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The first game of the NCAA Tournament’s third round should be a great one Saturday in the East Region in Tampa as No. 5 West Virginia faces No. 4 Kentucky for a berth in the Final Four. The SEC champion Wildcats have opened as 3.5-point favorites on Bodog’s NCAA basketball odds.
WVU (21-11) beat a winded Clemson team 84-76 on Thursday – the Tigers had played in a First Four game less than 36 hours before. Darryl Bryant scored 19 points and Kevin Jones added 17 for the Mountaineers. West Virginia trailed by as many as 10 points in the first half, but entered halftime tied 40-40 thanks to a 9-0 run in the last 2 minutes. That pretty much changed everything. The Mountaineers shot 49.1% from the floor against a Tiger defense ranked 20th in the nation in field goal defense. West Virginia was also 25 of 31 from the line. But Clemson’s 40 first-half points were the most West Virginia has allowed this season.
Kentucky (26-8), meanwhile, was pushed to the absolute limit by Ivy League champion Princeton. Held scoreless for more than 39 minutes, freshman point guard Brandon Knight made a driving layup with 2 seconds remaining to lift UK 59-57 win over the 13th-seeded Tigers. Before making the winning shot, Knight was 0 for 7 from the floor. His previous career low in scoring was six points in a loss to Connecticut earlier this year. The star was unheralded senior Josh Harrellson, who posted his seventh double-double of the season (15 points, 10 rebounds) and second in his past three games.
These two teams met in the East Region finals last year. West Virginia upset Kentucky to earn a trip to the Final Four.
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WVU (21-11) beat a winded Clemson team 84-76 on Thursday – the Tigers had played in a First Four game less than 36 hours before. Darryl Bryant scored 19 points and Kevin Jones added 17 for the Mountaineers. West Virginia trailed by as many as 10 points in the first half, but entered halftime tied 40-40 thanks to a 9-0 run in the last 2 minutes. That pretty much changed everything. The Mountaineers shot 49.1% from the floor against a Tiger defense ranked 20th in the nation in field goal defense. West Virginia was also 25 of 31 from the line. But Clemson’s 40 first-half points were the most West Virginia has allowed this season.
Kentucky (26-8), meanwhile, was pushed to the absolute limit by Ivy League champion Princeton. Held scoreless for more than 39 minutes, freshman point guard Brandon Knight made a driving layup with 2 seconds remaining to lift UK 59-57 win over the 13th-seeded Tigers. Before making the winning shot, Knight was 0 for 7 from the floor. His previous career low in scoring was six points in a loss to Connecticut earlier this year. The star was unheralded senior Josh Harrellson, who posted his seventh double-double of the season (15 points, 10 rebounds) and second in his past three games.
These two teams met in the East Region finals last year. West Virginia upset Kentucky to earn a trip to the Final Four.
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Arguably the best matchup of Saturday’s third-round games in the NCAA Tournament comes in the Southeast Region in Tampa when Florida faces UCLA for a trip to the Sweet 16. Bet on this game with Bodog’s NCAA basketball odds.
Florida (27-7) will have the edge in terms of fan support considering its campus is barely more than 90 miles from Tampa. The Gators had one of the more impressive performances of the second round, crushing UC Santa Barbara 79-51 on Thursday. Chandler Parsons led the way with nearly his first triple-double, finishing with 10 points, seven rebounds and a career-high 10 assists. Florida raced out to a 43-19 halftime lead, shooting 58 percent in that half, and the game was never in doubt after that. It was UF’s first NCAA tournament win since beating Ohio State in the 2007 championship game.
UCLA (23-10) dominated Michigan State for most of its game on Thursday night but nearly coughed it away, winning 78-76. Tyler Honeycutt and Malcolm Lee scored 16 points apiece to lead the Bruins. UCLA won despite missing 17 free throws, nine of them in the final 3:40. The Bruins were 30 of 47 from the foul line and only made two field goals over the final eight minutes. That obviously won’t cut it against the SEC regular-season champion Gators. Still, UCLA is now 21-0 when taking a 10-point lead in a game this year and never trailed in the game against MSU.
If this matchup looks familiar it’s because Florida beat the Bruins in the 2006 national championship game and again in the 2007 Final Four. UCLA went 2-2 against ranked opponents and now is 5-7 vs. the tournament field. The Gators are 14-3 against tournament teams.
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Florida (27-7) will have the edge in terms of fan support considering its campus is barely more than 90 miles from Tampa. The Gators had one of the more impressive performances of the second round, crushing UC Santa Barbara 79-51 on Thursday. Chandler Parsons led the way with nearly his first triple-double, finishing with 10 points, seven rebounds and a career-high 10 assists. Florida raced out to a 43-19 halftime lead, shooting 58 percent in that half, and the game was never in doubt after that. It was UF’s first NCAA tournament win since beating Ohio State in the 2007 championship game.
UCLA (23-10) dominated Michigan State for most of its game on Thursday night but nearly coughed it away, winning 78-76. Tyler Honeycutt and Malcolm Lee scored 16 points apiece to lead the Bruins. UCLA won despite missing 17 free throws, nine of them in the final 3:40. The Bruins were 30 of 47 from the foul line and only made two field goals over the final eight minutes. That obviously won’t cut it against the SEC regular-season champion Gators. Still, UCLA is now 21-0 when taking a 10-point lead in a game this year and never trailed in the game against MSU.
If this matchup looks familiar it’s because Florida beat the Bruins in the 2006 national championship game and again in the 2007 Final Four. UCLA went 2-2 against ranked opponents and now is 5-7 vs. the tournament field. The Gators are 14-3 against tournament teams.
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It’s easily the bracket-busting game of Saturday’s third round: If you had Richmond facing Morehead State in this game then you are ahead of the game. Bet on this unexpected matchup with Bodog’s NCAA basketball odds – Richmond opened as a 4-point favorite.
Morehead State (25-9), the champion of the Ohio Valley Conference, was the biggest upset winner of the NCAA Tournament’s first day, shocking Louisville 62-61. Demonte Harper hit arguably the shot of the tournament so far, a 3-pointer with 4.2 seconds remaining to give the Eagles the lead. Harper was 0 for 5 from long range before the shot. Then star Kenneth Faried, a future NBA player, blocked a potential winning shot by Louisville’s Mike Marra. Terrance Hill led Morehead State with a career-high 23 points and Faried, who holds the NCAA record for total rebounds in a career, finished with 12 points (on just 4-for-17 shooting) and 17 rebounds for his 28th double-double of the season. Morehead State is in the round of 32 for the first time since the tournament expanded to 64 teams.
Richmond (28-7) continued the NCAA Tournament’s annual No. 12 over No. 5 upset trend by beating Vanderbilt 69-66 in an upset that really wasn’t. Kevin Anderson scored 16 of his 25 points in the second half, including a floater with 18.7 seconds remaining that sealed the win for the Atlantic 10 Tournament champions.
The Spiders’ win over Vanderbilt, combined with Morehead State's victory over Louisville, sets up the ninth 12-vs-13 game since 13-seeds came into existence through expansion in 1985. The most recent such game was in 2009, when Arizona defeated Cleveland State. Only once in the previous eight attempts has the 13-seed defeated the 12.
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Morehead State (25-9), the champion of the Ohio Valley Conference, was the biggest upset winner of the NCAA Tournament’s first day, shocking Louisville 62-61. Demonte Harper hit arguably the shot of the tournament so far, a 3-pointer with 4.2 seconds remaining to give the Eagles the lead. Harper was 0 for 5 from long range before the shot. Then star Kenneth Faried, a future NBA player, blocked a potential winning shot by Louisville’s Mike Marra. Terrance Hill led Morehead State with a career-high 23 points and Faried, who holds the NCAA record for total rebounds in a career, finished with 12 points (on just 4-for-17 shooting) and 17 rebounds for his 28th double-double of the season. Morehead State is in the round of 32 for the first time since the tournament expanded to 64 teams.
Richmond (28-7) continued the NCAA Tournament’s annual No. 12 over No. 5 upset trend by beating Vanderbilt 69-66 in an upset that really wasn’t. Kevin Anderson scored 16 of his 25 points in the second half, including a floater with 18.7 seconds remaining that sealed the win for the Atlantic 10 Tournament champions.
The Spiders’ win over Vanderbilt, combined with Morehead State's victory over Louisville, sets up the ninth 12-vs-13 game since 13-seeds came into existence through expansion in 1985. The most recent such game was in 2009, when Arizona defeated Cleveland State. Only once in the previous eight attempts has the 13-seed defeated the 12.
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For the first time in four years, Temple advanced past the first round of the NCAA Tournament and now the Owls’ reward Saturday in Tucson, Ariz., is probably the best team in the west: San Diego State. The Aztecs have opened as 5.5-point favorites on Bodog’s NCAA basketball odds.
Temple (26-7), an at-large team from the Atlantic 10, had one of the many fantastic finishes of the NCAA Tournament’s first full day. Juan Fernandez sank an off-balance 18-footer with less than a second to play to hand Temple a 66-64 victory over Penn State and end coach Fran Dunphy's NCAA Tournament record 11-game losing streak. Fernandez, double-teamed as time was running out, forced up the winning shot off his right foot while fading to his left just inside the 3-point line. He tied for the team lead with 23 points. Ironically it was Temple’s first NCAA Tournament win since 2001, which also happened to come against Penn State in the Nittany Lions’ last appearance in the Big Dance.
San Diego State (33-2) is the Mountain West Tournament champion and still has yet to be beaten by any team other than BYU. The Aztecs won their first-ever tourney game in the modern era by thumping Northern Colorado 68-50 on Thursday. Star Kawhi Leonard had 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Billy White added 12 points and 13 rebounds. The Aztecs committed four turnovers and outrebounded Northern Colorado by 12. The Aztecs trailed for all of 16 seconds in becoming the first team with 33 victories this season. They committed a season-low-tying four turnovers and owned a 45-33 advantage on the glass.
San Diego State and Temple have met once before – in 1981.
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Temple (26-7), an at-large team from the Atlantic 10, had one of the many fantastic finishes of the NCAA Tournament’s first full day. Juan Fernandez sank an off-balance 18-footer with less than a second to play to hand Temple a 66-64 victory over Penn State and end coach Fran Dunphy's NCAA Tournament record 11-game losing streak. Fernandez, double-teamed as time was running out, forced up the winning shot off his right foot while fading to his left just inside the 3-point line. He tied for the team lead with 23 points. Ironically it was Temple’s first NCAA Tournament win since 2001, which also happened to come against Penn State in the Nittany Lions’ last appearance in the Big Dance.
San Diego State (33-2) is the Mountain West Tournament champion and still has yet to be beaten by any team other than BYU. The Aztecs won their first-ever tourney game in the modern era by thumping Northern Colorado 68-50 on Thursday. Star Kawhi Leonard had 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Billy White added 12 points and 13 rebounds. The Aztecs committed four turnovers and outrebounded Northern Colorado by 12. The Aztecs trailed for all of 16 seconds in becoming the first team with 33 victories this season. They committed a season-low-tying four turnovers and owned a 45-33 advantage on the glass.
San Diego State and Temple have met once before – in 1981.
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The big story line surrounding Sunday night’s Southwest Region game in Tulsa will be that Kansas coach Bill Self goes up against his former Illinois team. Kansas is an 8.5-point favorite on Bodog’s NCAA basketball odds to advance to the Sweet 16 – something last year’s top-seeded Jayhawks failed to do when they were stunned in the Round of 32.
Illinois (20-13) has been a very inconsistent team this year but when the Illini put it all together they can beat any team in the country. They did look good in Friday’s 73-62 victory over UNLV. Mike Davis tied his season high with 22 points and Demetri McCamey added 17 points and seven assists and Illinois dominated. The ninth-seeded Illini took control with an early 15-0 run and led by as many as 25. Illinois shot 60 percent from the field and 54 percent from 3-point range. Illinois moved to 15-0 this season when McCamey has at least seven assists. The Illini played without key freshman reserve Jereme Richmond, who was suspended for violating unspecified team rules. It’s thought he will play in this one.
The Illini, however are just 1-8 this year in games decided by five points or fewer, or in overtime. And they haven’t won back-to-back games since early January.
Kansas (33-2) didn’t have much trouble with Boston University in its opener, winning 72-53 for its ninth victory in a row. Stars Marcus and Markieff Morris combined for 31 points. The Jayhawks were a bit iffy in the first half, leading by just 3, before turning it on. KU is the only school in history that has lost three times as a No. 1 seed in the Round of 32, however. Kansas and Illinois have met in the NCAA Tournament twice previously. In each instance, one of the schools was a No. 1 seed and that school won the game. This is the first time the schools will play since Self left for Kansas in 2003 and Bruce Weber left Southern Illinois to take over for Self with the Illini.
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Illinois (20-13) has been a very inconsistent team this year but when the Illini put it all together they can beat any team in the country. They did look good in Friday’s 73-62 victory over UNLV. Mike Davis tied his season high with 22 points and Demetri McCamey added 17 points and seven assists and Illinois dominated. The ninth-seeded Illini took control with an early 15-0 run and led by as many as 25. Illinois shot 60 percent from the field and 54 percent from 3-point range. Illinois moved to 15-0 this season when McCamey has at least seven assists. The Illini played without key freshman reserve Jereme Richmond, who was suspended for violating unspecified team rules. It’s thought he will play in this one.
The Illini, however are just 1-8 this year in games decided by five points or fewer, or in overtime. And they haven’t won back-to-back games since early January.
Kansas (33-2) didn’t have much trouble with Boston University in its opener, winning 72-53 for its ninth victory in a row. Stars Marcus and Markieff Morris combined for 31 points. The Jayhawks were a bit iffy in the first half, leading by just 3, before turning it on. KU is the only school in history that has lost three times as a No. 1 seed in the Round of 32, however. Kansas and Illinois have met in the NCAA Tournament twice previously. In each instance, one of the schools was a No. 1 seed and that school won the game. This is the first time the schools will play since Self left for Kansas in 2003 and Bruce Weber left Southern Illinois to take over for Self with the Illini.
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The Florida State Seminoles are clearly a different team with Chris Singleton in the lineup and that showed in the Noles’ 57-50 opening round NCAA Tournament victory over Texas A&M. But now Singleton and FSU get a much tougher test in Notre Dame on Sunday in Chicago. The Irish are 5-point favorites on Bodog’s NCAA basketball odds.
FSU’s victory over the Aggies was the school’s first in the Big Dance in 13 years. Derwin Kitchen scored 15 points, and Bernard James added 10 points and three blocks, keying a go-ahead run in the second half. Singleton’s numbers weren’t great, as he had five points and four fouls, but it was evident just his return boosted the overall team. FSU, the nation’s leader in field-goal defense, held Texas A&M to 31.4 percent shooting.
Singleton, one of the top defensive players in the nation, broke his foot in a Feb. 12 game and FSU went just 3-3 without him. Opponents averaged 64.8 points and shot 38.5 percent in six games Florida State (22-10) played without Singleton. In 25 games with him pre-injury, the numbers were 61.6 points and 35.9 percent. He played 16 minutes on Friday and Coach Leonard Hamilton said he didn’t expect to play him any more than that vs. the Irish.
Notre Dame (27-6) struggled for a while on Friday against Akron but scored the first nine points of the second half on the way to a 67-56 victory. Big East Player of the Year Ben Hansbrough, who likely will be shadowed by Singleton often, led the way with 15 points. Hansbrough has been a bit off of late, going 7-for-27 in the past two games from the floor. Notre Dame hasn’t advanced to the Sweet 16 since 2003.
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FSU’s victory over the Aggies was the school’s first in the Big Dance in 13 years. Derwin Kitchen scored 15 points, and Bernard James added 10 points and three blocks, keying a go-ahead run in the second half. Singleton’s numbers weren’t great, as he had five points and four fouls, but it was evident just his return boosted the overall team. FSU, the nation’s leader in field-goal defense, held Texas A&M to 31.4 percent shooting.
Singleton, one of the top defensive players in the nation, broke his foot in a Feb. 12 game and FSU went just 3-3 without him. Opponents averaged 64.8 points and shot 38.5 percent in six games Florida State (22-10) played without Singleton. In 25 games with him pre-injury, the numbers were 61.6 points and 35.9 percent. He played 16 minutes on Friday and Coach Leonard Hamilton said he didn’t expect to play him any more than that vs. the Irish.
Notre Dame (27-6) struggled for a while on Friday against Akron but scored the first nine points of the second half on the way to a 67-56 victory. Big East Player of the Year Ben Hansbrough, who likely will be shadowed by Singleton often, led the way with 15 points. Hansbrough has been a bit off of late, going 7-for-27 in the past two games from the floor. Notre Dame hasn’t advanced to the Sweet 16 since 2003.
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It’s an all Big East battle on Sunday evening in the East Region in Cleveland as Marquette and Syracuse face off with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line. The Orange have opened as 5-point favorites on Bodog’s NCAA basketball odds.
Marquette (21-14) bounced back from a loss to Louisville in the Big East Tournament to beat Atlantic 10 regular-season champion Xavier 66-55 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Darius Johnson-Odom scored 19 points and Jimmy Butler had 15 for the 11th-seeded Golden Eagles, who were probably the final of the 11 Big East teams to get a bid to the Big Dance. MU shot 53.3 percent (24 of 45) from the field and held Xavier star Tu Holloway, who had averaged 20.2 points, to five points on 1-of-9 shooting.
Syracuse (27-7) didn’t have much trouble in its opening game, beating Indiana State 77-60. Rick Jackson scored a season-high 23 points and C.J. Fair added 14 to lead the Orange. The only negative in the game was when with 3 minutes left guard Scoop Jardine injured his left wrist in a hard fall. He briefly remained in the game but had the wrist wrapped in ice afterward. He is expected to play in this one.
Marquette and Syracuse met on Jan. 29 in Milwaukee, a 76-70 Golden Eagles victory. Marquette starters accounted for 72 of the team's 76 points as MU beat Syracuse for the first time as a member of the Big East. Jardine collected a season-high 13 assists but also committed five turnovers in the loss. That was the Orange’s season-high fourth straight loss after they had started the year 18-0. SU lost despite shooting 57.1 percent from the field.
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Marquette (21-14) bounced back from a loss to Louisville in the Big East Tournament to beat Atlantic 10 regular-season champion Xavier 66-55 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Darius Johnson-Odom scored 19 points and Jimmy Butler had 15 for the 11th-seeded Golden Eagles, who were probably the final of the 11 Big East teams to get a bid to the Big Dance. MU shot 53.3 percent (24 of 45) from the field and held Xavier star Tu Holloway, who had averaged 20.2 points, to five points on 1-of-9 shooting.
Syracuse (27-7) didn’t have much trouble in its opening game, beating Indiana State 77-60. Rick Jackson scored a season-high 23 points and C.J. Fair added 14 to lead the Orange. The only negative in the game was when with 3 minutes left guard Scoop Jardine injured his left wrist in a hard fall. He briefly remained in the game but had the wrist wrapped in ice afterward. He is expected to play in this one.
Marquette and Syracuse met on Jan. 29 in Milwaukee, a 76-70 Golden Eagles victory. Marquette starters accounted for 72 of the team's 76 points as MU beat Syracuse for the first time as a member of the Big East. Jardine collected a season-high 13 assists but also committed five turnovers in the loss. That was the Orange’s season-high fourth straight loss after they had started the year 18-0. SU lost despite shooting 57.1 percent from the field.
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No. 11 Virginia Commonwealth didn’t just establish themselves as a tournament-worthy team on Sunday, they established themselves as squad to be reckoned with.
VCU took it to No. 3 Purdue from downtown early and often, beating the Boilermakers 94-76. VCU was a 9.5-point underdog in the game, showing how big of an upset the Rams easily pulled off.
“If you watched VCU a certain time in the season you wouldn't see what you just watched out there," Purdue coach Matt Painter said. "Then you watch them during a four- or five-game stretch and you literally think, 'They can beat any team in the country.' … I made that statement — VCU can beat any team in the country on a neutral court. And I believe that. … I was hoping that team wouldn't show up, but that team from VCU did show up."
Bradford Burgess led the Rams with 23 points, hitting 3 of 4 shots from downtown while grabbing eight rebounds. Purdue’s Ryne Smith did his best to keep them alive, hitting 6 of 8 from three to score 20. Center JaJuan Johnson also led the Boilermakers with 25 points and 14 rebounds, but the balanced VCU attack was too much to overcome. Six Rams scored in double digits.
“A week ago, we thought we were done," said Rams point guard Joey Rodriguez. "And now, we're here in the Sweet 16. Anything can happen now."
VCU has proven those words to be true. They face No. 10 Florida State in the Sweet Sixteeen.
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VCU took it to No. 3 Purdue from downtown early and often, beating the Boilermakers 94-76. VCU was a 9.5-point underdog in the game, showing how big of an upset the Rams easily pulled off.
“If you watched VCU a certain time in the season you wouldn't see what you just watched out there," Purdue coach Matt Painter said. "Then you watch them during a four- or five-game stretch and you literally think, 'They can beat any team in the country.' … I made that statement — VCU can beat any team in the country on a neutral court. And I believe that. … I was hoping that team wouldn't show up, but that team from VCU did show up."
Bradford Burgess led the Rams with 23 points, hitting 3 of 4 shots from downtown while grabbing eight rebounds. Purdue’s Ryne Smith did his best to keep them alive, hitting 6 of 8 from three to score 20. Center JaJuan Johnson also led the Boilermakers with 25 points and 14 rebounds, but the balanced VCU attack was too much to overcome. Six Rams scored in double digits.
“A week ago, we thought we were done," said Rams point guard Joey Rodriguez. "And now, we're here in the Sweet 16. Anything can happen now."
VCU has proven those words to be true. They face No. 10 Florida State in the Sweet Sixteeen.
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We are down to the Sweet 16 in college basketball, and now you can plan you TV watching for Thursday and Friday – and of course bet on every game at Bodog.
Start time and announcing teams were announced on Sunday night after the final game. And the best announcer in college basketball, Gus Johnson, will be teamed with analysts Len Elmore and Reggie Miller for the Southeast Region on Thursday in New Orleans, where likely national player of the year Jimmer Fredette and BYU will face Florida at 7:27 p.m. (all times Eastern) and Wisconsin will play Butler at 9:57 p.m., both on TBS.
CBS on Thursday will air the West Region from Anaheim, Calif., with Vern Lundquist and Bill Raftery calling San Diego State vs. Connecticut at 7:15 p.m., followed by Duke vs. Arizona at 9:45 p.m.
On Friday, CBS' lead announcing team of Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg will call the East Region in Newark, N.J., with North Carolina meeting Marquette at 7:15 p.m. and Ohio State facing Kentucky at 9:45 p.m. in probably the best matchup of the Sweet 16. On TBS, Marv Albert and Steve Kerr get the Southwest Region in San Antonio, where Kansas will play Richmond at 7:27 p.m. and Virginia Commonwealth will face Florida State at 9:57 p.m.
And if you are wondering how President Barack Obama is doing in his bracket, well, he correctly picked 10 of the 16 teams that advanced to the regional semifinals. Obama went 5-3 on Sunday, losing when Purdue, Syracuse and Notre Dame were upset by lower seeds. He accurately predicted all four teams remaining in the West regional and got three of four right in the East. But in the Southwest, where a string of upsets have left three double-digit seeds still standing, he has only No. 1 Kansas remaining.
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Start time and announcing teams were announced on Sunday night after the final game. And the best announcer in college basketball, Gus Johnson, will be teamed with analysts Len Elmore and Reggie Miller for the Southeast Region on Thursday in New Orleans, where likely national player of the year Jimmer Fredette and BYU will face Florida at 7:27 p.m. (all times Eastern) and Wisconsin will play Butler at 9:57 p.m., both on TBS.
CBS on Thursday will air the West Region from Anaheim, Calif., with Vern Lundquist and Bill Raftery calling San Diego State vs. Connecticut at 7:15 p.m., followed by Duke vs. Arizona at 9:45 p.m.
On Friday, CBS' lead announcing team of Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg will call the East Region in Newark, N.J., with North Carolina meeting Marquette at 7:15 p.m. and Ohio State facing Kentucky at 9:45 p.m. in probably the best matchup of the Sweet 16. On TBS, Marv Albert and Steve Kerr get the Southwest Region in San Antonio, where Kansas will play Richmond at 7:27 p.m. and Virginia Commonwealth will face Florida State at 9:57 p.m.
And if you are wondering how President Barack Obama is doing in his bracket, well, he correctly picked 10 of the 16 teams that advanced to the regional semifinals. Obama went 5-3 on Sunday, losing when Purdue, Syracuse and Notre Dame were upset by lower seeds. He accurately predicted all four teams remaining in the West regional and got three of four right in the East. But in the Southwest, where a string of upsets have left three double-digit seeds still standing, he has only No. 1 Kansas remaining.
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Probably the most glamorous matchup of Thursday’s Sweet 16 action is the West Region nightcap in Anaheim when Arizona and Duke face off for a trip to the Elite Eight and a matchup with the UConn/San Diego State winner on Saturday. Duke is an 8.5-point favorite on Bodog’s NCAA basketball odds.
The Wildcats (29-7) were the Pac-10 regular-season champions and they have won their first two NCAA Tournament games by just a total of three points. Arizona beat Memphis 77-75 in the opening round and then played in one of the best games of this tournament in edging Texas 70-69 in the Round of 32. Pac 10 Player of the Year Derrick Williams has saved Arizona’s bacon both times. Against Memphis, he made a game-saving block with two seconds left, and against the Horns he completed a 3-point play with just under 10 seconds remaining following a controversial five-second call against Texas.
Duke (32-4), the ACC Tournament champion, crushed Hampton in the opening round but was pushed to the limit by Michigan last week, a 73-71 Blue Devils win. That was the 900th career victory for coach Mike Krzyzewski, who is just two from tying mentor Bobby Knight for the most all-time. The Blue Devils got back star freshman point guard Kyrie Irving for the Big Dance and he had 14 points in 20 minutes against Hampton and 11 points in 21 minutes against Michigan.. That was his first action since early December. And now Coach K says Irving is so far ahead of schedule that he will start playing “significant” minutes but still will come off the bench. Kyle Singler and Mason Plumlee likely will rotate shadowing Williams.
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The Wildcats (29-7) were the Pac-10 regular-season champions and they have won their first two NCAA Tournament games by just a total of three points. Arizona beat Memphis 77-75 in the opening round and then played in one of the best games of this tournament in edging Texas 70-69 in the Round of 32. Pac 10 Player of the Year Derrick Williams has saved Arizona’s bacon both times. Against Memphis, he made a game-saving block with two seconds left, and against the Horns he completed a 3-point play with just under 10 seconds remaining following a controversial five-second call against Texas.
Duke (32-4), the ACC Tournament champion, crushed Hampton in the opening round but was pushed to the limit by Michigan last week, a 73-71 Blue Devils win. That was the 900th career victory for coach Mike Krzyzewski, who is just two from tying mentor Bobby Knight for the most all-time. The Blue Devils got back star freshman point guard Kyrie Irving for the Big Dance and he had 14 points in 20 minutes against Hampton and 11 points in 21 minutes against Michigan.. That was his first action since early December. And now Coach K says Irving is so far ahead of schedule that he will start playing “significant” minutes but still will come off the bench. Kyle Singler and Mason Plumlee likely will rotate shadowing Williams.
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Thursday’s Sweet 16 games are capped off in New Orleans with a Southeast Region matchup between Butler and Wisconsin, with the winner to face the Florida/BYU winner on Saturday. The Badgers have opened as 5-point favorites on Bodog’s NCAA basketball odds.
Butler (25-9) is the Horizon League champion and of course made a stunning run to the national championship game last year. The Bulldogs might be a team of destiny this year as they won their first two games in the final second, both by Matt Howard. In the opener against Old Dominion, Howard tip in at the buzzer was the winner in a 60-58 victory. And then in the Round of 32 in one of the strangest endings to a game in tourney history, Howard was fouled rebounding a Pittsburgh free throw with under a second left. He made his first free throw at the other end for a 71-70 victory that knocked out the only top seed thus far. Dating to last year’s Final Four, Butler is the second team in tourney history to play four consecutive games decided by one or two points. The lone loss in that span came when Gordon Hayward's half-court shot bounced off the rim in last year's title game against Duke.
Wisconsin (25-8), an at-large team from the Big Ten, wasn’t expected to get this far after looking terrible in the Big Ten Tournament. The Badgers opened the Big Dance with a fairly routine 72-58 win over Belmont and then beat Kansas State 70-65 in the Round of 32. UW won that latter game despite star point guard Jordan Taylor shooting just 2-for-16 and getting dominated by KSU’s Jacob Pullen. Taylor now faces another top guard in Shelvin Mack, who had 30 against Pittsburgh. And UW’s other star, Jon Leuer, should be matched up against Howard. The Badgers excel at two things: limiting turnovers and free throws. They are on pace to set an NCAA record with 7.56 turnovers per game is also the best free throw shooting team in the country at 82.3 percent.
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Butler (25-9) is the Horizon League champion and of course made a stunning run to the national championship game last year. The Bulldogs might be a team of destiny this year as they won their first two games in the final second, both by Matt Howard. In the opener against Old Dominion, Howard tip in at the buzzer was the winner in a 60-58 victory. And then in the Round of 32 in one of the strangest endings to a game in tourney history, Howard was fouled rebounding a Pittsburgh free throw with under a second left. He made his first free throw at the other end for a 71-70 victory that knocked out the only top seed thus far. Dating to last year’s Final Four, Butler is the second team in tourney history to play four consecutive games decided by one or two points. The lone loss in that span came when Gordon Hayward's half-court shot bounced off the rim in last year's title game against Duke.
Wisconsin (25-8), an at-large team from the Big Ten, wasn’t expected to get this far after looking terrible in the Big Ten Tournament. The Badgers opened the Big Dance with a fairly routine 72-58 win over Belmont and then beat Kansas State 70-65 in the Round of 32. UW won that latter game despite star point guard Jordan Taylor shooting just 2-for-16 and getting dominated by KSU’s Jacob Pullen. Taylor now faces another top guard in Shelvin Mack, who had 30 against Pittsburgh. And UW’s other star, Jon Leuer, should be matched up against Howard. The Badgers excel at two things: limiting turnovers and free throws. They are on pace to set an NCAA record with 7.56 turnovers per game is also the best free throw shooting team in the country at 82.3 percent.
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The NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 tips off on Thursday night with the first game coming in the West Region from Anaheim when No. 3 UConn faces off with No. 2 San Diego State. Connecticut is currently a 1-point favorite on Bodog’s NCAA basketball odds.
UConn (28-9), the Big East Tournament champion, got here with little trouble, crushing Bucknell in the second round and then beating Cincinnati 69-58 in the Round of 32. Kemba Walker scored 33 points in that game against the Bearcats to lead the Huskies into the Sweet 16 for the second time in the past three seasons. Walker moved past Donny Marshall and into first place for the most points scored in a single season in school history. The Huskies have now won seven straight games but they are just one of two Big East teams – out of a record 11 NCAA Tournament teams from that conference – in the Sweet 16.
San Diego State (34-2) is the Mountain West Tournament champion and still has yet to lose to any team other than BYU. The Aztecs opened the tournament with a fairly easy 18-point win over Northern Colorado. But then in the Round of 32, it took two overtimes for SDSU to overcome Temple. Star Kawhi Leonard struggled in that game but Billy White had his third double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds. San Diego State has now won seven straight and 14 of its past 15 games overall. The Aztecs, who should have a huge advantage in crowd support with its campus not far away, hadn’t won an NCAA Tournament game before this year.
SDSU’s excellent frontcourt should hold its own against the Huskies, but how will the backcourt fare against Walker and Co.? Remember that BYU’s Jimmer Fredette lit up the Aztecs in the two SDSU losses.
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UConn (28-9), the Big East Tournament champion, got here with little trouble, crushing Bucknell in the second round and then beating Cincinnati 69-58 in the Round of 32. Kemba Walker scored 33 points in that game against the Bearcats to lead the Huskies into the Sweet 16 for the second time in the past three seasons. Walker moved past Donny Marshall and into first place for the most points scored in a single season in school history. The Huskies have now won seven straight games but they are just one of two Big East teams – out of a record 11 NCAA Tournament teams from that conference – in the Sweet 16.
San Diego State (34-2) is the Mountain West Tournament champion and still has yet to lose to any team other than BYU. The Aztecs opened the tournament with a fairly easy 18-point win over Northern Colorado. But then in the Round of 32, it took two overtimes for SDSU to overcome Temple. Star Kawhi Leonard struggled in that game but Billy White had his third double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds. San Diego State has now won seven straight and 14 of its past 15 games overall. The Aztecs, who should have a huge advantage in crowd support with its campus not far away, hadn’t won an NCAA Tournament game before this year.
SDSU’s excellent frontcourt should hold its own against the Huskies, but how will the backcourt fare against Walker and Co.? Remember that BYU’s Jimmer Fredette lit up the Aztecs in the two SDSU losses.
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If seeing BYU and Florida face off in the NCAA Tournament looks familiar, it should. These two faced off in the opening round of last year’s Big Dance. But in Thursday night’s Southeast Region game in New Orleans a trip to the Elite Eight is on the line. The Gators are 3-point favorites on Bodog’s NCAA basketball odds.
Florida (28-7), the SEC regular-season champion, is back in the Sweet 16 for the first time since their back-to-back national championship teams. In fact, UF hadn’t won an NCAA tourney game since that club. The Gators had little trouble in the opening round this year, dispatching UC Santa Barbara by 28. UCLA definitely pushed Florida in the Round of 32, with UF winning 73-65. Little Erving Walker, the shortest starter among the Sweet 16 teams, led Florida with 21 points in that one, including a key 3-pointer late. Walker scored 10 of Florida’s final 12 points.
BYU (32-4), the co-regular season Mountain West champion, was pushed by No. 14 seed Wofford in the second round before putting on one of this tournament’s most impressive performances in the Round of 16 by beating a red-hot Gonzaga team 89-67. National scoring leader Jimmer Fredette had 34 points to lead the Cougars to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1981. It was Fredette’s sixth 30-point game in the past seven.
In last year’s first round, BYU beat Florida 99-92 in double overtime behind Fredette’s 37 points, including 10 in the second overtime. UF’s Kenny Boynton, who missed practice early this week with a sprained ankle but will play, will draw the main assignment on Fredette, as he did last year. But freshmen Scottie Wilbekin and Casey Prather will rotate in on Fredette to help keep Boynton from wearing down.
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Florida (28-7), the SEC regular-season champion, is back in the Sweet 16 for the first time since their back-to-back national championship teams. In fact, UF hadn’t won an NCAA tourney game since that club. The Gators had little trouble in the opening round this year, dispatching UC Santa Barbara by 28. UCLA definitely pushed Florida in the Round of 32, with UF winning 73-65. Little Erving Walker, the shortest starter among the Sweet 16 teams, led Florida with 21 points in that one, including a key 3-pointer late. Walker scored 10 of Florida’s final 12 points.
BYU (32-4), the co-regular season Mountain West champion, was pushed by No. 14 seed Wofford in the second round before putting on one of this tournament’s most impressive performances in the Round of 16 by beating a red-hot Gonzaga team 89-67. National scoring leader Jimmer Fredette had 34 points to lead the Cougars to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1981. It was Fredette’s sixth 30-point game in the past seven.
In last year’s first round, BYU beat Florida 99-92 in double overtime behind Fredette’s 37 points, including 10 in the second overtime. UF’s Kenny Boynton, who missed practice early this week with a sprained ankle but will play, will draw the main assignment on Fredette, as he did last year. But freshmen Scottie Wilbekin and Casey Prather will rotate in on Fredette to help keep Boynton from wearing down.
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College basketball's Big Dance returns Thursday and there are some absolutely massive March Madness betting opportunities on tap. Here is your NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 preview for the Thursday tournament games. Stick around the Bodog Beat for a preview of Friday's games tomorrow.
No. 3 San Diego State vs. No. 3 Connecticut. The Aztecs (34-2, 22-12 ATS) have won seven consecutive games, not to mention a 6-1 run against the spread. This will easily be San Diego State’s biggest challenge of the tourney, though, as it hasn’t faced a ton of competition in No. 15 Northern Colorado and No. 7 Temple. UConn (28-9, 20-11 ATS) has as much momentum as anybody in the country. The Huskies have won seven straight games and went perfect on NCAA basketball odds in that span. After wasting Cincinnati in the last round, the Huskies look hungry.
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 5 Arizona. Both teams can breath a sigh of relief that they’re even here. Duke (32-4, 20-15 ATS) only squeaked past Michigan in the last round, ending a four-game winning streak against the spread despite winning 73-71. Arizona (29-7, 18-15-1 ATS) improved to 6-1 in its last seven games after knocking off Texas 70-69, but the Wildcats were aided by a brutal call with the refs that saved them in the end.
No. 2 Florida vs. No. 3 BYU. With Pittsburgh done in the Southeast, Florida (28-7, 16-14-1 ATS) takes over as the new favorite. The Gators are 7-2 in their last nine games, including a 7-1-1 run against the spread. BYU (32-4, 15-17 ATS), meanwhile, is worth the price of admission just to see Jimmer Fredette. The senior guard looks absolutely unstoppable, scoring 34, 32, 30 and 52 points in his last four games.
No. 4 Wisconsin vs. No. 8 Butler. Does Butler (25-9, 17-14-1 ATS) have another magical run in it? The Bulldogs reached the final last year, and they’re currently riding an 11-game winning streak (four straight wins ATS) after knocking No. 1 seed Pitt out of the tourney. Wisconsin (25-8, 17-12 ATS) has quietly done away with Utah State and Kansas State.
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No. 3 San Diego State vs. No. 3 Connecticut. The Aztecs (34-2, 22-12 ATS) have won seven consecutive games, not to mention a 6-1 run against the spread. This will easily be San Diego State’s biggest challenge of the tourney, though, as it hasn’t faced a ton of competition in No. 15 Northern Colorado and No. 7 Temple. UConn (28-9, 20-11 ATS) has as much momentum as anybody in the country. The Huskies have won seven straight games and went perfect on NCAA basketball odds in that span. After wasting Cincinnati in the last round, the Huskies look hungry.
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 5 Arizona. Both teams can breath a sigh of relief that they’re even here. Duke (32-4, 20-15 ATS) only squeaked past Michigan in the last round, ending a four-game winning streak against the spread despite winning 73-71. Arizona (29-7, 18-15-1 ATS) improved to 6-1 in its last seven games after knocking off Texas 70-69, but the Wildcats were aided by a brutal call with the refs that saved them in the end.
No. 2 Florida vs. No. 3 BYU. With Pittsburgh done in the Southeast, Florida (28-7, 16-14-1 ATS) takes over as the new favorite. The Gators are 7-2 in their last nine games, including a 7-1-1 run against the spread. BYU (32-4, 15-17 ATS), meanwhile, is worth the price of admission just to see Jimmer Fredette. The senior guard looks absolutely unstoppable, scoring 34, 32, 30 and 52 points in his last four games.
No. 4 Wisconsin vs. No. 8 Butler. Does Butler (25-9, 17-14-1 ATS) have another magical run in it? The Bulldogs reached the final last year, and they’re currently riding an 11-game winning streak (four straight wins ATS) after knocking No. 1 seed Pitt out of the tourney. Wisconsin (25-8, 17-12 ATS) has quietly done away with Utah State and Kansas State.
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It didn’t take a killer crossover, but Kemba Walker came up big for the UConn Huskies in the Sweet 16.
Walker had 22 of his 36 points in the second half, helping the Huskies beat San Diego State 74-67 and move on to the Elite 8. UConn was a +2 underdog in the contest.
“Well he’s clearly the best player in America,” coach Jim Calhoun said of Walker. “He does so much for his team … he’s a special player and a special person because he really carries this team on his back.”
Walker wasn’t just a one-man show. The junior guard had help from Jeremy Lamb, who scored 24 points on nine of 11 shooting, including three-of-three from 3-point land.
The contest was a nail biter throughout, as San Diego State had a balanced attack all evening. Guard D.J. Gray was one of four Aztecs that posted double digits, he led the team in scoring with 16 points and four 3-pointers made. Unfortunately, the Aztecs couldn’t hit the threes to keep up with the Huskies, hitting 7-of-22 from downtown.
UConn has quickly turned into a team to be reckoned with in the tournament, winning five-straight in five days in the Big East championship to grab a good seed in March Madness, then going on to beat Bucknell and Cincinnati in the tourney to set them up with a face-off with No. 5 Arizona.
“This run has been sensational, and I haven’t yet been able to put it in perspective,” said Calhoun. “I couldn’t have asked for a better gift than this team, and then we get this. I don’t remember anything quite like this. This is different. This team genuinely believes in themselves and each other.
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Walker had 22 of his 36 points in the second half, helping the Huskies beat San Diego State 74-67 and move on to the Elite 8. UConn was a +2 underdog in the contest.
“Well he’s clearly the best player in America,” coach Jim Calhoun said of Walker. “He does so much for his team … he’s a special player and a special person because he really carries this team on his back.”
Walker wasn’t just a one-man show. The junior guard had help from Jeremy Lamb, who scored 24 points on nine of 11 shooting, including three-of-three from 3-point land.
The contest was a nail biter throughout, as San Diego State had a balanced attack all evening. Guard D.J. Gray was one of four Aztecs that posted double digits, he led the team in scoring with 16 points and four 3-pointers made. Unfortunately, the Aztecs couldn’t hit the threes to keep up with the Huskies, hitting 7-of-22 from downtown.
UConn has quickly turned into a team to be reckoned with in the tournament, winning five-straight in five days in the Big East championship to grab a good seed in March Madness, then going on to beat Bucknell and Cincinnati in the tourney to set them up with a face-off with No. 5 Arizona.
“This run has been sensational, and I haven’t yet been able to put it in perspective,” said Calhoun. “I couldn’t have asked for a better gift than this team, and then we get this. I don’t remember anything quite like this. This is different. This team genuinely believes in themselves and each other.
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By far the best matchup of the Sweet 16 is this East Region game in Newark on Friday night when Kentucky and Ohio State square off, with the winner to face the Marquette-North Carolina victor on Sunday. The Buckeyes are 6-point favorites on Bodog’s NCAA basketball odds.
Kentucky (27-8), the SEC Tournament champion, barely escaped Princeton in the opening round and then beat West Virginia 71-63 in the Round of 32. Star freshman point guard Brandon Knight has had an interesting tournament. He was scoreless against Princeton until he hit the game-winning layup in the final seconds. And then he erupted for a career-high 30 points in the win over the Mountaineers. Knight was the sixth freshman in the past five years to have a 30-point performance in the NCAA Tournament and first since Memphis’ Tyreke Evans in 2009.
Ohio State (34-2), the Big Ten regular-season and tournament champion, has looked very much like the No. 1 overall seed in pummeling UT-San Antonio and George Mason. OSU those games by a total of 62 points. It shot 58.6 percent from the field and 56 percent on 3-pointers. At one point the Buckeyes trailed GMU 11-2 only to go on a 50-15 run to close the half. And freshman star Jared Sullinger hasn’t even had a dominating performance yet. Aaron Craft had 15 assists against George Mason — over the last 15 seasons, only two players have dished out more assists in an NCAA Tournament game than Craft. OSU made 16 of 23 3-pointers against GMU and obviously is unbeatable if it continues to shoot like that from outside.
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Kentucky (27-8), the SEC Tournament champion, barely escaped Princeton in the opening round and then beat West Virginia 71-63 in the Round of 32. Star freshman point guard Brandon Knight has had an interesting tournament. He was scoreless against Princeton until he hit the game-winning layup in the final seconds. And then he erupted for a career-high 30 points in the win over the Mountaineers. Knight was the sixth freshman in the past five years to have a 30-point performance in the NCAA Tournament and first since Memphis’ Tyreke Evans in 2009.
Ohio State (34-2), the Big Ten regular-season and tournament champion, has looked very much like the No. 1 overall seed in pummeling UT-San Antonio and George Mason. OSU those games by a total of 62 points. It shot 58.6 percent from the field and 56 percent on 3-pointers. At one point the Buckeyes trailed GMU 11-2 only to go on a 50-15 run to close the half. And freshman star Jared Sullinger hasn’t even had a dominating performance yet. Aaron Craft had 15 assists against George Mason — over the last 15 seasons, only two players have dished out more assists in an NCAA Tournament game than Craft. OSU made 16 of 23 3-pointers against GMU and obviously is unbeatable if it continues to shoot like that from outside.
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When the NCAA’s field of 68 was announced, many people blasted the selection committee for choosing Virginia Commonwealth as an at-large team. After all, the Rams finished fourth in the Colonial Athletic Association and didn’t even win the conference tournament. But VCU has proven the doubters wrong, as it is the only team in this tournament to have won three games so far – all by double digits over teams from BCS conference. Now the Rams get another power conference foe but a surprising one in Florida State. And the Seminoles are 3.5-point favorites on Bodog’s NCAA basketball odds.
VCU (26-11) unfortunately has been so good that it will likely cost the team its coach – Shaka Smart is rumored to be the top target for the open Tennessee job. That the Rams beat USC and Georgetown weren’t super huge surprises but their domination of Purdue in the Round of 32 was a stunner. Point guard Joey Rodriguez was brilliant against the Boilermakers with 12 points, 11 assists and no turnovers in 34 minutes. VCU’s 18-point win was its largest ever in the NCAA Tournament and the Rams became the fourth team ever from the CAA to reach the Sweet 16. Now they will play in the first No. 10 vs. No. 11 seed game in NCAA Tournament history.
Florida State (23-10) has clearly been energized by the return of Chris Singleton from a broken foot – he’s the team’s best player and possibly the top defensive player in the nation. The Noles beat Texas A&M in the first round and then upset No. 2 Notre Dame, 71-57, in the Round of 32. The Seminoles, who lead the nation in limiting opponents' field goal percentage, held Notre Dame to 31.7 percent shooting and have held their past six opponents to a combined 34.3 percent. They are in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1993 and Singleton hasn’t even been a major factor yet.
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VCU (26-11) unfortunately has been so good that it will likely cost the team its coach – Shaka Smart is rumored to be the top target for the open Tennessee job. That the Rams beat USC and Georgetown weren’t super huge surprises but their domination of Purdue in the Round of 32 was a stunner. Point guard Joey Rodriguez was brilliant against the Boilermakers with 12 points, 11 assists and no turnovers in 34 minutes. VCU’s 18-point win was its largest ever in the NCAA Tournament and the Rams became the fourth team ever from the CAA to reach the Sweet 16. Now they will play in the first No. 10 vs. No. 11 seed game in NCAA Tournament history.
Florida State (23-10) has clearly been energized by the return of Chris Singleton from a broken foot – he’s the team’s best player and possibly the top defensive player in the nation. The Noles beat Texas A&M in the first round and then upset No. 2 Notre Dame, 71-57, in the Round of 32. The Seminoles, who lead the nation in limiting opponents' field goal percentage, held Notre Dame to 31.7 percent shooting and have held their past six opponents to a combined 34.3 percent. They are in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1993 and Singleton hasn’t even been a major factor yet.
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You know that five-game suspension that Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel is planning to serve this fall? It probably is going to get longer.
Tressel was initially suspended two games by OSU after it became obvious he didn’t reveal to the school that he was aware his players broke NCAA rules. It was a public relations disaster considering those players were allowed to play in last season’s Sugar Bowl and were suspended the first five games of the 2011 season. Eventually Tressel decided to suspend himself an additional three games to match the five games on the sideline by his players. Of course, he only did this after the players’ appeal to the NCAA was turned down.
Now comes a report that Tressel forwarded to a mentor of star quarterback Terrelle Pryor emails that had warned the coach his players were in trouble, but Tressel did not forward the emails to school officials. Tressel received emails from a Columbus attorney in April 2010 stating that Pryor and a teammate had been selling memorabilia items to a local tattoo-parlor owner under federal investigation. And for some reason Tressel sent those emails to Ted Sarniak, a businessman from Pryor's hometown of Jeannette, Pa., who has known Pryor for years. But he didn’t say a word to Ohio State or the NCAA. Doug Archie, Ohio State’s compliance director, told the Columbus Dispatch, which broke this story, that Sarniak served as Pryor's primary contact during the recruiting process but isn't considered a booster.
During a news conference on March 8 to announce NCAA ethics violations by Tressel, the coach said he kept the information to himself to protect the confidentiality of the federal investigation and for the safety of his players. But Tressel also nodded his head and said "um-hmm" when asked whether he had forwarded the emails to anyone. Then a school official stepped in to prevent Tressel from saying anything further.
If Tressel just misses those five games, which is now looking unlikely with the NCAA yet to hand down its own punishment, he would miss matchups against Akron, Toledo, Miami (Fla.), Colorado and the Big Ten opener against Michigan State. All but the game vs. Miami are in Columbus.
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Tressel was initially suspended two games by OSU after it became obvious he didn’t reveal to the school that he was aware his players broke NCAA rules. It was a public relations disaster considering those players were allowed to play in last season’s Sugar Bowl and were suspended the first five games of the 2011 season. Eventually Tressel decided to suspend himself an additional three games to match the five games on the sideline by his players. Of course, he only did this after the players’ appeal to the NCAA was turned down.
Now comes a report that Tressel forwarded to a mentor of star quarterback Terrelle Pryor emails that had warned the coach his players were in trouble, but Tressel did not forward the emails to school officials. Tressel received emails from a Columbus attorney in April 2010 stating that Pryor and a teammate had been selling memorabilia items to a local tattoo-parlor owner under federal investigation. And for some reason Tressel sent those emails to Ted Sarniak, a businessman from Pryor's hometown of Jeannette, Pa., who has known Pryor for years. But he didn’t say a word to Ohio State or the NCAA. Doug Archie, Ohio State’s compliance director, told the Columbus Dispatch, which broke this story, that Sarniak served as Pryor's primary contact during the recruiting process but isn't considered a booster.
During a news conference on March 8 to announce NCAA ethics violations by Tressel, the coach said he kept the information to himself to protect the confidentiality of the federal investigation and for the safety of his players. But Tressel also nodded his head and said "um-hmm" when asked whether he had forwarded the emails to anyone. Then a school official stepped in to prevent Tressel from saying anything further.
If Tressel just misses those five games, which is now looking unlikely with the NCAA yet to hand down its own punishment, he would miss matchups against Akron, Toledo, Miami (Fla.), Colorado and the Big Ten opener against Michigan State. All but the game vs. Miami are in Columbus.
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College basketball betting resumes this weekend with the Final Four. The Kentucky Wildcats will be looking to add to their legacy when they take on UConn. Let’s review Kentucky’s path to the Final Four.
The Wildcats (29-8, 17-14-1 ATS) have gained some major momentum after a few midseason stumbles. Kentucky endured a 3-4 run at the beginning of February but, since then, the team has bounced back and won 10 consecutive games. More importantly, the team has been brilliant against the spread; the Wildcats are 7-1 in their past eight games versus the college basketball odds, including three straight victories.
Kentucky entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed, largely aided by a win over Florida in the SEC Tournament. The Wildcats drew No. 13 Princeton in the first round. Despite being 13-point favorites, they needed every ounce of energy to beat Princeton 59-57. Brandon Knight scored the winning bucket in the game’s dying seconds.
It’s only gotten tougher since then. Kentucky drew No. 5 West Virginia in the second round. The Wildcats looked shaky early on, but they outscored the Mountaineers by 16 points in the second half, giving them a 71-63 victory.
Next up was a daunting battle with No. 1 seed Ohio State. The Buckeyes had crushed everything in their path so far, but OSU was completely cold against Kentucky, hitting just 32.8 percent of its shots. Kentucky won 62-60.
Finally, the Wildcats toppled No. 2 North Carolina 76-69 in the Elite Eight, largely thanks to the play of Knight. The freshman guard has been inconsistent in the tourney, but he’s been there when Kentucky needed him most. After scoring the game-winner against Princeton, Knight dropped 30 points on West Virginia. He scored 22 against the Tar Heels.
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The Wildcats (29-8, 17-14-1 ATS) have gained some major momentum after a few midseason stumbles. Kentucky endured a 3-4 run at the beginning of February but, since then, the team has bounced back and won 10 consecutive games. More importantly, the team has been brilliant against the spread; the Wildcats are 7-1 in their past eight games versus the college basketball odds, including three straight victories.
Kentucky entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed, largely aided by a win over Florida in the SEC Tournament. The Wildcats drew No. 13 Princeton in the first round. Despite being 13-point favorites, they needed every ounce of energy to beat Princeton 59-57. Brandon Knight scored the winning bucket in the game’s dying seconds.
It’s only gotten tougher since then. Kentucky drew No. 5 West Virginia in the second round. The Wildcats looked shaky early on, but they outscored the Mountaineers by 16 points in the second half, giving them a 71-63 victory.
Next up was a daunting battle with No. 1 seed Ohio State. The Buckeyes had crushed everything in their path so far, but OSU was completely cold against Kentucky, hitting just 32.8 percent of its shots. Kentucky won 62-60.
Finally, the Wildcats toppled No. 2 North Carolina 76-69 in the Elite Eight, largely thanks to the play of Knight. The freshman guard has been inconsistent in the tourney, but he’s been there when Kentucky needed him most. After scoring the game-winner against Princeton, Knight dropped 30 points on West Virginia. He scored 22 against the Tar Heels.
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“There more overall action than the Super Bowl,” says RJ Bell of Pregame-com. “The game days are like Woodstock for action junkies.”
This year, it is expected that over $12 billion will be wagered at sportsbooks over the course of the tournament. In response to these projections, gambling authorities and college officials are taking steps to prevent illegal gambling activity.
Members of every college’s athletic department are prohibited from taking part in any sportsbetting. This will reduce the risk of any betting scandals taking place, a threat that plagues any and all sports tournaments of this side.
NCAA officials are making trips to visit with betting officials in Las Vegas to find out about the activity that is taking place at sportsbooks and casinos. They will then disseminate this information across the United States, informing players and coaches about the sportsbetting activity during this year’s March Madness tournament.
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