Best NCAA Tournament Prop Bets to Target for Thursday's Sweet Sixteen Action

It’s the kickoff to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament with the culmination of the Sweet 16 and Elite 8. This gets into the cream of the crop of some of the most exciting and talented college basketball teams to watch on full display over the next four days.

No matter what happened in the opening rounds, whether there’s red or green in the bankroll, it’s a brand new day and a clean slate. Let’s get this next party started on the right foot. Here are the best plays to target for Thursday’s evening contests.

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Best Prop Bets for NCAA Tournament Games on Thursday

• Tristen Newton OVER 5.5 Assists
• Armando Bacot OVER 10.5 Rebounds
• Marcus Domask OVER 14.5 Points

Tristen Newton OVER 5.5 Assists

The UConn Huskies are confidently strutting into the Sweet 16 against San Diego State as they are on yet another dominant run. At the center of it, their high flying offense has been taking center stage, including their important point guard Tristen Newton who completes this well-oiled machine.

He’s been on fire, scoring 13 points against Stetson in the opening round and fresh off a 20-point effort against Northwestern on Sunday. While Newton can certainly score, he’s also an elite facilitator.

He finds players in open space and slings it cross court. Newton is 19th in the nation in assists per game (6.19) and even Sir Isaac Newton would be impressed with some of his on-court wizardry. He’s always a significant factor and while San Diego State will likely be focusing on Donovan Clingan the most inside, this provides more opportunity for him to distribute the ball to his perimeter guys in Cam Spencer and Alex Karaban.

There is nobody on this team better at dishing the ball to his teammates than Newton. After all, he has the most triple doubles of all time in his UConn career with four.

No Husky player has ever had more than two. He’s gone over this total of 5.5 in the past four games by a significant margin with 9, 10, 8 and 10 respectively. This is a perfect number to get in on as he will be moving it around all night long even against a stingy defense from the Aztecs.

Armando Bacot OVER 10.5 Rebounds

North Carolina is back in another weekend of the NCAA Tournament, with a lot of high hopes as the No. 1 seed from the West region.

The Tar Heels have been down this road before and know what a winning culture is under Hubert Davis. Their core of veteran players including RJ Davis and Armando Bacot have helped energize this team.

Bacot is in his final year with UNC and is making the most of it. He’s a multifaceted player who has the ability to help this team on both sides of the ball. He excels the most at rebounding, which has placed him at 13th in the country, averaging 10.2 per game.

As a team, the Heels succeed on the glass which gives them an edge in every contest. They are 5th in total rebounding, averaging 41 boards per game.

For the Tar Heels to outpace the Tide in this game, rebounds are going to make a massive difference. Both of these offenses are capable of posting 90-100 points on any night with the amount of firepower available.

I trust Bacot to get the job done for this team when it matters the most. This is a player who has been through this experience and knows how to get the job done in important games. Back the over as Bacot will get ample opportunities to go to work on the glass.

Marcus Domask OVER 14.5 Points

Illinois has been a quiet No. 3 seed that has been dominating through most of the opening rounds. We’re in for a treat when they face off with Iowa State in the Sweet 16 as these high flying offenses will be spotlighted. This is also a battle of the Big 12 champions and Big Ten champions.

I’m leaning Illinois in this game with their recent success, and I’m focused on Marcus Domask who has come in and excelled for this program. The Southern Illinois transfer is having his best season across the board and will be needed going deeper into the tournament.

He recorded a triple double against Morehead State on Thursday, the 10th ever in NCAA Tournament history. He followed that up with 22 points and seven assists against Duquesne in a comfortable win. Domask is also 63rd in the country in free throw percentage (87.5 percent), so if the Illini can hold a lead at the end of this game, they will be making sure the ball is in his hands, adding to his points cushion.

Domask is a strong secondary option for the Illini to score. Somebody else has to carry the weight of guard Terrence Shannon in this contest. All season long, it’s been on his shoulders with the crafty style of play he possesses.

His depth adds to a roster that’s already checking many of the boxes offensively. The total of 14.5 points seems to be too low a number in this game where Shannon will be hunted by the Iowa State defense. Back him and the over in this opportunistic spot.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.