the nation.
This could be a game where both teams not only reach 90 points but possibly 100 points. It's unlikely that the Tide duplicate their same shooting performance from the Sweet 16, but they will still light up the scoreboard in a fast-paced game. Duke just gave up 93 points to Arizona and Bama plays even faster... with better shooters.
Tennessee/Houston Under 123.5
This number is extremely low, but these are two of the country's best defenses, both of which also like to play slowly. The Houston Cougars rank first in KenPom’s defensive efficiency and 360th in adjusted tempo, with the Tennessee Volunteers third in defensive efficiency and 349th in adjusted tempo.
Houston only allows 58.4 points per game and just held the eighth-most efficient offense in the country (Purdue) to 60 points in the Sweet 16, while Tennessee just limited a Top-10 offense in Kentucky to only 65 points. This will be a slugfest between two physical teams and I expect neither to reach 60.
Auburn -5.5
The Auburn Tigers just disposed of Michigan and now stay within "The Great Lakes State" in facing the Michigan State Spartans in the Elite Eight.
The Tigers got off to a slow start and trailed by nine points with about 12 minutes to go in the game. However, their talent and athleticism took over and they dominated the final 10 minutes, still covering their 9.5-point spread.
Auburn has dominated some of the other top contenders in the Big Ten this season and it will look to end the conference’s bid for a Final Four on Sunday afternoon. The Tigers will have plenty of fans in Atlanta and will use a combination of the atmosphere and talent to overpower the Spartans.
Cash your March Madness ML bets quicker with bet365's early win payout
Take advantage of the early win payout at bet365, where any pre-game CBB moneyline bet gets paid out as a winner if your school goes up by 15+ points!
Learn more about this feature, and all of bet365's offerings, with our comprehensive bet365 review.
21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
