Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Inspired Madness: Two NCAA player props for Thursday

By John Dudley | Last updated 3/16/23

The first full day of the men’s college basketball tournament is arguably the apex of the sports calendar. If you’re not posting up somewhere for wall-to-wall hoops, it might be time to reevaluate. Since having rooting interest in the games only adds to the excitement of March Madness, the following two props merit strong consideration.

Bet No. 1: Over 15½ points for Arkansas guard Nick Smith Jr. (DraftKings)

A five-star recruit who opted to play for his state university, Smith sustained a knee injury just five games into his freshman season. Still, he exceeded this number the first three times he was on the court for more than 20 minutes, scoring 16, 22, and 21.

Smith was understandably eased back into action in mid-February, but he played every minute of a three-point loss to top-seed Alabama at the end of the month, finishing with 24 points on nearly as many shots (23). He has averaged 19.5 points over his last six games, and the Razorbacks are going to need his production in an expected back-and-forth affair with Illinois.

Bet No. 2: Over 24½ points, rebounds, and assists for UCLA guard Tyger Campbell (DraftKings)

Leading the Bruins on a deep tournament run two years ago, Campbell cleared this number in the Final Four loss to Gonzaga by posting 17 points, seven assists, and a rebound. Now he’s a senior with 130 career starts, and his role has only expanded after the team lost Defensive Player of the Year finalist Jaylen Clark to a torn Achilles.

Often setting up teammates Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Amari Bailey, Campbell has averaged a total of 27 across these categories over the last seven games and 29 over the four since Clark went down. In Thursday’s nightcap against UNC Asheville, he’s capable of getting there on points alone – as he did in the Pac-12 semifinal, when he dropped 28 on Oregon.

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