NCAAB Betting News and Notes Friday, March 24th, 2017

NCAAB Knowledge

Roy Williams has been a 1-seed in four regionals where 1-4 seeds all made it to this point; he advanced to Final Four three of those four years. Since 1993, North Carolina is 12-1 in this round, losing to Wisconsin two years ago; Tar Heels are #113 experience team, starting three juniors two seniors- they’re 14-2 outside ACC, but didn’t play any Big East teams. Butler won six of last eight games; they beat 13/12-seeds to get here last weekend. Bulldogs are #63 experience team, starting three seniors- they’re in Sweet 16 for first time since Brad Stevens bolted for NBA. Since ’06, 1-seeds are 8-10 vs spread when facing a 4-seed in this round, 3-0 the last two years.

Before last week, South Carolina hadn’t won an NCAA game since 1973; Gamecocks scored 93-88 points in beating Marquette/Duke LW after coming into tourney on 3-6 skid. Carolina has two terrific seniors (Thornwell/Notice) but otherwise is very young- they force turnovers 24.5% of time (#4). Baylor is 13-0 outside Big X; they scored 91-82 points in wins over New Mexico St/USC last week. Bears are #102 experience team starting two sophs, two juniors- they’re #305 at protecting the ball, bit of a red flag. Since 2009, 7-seeds are 4-0 in Sweet 16 games against 3-seeds. Gamecocks were in NYC in November, beating Syracuse in Brooklyn.

UCLA made 10-23 on arc, won 97-92 in 83-possession track meet at Rupp Arena Dec 3, where six of 10 starters were freshmen. Six Bruins scored between 13-19 points. UCLA plays #15 pace but have thin bench (#331 minutes); they won 12 of last 13 games, are 15-0 outside Pac-12, with wins over Texas A&M/Kentucky of SEC. Kentucky won its last 13 games; they’re 12-2 outside the SEC, splitting pair with Pac-12 (beat ASU by 46). Wildcats play #22 pace; their subs play #217 minutes- they had to work in both games last week, wins over No Kentucky/Wichita State. Over last two years, Pac-12 teams are 13-2 vs SEC teams (both losses Kentucky over ASU).

Wisconsin is 16th team in last 30 years to upset a 1-seed in 2nd round; previous 15 teams went 8-7 SU in this round, 7-5 vs spread as an underdog. Badgers are #59 experience team; they’ve got guys who’ve played/won a lot together (115-34 last four years, 13-3 in NCAA games)- they’re 7-1-1 vs spread in last nine NCAA tourney games as an underdog. Florida won its two games LW by 15-26 points, after coming in on a 1-3 skid; Gators are #71 experience team, starting a junior, two seniors- they weren’t in last two NCAA’s, so this is new for players/coach. Florida is #11 in country at defending the arc; like just about everyone, they prefer a faster pace than Wisconsin.

Armadillosports.com

NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Betting Preview:: Wisconsin vs. Florida
By Covers.com

Wisconsin Badgers vs. Florida Gators (-2, 131.5)

Florida and Wisconsin are two of the most impressive teams in the NCAA Tournament, and one is about to move a step closer to another Final Four trip. The fourth-seeded Gators and eighth-seeded Badgers square off Friday in New York City in an intriguing Sweet 16 matchup in the East Region.

Florida, of course, won back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007 and returned to the Final Four in 2014, while Wisconsin is aiming for its third Final Four berth in the last four seasons. The Badgers became the only team in the nation to advance to four straight Sweet 16s when they upset No. 1 overall seed Villanova in the Round of 32 last weekend thanks to continued terrific play from Bronson Koenig. "We talked about the legacy we want to leave," the senior guard said this week. "Getting to the Final Four is one of the goals we talked about since the end of last season." The Gators held Virginia to 39 points in the second round and hope to get another strong performance out of Devin Robinson as they aim to derail the Badgers.

LINE HISTORY: The Gators opened as 1.5-point chalk against the Badgers and that number has been bet up half-point to an even 2. The total hit the betting board at 131.5 and briefly faded to 131 before returning to the opening number, where it currently stands. Check out the complete line history here.

INJURY REPORT:

Wisconsin - No injuries to report.

Florida - C John Egbunu (Out For Season, knee), F Dontay Bassett (Out For Season, foot)

ABOUT WISCONSIN: The Badgers have two key seniors with multiple Final Four experience in Koenig, who has drained 11 3-pointers en route to 45 points through two games of this event, and Nigel Hayes, who is averaging 17.5 points and nine boards through two NCAA contests. Ethan Happ, who notched at least 10 points and eight rebounds in five straight games, is another cause for concern for the Gators. On the downside for Wisconsin, its bench shot a collective 5-of-16 in the Big Dance and the reserves totaled three points against Villanova.

ABOUT FLORIDA: The Gators are 8-1 all-time in the Sweet 16 and have an excellent shot at improving that mark if Robinson continues to shine. The junior forward had 14 points and 11 rebounds against Virginia and is averaging 19 points - way up from his season average of 11.4 - through the first two games of the tournament. On the other hand, Florida's leading scorer on the season is KeVaughn Allen, a normally sweet-shooting sophomore who is 1-of-13 from 3-point range and 3-of-21 overall in the tournament, totaling 11 points in the Gators' two victories.

TRENDS:

* Badgers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog of 0.5-6.5.
* Gators are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games as a favorite of 0.5-6.5.
* Under is 10-1 in Badgers last 11 games as an underdog.
* Under is 12-3-1 in Badgers last 16 neutral site games.
* Under is 6-1 in Gators last 7 games following a ATS win.

CONSENSUS: 55 percent are siding with the underdog Badgers. As for the total, 53 percent of wagers are taking the Over.

NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Betting Preview: South Carolina vs Baylor
By Covers.com

South Carolina Gamecocks vs Baylor Bears (-3.5, 135)

Seventh-seeded South Carolina takes part in the school's first Sweet 16 under the current NCAA Tournament format when it faces third-seeded Baylor on Friday night in the East Region at Madison Square Garden in New York. And Gamecocks coach Frank Martin, whose team advanced thanks to what some are calling the biggest win in school history -- an 88-81 upset of second-seeded Duke on Sunday night, wants to make sure his team isn't satisfied just to be there.

South Carolina, which tied Arkansas for third place in the SEC, had barely began celebrating the victory over the Blue Devils in the locker room when Martin told his squad, "Hey, let's go win this thing." Mighty big talk for a team that hadn't won an NCAA Tournament game in 44 years until knocking off No. 10 seed Marquette 93-73 in the first round but Martin wasn't backing down when asked about the comment during a press conference this week. "I was too emotional to talk," Martin said, "and at the same time I want those kids to believe (that) you guys have earned the right to go to the Sweet 16, that means you're good enough to play anyone in the country. ... I thought it was a powerful moment to let them know. It's doesn't mean that we're going to win it but I believe we can win it." With No. 1 Villanova and No. 2 Duke out of the way in the East, Baylor, which began the year unranked, also has it sights set on getting to the Final Four as All-American forward Johnathan Motley told reporters: "I'm thankful for the opportunity and I want to take advantage of it."

LINE HISTORY: The Baylor Bears opened as 3-point favorites over South Carolina and by Monday afternoon that number was up a half point to -3.5. The total hit the board at 136.5 and has been bet down to 135. Check out the complete line history here.

INJURY REPORT:

South Carolina - G Kory Holden (Out For Season, eligibility).

Baylor - No injuries to report.

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA: SEC Player of the Year Sindarius Thornwell was somewhat under the radar nationally until Sunday's upset of Duke when the 6-5 senior guard filled up the stat sheet with 24 points, six rebounds and a team-high five assists as the Gamecocks exploded for 65 second-half points. Thornwell leads the team in scoring (21.4), rebounding (7.3) and steals (2.2) while shooting 39.8 percent from 3-point range and is the leader of a tough and physical defense that forced 18 Duke turnovers. Chris Silva, a 6-9 sophomore forward, added a career-high 17 points to go along with 10 rebounds against the Blue Devils and is averaging 10.0 points and 5.8 rebounds.

ABOUT BAYLOR: This marks the fourth time in 14 seasons under Scott Drew that the Bears made it to the Sweet 16 and they've advanced to the Elite Eight twice with wins over Saint Mary's in 2010 and Xavier in 2012 while losing to No. 2 seed Wisconsin in 2014. Motley, a 6-10 junior forward who has played himself into NBA lottery consideration, leads the team in scoring (17.3) and led the Big 12 in rebounding (9.9), and had 19 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in the Bears' 82-78 second-round victory over USC. Junior point guard Manu Lecomte (12.3) is the only other player averaging in double figures but 7-0 junior forward Jo Lual-Acuil Jr., who averages 9.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks, and junior guard Al Freeman, who had 21 points in the team's 91-73 first-round victory over New Mexico State, have also been impact performers.

TRENDS:

* Gamecocks are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.
* Bears are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 vs. Southeastern.
* Over is 7-0 in Gamecocks last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Over is 6-1 in Bears last 7 NCAA Tournament games as a favorite.
* Underdog is 6-0 ATS in the last 6 meetings.

CONSENSUS: 60 percent are taking chalk with the Baylor Bears and Over is picking up 54 percent of the totals wagers.

NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Betting Preview: UCLA vs. Kentucky
By Covers.com

UCLA Bruins vs Kentucky Wildcats (PK, 165.5)

UCLA knows what it takes to defeat Kentucky, and the third-seeded Bruins try to take down the No. 2 seed Wildcats for the second time this season when they meet in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 on Friday at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tenn. UCLA defeated Kentucky on Dec. 3 in 2015 and again in 2016, each time when the Wildcats were ranked No. 1 in the coaches' poll.

The Bruins earned their latest victory against Kentucky much the way they've beaten every team on their schedule this season, getting balanced scoring on high-percentage shots from their starting five. UCLA's five starters scored from 14 to 19 points and Aaron Holiday contributed 13 off the bench in the 97-92 win in December. The Wildcats lean on 6-3 freshmen guards Malik Monk and De'Aaron Fox, who each had big games in the earlier meeting against the Bruins. Monk, who averages 20 points, scored 24 in December, and Fox, who averages 16.1, scored 20. The key matchup could be between 6-10 freshman forwards Bam Adebayo of Kentucky and T.J. Leaf of UCLA, who logged double-doubles in their earlier matchup.

LINE HISTORY: UCLA hit the board as 1-point favorites but that number quickly jumped the fence and, as of Thursday afternoon, Kentucky was sitting at -1. The total meanwhile, has slowly and continually been fading since opening at 169. the current number is 165.5. Check out the complete line history here.

INJURY REPORT:

UCLA - G Armani Dodson (Out Indefinitely, shoulder), G Prince Ali (Out For Season, knee), F Alex Olesinski (Out For Season, foot)

Kentucky - F Sacha Killeya-Jones (Out Indefinitely, illness)

ABOUT UCLA (31-4 SU, 17-18 ATS, 16-17-2 O/U): Bruins freshman point guard Lonzo Ball had one of his most impressive performances of the season in the second round and should be motivated to play well against the freshman backcourt of Kentucky. Ball had 18 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and one turnover in the 79-67 victory Sunday against Cincinnati, shooting 7-for-10 from the floor and 4-for-7 from 3-point range. He had 14 points, seven assists and six rebounds in the first meeting with the Wildcats, so they have a blueprint of the damage he can inflict.

ABOUT KENTUCKY (31-5 SU, 18-17-1 ATS, 17-19 O/U): Isaiah Briscoe is the third starting guard for the Wildcats and also has good size at 6-3, and is the best rebounder in the backcourt, posting four double-doubles this season and ranking second on the team at 5.4 rebounds. The Bruins need to decide who to put on Briscoe, and that could be Ball, who has the length at 6-6 to keep him off the glass. That would require UCLA senior guard Bryce Alford to guard Fox or Monk, and he doesn't have the foot speed to stay in front of either one.

TRENDS:

* Bruins are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 non-conference games.
* Wildcats are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 6-1 in Bruins last 7 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 12-2 in Wildcats last 14 games following a straight up win.
* Bruins are 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.

CONSENSUS: 58 percent are siding with UCLA and Under is picking up 52 percent of the totals wagers.

NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Betting Preview: Butler vs. North Carolina
By Covers.com

Butler Bulldogs vs North Carolina Tar Heels (-7.5, 153)

Butler has a history of pulling off upsets in the NCAA Tournament, but the fourth-seeded Bulldogs face a tough matchup against No. 1 seed North Carolina in the South Region semifinals Friday in Memphis, Tenn. Butler is trying to knock off a No. 1 seed for the third time after doing so in 2010 and 2011 en route to back-to-back championship game appearances.

The Bulldogs breezed through the first weekend with relative ease as they never trailed in wins over Winthrop 76-64 and Middle Tennessee 74-65, and spent a total of 1:18 tied in those contests. The Tar Heels had a much tougher time and had to rally from a five-point deficit in the final three minutes of a 72-65 victory over Arkansas in the second round. “Sometimes you need games like that,” North Carolina guard Joel Berry II told reporters. “We haven’t had a game like that in a while. Now we know we can win a game when we’re down five with three minutes to go.” The Tar Heels are in the Sweet 16 for the third straight year and the ninth time in the past 13 seasons.

LINE HISTORY: The Tar Heels hit the board as 7-point favorites and that number has yet to move. The total opened at 152.5 and has been bet up half-point to the current number of 153. Check out the complete line history here.

INJURY REPORT:

Butler - No injuries to report

North Carolina - G Joel Berry II (Questionable, ankle), G Kenny Williams (Out For Season, knee)

ABOUT BUTLER: The Bulldogs have been crisp on offense in the tournament, shooting 50 percent overall and 47 percent from 3-point range, with Memphis transfer Avery Woodson (8.9 points) going 8-of-14 from behind the arc. They’ll need to continue that to keep pace with North Carolina, and Butler also needs to keep limiting its turnovers – the Bulldogs average 10.2 per game, ninth-fewest in the nation. Swingman Kelan Martin (16 points, 5.8 rebounds) leads the Bulldogs in scoring and rebounding, while forward Andrew Chrabascz (11.1 points, 4.5 rebounds) and freshman guard Kamar Baldwin (10 points) also score in double digits.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA: The Tar Heels nearly met their match with Arkansas’ frenetic style of play, but their up-tempo game should match up better against the Bulldogs. North Carolina has no shortage of offensive weapons, beginning with swingman Justin Jackson (18.1 points, 4.7 rebounds) and forwards Kennedy Meeks (12.7 points, 9.1 rebounds) and Isaiah Hicks (12.4 points, 5.7 rebounds). The biggest question for the Tar Heels is the status of Berry (14.4 points, 3.7 assists), who has been hobbled by an ankle injury and struggled to a 2-for-13 shooting performance against the Razorbacks.

TRENDS:

* Bulldogs are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog.
* Bulldogs are 20-4-2 ATS in their last 26 NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 4-0 in Bulldogs last 4 overall.
* Under is 9-1-1 in Tar Heels last 11 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 4-1 in Tar Heels last 5 games as a favorite of 7.0-12.5.

CONSENSUS: Fifty-eight percent are taking the underdog Butler Bulldogs and OVER is grabbing 62 percent of the action on the totals.

Sweet 16 - East Regional
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

Four schools are headed to the bright lights of the big city for the East Region semifinals. One will emerge Sunday with a bid to next week’s Final Four in Phoenix. Let’s take a look at Friday night’s doubleheader at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

No. 7 South Carolina vs. No. 3 Baylor

As of early Thursday night, most books had Baylor (27-7 straight up, 15-14 against the spread) listed as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 135. The Gamecocks were available on the money line for a +150 payout (risk $100 to win $150).

Baylor was eliminated from the 2015 and 2016 NCAA Tournaments via first-round upsets by Georgia State and Yale, but the Bears are back in the Sweet 16 this year for the first time since 2014. They own a 2-1 record in the region-semifinals round during Scott Drew’s tenure.

Drew owns an 8-6 record in the Tournament during his reign at Baylor.

Baylor advanced to the second round with a 91-73 triumph over New Mexico State as an 11.5-point ‘chalk.’ The 164 combined points went ‘over’ the 135-point tally. The Aggies actually held a two-point advantage at halftime, but the Bears outscored them by a 53-33 margin in the final 20 minutes. Ali Freeman scored a team-best 21 points thanks to 3-of-3 shooting from 3-point range and 6-of-6 shooting at the free-throw line. Terry Maston added 19 points and nine rebounds in 22 minutes of action from off of the bench. Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. finished with 16 points and three blocked shots, while Johnathan Motley contributed 15 points, 10 boards and two blocks.

Baylor advanced to the East Region semifinals thanks to an 82-78 win over Southern Cal as a 5.5-point favorite. The Trojans took the cash on a one-handed buzzer-beating putback from several feet out. Maston led the winners with 19 points and nine rebounds, while King McClure hit 5-of-8 shots from 3-point land in a 17-point effort. Motley finished with 19 points and 10 boards before fouling out after 27 minutes of playing time.

I’ve always felt rim protection and interior defense is about as important as any factor for a team looking to make noise in March. The Bears are good in this area thanks to Lual-Acuil, who averages 2.5 blocked shots per game.

Motley averages team-highs in scoring (17.3 PPG) and rebounding (9.9 RPG).

Baylor is ranked 20th in the nation in scoring defense (63.5 points per game) and 22nd in field-goal percentage defense (40.4%).

South Carolina (24-10 SU, 13-16 ATS) has been an underdog eight times this year, compiling a 4-3-1 spread record with four outright victories.

Frank Martin’s team pulled the Tournament’s biggest stunner to date with last Sunday night’s 88-81 win over second-seeded Duke as a 6.5-point underdog. USC trailed by seven at intermission after making just 7-of-35 first-half shots (20.0%), only to score 65 points in the second half. Sindarius Thornwell, the SEC Player of the Year, produced 24 points, six rebounds and five assists. Chris Silva had a double-double, contributing 17 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots. Duane Notice finished with 17 points, four boards and three steals, while Rakym Felder had 15 points, four rebounds and three assists without a turnover.

South Carolina advanced to the Round of 32 thanks to a 93-73 blowout win over Marquette in a pick ‘em affair. The 166 combined points soared ‘over’ the 143.5-point total. Thornwell was the catalyst with 29 points, 11 rebounds, three steals, two blocked shots and two assists compared to only one turnover. P.J. Dozier added 21 points, four boards, four assists and a pair of steals.

South Carolina had not won an NCAA Tournament game since 1972 until last weekend in Greenville. In nine all-time Tourney appearances, the Gamecocks own a 6-9 record. This is their first Tourney showing since 2004.

South Carolina is ranked ninth in the nation at defending the 3-point arc (30.0%), 18th in FG percentage defense (40.0%) and 32nd in scoring defense (65.2 points per game).

During Frank Martin’s tenure at Kansas State, he posted a 4-4 record against the Bears. -- The ‘under’ is 17-13-1 overall for the Gamecocks, but they’ve seen the ‘over’ hit in back-to-back contests.

No. 4 Florida vs. No. 8 Wisconsin

As of early Thursday night, most betting shops had Florida (26-8 SU, 19-13 ATS) installed as a two-point favorite with a total of 131.5. The Badgers were +110 or +115 on the money line.

Florida is back in the Sweet 16 for the first time in three years and the 11th time in the program’s history. The Gators have thrived in region semifinals play, posting an 8-2 record. The lone defeats came in 1987 (Syracuse in the Meadowlands) and 1999 (Gonzaga on Casey Calvary’s tip in Phoenix). They have won seven straight Sweet 16 games.

According to Chris Harry, the long-time UF hoops beat writer, the team arrived at Newark Airport around 5:40 p.m. Easter on Wednesday. The Gators took a bus to their headquarters at the Grand Hyatt at Park Avenue Central. MSG is within 15 blocks or about a mile and change. On Thursday, UF practiced at St. Francis University before an open shoot-around at MSG.

Mike White owns a 2-0 career coaching record in the NCAA Tournament after last weekend in Orlando. Florida only led East Tennessee State by one at halftime last Thursday night, but Chris Chiozza sparked a 10-1 second-half run that allowed the Gators to get separation en route to an 80-65 victory as 9.5-point favorites. Devin Robinson paced UF with 24 points, seven rebounds and a pair of blocked shots. Kasey Hill added 14 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals, while Chiozza contributed 14 points, five boards, three assists and one steal.

Florida faced Virginia from out of the ACC in the Round of 32. UF raced out to an early lead and coasted to an easy 65-39 win as a two-point ‘chalk.’ The 104 combined points dropped ‘under’ the 125.5-point total. Justin Leon and Robinson both posted double-doubles. Leon went for 14 points and 10 rebounds, while D-Rob finished with 14 points and 11 boards. Chiozza added seven points, four rebounds, two steals and five assists compared to just one turnover.

Two developments to note coming out of UF’s first two games: The Gators easily advanced despite the shooting struggles of their leading scorer, KeVaughn Allen, who was an abysmal 3-of-21 from the field in Orlando. However, the sophomore guard out of Little Rock was on fire when UF faced Duke at MSG on Dec. 6. Allen dropped 21 points on the Blue Devils, draining 8-of-12 shots from the field, including 3-of-5 launches from long distance. Also, White played freshman center Gorjok Gak in both games. With starting center John Egbunu out for the season with a torn ACL, Gak providing quality minutes on the interior is a big deal for this squad. Gak, who had played in only eight regular-season games, scored four points and grabbed one rebound in seven minutes of action vs. ETSU. Then in the blowout win over UVA, he had six points and two rebounds on 3-of-3 shooting from the field in 10 minutes of playing time.

Robinson has been a big help on the boards since Egbunu went down. In the eight games since then, D-Rob is averaging 8.5 RPG.

UF’s defense is extremely underrated. It starts with the on-ball pressure on the perimeter by Hill and Chiozza. Leon and Robinson are versatile and athletic, capable of defending on the perimeter and on the post. Kevarrius Hayes, the sophomore who became the starting center when Egbunu was injured, has 16 blocked shots in the last nine games and had six steals vs. ETSU. The Gators are ranked 10th in the nation at defending the 3-point line (30.4%).

Wisconsin (27-9 SU, 17-16 ATS) was inexplicably made a No. 8 seed and the Tournament’s No. 1 overall seed, Villanova, paid for the ignorant decision by the Selection Committee. After all, Minnesota was made a No. 5 seed even though the Badgers dusted the Gophers twice, including a 66-49 shellacking in Madison.

Wisconsin won a 65-62 decision over the defending national champs this past Saturday afternoon in Buffalo. The Badgers won outright as 5.5-point underdogs, hooking up money-line supporters with a nice +230 return (risk $100 to win $230). Nigel Hayes led the way with 19 points and eight rebounds in 39 workmanlike minutes of playing time. Hayes had to carry the load with Ethan Happ and Bronson Koenig dealing with foul trouble that limited them to 23 and 27 minutes of PT, respectively. Koenig was feeling it and wanting the ball at crunch time. The senior point guard, who finished with 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field, including three makes on six launches from downtown, buried a pair of 3-balls at crunch time, including a tie-breaking trey fading away on a catch-and-shoot off a down screen. Hayes scored the game-winning bucket with his team down on with 11.4 seconds remaining. Happ finished with 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and a pair of rejections. His defense on Josh Hart in the closing seconds was crucial. As the ‘Nova PG penetrated into the lane and went up looking to draw contact, Happ expertly jumped up straight with his long arms extended and not only didn’t commit a foul, but also made Hart miss.

Greg Gard’s squad advanced to the Round of 32 by thumping Va. Tech 84-74 as a six-point favorite. Koenig led the way with 28 points on eight made 3-pointers. The senior PG also had three rebounds and three assists compared to only one turnover. Hayes added 16 points, 10 boards and three assists.

Happ (13.8 PPG) leads the Badgers in rebounding (9.1 RPG), assists (2.8 APG), FG percentage (58.5%), steals (1.8 SPG) and blocks (1.2 BPG).

Wisconsin is in its fourth consecutive Sweet 16. The Badgers have knocked off three No. 1 seeds during their four-year span of deep March runs.

Wisconsin is ranked 11th in the country in scoring defense, giving up only 61.8 PPG.

These schools split a home-and-home series in 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 campaigns. The Gators blasted UW by a 74-56 count as six-point home favorites on Nov. 14 of ’12, while the Badgers won a 59-53 decision as 5.5-point home faves on Nov. 12 of ’13.

The ‘under’ is 17-13-3 overall for the Badgers, 4-2-1 in their last seven outings.

The ‘under’ is 18-14 overall for the Gators, cashing in their last three games and five of their last six.

Sweet 16 - South Regional
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

Four schools have taken over Memphis for tonight’s South Region semifinals at FedEx Center. The top three seeds are still alive and consist of blue-blood material, while a familiar March darling is poised to play the spoiler yet again.

First, seventh-seeded Butler will try to wreak havoc on gamblers backing North Carolina to win this year’s bracket bonanza. These teams will tip at 7:05 p.m. Eastern on CBS.

Then in the nightcap game, UCLA and Kentucky will do battle in March for only the third time in the history of these storied programs. This will be a rematch of the Bruins’ 97-92 win over Kentucky as 11 ½-point road underdogs back in December.

If tonight’s games can match the three thrillers we saw decided by six combined points Thursday, hoops junkies are loving life. Let’s get to the games before crushing Chris Webber in Bonus Nuggets.

No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 4 Butler

As of early this morning, most books had top-seeded North Carolina (29-7 straight up, 18-15 against the spread) listed as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 153. The Bulldogs were +280 on the money line (risk $100 to win $280).

Roy Williams is coaching in the Sweet 16 for the 18th time. He’s fortunate to be there after trailing Arkansas 65-60 with less than three minutes remaining in last Sunday’s second-round showdown in Greenville, SC. However, UNC finished the game on a 12-0 run to captured a 72-65 win as an 11.5-opoint favorite. Kennedy Meeks was the difference, tallying 16 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots. Justin Jackson added 15 points, eight rebounds, five assists and five steals. The Tar Heels won the rebounding battle by a 40-30 margin.

UNC cruised in its first-round game last Friday, beating Texas Southern 103-64 as a 26.5-point ‘chalk.’ Jackson was the catalyst with 21 points and seven rebounds, as he drilled 5-of-8 launches from 3-point range. Isaiah Hicks chipped in with 17 points and six boards, while Meeks finished with 13 points, six boards and a pair of rejections.

UNC owns an 8-6-1 spread record in 15 games as a single-digit favorite this season.

Butler (25-8 SU, 7-4 ATS) has been an underdog four times this year, going 3-1 both SU and ATS with wins over Indiana and Villanova (twice).

Butler improved its all-time NCAA Tourney record to 23-14 with wins over Winthrop (76-64) and Middle Tennessee (74-65) both SU and ATS last weekend. The Bulldogs are in the Sweet 16 for the sixth time in the history of their program.

Butler took out Middle Tennessee as a 2.5-point favorite behind 19 points, six rebounds and four assists from Kelan Martin, who hit 6-of-9 shots, including 3-of-6 from downtown. Andrew Chrabascz had 15 points and Kamar Baldwin finished with 13 points, four boards and four assists compared to merely one turnover.

Martin leads Butler in scoring (16.0 points per game), rebounding (5.8 RPG) and steals (1.7 SPG).

These schools met on Nov. 26 of 2014 with Butler beating UNC 74-66 as a nine-point underdog in the Bahamas. Martin and Chrabascz were freshmen at the time. Martin came off the bench for 17 minutes of playing time, producing 17 points and six rebounds, while Chrabascz finished with seven points and six boards. Meeks had seven points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots in defeat.

In a Nov. 20 encounter in 2012, Butler downed North Carolina against as a nine-point underdog. This time the Bulldogs won 82-71 in Hawaii.

The ‘under’ is 15-14-2 overall for the Bulldogs after cashing in four consecutive games.

The ‘under’ is 20-13-1 overall for UNC, but the ‘over’ is 3-2 in its last five games.

No.2 Kentucky vs. No. 3 UCLA

As of early this morning, most betting shops had UCLA (31-4 straight up, 17-18 against the spread) installed as a one-point favorite with the total in the 165-166 range. The tally has dripped down after opening at 169 points. There were some spots at pick ‘em and a few offshores had Kentucky as the one-point ‘chalk.’

UCLA leads the nation in scoring (90.2 PPG), FG percentage (52.1%), assists (21.6 APG) and assists-to-turnovers ratio (1.93).

UCLA owns a 105-40 all-time record in 48 NCAA Tournament appearances. Steve Alford has the Bruins in the Sweet 16 for the third time in his four-year tenure, but he’s 0-2 in two previous region-semifinal games, including a 79-68 loss to Florida in the 2014 South Region semifinals in Memphis.

Steve Alford’s team went to Rupp Arena on Dec. 3 and emerged victorious with six players scoring at least 13 points. Lonzo Ball produced 14 points, seven assists and six rebounds, while Isaac Hamilton scored a team-best 19 points. T.J. Leaf scored 17 points and pulled down 13 rebounds and Thomas Welsh finished with 14 points and eight boards. In the losing effort, UK’s Malik Monk had a game-high 24 points and five steals, draining 4-of-8 shots from downtown. De’Aaron Fox contributed 20 points and nine assists compared to merely two turnovers. Edrice Adebayo finished with 18 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots.

UCLA has won four of the last six head-to-head meetings with Kentucky, going 5-1 ATS.

UCLA snapped out of a 0-4 ATS slide with Sunday night’s 79-67 win over Cincinnati as a 3.5-point ‘chalk.’ The Bruins had five players in double figures led by Ball’s 18 points, seven rebounds, two steals and nine assists compared to just one turnover. Bryce Alford went for 16 points, while Welsh and Leaf added 11 apiece.

Ball, a freshman point guard who is going to be a lottery pick, leads UCLA in assists (7.6 APG) and steals (1.9 SPG). Ball is averaging 14.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while shooting 55.6 percent clip. He is hitting 42.0 percent of his 3’s and has 26 blocked shots. Leaf is averaging 16.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game with an 85/49 assists-to-turnovers ratio. The freshman forward is second on the team in blocked shots with 38. Alford, the senior guard who is the head coach’s son, is the Bruins’ second-leading scorer (15.6) and is shooting at a career-high level from 3-point land (43.3%).

Kentucky (31-5 , 18-17 ATS) has won 13 in a row and hasn’t tasted defeat since taking an 88-66 pimpslap from Florida on the night before the Super Bowl. John Calipari’s team won the SEC Tournament with wins over Georgia, Alabama and Arkansas before winning a pair of games last weekend. The Wildcats didn’t earn many style points but like I’ve always said, you either survive or advance this time of year. They’re in the Sweet 16 for the sixth time during Cal’s eight-year tenure.

UK failed to cover the number in last Friday night’s 79-70 win over Northern Kentucky as a 20-point favorites. Fox scored a team-high 19 points, but he coughed up six turnovers compared to only two assists. Isaiah Briscoe had 17 points, eight rebounds and two blocked shots, while Adebayo went for 15 points and 18 boards.

Kentucky beat Wichita State in the Round of 32 for the second time in four seasons last Sunday afternoon. The Wildcats won 65-62 for a push as three-point favorites. The Shockers had two chances to tie with 3-pointers in the final seconds, only to see to both trey attempts blocked. Monk and Adebayo get credit for those defensive efforts. The duo combined to produce 27 points and 12 rebounds.

Monk paces UK with his 20.0 PPG scoring average, while Fox averages 16.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game.

When these schools squared off in the finals of the 1975 Tournament, UCLA won by a 92-85 score to send John Wooden into retirement with his 10th national championship. I was at a Sweet 16 game between the ‘Cats and the Bruins at The Trop in St. Pete in the 1998 Tournament when UK rolled to a 94-68 victory.

The ‘under’ is 19-17 overall for UK, cashing in three straight games and eight of its last nine. The ‘under’ is 5-2 when the ‘Cats have a total in the 160s.

The ‘under’ is 17-16-2 overall for the Bruins, going 6-2 in their last eight outings.

B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets

West Virginia’s final possession in last night’s gut-wrenching loss to Gonzaga will go down as one of the worst in NCAA Tournament history. There was zero reason to only be thinking about a potential tying three-pointer. Not even when the clock was down to 15 seconds. The ‘Zags are in the Elite Eight for the only the third time in school history. They won a 61-58 decision after a ferocious defensive stand that didn’t allow the Mountaineers to get a shot off in the final 13 seconds. The final score resulted in a push, while the ‘under’ was an easy winner.

Gonzaga will face Xavier in Saturday’s West Region finals. The Musketeers won an instant classic over second-seeded Arizona (73-71) thanks to a 9-0 run to finish an epic contest. They won outright as 7.5-point underdogs, delighting their money-line supporters who cashed an outstanding +310 ticket (paid $310 on $100 wagers.

Think about this coaching job Chris Mack has done this season. Xavier lost its best player (Edwin Sumner) to a season-ending injury and after losing six in a row in February, it went into the Big East Tournament on the proverbial bubble. The Musketeers might’ve been left out of the NCAA field if not for a win over Butler at MSG in NYC.

Where I come from, we call Trevon Blueitt a ‘hoss.’ Translation: Stud.

Oregon hasn’t been to the Final Four since 1939. That could change Saturday when the Ducks take on the Kansas Jayhawks, who handed Purdue its worst loss in NCAA Tourney history in Thursday’s late game at Sprint Center in Kansas City. KU and Oregon also met in the Elite Eight in the 2002 Tourney when the Jayhawks to a 104-86 win.

Come Saturday night, either Mark Few or Chris Mack will on the way to his first Final Four.

I like me some Buzz Williams. “I’m not sure about SnapChat,” he remarked on CBS last night.

C-Webb is so stuck in the early 1990s. What a freakin’ clown!

Maybe I was just in a foul mood because I went 0-1-1 in with a tough loss and a chafe push in the early games? Maybe not. Listening to C-Webb’s relentless analysis is like being in a dentist’s chair – you just want out ASAP.

Seriously, why does CBS torture America with the presence of Webber and Seth Davis? They’re “Worse-Than-Mark-May” bad, which is comparable to outdoor wind sprints at noon Eastern on a sunny day in August. Give those dudes the hook.

I’ll be at MSG tonight – can’t wait!

hey blade did i not say that as soon as the game was over, 32 sec left down by 2, and bouncing the ball, allover the perimeter , instead of driving to the boards, and getting a good shot, a hit plus 1 or at least, going to the line, as i said last night poor, poor coaching, and i have seen it through out this tournament