Top College Basketball Parlay Picks for Friday: Going All-In on Underdogs

There's a jam-packed college basketball slate ahead on Friday with plenty of marquee matchups. Let's dive in with our college basketball parlay picks.

Selection Sunday is just nine days away, and the upsets are already bubbling up across conference tournaments. There's been incredible last-second covers and underdogs logging plenty of double-digit wins. That includes Arkansas Little Rock's 75-71 upset victory over a South Alabama team that just beat the Trojans 77-46 on Feb. 10. On Wednesday, the opening four games of the Big South Tournament produced a one-point win, two overtime contests, and a double-overtime thriller.

We're focusing on three underdogs in Friday's college basketball parlay picks. First, we examine the Ohio Valley Conference, where Southeast Missouri State will battle undefeated OVC juggernaut and No. 1 seed Murray State. Next, let's look at Bradley, which is a very live underdog against Loyola Chicago. Finally, let's take a closer look at Drake facing off with Southern Illinois for the third time in 2021-22. Just a total of three points separated the two squads over the last two meetings.

Here’s a look at my top college basketball parlay picks for a fantastic Friday night slate (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook; Pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5 scale).

Friday's College Basketball Parlay Picks

Southeast Missouri State +15.5(-110)?????Bradley +6.5(-110)vs. Loyola Chicago ?????Southern Illinois +3.5(-110)vs. Drake ????

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College Basketball Parlay Predictions

Southeast Missouri State +15.5 (-110)

Murray State has been the Ohio Valley Conference's dominant program all season. The Racers were undefeated in conference play, and they also produced impressive non-conference wins over James Madison, Middle Tennessee State, and Memphis.

Now Murray State enters this OVC semifinal matchup as an overwhelming 15.5-point favorite. The public will see the Racers' 28-2 record against the 14-17 Redhawks and default to backing the favorite.

But grab the 15.5 points with the underdog Redhawks, who have actually been very competitive against the Racers.

Southeast Missouri State brings the most explosive offense in the conference to this matchup. The Redhawks rank first in the OVC and 13th overall nationally in adjusted tempo, according to KenPom. They rank third-best in the conference in offensive turnover percentage, which is critical against the Racers' pressure-based defense. Southeast Missouri State also ranks first while shooting 36.4% from beyond the arc against conference opponents.

The Redhawks only lost 70-68 to Murray State in the final game of the regular season. Southeast Missouri State led 62-50 with just five minutes left, and the team was shooting a solid 10-of-25 (40%) from distance. The Racers did defeat the Redhawks 106-81 in late December, but that was the second-most points Murray State allowed this season.

This game will be another close matchup between Southeast Missouri State's great offense and Murray State's top-tier defense. The Racers may win, but the Redhawks should be able to keep the final score within 16 points.

Southeast Missouri State is also coming off an impressive 74-55 victory over Tennessee State on Thursday. Leading-scorer Eric Reed totaled 22 points while shooting 5-of-10 from 3-point range.

Bradley +6.5 (-110)

This is not last year’s Loyola Chicago team.

The Ramblers transitioned from longtime head coach Porter Moser to first-year sideline boss Drew Valentine. On the surface, they appear to have continued their Missouri Valley Conference dominance. The Ramblers finished the campaign 22-7 overall and 13-5 in conference play.

However, they've started to look vulnerable, particularly against Bradley.

The Braves earned a 68-61 road win and lost in overtime at home during the two matchups between these teams in 2021-22. Bradley is a major matchup problem for the Ramblers, as it's the top rebounding squad in the conference, and it leads in offensive and defensive efficiency.

Bradley is also the conference's best team at defending the 3-pointer, with the school allowing opponents to shoot just 31.9% from deep. The program ranks first in adjusted defensive efficiency and effective field-goal percentage allowed, too.

That level of defense keeps games close, making this 6.5-point spread simply too high. The Braves are undervalued in this tournament after recording impressive conference wins over Northern Iowa at home, and Drake and Valparaiso on the road. As expected, 54% of the bets and 68% of the money is on the Ramblers, according to Pregame.com.

Back Bradley at +6.5 as a very live underdog in our college basketball parlay picks against a team it battled closely in both contests this season.

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Southern Illinois +3.5 (-110)

Don’t sleep on the Salukis.

Southern Illinois ended the season with five wins over its last seven games, a run that included a 62-60 true road loss at Drake. The Salukis play at a slow, methodical pace, and they light up the scoreboard from deep. Southern Illinois is shooting a conference-best 38.2% from beyond the arc.

Drake isn't at the same level as last year, both health-wise and in terms of offensive efficiency. Point guard Roman Penn has been battling a foot injury all season, and he hasn't looked as explosive or been as efficient. The Bulldogs shot over 36% from distance and 53% from inside the arc in 2020-21. Those numbers have dropped to a conference-worst 30.8% from 3-point range and 52% from 2-point range. There's also been a decline in their defensive metrics, especially against the 3-pointer (35.1% allowed).

Southern Illinois is a solid 18-11 against the spread, including 13-5 against Missouri Valley opponents. The Salukis have covered during four straight games, and they possess the physicality to match up with the Bulldogs.

There's an opportunity for this line to creep closer to four points before tipoff, as 72% of the bets are on Drake, according to Pregame.com.

I’m grabbing a third underdog to complete my three-game parlay.

Where to Bet on College Basketball Parlay Picks

Here are our top-rated sportsbooks for odds boosts:

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College basketball parlay picks made 3/4/2022 at 11:38 a.m. ET.