Big Noise Tipico CBB parlay of the day (March 7)

Multiple times each week, FTN Bets’ resident college basketball junkie, Brad Evans, will attempt to posterize the ‘books with his favorite selections, whether sides, totals, teasers or parlays. As always, fade or follow Brad’s picks — fading is encouraged — that’s up to you.

2-leg alternative line parlay play: Iowa (-3.5), Baylor (-5.5) (Tipico Sportsbook)

Odds: +148

Leg 1: Wisconsin at Iowa (-3.5)

No Jack Nunge. CJ Frederick possibly limited. Iowa’s depth is thinning quicker than the hair on this writer’s evaporating dome. Still, its firepower is equivalent to all Autobots combined. When you have an Optimus Prime-like Luka Garza on roster and electric flanks in Joe Weiskamp and Jordan Bohannon, overcoming adversity is often a sinch. Wisconsin will soon realize. In advanced analytics terms, no team has performed at a higher level since Feb. 1 than the Hawkeyes. They’ve overworked scoreboards netting 1.242 points per possession, a predictable development, but it’s their defense which has surprised. Over that stretch, they’ve given up only 0.922 points per possession and a respectable 34.4% three-point percentage. The Badgers, highly reliant on threes, will have to operate unconsciously from distance to keep the score remotely close, an unlikely outcome. Wisco, in its last eight games, is shooting just over 31% along the arc. More concerning for fans in Madison, it simply has no interior answer for Garza. Over the last month, Wisconsin ranks north of No. 200 in offensive and defensive rebounding percentage. In the end, Iowa racing to a double-digit win is entirely doable.

Leg 2: Texas Tech at Baylor (-5.5)

Two games. That’s all it took for Baylor to shake off the rust and rediscover its dominance, a form that attracted wagerers to fire off “To win” national title tickets months ago. It’s overtime squeaker in Morgantown, its seventh Quadrant 1 win, sent a message to college basketball that the Bears are back and as ferocious as ever. Against Texas Tech, a rematch of the 68-60 Baylor bouncing in Lubbock back in January, expect a more lopsided result. In that contest, the Bears forced 20 turnovers and hit nine threes. The second time around, Jared Butler, Matthew Mayer, Davion Mitchell and Adam Flagler, who each hit over 40% from three, should blitz the Red Raiders. In Big 12 action, Chris Beard’s club has allowed a staggering 36.5% along the arc. Their willingness to crash the glass and generate second chance opportunities is an edge against Baylor’s matchup zone, but with the Bears’ legs back they should finish the conference season on a high note.

Season record: 28-35

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