College Basketball Knowledge
Under Bill Self, Kansas is 5-2 in regional semifinals, 3-4 vs spread (they were favored in all 7); Jayhawks won last 16 games overall, they lost by 6 to Michigan St on neutral floor in November, their only Big 14 game this year. Maryland beat #12-13 seeds last week, after a 3-5 skid coming into NCAAs; Terps are 13-1 outside Big 14, with loss at North Carolina by 8. Big X teams are 5-2 vs Big 14 teams this year, 2-2 vs spread when favored. Last 10 years, #1 seeds are 16-19 vs spread in this round. Terps are #46 defending arc; Kansas is shooting 41.9% on arc (#4).
ACC teams are 12-1 in NCAAs (Pitt only loss); Miami beat Butler by 10 in its only Big East game. Villanova is in Sweet 16 for first time since '09; they beat Ga Tech, lost to Virginia in its two ACC games. Wildcats cruised in both games LW, leading Iowa by 25 at the half Sunday. Miami is 14-4 in its last 18 games; Villanova is 14-2 in its last 16. ACC teams are 6-5 vs Big East teams this year; favorites are 8-3 vs spread in the 11 games. Since '05, when 2-3 seeds meet in regional semis, underdog is 8-6 vs spread. Hurricanes are #32 in experience, Villanova is #182.
This is third time in 20 years Duke is lower-seeded team; they lost by 4 to Kansas is '03 regional semi, by 22 to Louisville in 2013 regional final. Over last 30 years, Duke is 7-3 vs spread as a dog- they're 4-6 in its last ten regional semifinal games. Bue Devils led Yale by 27, had it cut to 3 in last game. Oregon won its last ten games, allowing 57.7 ppg in last three. Ducks scored 76+ points in nine of last ten games. ACC teams are 4-2 vs Pac-12 teams this year, but were favored in five of six games. Last 10 years, #1 seeds are 16-19 against the spread in this round.
Texas A&M came back from dead Sunday, rallying from 12 down with 0:35 left. Aggies are 3-0 vs Big X teams this year, beating Texas, Baylor, K-State; they're 10-1 in last 11 games overall. A&M starts three seniors; House is NBA-level talent with ball. Oklahoma is 13-0 outside the Big X this year; Sooners start three seniors, have four kids who've started 100+ games together. Oklahoma beat A&M 64-52 in last meeting, two years ago. Big X teams are 12-7 vs SEC teams this year, 6-4 vs spread when favored. Since '05, when 2-3 seeds meet in regional semis, dogs are 8-6.
CIT
Tex-Arlington is 10-2 outside Sun Belt (#236 non-conf sked); Mavericks won six of last seven games overall, are 4-1 in last five true away games, and they've played most of year without best player Hervey, who blew out his knee in mid-January. NJIT won five of last six at home, losing to Stetson in A-Sun tourney; they're #75 experience team but are 0-4 vs top 100 teams this season, losing by 30-7-22-18 points. Arlington does not have a senior starter- they could be an NCAA sleeper next year.
Armadillosports.com
Thursday's Sweet 16 Action
By Sportsbook.ag
MIAMI HURRICANES (27-7) vs. VILLANOVA WILDCATS (31-5)
Sportsbook.ag Line: Villanova -4, Total: 141
#2 Villanova and #3 Miami will be battling for a spot in the Elite Eight when the teams meet in Louisville on Thursday.
The Hurricanes are coming off of a very impressive victory on Saturday, defeating #11 Wichita State 65-57 as 1.5-point underdogs. Miami shot 55.3% from the field in that game and held the Shockers to just 33.9% shooting. It was the confidence-boosting win that the Hurricanes needed after barely escaping with a 79-72 victory over #14 Buffalo in the first round of the tournament.
Villanova, meanwhile, has been absolutely dominant through the first two rounds of the tournament. The Wildcats defeated #15 UNC-Asheville 86-56 as 17.5-point favorites in the opening round of the tournament and followed it up with an 87-68 victory as six-point favorites against #7 Iowa on Sunday. Villanova has shot 57% or better from the field in each of the past two contests and will be hoping to keep it up heading into this meeting with Miami.
The last time these teams met was in 2004 and the Hurricanes won that game 59-56. Villanova covered the 8.5-point spread in that game, but Miami is 8-4 both SU and ATS in this head-to-head series since 1997. One thing favoring Miami in this game is the fact that the team is 10-3 ATS after a non-conference game this season.
However, Villanova is an impressive 20-7 ATS versus teams that commit 12 or fewer turnovers per game over the past two seasons. Both teams are at full strength heading into this game, so injuries aren’t likely to play a factor in the outcome.
Miami is coming off of an impressive showing on Saturday and the team will be hoping to carry that momentum over into Thursday’s meeting with Villanova. G Angel Rodriguez (12.6 PPG, 4.4 APG, 1.6 SPG) is really going to be the most important player for this team on Thursday. Rodriguez has been on fire this tournament, averaging 26.0 PPG, 4.5 APG and 3.5 SPG over the first two contests. His matchup with Arcidiacono will come a long way in determining who wins this game. Rodriguez must avoid turning the ball over too much and he’ll need to dig in on the defensive end.
G Sheldon McClellan (16.0 PPG, 1.1 SPG) will also really need to come through for the Hurricanes offensively on Thursday. McClellan is averaging 19.0 PPG on 10-for-21 shooting from the floor in the first two games of this tournament. He buried some huge threes against Wichita State that prevented the Shockers from stealing momentum on Saturday and he’ll need to hit some more big shots on Thursday. If he does not show up then Miami may not have enough firepower to overcome Villanova in this game.
The x-factor for Miami is C Tonye Jekiri (7.8 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.0 BPG). Jekiri has been non-existent in the tournament, averaging just 3.5 PPG and 5.0 RPG over the first two contests. Miami needs him to step it up on Thursday, as the Hurricanes need a presence around the basket offensively and they also need him to protect the rim in this one. He has blocked zero shots in the tournament thus far and that cannot be the case after Thursday’s game or that’ll likely mean that the Hurricanes have been eliminated.
Villanova has been one of the best teams in college basketball all season long and the Wildcats get it done on both ends of the floor. Heading into this game, they’re averaging 77.0 PPG (83rd in NCAA) and allowing just 63.7 PPG (20th in NCAA). They’ll need to be ready to play an all-around game against Miami on Thursday. While Villanova is an extremely deep team, there are a few guys that stand out as the most important players.
G Ryan Arcidiacono (12.0 PPG, 4.4 APG, 1.4 SPG) is the guy that the Wildcats will be leaning on in this one. Arcidiacono is averaging 15.0 PPG and 4.0 APG throughout the tournament thus far, and he was an impressive 10-for-15 from the floor and 6-for-9 from three over the first two games. If he can continue to knock down his outside shot then it will open up his drives to the rim. He is very good at finishing around the basket, but he is also a feisty defender. He should be able to get into the heads of Miami’s guards and help create some turnovers on Thursday.
G Josh Hart (15.4 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.1 SPG) and F Kris Jenkins (13.3 PPG) will be two guys that are really counted on to score in this game. They combined to score 34 points against Iowa in the second round and Villanova can use a similar performance from them against the Hurricanes. Both players are very good three-point shooters, but they are also capable of taking it to the rim. Hart will need to be locked in defensively, as he could see some time guarding McClellan in this one.
F Daniel Ochefu (9.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.6 BPG) could be the x-factor for Villanova, though. Ochefu must hold his own against Jekiri in the paint or it will be very tough for the Wildcats to advance.
TEXAS A&M AGGIES (22-8) vs. OKLAHOMA SOONERS (27-7)
Sportsbook.ag Line: Oklahoma -3, Total: 146.5
Texas A&M (15-13-3 ATS) and Oklahoma (12-20 ATS) battle for a spot in the Elite Eight on Thursday night, their first meeting since the Aggies left for the SEC in 2013-14. Texas A&M holds a 6-4 (7-3 ATS) head-to-head advantage over the Sooners since 2009.
The Aggies are playing arguably their best basketball of the season, going 10-1 (7-3-1) since Feb. 16th. Their only loss in that span was an 82-77 (A&M +4) loss to Kentucky in the SEC tournament title game. Texas A&M, No. 3 in the West Region, defeated No. 14 Green Bay in the first round (92-65, A&M -13) and then stunned No. 11 Northern Iowa 92-88 in double-overtime (A&M -7), now famously coming back from down 12 points with 44 seconds left in regulation.
Oklahoma, No. 2 in the West Region, is 5-2 SU in their last seven games but an abysmal 0-7 ATS in that same span. The Sooners have been favorites in six of those seven contests where they failed to cover. After bowing out in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals against West Virginia (69-67, OU +1.5), the Sooners have defeated No. 15 Cal State Bakersfield (82-68, OU -15) and No. 10 VCU (85-81, OU -6) on the road to the Sweet Sixteen in Anaheim.
Oklahoma needed another superb performance from potential National Player of the Year Buddy Hield (29 PPG, 49.6% FG, 46% 3PT), who put up 36 points – 19 of them in the last eight minutes – to lead the Sooners to victory. The guard is 19-34 from the field and has 63 points in the tournament over two games thus far.
Both the Aggies 6-2 (4-3-1 ATS) and Sooners 6-1 (2-5 ATS) have enjoyed success on neutral courts thus far this season. Texas A&M is 2-3 SU (2-3 ATS) as an underdog this season, while Oklahoma is 22-4 SU (8-18 ATS) as a favorite. In total trends, the UNDER is 10-2 in Oklahoma’s last 12 games.
Oklahoma seemed to get back to their three-point shooting ways of yore, going 11-20 from deep in the win over Cal State Bakersfield in the opening round. Buoyed by the partisan crowd in Oklahoma City for the first two rounds of the tournament, the Sooners looked locked and loaded heading into a second round matchup with VCU, only to need Hield to put on his Superman cape and rescue them from an upset. Outside of Hield’s 6-14 performance from deep, the rest of the Sooners went 2-12, highlighted by G Isaiah Cousins (13.1 PPG, 4.5 APG) and G Jordan Woodard (12.8 PPG, 44% 3PT) combining for 2-10 3PT. Oklahoma can’t keep winning games solely on the back of Hield if they expect to advance further in this tournament, and they won’t have the home crowd at their back on Thursday night as they did for the opening two rounds.
F Ryan Spangler (10.5 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 37.6% 3PT) has been completely neutralized in the first two rounds, combining for just 11 points and 15 rebounds. Some of this is due to playing smaller opponents and coach Lon Kruger playing matchups, but Spangler will be sorely needed to step up against the size of Texas A&M, as the Aggies are amongst the top 40 teams in the country on the glass and have out-rebounded eight of their last 10 opponents. While the Sooners are also respectable on the glass (38.5 RPG), they allow opponents to feast on the offensive boards to the tune of 10.1 OR/G (278th NCAA).
The Sooners can get careless off the bounce and with passes (314th NCAA in steals allowed – 7.1 per game), highlighted by Hield, Cousins and Woodard combining for 6.9 turnovers per game. This does not bode well against a Texas A&M defense averaging 7.1 steals per game (60th NCAA).
Texas A&M will have to pull out the game tape from VCU’s near-upset last round and see how they can duplicate the Rams’ perimeter defense, although they may want to stop watching once Hield heats up in the second half. For all of the Aggies’ defensive strengths (66.1 PPG, 38th NCAA; 40.5% FG, 35th NCAA; 14.4 TO, 41st NCAA), it should be noted that teams tend to think that they can beat the Aggies via the three point shot (22.9 3PA per game, 306th NCAA). Texas A&M defends the long-range shot decently (33% 3PT, 83rd NCAA) but hasn’t faced a prolific perimeter offense the likes that the Sooners will bring with them to Anaheim on Thursday night. In the Aggies’ only loss in their past 11 games, it should be noted that Kentucky was very effective (41.7% 3PT) from beyond the arc.
Key to the Aggies success on offense—and Oklahoma will allow their opponents to put points on the board (70.7 PPG allowed)—will be F Jalen Jones (15.4 PPG) and G Danuel House (15.8 PPG).
Jones, a matchup nightmare who’s more effective in the post as an undersized “four” (3-24 3PT since Feb. 24), will have to find his scoring stroke to complement a sizzling House (25 PPG over his last three). House scored 32 points in the SEC title game against Kentucky and his individual heroics in the second half and overtimes (22 points) were a catalyst against Northern Iowa.
Senior G Alex Caruso (8.1 PPG, 5.0 APG, 2.0 SPG) scored a team-high 25 points against the Panthers, a season best for him. Caruso will play a big role on both ends of the court for the Aggies, as his instincts and long arms on defense could lead to lots of steal opportunities. He will also most likely be tasked with keeping tabs on Hield.
Big men Tyler Davis (11.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG) and Tonny Trocha-Morelos (7.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG) provide skilled interior options for Aggies coach Billy Kennedy to go to for balanced offense. Davis and Trocha-Morelos outplaying their forward counterparts on Oklahoma’s side (Spangler and Kadeem Lattin) will be a nice subplot in this contest.
MARYLAND TERRAPINS (27-8) vs. KANSAS JAYHAWKS (32-4)
Sportsbook.ag Line: Kansas -6.5, Total: 144
No. 5 seed Maryland looks to topple the NCAA tournament’s top seed, Kansas, in a Sweet Sixteen battle on Thursday night.
Maryland (16-16-2 ATS) will be facing Kansas (22-11 ATS) for the first time since 2002’s Final Four – the last time Maryland won a national title. The Terrapins would win that game 97-88 (Kansas -1.5), but they haven’t made it past the Sweet Sixteen in their last six attempts.
Since the Jayhawks’ loss in the national championship to Kentucky in 2012, they also haven’t made it past the Sweet Sixteen (three tries). Coach Bill Self’s Jayhawks own the nation’s longest current winning streak (16 games, 13-3 ATS) as they haven’t lost since Jan. 25th. Kansas has been a favorite in 15 of those 16 games (+3.5 at Oklahoma on Feb.13).
The Jayhawks are 8-1 (7-2 ATS) in neutral site games, their only loss being in the Champions Classic back in November to Michigan State. Most recently, Kansas took care of West Virginia in the Big 12 title game (81-71, KU -5) before dispatching Austin Peay (105-79, KU -24.5) and Connecticut (83-71, KU -7.5) with relative ease.
Maryland’s path to Louisville hasn’t been as seamless as Kansas’, as the Terrapins are 5-5 SU (5-5 ATS) in their last 10. Maryland last lost in the Big Ten semifinals to Michigan State (64-61, MD +5) before struggling to put away No. 12 South Dakota State, 79-74 (MD -9), and then dismissing No. 13 Hawaii (73-61, MD -7.5). Maryland is 7-1 (6-2 ATS) on neutral site courts but is also winless (0-5 SU, 2-2-1 ATS) as an underdog this season.
In total trends, the OVER is 4-2 in Kansas’ last six games and is also 6-2 in Maryland’s last eight NCAA Tournament games.
While Maryland’s record as an underdog is daunting for the Terrapins’ faithful, the team was ranked No. 3 in the preseason Top 25 AP poll (one spot ahead of Kansas) due to their depth of talent and experience on the roster. Arguably boasting more future pros than their Sweet Sixteen counterpart, the Terrapins will rely on one of the most balanced starting fives in the country.
Led by G Melo Trimble (14.8 PPG, 5.0 APG), the Terrapins boast the #5 most efficient offense in the country (1.19 points per possession) and are #11 from the field (48.9% FG). At 69.1 possessions per game (276th NCAA) Maryland is content to play very slow and work for their best offensive opportunity, while forcing their opposition to be inefficient on offense (0.99 points per possession allowed, 18th NCAA).
With a 55.8% FG inside the arc, Maryland boasts multiple inside options like freshman F Diamond Stone (12.7 PPG, 56.6% FG, 1.6 BPG) and senior F Robert Carter (12.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 56.1% FG, 1.3 BPG). Coach Mark Turgeon will need Stone and Carter to continue to play big (5.3 BPG, 13th NCAA) against the slashing Jayhawks guards and interior standout Perry Ellis.
Aiding Trimble on the perimeter are F Jake Layman (11.7 PPG, 40.6% 3PT), who put up 27 points in the opening round win over South Dakota State, and G Rasheed Sulaimon (11.1 PPG, 44.7% 3PT). Sulaimon is oddly still looking for his first three-point make of the NCAA Tournament (0-5). Trimble is the bellwether of this offense, though, scoring 19 and 24 points respectively in Maryland’s first two wins while having ice water in his veins at the line (22-23).
While Maryland boasts five players in double-figures amongst their starting five, Kansas has arguably just as talented a starting five, and their bench production will be a big advantage over their opponent’s miniscule production from their subs. Make no mistake, though, the Jayhawks starters – G Frank Mason III (12.8 PPG, 4.3 APG), G Wayne Selden (13.6 PPG, 40.8% 3PT), F Ellis (16.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 52.2% FG) and G Devonte’ Graham (11.4 PPG, 3.8 APG, 1.3 SPG) – are excellent.
F Landen Lucas (5.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG) didn’t start for much of the season, but has been a revelation with solid interior defense and rebounding, playing a perfect role to round out the Kansas starting five. Lucas actually scored 16 points in the opening round win over Austin Peay and grabbed 12 rebounds in 34 minutes in defeating UConn.
Lucas’ frontcourt partner, Ellis, has been superb over two tournament games as well. Ellis has scored 21 points in each game and is 17-24 FG over that span. Added production from Mason III will be big if Kansas wants to keep winning, however, as the junior guard is just 3-15 FG (0-6 3PT) in the tournament thus far.
The Jayhawks offense (80.8 PPG) boasts 49.1% FG shooting (6th NCAA) and 41.6% 3PT shooting (4th NCAA), but Kansas is mediocre from the line (71% FT, 130th NCAA). Kansas is generous to opponents on the offensive glass (9.3 ORG, 208th NCAA), but fortunately for them, Maryland would prefer to get back on defense than attack for second-chance opportunities.
DUKE BLUE DEVILS (25-10) vs. OREGON DUCKS (30-6)
Sportsbook.ag Line: Oregon -3.5, Total: 157
No. 4 seed Duke, continuing its national-title defense, faces its stiffest test of the NCAA tournament in No. 1 seed Oregon.
Oregon (19-13-1 ATS) and Duke (14-18-2 ATS) battle on Thursday night for the right to go to the Elite Eight. Oregon’s last trip that deep in the tournament was 2007, but coach Dana Altman has taken the Ducks to the NCAA Tournament for four straight years now, going 6-3 in the process. Altman’s first and only Sweet Sixteen appearance was the 2013 tournament where the Ducks (as a 12 seed) lost to Louisville.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski has taken his Blue Devils to the Sweet Sixteen in 15 of his last 19 seasons (including this season), going 7-7 SU in that span. Duke has struggled mightily ATS (1-6) recently, covering for the first time in their last seven tries in their second-round win over Yale (71-64, Duke -6). Duke is 4-3 SU in that span, including their opening-round win over UNC-Wilmington (93-85, Duke -10).
This will be both Duke’s first game against a Pac-12 opponent this season (and the same can be said for Oregon and the ACC). On neutral courts the Blue Devils are 5-3 SU but 1-7 ATS, and are a measly 1-5 SU (1-4-1 ATS) as underdogs this season.
Oregon comes into this marquee matchup hot, winners of their last 10 games (6-4 ATS) including the Pac-12 Tournament. The Ducks carry the banner for their conference, with the Pac-12 flaming out in the opening rounds. Oregon gained a No. 1 seed after pasting Utah in the conference championship game, 88-57 (Oregon -2), and then proceeded to beat No. 15 Holy Cross (91-52, Oregon -23) and No. 8 St. Joseph’s (69-64, Oregon -7) most recently on Sunday. The Ducks are 7-1 (4-4 ATS) on neutral site courts and own a 23-3 (15-11 ATS) mark as a favorite. In total trends, the UNDER is 6-3 in Oregon’s last nine games.
The Blue Devils go from playing No. 12 and 13 seeds in Yale and UNC-Wilmington to the Pac-12 champion, No. 1 Oregon, which will obviously pose new problems for Duke. That said, Coach Krzyzewski does have experience from last season’s title run to lean on in the form of G Grayson Allen (21.8 PPG, 47% FG), C Marshall Plumlee (8.4 PPG, 8.7 RPG) and G Matt Jones (10.5 PPG, 40.5% 3PT).
While Allen has been Duke’s leading scorer throughout the season and the NCAA Tournament (26 PPG, 90.5% FT) and Plumlee is 10-11 FG against lesser competition, posting tournament averages of 12 PPG and 9 RPG, Duke’s most dynamic offensive weapon has been freshman F Brandon Ingram (17.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 41.5% 3PT). He’s initiated the offense many times during Duke’s run while committing only one turnover, and has played all but one minute in the two Duke victories. In the last four games against Top 25 opponents, though (UNC twice, Louisville once, ND once), Ingram has struggled, shooting 18-59 from the field including an 8 point, 10 turnover performance against the Cardinals.
While Oregon has one of the most imposing and long defenses in the nation around the rim, the Ducks can be had from the perimeter, and Duke at 38.7% 3PT (20th NCAA) and 9.2 3PM (24th NCAA) definitely has the ability to take advantage. Duke’s issues, as usual, will come from their woes keeping opponents off the offensive glass (332nd NCAA). They allowed Yale to crush them on the glass, 42-28, and Oregon has outrebounded eight of their last 10 opponents.
Duke’s overall defense, a continuing question mark this season (72.2 PPG), struggles most against bigger teams who attack the paint, and Oregon much prefers to work closer to the basket and use the dribble drive instead of swinging the ball around for an open jumper.
Oregon will take their stifling interior defense (5.9 BPG, 3rd NCAA) into a matchup with perimeter-oriented Duke, and that could give the Ducks some problems. While there’s no doubt that Oregon has the athleticism and talent to run Duke off the floor, the Pac-12’s overall performance has given pundits pause in predicting much more success for Oregon beyond this round.
The Ducks will have to exploit their advantage in the paint with athletic forwards Chris Boucher (12.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 3 BPG), Elgin Cook (14.5 PPG, 5.1 RPG) and matchup nightmare Dillon Brooks (16.8 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.1 APG). Brooks’ 25 points carried Oregon to a closer-than-expected second round win over St. Joseph’s in the round of 32, and he’s coach Altman’s go-to guy in the clutch.
Cook, a senior, has surprised with playmaking ability in the tournament, dishing four assists in each of Oregon’s two games, and is the type of strong, bouncy forward that seems to feast on Duke’s weak interior defense and rebounding.
F Jordan Bell (6.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.7 BPG) had fallen out of the main rotation in favor of Boucher after recovering from injury earlier in the season, but the sophomore (Bell) has outplayed Boucher thus far in the tournament, defending smaller players better and cleaning the glass (10 rebounds versus St. Joseph’s).
While Oregon is an average rebounding team overall, their skill on the offensive glass (32% OR, 50th NCAA) should be easily exploited against Duke. If Oregon can defend the long range shot (35.8% 3PT, 241st NCAA) better than they have for most of the year—and more like they have against Holy Cross and St. Joseph’s (both held under 27% 3PT)—they’ll have a much better chance to advance.
Maryland vs. Kansas: Betting Preview
By Covers.com
No. 5 Maryland Terrapins vs. No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks (-6.5, 143.5)
Top-seeded Kansas roared through the opening week of the NCAA Tournament and attempts to post its 17th consecutive victory on Thursday when it faces fifth-seeded Maryland in the Sweet 16 at Louisville, Ky. The Jayhawks are looking to reach the Elite Eight for the first time since 2012, while the Terrapins are part of the Sweet 16 for the initial time since 2003.
The Jayhawks lost their second game in each of the past two NCAA Tournaments and this year's squad has had the Final Four as a goal since the start of the campaign. "These last couple years we've been bounced a little bit early, and it's definitely left a bad taste in our mouth as a team," senior forward Jamari Traylor said at Wednesday's press conference. "We're just more focused. Every possession matters. We're just more in tune, more of a tight-knit group." Maryland is thriving under coach Mark Turgeon - a former Kansas player and assistant coach - and senior guard Rasheed Sulaimon feels his team is primed to knock off the Jayhawks. "I think it's just going to come down to how each team executes their game plan," Sulaimon said at Wednesday's press conference. "It's going to be a heavyweight battle between two great teams, between two great coaches. I'm sure they have a great game plan for us and we have a great game plan for them."
LINE HISTORY: The no. 1 seeded Jayhawks opened as seven-point favorites and the spread has dropped slightly down to -6.5. The total opened at 146 and has been bet down to 143.5. Check out the complete line history here.
WHAT BOOKS SAY: "We opened Kansas as a -7 point favorite and took over 85 percent of the early action on the Jayhawks to cover the -7 points. With the action starting to come in on Maryland we have moved to Kansas -6.5 with just over 60 percent of the action to cover the spread. Our 144 point total is getting dead even action with 50 percent on the over/under." - Michael Stewart of CarbonGaming.
ABOUT MARYLAND (27-8, 16-17-1 ATS, 13-20-1 O/U): Guard Melo Trimble is averaging 21.5 points in NCAA tourney wins over South Dakota State and Hawaii but the sophomore who leads the squad in scoring (14.8) and assists (five per game) is a streaky outside shooter despite sharing the team lead of 57 3-pointers with senior forward Jake Layman (11.7). "I'm a confident player," Trimble said at the Maryland press conference. "If I miss one, I'll shoot the next one. It's supposed to be a short memory. When you're having fun, you don't worry about the misses. You keep shooting and do whatever it takes to help your team win." Joining Trimble and Layman as double-digit scorers are freshman center Diamond Stone (12.7), junior forward Robert Carter (12.4 points, team-best seven rebounds per game) and Suliamon (11.1).
ABOUT KANSAS (32-4, 23-11 ATS, 13-20-1 O/U): Junior guard Wayne Selden Jr. is putting the ugly performances of the past two NCAA tourneys behind him - he averaged 2.5 points on 4-of-21 shooting in four games - to average 18 points on 13-of-25 shooting in victories over Austin Peay and Connecticut. "Everybody's going to go through times where everything's not going well," Selden said at the Kansas press conference. "Nobody's perfect, but it's all about just getting through it. If you're winning at that time, it doesn't matter." Senior forward Perry Ellis leads the Jayhawks in scoring (16.9) and is followed by Selden (13.6), junior guard Frank Mason III (12.8 points, team-best 4.6 assists) and sophomore guard Devonte' Graham (11.4).
TRENDS:
* Maryland is 1-4 ATS in their last five NCAA Tournament games.
* Kansas is 8-1 ATS in their last nine neutral site games.
* Under is 7-1 in Maryland's last eight games following an ATS win.
* Under is 25-7 in Jayhawk's last 32 NCAA Tournament games.
Miami vs. Villanova: Betting Preview
By Covers.com
No. 3 Miami-Florida Hurricanes vs. No. 2 Villanova Wildcats (-4, 140.5)
Villanova was one of the more impressive teams over the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, while Miami (Fla.) squeaked out a pair of victories en route to the Sweet 16. The South Region opponents square off Friday in Louisville with a berth in the Elite 8 on the line.
The second-seeded Wildcats and third-seeded Hurricanes are barely distinguishable on the seed line, but their play last weekend left a clear difference between the two programs. Villanova topped UNC Asheville by 30 points before putting up 54 first-half points in a comfortable 19-point triumph against Iowa. Meanwhile, Miami nipped Buffalo and Wichita State by a combined 11 points behind two big performances from senior guard Angel Rodriguez. The Wildcats also got a lift from their senior guard last weekend, as Ryan Arcidiacono eyes another strong effort after averaging 15 points on 10-of-15 shooting (including 6-of-9 from the arc) in the first two rounds.
LINE HISTORY: Villanova opened as five-point favorites and was bet down to -4 by mid-week. The total debuted at 141.5 and dropped slightly to 140.5. Check out the complete line history here.
WHAT BOOKS SAY: "We had Miami sitting at +4.5 with just over 40 percent of the action to cover the spread on Monday. We have since gone to Villanova -4 with 57 percent of the action on Villanova to cover. We opened the total at 142.5 with over 90 percent of the early action on the over Monday. We have since moved the total down to 141 with some sharp action coming in on the Under." - Michael Stewart of CarbonGaming.
ABOUT MIAMI (27-7, 19-13-1 ATS, 16-17 O/U): Rodriguez has the look of the classic college basketball senior point guard who simply won't let his team lose, having compiled 52 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and seven steals in the first two games "He has great confidence in himself, and when he's focused, he has the ability to play at a very, very high level," coach Jim Larranaga said of Rodriguez, who averages 12.6 points, trailing only backcourt mate Sheldon McClellan among the team leaders. "His biggest challenge is he needs competition. When the competition is at its highest, he's at his best." McClellan has averaged 19 points in this tournament, although fellow senior Tonye Jekiri (7.8 points, 8.7 rebounds) has been limited to a total of seven points and 10 boards in two games.
ABOUT VILLANOVA (31-5, 17-17-1 ATS, 18-16-1 O/U): The Wildcats followed their regular formula against Iowa, as their four top scorers all registered double-digit points - and combined for eight 3-pointers - while big man Daniel Ochefu took care of the rebounding (11) and the shot-blocking (three). "We definitely can go all the way as long as we stick to what we do," said Arcidiacono, who averages 12 points, putting him behind Josh Hart (15.4) and Kris Jenkins (13.3) on the squad. Hart, Jenkins, Arcidiacono and freshman Jalen Brunson have combined to take nearly 700 3-pointers this season and each shoots at least 35 percent from the 3-point line, not to mention at least 74 percent from the foul line, as well.
TRENDS:
* Miami is 4-1 ATS in its last five games versus a team with a winning percentage above .600.
* Villanova is 1-5 ATS in their last six versus Atlantic Coast conference opponents.
* Over is 9-2 in Miami's last 11 NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 8-1 in Wildcats last nine games following a SU win.
Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma: Betting Preview
By Covers.com
No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies vs. No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners (-2.5, 146)
Texas A&M completed the greatest comeback in college basketball history to reach the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament, and Thursday the third-seeded Aggies will try to maintain their momentum against No. 2 Oklahoma in the West Region game at Honda Center in Anaheim. Texas A&M rallied from 12 points down in the final 35 seconds before defeating Northern Iowa in overtime last weekend, earning a Sweet Sixteen matchup against its former Big 12 rival.
The Sooners are making their second straight trip to the Sweet Sixteen after losing to Michigan State in this round last season. Four players who started that game have started the last 102 for Oklahoma; Isaiah Cousins, Buddy Hield, Ryan Spangler and Jordan Woodard, each of whom has also scored at least 1,000 points in their respective careers. Hield, the two-time Big 12 Player of the Year, comes in averaging 25.4 points--second in the nation and tops among power 5 schools--and the 6-foot-4 senior guard has produced 63 points in the first two games of this tournament. Danuel House doesn't want his college career to end Thursday either, so expect the 6-7 forward for Texas A&M to continue playing at a high level, something he's done while averaging 24.7 points over the last three games.
LINE HISTORY: The point spread opened at -1.5 in favor of the higher seeded Sooners and the public hit that number hard early in the week which forced the books to bump the line up to -2.5. The total opened at 145 and was bet up slightly to 146. Check out the complete line history here.
WHAT BOOKS SAY: "We opened Oklahoma as a -2 point favorite with over 90 percent of the early action on the Sooners to cover. We are now sitting at Oklahoma -3 with over 85 percent of the action on Oklahoma to cover. Our total of 146.5 is getting 85 perent of the action on the OVER." - Michael Stewart of CarbonGaming.
ABOUT TEXAS A&M (28-8, 16-13-2 ATS, 14-17 O/U): The Aggies can't expect point guard Alex Caruso to score another 20-something points and more than triple his scoring average, as he did in the win against Northern Iowa, but demanding strong performances from their starting front court of Jalen Jones and Tyler Davis shouldn't be a stretch. Both match up well against Spangler and fellow Oklahoma big man Khadeem Lattin, who haven't been tested in a while. Jones, a 6-7 forward who's second on the team in scoring (15.4) and leads in rebounding (7.1), should take advantage of his quickness off the floor and the 6-10, 265-pound Davis will have a size advantage and regularly scores in double figures as well.
ABOUT OKLAHOMA (27-7, 12-20 ATS, 15-17 O/U): The Sooners will undoubtedly counter with their 3-point shooting proficiency, as they enter this game at 42.5 percent from beyond the arc this season, which is second best in the nation, and shot 41.3 in the two games last weekend in Oklahoma City. Hield was fourth in the nation in 3-point attempts (274) during the regular season and 20th in 3-point percentage (46.4), but opponents have been making it harder for him to beat them from deep the last several weeks. Hield made at least half of his 3-point attempts in 16 of the first 20 games, but only shot 50 percent or better once in the last 14 contests.
TRENDS:
* Texas A&M is 0-8 ATS in its last eight games after scoring more than 90 points in its last game.
* Oklahoma is 1-7 ATS in their last eight NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 5-0 in Texas A&M's last five games versus a team with a winning percentage above .600.
* Under is 11-3 in the last 14 meetings.
Duke vs. Oregon: Betting Preview
By Covers.com
No. 4 Duke Blue Devils vs. No. 1 Oregon Ducks (-3, 156.5)
Oregon has matched a school record for wins in a season, but anything short of a trip to the Final Four will rate as a disappointment for the top-seeded Ducks, who face No. 4 seed Duke in the NCAA Tournament West Region semifinal Thursday in Anaheim, Calif. The Blue Devils are trying to become the first team to win back-to-back national titles since Florida in 2006 and 2007.
The Ducks’ title hopes have new life, as they trailed by seven with five minutes remaining before rallying to beat No. 8 seed St. Joseph’s 69-64 on Sunday, avoiding becoming the first No. 1 seed to bow out of this year’s tournament. The Blue Devils know the feeling of flirting with disaster – they allowed No. 13 seed UNC Wilmington to hang around for most of their first-round matchup and squandered most of a 23-point halftime lead before holding off 12th-seeded Yale 71-64 on Saturday. “Our house is on a cliff, and we hope it doesn’t rain,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski told reporters. “That’s who we’ve been, and so I really have an appreciation for that.” It’s only the second meeting between the programs with Duke winning the first, 98-71 in Portland in 2010.
LINE HISTORY: The point spread for this game opened at -1.5 on the side of the no. 1 ranked team in the region. The public felt this number wasn't high enough and forced the books to move their initial line up to -3. The total opened at 156.5 and has been steady all week. Check out the complete line history here.
WHAT BOOKS SAY: "We opened Oregon as a -2.5 point favorite and all the early action was on the Ducks to cover that number. We are now up to Oregon -3.5 with just over 65 percent of the action on the Ducks to cover. The 156.5 total is seeing a slight edge towards the OVER, with 51 percent of wagers on it." - Michael Stewart of CarbonGaming.
ABOUT DUKE (25-10, 14-18-2 ATS, 15-19 O/U): The Blue Devils have evolved significantly since losing star big man Amile Jefferson to a broken foot in December. They now rely heavily on their outside shooting, and when they’re hitting from the perimeter it can mask other shortcomings – like a 42-28 deficit on the boards against Yale. Leading scorer Grayson Allen (21.8 points), standout freshman Brandon Ingram (17.1 points, 6.8 rebounds) and junior guard Matt Jones (10.5 points) all can light it up from outside, but the Blue Devils also need 7-footer Marshall Plumlee (8.4 points, 8.7 rebounds) to be effective in the post to pull off the upset.
ABOUT OREGON (30-6, 20-13 ATS, 15-18 O/U): The Ducks are extremely efficient at the offensive end with point guard Casey Benson (5.9 points, 4.7-to-1 assists-to-turnovers) spreading the wealth among a quartet of double-digit scorers. The frontcourt does much of the damage – a potential matchup problem for Duke – with forwards Dillon Brooks (16.8 points, 5.6 rebounds) and Elgin Cook (14.5 points, 5.1 rebounds) leading the way. The Ducks also defend the post well, but their perimeter defense has been suspect at times, which they can’t afford against an excellent 3-point shooting Duke team.
TRENDS:
* Duke is 7-1 ATS in its last eight NCAA Tournament games.
* Oregon a 0-4 ATS in their last four versus Atlantic Coast conference opponents.
* Under is 7-1 in Duke's last eight games following a SU win.
* Over is 4-1 in Ducks last five non-conference games.
Sweet 16 - South Region
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com
Miami vs. Villanova
The South Region semifinals will take place in Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center. The lid-lifter on Thursday will pit second-seeded Villanova (31-5 straight up, 17-17 against the spread) against third-seeded Miami. The winner will move on to face the Kansas-Maryland survivor on Saturday.
The Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas opened Villanova as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 142.5 points. As of early Wednesday afternoon, the Wildcats were favored by four with the total down to 140. Jay Wright’s team is a two-point ‘chalk’ for first-half wagers, while the Hurricanes are +165 on the money line (for the game, that is).
Villanova is back in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2009, finally advancing past the first weekend by destroying Iowa 87-68 this past Sunday afternoon in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicated. ‘Nova raced out to a 54-29 halftime lead and was up by as many as 34, easily taking the cash as a six-point favorite. Josh Hart scored a team-high 19 points, while Ryan Acridiacono added 16 points and four assists without committing a turnover. Kris Jenkins finished with 15 points and six assists without a turnover.
Villanova sent UNC Asheville packing quickly in Friday’s meeting at Barclays Arena in Brooklyn. Wright’s team rolled to an 86-56 win as a 17.5-point favorite. Daniel Ochefu was the catalyst with 17 points, 10 rebounds, three blocked shots, one steal and four assists without a turnover. Arcidiacono finished with 14 points and four assists, draining 4-of-6 launches from downtown.
Arcidiacono is the type of senior point guard every coach craves in the NCAA Tournament. In Villanova’s last 11 games, he has an incredible 61/9 assists-to-turnovers ratio. For the season. Arcidiacono averages 12.0 points, 4.4 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. He has made 37.5 percent of his attempts from 3-range and is burying free throws at an 82.3 percent clip.
Villanova has posted a 6-6 spread record in 12 games as a single-digit favorite this year.
Miami (27-7 SU, 19-13 ATS) bounced Wichita State from the Round of 32 by capturing a 65-57 win over Wichita State as a two-point underdog. Angel Rodriguez led the winners with 28 points, five assists and four steals, while Sheldon McClellan finished with 18 points. UM shot at a 55.3 percent clip from the field and buried 58.3 percent from 3-point territory. The Hurricanes’ defense limited Wichita State stars Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet to 12 points apiece, as both finished their terrific collegiate careers with 4-of-12 shooting performances from the field.
Miami failed to cover the number in a 79-72 win over Buffalo on Thursday in its first NCAA Tournament game. The Bulls took the money as 14-point underdogs. Rodriguez led the Hurricanes into the win column by tallying 24 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and one blocked shot. McClellan added 20 points.
Miami has played in the underdog role six times this year, posting a 3-3 record both SU and ATS.
The ‘over’ is on a 9-2 run for the Wildcats, who have watched the ‘over’ go 18-16-1 overall.
The ‘under’ is 17-16 overall for the ‘Canes, but they have seen the ‘over’ go 3-1 in their last four outings.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. Eastern on CBS.
Maryland vs. Kansas
The Westgate opened No. seed Kansas (32-4 SU, 20-11 ATS) as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 146. As of Wednesday afternoon, the number for the side had yet to budge, but the tally was down to 143.5 points. KU is a 3.5-point ‘chalk’ for first-half bets, while the Terrapins are +260 on the money line for the game (risk $100 to win $260).
Bill Self’s team advanced past No. 16 seed Austin Peay by capturing a 105-79 win as a 24.5-point favorite. Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk paced KU with 23 points after banging home 4-of-5 launches from 3-point land. Perry Ellis added 21 points for the Jayhawks.
Kansas raced out to a 44-24 lead over UConn in the Round of 32. The Huskies did mount a nice run, however, slicing the deficit to 50-41 with 9:33 remaining. But they would get no closer as 8.5-point underdogs. Wayne Selden Jr. was the catalyst with 22 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Ellis added 21 points and eight boards, hitting 9-of-12 shots from the field. Devonte’ Graham was also in double figures with 13 points.
KU has thrived as a single-digit favorite this season, posting an 11-5 ATS record. The Jayhawks have been even bigger money makers in such spots recently, going 7-1 versus the number in their last eight outings as single-digit ‘chalk.’ The only non-cover came against Baylor at the Big 12 Tournament, where the Bears turned a 16-point deficit in the final two minutes into a backdoor cover as seven-point underdogs.
Ellis averages a team-high 16.9 PPG and pulls down 5.9 rebounds per contest. Selden scores at a 13.6 PPG clip, Frank Mason (12.8 PPG) has a 167/68 assists-to-turnovers ratio. Graham (11.4 PPG) has a team-high 52 steals and has handed out 137 helpers.
Maryland (27-8 SU, 16-17 ATS) advanced to the Sweet 16 by eliminating No. 13 seed Hawaii 73-60 as a 7.5-point favorite in the Round of 32. Mark Turgeon’s team dodged a matchup with fourth-seeded Cal after it lost to the Warriors in part due to the absence of All Pac-12 guard Tyrone Wallace.
Melo Trimble led the way against Hawaii with 24 points and eight rebounds. Rasheed Sulaimon added 14 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Diamond Stone contributed 14 points. Jake Layman finished with 10 points and six boards.
In the Round of 64, No. 5 seed Maryland got all it wanted from South Dakota St. in a 79-74 triumph as a nine-point ‘chalk.’ Layman erupted for 27 points on 5-of-8 shooting from 3-point range. Trimble finished with 19 points before fouling out.
Maryland has been an underdog five times this season, limping to a 1-3-1 spread record with zero outright victories.
Trimble averages team-highs in scoring (14.8 PPG), assists (4.9 APG) and steals (1.3 SPG). Stone (12.7 PPG), the freshman center who was five-star recruit, leads the Terps in field-goal percentage (56.9%) and blocked shots (1.6 BPG). Robert Carter, a transfer from Ga. Tech, averages 12.4 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
The ‘under’ is 20-13-1 overall for the Terps.
The ‘under’ is 20-12-1 overall for KU, but the ‘over’ is 4-2-1 in its last seven outings.
Sweet 16 - West Region
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com
Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma
All four of the top seeds in the West Region are still alive. These four schools will rendezvous Thursday at Honda Center in Anaheim. In the lid-lifter, second-seeded Oklahoma (27-7 straight up, 12-20 against the spread) will take on Texas A&M in a battle of former Big 12 adversaries. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. Eastern on TBS.
The Westgate SuperBook opened Oklahoma as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 145 points. As of Wednesday morning, the betting shop was had OU favored by two with a total of 146. The Aggies were +115 on the money line (risk $100 to win $115). For first-half wagers, the Sooners were one-point ‘chalk.’
Lon Kruger’s team is mired in an atrocious ATS slump, failing to cover in seven straight games and 11 of its last 13.
OU advanced to the West Region semifinals with wins over Cal-State Bakersfield (82-68) and VCU (85-81) on Friday and Sunday, respectively. Buddy Hield dropped a game-high 27 points on the Roadrunners, but his team just barely failed to cover the spread as a 14.5-point ‘chalk.’ Isaiah Cousins added 16 points and five assists, while Jordan Woodard finished with 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range.
VCU’s program is in good shape moving forward with Will Wade, who replaced Shaka Smart following his exit to Texas. The Rams gave OU fits for 40 minutes, even surging into the lead with less than seven minutes remaining after trailing by 13 at intermission. But Hield’s triple with 6:37 left gave the Sooners a 69-67 lead that they wouldn’t let get away. Nevertheless, VCU took the cash as a 6.5-point underdog in the 85-81 setback. Hield scored 29 of his 36 points in the second half. Woodard finished with 17 points, four rebounds, two steals and four assists compared to merely one turnover. Cousins hit 6-of-13 shots from the field in a 15-point effort.
Kruger owns an 18-16 career record (52.9%) in the NCAA Tournament with one trip to the Final Four. He took third-seeded Florida led by Dan Cross and Craig Brown to the 1994 national semifinals. I was there in Charlotte and UF led the Blue Devils by 11 midway through the second half after Andrew DeClercq banked home a 15-foot jumper from inside the top of the key. However, Grant Hill took over down the stretch and led Duke to a slim victory sealed by a shaky charging call whistled against Cross when the Gators were down by three in the final 10 seconds. Arkansas and Nolan Richardson would beat Duke on Scotty Thurman’s late 3-ball two nights later.
Kruger has taken five different schools to the Sweet 16 – Kansas State, Florida, Illinois, UNLV and Oklahoma.
Texas A&M (28-8 SU, 16-13-2 ATS) still has a pulse thanks to the biggest last-minute comeback in NCAA Tournament history in Sunday’s epic double-overtime win over No. Iowa by a 92-88 count as a seven-point ‘chalk.’ The Aggies’ star Danuel House didn’t score his first bucket of the game until 25.1 seconds were left in regulation. Texas A&M trailed by 12 with 44 seconds left, but it would force four turnovers and hit six straight shots, including a crucial trey by House and a 3-point play the hard way by Alex Caruso, who was given the and-one whistle even though it appeared the defender Paul Jesperson didn’t even touch him. When NIU’s Wes Washpun fouled out with 3:41 left in the first OT on another shaky call, House was able to get to work after Washpun had locked him up all day. Jesperson had a made a halfcourt shot at the buzzer to beat Texas two nights before, and he had a similar opportunity at the end of the first extra session. However, even though he had about four seconds left and could’ve dribbled or even passed into the frontcourt, Jesperson launched another half-court heave that wasn’t even close this time around. In the second OT, House and the Aggies took over. In fact, they could’ve pushed or even covered with better free-throw shooting in double OT, but that would’ve give NIU backers the worst bad beat of all-time. Caruso finished with 25 points and nine rebounds, while House somehow managed to score 22 and pull down eight boards.
Texas A&M smashed Wisconsin-Green Bay 92-65 as a 13-point favorite in the Round of 64. House made 8-of-12 shots, including 2-of-3 from long distance, en route to scoring a team-high 20 points. Tonny Trocha-Morelos added 15 points, six rebounds and four assists without any turnovers, while Tyler Davis scored 12 points and pulled down seven boards.
Billy Kennedy now owns a 3-2 career record (66.7%) in the NCAA Tournament.
Texas A&M has been an underdog five times this season, producing a 2-3 record both SU and ATS. The Aggies won at home against Kentucky and beat Gonzaga in the Bahamas as underdogs. They took a bad beat to UK in the SEC Tournament finals, losing by five in overtime as four-point ‘dogs.
In 11 games against teams that made the NCAA’s 68-team field, the Aggies are 8-3 SU and 7-4 ATS.
The ‘under’ had cashed in 10 consecutive games for Oklahoma, but the ‘over’ hit in both of its games in Oklahoma City last weekend. The ‘under’ is 17-15 overall for OU.
The ‘under’ is 17-14 overall for the Aggies, but they have seen the ‘over’ hit in three consecutive games and five of their last six.
Duke vs. Oregon
The second West Region semifinal will start 30 minutes after OU-A&M concludes, which should be at about 10:05 p.m. Eastern on TBS.
The Westgate opened top-seeded Oregon (30-6 SU, 20-13 ATS) as a two-point favorite with a total of 156.5. As of Wednesday morning, the Ducks were favored by three and the total was up to 157. Gamblers can take the Blue Devils to win outright for a +135 return (risk $100 to win $135). Oregon is a 1.5-point ‘chalk’ for first-half bets.
Oregon advanced to the Sweet 16 with wins over Holy Cross and St. Joseph’s. Dana Altman’s squad smashed the Crusaders by a 91-52 count as a 22.5-point favorite. The 143 combined points jumped ‘over’ the 133.5-point total. Chris Boucher led the way with a team-best 20 points. Elgin Cook added 11 points, 13 rebounds and four assists.
In Sunday’s Round-of-32 showdown vs. St. Joseph’s, Oregon captured a 69-64 win as a seven-point ‘chalk.’ Clinging to a three-point lead in the final seconds, Tyler Dorsey came up with a loose ball after St. Joe’s star DeAndre’ Bembry lost control of his dribble. Dorsey, who had hit a trey to give the Ducks a 61-60 advantage with 1:57 left, went to the line and put the game away with a pair of free throws. Dillon Brooks led the winners with a game-high 25 points, draining 4-of-7 attempts from behind the 3-point arc. Cook contributed 18 points, four rebounds and four assists, while Dorsey finished with 14 points and seven boards.
The win over St. Joe’s gave Oregon its first 30-win season in school history.
Oregon has won 10 in a row and hasn’t tasted defeat since a Feb. 13 loss at Stanford. The Ducks are 6-2 ATS in their last eight contests.
Oregon has been a single-digit favorite 18 times, compiling a 10-8 spread record.
Duke (25-10 SU, 14-18-2 ATS) nearly blew a 27-point lead over Yale in last Saturday’s Round of 32 matchup. The Bulldogs trimmed the deficit down to three at crunch time, but the Blue Devils coupled a few stops and 4-of-5 free-throw shooting in the last 33 seconds to pull out a 71-64 win. The makes at the stripe allowed Duke backers to cash a sketchy ticket laying six points. The spread cover for Mike Krzyzewski’s team halted a 0-6 ATS slump.
Duke sophomore star Grayson Allen scored 22 of his game-high 29 points in the first half. Brandon Ingram added 25 points against the Bulldogs, who were in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1962.
Duke got all it wanted from Yale and UNC-Wilmington put up a great fight on Thursday afternoon, too. The Blue Devils won a 93-85 decision despite trailing by three at halftime. They failed to cover as 10-point favorites. Allen was the catalyst with 23 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Marshall Plumlee finished with 23 points, eight boards and three blocked shots, while Ingram tallied 20 points, nine boards and a pair of rejections.
Duke has been an underdog six times this year, limping to a 1-4-1 spread with one outright win (at North Carolina).
Altman owns an 8-11 career record (42.1%) in the NCAA Tournament. On the flip side, Krzyzewski is 90-26 (77.6%) with 12 trips to the Final Four and five national titles to his credit.
These schools haven’t met since Nov. 27 of 2010 in Portland, where Duke coasted to a 98-71 win as a 20-point favorite. Kyle Singler dropped 30 points on the Ducks in his return to his home state.
The ‘under’ is 18-15 overall for the Ducks.
The ‘under’ is 19-15 overall for Duke, cashing at a 9-3 clip in its last 12 games.
B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets
Matt Youmans of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported several days ago that the Westgate has banned cigarette smoking from the sports book. Thank the heavens!! Now if every other shop in Vegas would so the same, I would be elated. The worst thing about Las Vegas – by far!!! – is the fact that people (most of them, it seems) smoke cigarettes 24/7 inside.
Youmans, who writes a betting blog and has been UNLV’s basketball beat writer for a decade, tells me Cincinnati’s Mick Cronin is not going to UNLV. That was my guess, as I figured he was using the possibility of joining the Runnin’ Rebels to leverage a raise from UC, his alma mater. Gary Parrish of CBS Sports reported that Cronin is “looking to move,” however. He currently makes $2.2 million annually with the Bearcats. A different potential destination could be Pittsburgh.
Brad Underwood is the new head coach at Oklahoma State. Underwood, a Kansas State alum, took Stephen F. Austin to three consecutive NCAA Tournaments while compiling an 89-14 record in three years. The Lumberjacks took it to third-seeded West Virginia in an easy win Friday night. Then they lost a heartbreaker to Notre Dame on a late tip-in with 1.4 seconds remaining. The Cowboys won just one NCAA Tournament game during Travis Ford’s eight-year tenure.
The level of coaching in the Big 12 went up a bunch Monday. In an absolute coup, TCU brought home former player Jamie Dixon by plucking him away from Pittsburgh. The hire is a home run for the Horned Frogs, but the rebuild job for Dixon is a monumental task. TCU hasn’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 1998 and hasn’t won an NCAA game since 1987.
Former Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins has landed a new gig at UCF, replacing former Billy Donovan assistant Donnie Jones. Stanford fired Dawkins after eight seasons last week.
North Carolina has covered the number in six straight games as a single-digit ‘chalk.’ The Tar Heels are favored by 5.5 vs. Indiana on Friday night.