NCAAB Betting News and Notes Saturday, April 1st, 2017

NCAAB Knowledge

Over last 30 years, teams seeded 7th or worse are 3-6-1 vs spread in national semifinals- South Carolina forces turnovers 25.4% of time (#4 in country)- they have two really good seniors leading a team that is otherwise very young. Gamecocks were 3-6 in their last nine games before NCAA’s. Gonzaga is 2-0 vs SEC teams this season, beating Florida by 5 in Orlando, Tennessee by 12 in Nashville. South Carolina/Gonzaga are both in Final Four for first time. WCC teams are 2-5-1 vs spread this postseason, 2-3-1 when favored; SEC teams are 9-7-1 vs spread, 5-0-1 as an underdog. Since 2005, #1 seeds are 7-5 vs spread in national semifinal games when facing a non-#1-seed.

Since ’05, #1 seeds are 7-5 vs spread in national semifinal games when facing a non-#1-seed. North Carolina is 16-2 outside ACC; they lost national title game at buzzer LY. Tar Heels are #112 experience team that plays pace #50- they’re 5-4 vs top 20 teams this season. Oregon is in Final Four for first time since 1939; they’re #154 experience team that plays pace #241. Ducks are 15-2 outside Pac-12, 4-2 vs top 20 teams. Oregon is 12-1 in its last 13 games, losing Pac-12 final to Arizona. ACC teams are 6-15-1 vs spread this postseason, 4-11-1 if favored; Pac-12 teams are 8-6-1 vs spread, 3-1 if an underdog. This is where not having 6-10 shot blocker Boucher could hurt Oregon- they played six guys vs Kansas, just aren’t as deep as the Tar Heels.

Armadillosports.com

Final Four Best Bets
By Sportsbook.ag

The Final Four of the 2017 NCAA Tournament is finally here and while many expected the likes of Gonzaga and North Carolina to get this far, there aren't many out there that had South Carolina or Oregon reaching this stage.

South Carolina has been a tremendous story all tournament long, and Oregon was able to snap the nine-year Final Four drought for the Pac-12 as a conference, despite them being everyone's “third” option to do so this year behind UCLA and Arizona.

So now we've got South Carolina vs. Gonzaga and Oregon vs. North Carolina in the Final Four with some point spreads and totals that have stayed relatively stable all week since booking early action.

Major media outlets likely already have their headlines ready: “A Civil War between the Carolina's”, “an all West-Coast final” “Gonzaga and UNC meet in battle of two top teams all year” or the “ultimate underdog final between South Carolina and Oregon”.

There is no question that any of those four possibilities should bring a highly entertaining game to everyone on Monday night for all the marbles, but until we get there, let's try to pad our bankrolls a bit with some strong Final Four selections.

Best Bet #1: South Carolina/Gonzaga Under 137.5

These two teams have prided themselves on defense all year long and although they've played a bit out of that norm at times during this tournament, it's often been the matchups they've had that dictated it. Both finished the year with 65 points or less allowed per game and it's likely that only the winner has a chance to reach 70 in this one.

Nerves of being in the Final Four will definitely play a part as well, at least early on, and when nerves are jittery and shots aren't falling, both sides will rely on their calling cards to keep them in the game; defense.

In four NCAA Tournament games, Gonzaga has only allowed more than 60 points once as htey've used their tremendous defense to establish dominance and frustrate the opposition. Big man Przemek Karnowski is one of the best in the country and cleaning up the glass, and perimeter defenders like Williams, Mathews, and Williams-Goss do their part to force guys into taking tough shots.

The biggest key for those three will be containing Sindarius Thornwell and with Gonzaga likely throwing a variety of guys at him all game long, South Carolina could end up needing an unlikely offensive star to come away with the W.

Conversely, the Gamecocks understand what type of game this should be and it's likely going to be more in their comfort zone then most of their other tournament games. SC has gone 3-1 O/U in the Tournament, but all three of those 'overs' came against fast-paced, offensive-minded teams in Marquette, Duke, and Florida.

The lone 'under' came in a 20-point victory over Baylor and while they aren't likely to beat Gonzaga by that type of margin, holding the Zags to 60 or less will give them a great shot at pulling off yet another upset.

Best Bet #2: Oregon +4.5

There weren't many out there that gave Oregon a legitimate shot of beating Kansas, let alone dominate them for the entire game, but you can't count me in that group. Backing the Ducks in their Elite Eight matchup vs the Jayhawks was one of the stronger positions of this tournament and after the first few minutes the point spread was never threatened.

Well, this game vs. UNC is a similar scenario with the idea that everyone remembers UNC's classic last second win over Kentucky on Sunday and believed that to be the Tar Heels last tough test en route to the title. Even with Oregon looking dominant against a Kansas team that was whipping everyone, the Ducks still are garnering very little respect in this matchup.

Whether it's the “West Coast bias” or anything else, this Ducks team is for real and they'll have no quarrels about going out and proving it on Saturday night.

Jordan Bell is a one-man block party in the paint for the Ducks and his energy on the boards – especially on the offensive glass – could end up being a nightmare for North Carolina. The Tar Heels have plenty of size to match him with Kennedy Meeks getting the nod in that regard, but if Oregon gets all the second chance opportunities again like they did vs. Kansas, we could have another very live underdog here.

Oregon is also the better overall defensive team with just 65.8 points allowed/game, compared to 70.9/game for UNC and on the perimeter they've got just as much scoring talent as the Tar Heels.

South Carolina, Gonzaga meet in their first ever Final Four
By: Sam Chase
StatFox.com

In its first Final Four, Gonzaga is favored over major-conference foe South Carolina on Saturday.

Gonzaga has officially completed its transformation from Cinderella to national powerhouse, as the No. 1 seed Bulldogs will be favored by a considerable margin in their first-ever Final Four game when they take on the No. 7 seed South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday night. To get here, Gonzaga had to beat 16 seed South Dakota State, 9 seed Northwestern, 4 seed West Virginia and 11 seed Xavier (L, L, P, W ATS, respectively). Their toughest challenge came in a 61-58 win over an athletic and aggressive West Virginia team in the Sweet Sixteen, but they looked dominant in their most recent game with an 83-59 triumph over Xavier. They will face a formidable challenge in the Cocks, however, as USC beat No. 10 seed Marquette, 2 seed Duke, 3 seed Baylor and 4 seed Florida (W, W, W, W ATS) en route to what is also their first Final Four appearance. They did it with their signature defensive intensity, but also a surprisingly potent offense that, in its most impressive act, dropped 65 points on Duke in the second half alone. The Gamecocks are 15-17-1 ATS on the year, while Gonzaga has one of the best ATS records in the nation at 23-9-2. Over the last five seasons, favorites (or PICKs) averaging at least 76 PPG coming off an 80-point performance (GONZ) playing against teams averaging between 67 and 74 PPG (SCAR) are 53-24 ATS in contests played on neutral courts 15 or more games into the year. Over the last two seasons, though, South Carolina is 20-8 ATS against teams that are outscoring their opponents by at least 4 PPG on the year.

SEC Player of the Year G Sindarius Thornwell (21.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 2.2 SPG) has been the star player for South Carolina all season long, and this tournament has been no exception. He has scored at least 24 points in each of the four games so far, and he is shooting 50% from the field, 42.3% from three-point range and 82% from the free throw line. How impressive is it, then, that his best skills are on the defensive end of the floor? He’ll be looking to hound Gonzaga’s guards on the perimeter and force them to make turnovers. At 6-foot-6, G P.J. Dozier (13.8 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.7 SPG) is an inch taller than Thornwell and of a similar build, making him a terror on defense, as well. He’s averaging 15.3 PPG in the tournament but, unlike Thornwell, is not a strong shooter from deep. G Duane Notice (10.2 PPG, 5.9 RPG) is the third starter in the backcourt; his best game this tournament was against Duke, when he scored 17 points and nabbed three steals. The team’s two starting forwards, 6-9 Chris Silva (10.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG) and 6-10 Maik Kotsar (5.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG), are frankly not known for their skill on the offensive end. They are, however, tough as nails, and won’t be intimidated by Gonzaga’s highly touted bigs. They each scored in double figures against Florida. The Gamecocks have gone as many as 11-deep in their rotation this tournament, with guards Rakym Felder (5.7 PPG) and Justin McKie (4.1 PPG) getting the most minutes. Felder is shooting 43% from three, with the caveat that he has shot barely (or less than) half as many as Thornwell, Dozier and Notice. He did, however, sink two treys against Duke.

Gonzaga will look to score the rock by using plenty of inside-out ball movement, and there’s no shortage of talent on the inside or outside. Their frontcourt is both skilled and very, very large, with the latter attribute best exemplified in the entire nation by 7-foot-1, 300-pound C Przemek Karnowski (12.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.0 BPG). He is averaging 22.9 MPG on the season and is actually down to 21.3 for the tournament, but he is likely the first Bulldog that opposing coaches game plan for. Making that harder is the presence of 7-foot freshman forward Zach Collins (9.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.6 BPG), the first ever McDonald’s All-American to join Gonzaga out of high school; the fact that he’s not in the starting lineup should speak to the depth of this squad. Starting at forward is Johnathan Williams (10.3 PPG, 6.6 RPG), who had 19 points against Xavier and 13 against West Virginia. The Bulldogs’ best player is G Nigel Williams-Goss (16.7 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.8 SPG), who, like Thornwell, was named his conference’s player of the year. He has struggled shooting the ball in the tournament, as his 7-of-19 outing against Xavier (for 23 points) represented his best shooting game in the tournament at 36.8%. He has made his presence felt in many ways, though, grabbing at least seven rebounds in each game and at least two steals in each of the last three. The team’s second-leading scorer in the tournament has been G Jordan Matthews (10.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG) at 13.5 PPG. Like Williams-Goss he hasn’t been shooting all that well (36.4% as opposed to 40.9% on the season), which, in retrospect, seems like a good sign: The Bulldogs are winning games even when playing below their ceiling. G Josh Perkins (8.2 PPG, 3.2 APG) rounds out the starting backcourt, while G Silas Melson (7.3 PPG) and F Killian Tillie (4.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG) join Collins as leading minutes-getters off the bench.

Oregon faces UNC in Final Four
By: Zach Cohen
StatFox.com

The Tar Heels will be looking to get back to the Championship Game with a win over the Ducks on Saturday.

Oregon shocked the world by defeating Kansas 74-60 as a 6.5-point underdog in the Elite Eight. The crowd was pretty much entirely pro-Jayhawks, so the Ducks also won in an extremely hostile environment. Oregon shot 50.9% from the floor in that win, and the team also held Kansas to 35.0% shooting as well. The Ducks have now won-and-covered in three of their four tournament victories, and they’ll certainly be feeling confident about their chances to defeat the Tar Heels in this one. North Carolina, meanwhile, could be the hungriest team in the country. After losing on a buzzer beater in last year’s Championship Game, the Tar Heels are not ready to lose before getting another chance to win it all. They defeated Kentucky on a game winning shot with under one second remaining on Sunday, winning 75-73 as two-point favorites. They did, however, turn the ball over 16 times in that game, and they’ll need to be a lot more careful on Saturday. One trend that favors Oregon in this game is the fact that the Ducks are 10-2 ATS after five straight games committing 14 or fewer turnovers this season. Avoiding mistakes would be huge for the Ducks, especially if they can force the Tar Heels to commit as many turnovers as they did against Kentucky. It’s not all bad for North Carolina, though. The Tar Heels are going up against an Oregon team that is just 2-10 ATS in a neutral court game where the total is between 150 and 154.5 since 1997, and this total certainly fits into that range.

Oregon’s offense might be what everybody knows about, but this team was actually good on both ends of the floor this season. The Ducks scored 118.6 points per 100 possessions on the season (16th in NCAA), but they also allowed just 93.7 (19th in NCAA). That balance will be big on Saturday, as Oregon does not want to simply get into a track meet with North Carolina. They’ll need to find ways to get some big stops, and F Jordan Bell (10.9 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 2.2 BPG, 1.3 SPG) is the guy that could get those for them. Bell was a monster against Kansas, finishing with 11 points, 13 rebounds and eight blocks in 34 minutes of action. He has grabbed double digits in rebounds in six straight games, and he’ll need to be a monster again on Saturday. Offensively, both Gs Dillon Brooks (16.3 PPG, 1.1 SPG) and Tyler Dorsey (14.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG) will need to show up for the Ducks. Brooks struggled with his shot against Kansas, going just 7-for-18 from the floor in 37 minutes of action. He is now just 19-for-51 from the floor in the past three games, and the Ducks need him to be more efficient moving forward. Dorsey, meanwhile, is as hot as could be coming into this game. He’s averaging 24.5 PPG through four tournament games, and he’s also hitting a ridiculous 65.4% of his threes in that span. If he can keep up the hot shooting then the Ducks might just upset the Tar Heels here.

The Tar Heels are coming off of one of the most exciting games in the tournament thus far, as F Luke Maye (5.8 PPG, 4.0 RPG) hit a jumper to lift North Carolina over Kentucky with less than a second to go. Over the past two games, Maye is averaging 16.5 PPG and 7.5 RPG in 22.5 MPG. He has earned the right to play more minutes, and he should see another chance against Oregon in this one. F Justin Jackson (18.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG) did, however, struggle a bit in that one. He was just 7-for-17 from the floor and 1-for-5 from three against Kentucky on Sunday, and the Tar Heels need him to be a little more efficient moving forward. Fortunately for North Carolina, Jackson knows what he needs to do. He is one of the leaders of this team, and he badly wants to change the ending from last year’s title game. Both G Joel Berry II (14.6 PPG, 3.6 APG, 1.4 SPG) and C Kennedy Meeks (12.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 1.2 BPG) will be right there with Jackson in that feeling. The two of them were big parts of that team last year and will be hoping to do everything they can against Oregon in order to get back to the title game. Meeks is a guy to really keep an eye in this one, though. He was a monster against Kentucky on Sunday, finishing with seven points, 17 rebounds, four blocks and a steal in 32 minutes of action. If he can win his matchup with Jordan Bell then North Carolina should move on.

NCAA Final Four Betting Preview: South Carolina vs Gonzaga
By Covers.com

South Carolina vs Gonzaga (-7, 138 )

Top-seeded Gonzaga and seventh-seeded South Carolina are both part of the Final Four for the first time in school history and the winner of Saturday's NCAA Tournament national semifinal contest in Glendale, Ariz. will face either North Carolina or Oregon in Monday's championship game. Gonzaga lost one game all season to enjoy the top campaign in program history while the Gamecocks overcame a poor end to the regular season with an electric tournament run that included an upset of Duke.

South Carolina's superb run has been fueled by star senior guard Sindarius Thornwell, who missed Thursday's practice with an illness but insisted earlier in the week that his squad isn't satisfied with the unprecedented success that includes a school record for victories. "We're not going to settle for this and we still feel like, we got one more game," Thornwell said at a press conference. "Why not us? Why not go win it all? And that's our mindset. We feel like we can compete with anybody right now in the country." Gonzaga no longer will have to hear about never reaching the Final Four and senior shooting guard Jordan Mathews is glad about that. "The Final Four doesn't validate or discredit a season," Mathews told reporters. "It's not an end-all, be-all. Gonzaga has been a great program, and we're just happy to keep carrying the torch."

LINE HISTORY: The No. 1 seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs opened as 6.5-point favorites and by Thursday evening that spread crept up to -7. The total hit the betting board at 138 and has been stable all week. Check out the complete line history here.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: ‘South Carolina is an excellent defensive team that allows just 64.9 points per game and 39.8% FG shooting (versus opponents that averaged 74.0 ppg and 44.3% this season). However, the key to this game will be the health of South Carolina's leading scorer, Sindarius Thornwell (21.6 ppg) who is dealing with an illness.’ - Covers Expert Steve Merril

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (26-10 SU, 15-16-2 ATS, 14-18-1 O/U): Thornwell averages 21.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the East Regional after averaging 25.8 points in the Gamecocks' four tourney wins, including 26 points in the 77-70 victory over Florida in the regional final. Sophomore guard PJ Dozier (13.8 scoring average) and senior guard Duane Notice (10.2, team-best 67 3-pointers) are forces on the perimeter while sophomore forward Chris Silva (10.1 points, 5.9 rebounds) is the Gamecocks' top inside player. Coach Frank Martin preaches tenacious defense and South Carolina allows 64.9 per game - limiting third-seeded Baylor to 50 in a 20-point trouncing in the Sweet 16.

ABOUT GONZAGA (36-1 SU, 23-9-2 ATS, 16-18 O/U): Junior point guard Nigel-Williams Goss (16.7 average, 4.6 assists) has been a difference-maker and scored 23 points in the 83-59 rout of Xavier that catapulted the Bulldogs into the Final Four. Williams-Goss, a standout defender with a team-best 64 steals, is averaging 15.5 points in the NCAA Tournament but is just 19-of-61 shooting from the field. Senior center Przemek Karnowski (12.2 points, 5.8 rebounds), Mathews (10.7 points, 79 3-pointers) and junior power forward Johnathan Williams (10.3 points, team-leading 6.6 rebounds) also score in double digits.

TRENDS:

* Gamecocks are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
* Bulldogs are 16-4-2 ATS in their last 22 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Over is 8-1 in Gamecocks last 9 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Over is 6-1 in Bulldogs last 7 vs. Southeastern.

CONSENSUS: 55 percent are taking the points with the Gamecocks and the Over is picking up 58 percent of the totals wagers.

NCAA Final Four Betting Preview: Oregon vs North Carolina
By Covers.com

Oregon vs North Carolina Tar Heels (-5, 152)

North Carolina is hoping for another chance to finish the job in the NCAA Tournament and Oregon looks to ride the momentum of its deepest run since 1939 when the teams meet in the national semifinals Saturday at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale. Ariz. While Oregon reached the Final Four despite losing a key player to injury in the Pac-12 tournament, the Tar Heels return for the second straight year after having their hearts broken in the title game.

“I think our kids really used it a great deal as motivation during the offseason,” North Carolina coach Roy Williams told reporters of the 77-74 loss to Villanova in the final. “Once we started practice, you know, you’re putting together a team then, and I’d make reference to it periodically … about what’s the most fun you’ve had, just remind them, because everybody said it was the run to the national championship game last year.” The Tar Heels hope to have a healthy Joel Berry II (two sprained ankles) to run the show against the Ducks, who have been led by the hot shooting of sophomore guard Tyler Dorsey and some solid defense despite being without 6-10 senior Chris Boucher (knee) since the Pac-12 semifinal. North Carolina needed a last-second jumper from reserve Luke Maye to beat Kentucky 75-73 while Oregon held Kansas to 35 percent shooting in a 74-60 victory at the Elite Eight last weekend. “We’re just staying in the moment, enjoying it and having fun,” Ducks guard Casey Benson told reporters. “… We have a real opportunity to be a national championship team.”

LINE HISTORY: North Carolina opened the betting week as 4.5-point favorites and the spread was bumped slightly to 5 on Thursday. The total hit the board at 150 and rose steadily all week to the current number of 152. Check out the complete line history here.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: ‘These are two excellent offensive teams as Oregon averages 78.9 points per game on 48.3% FG shooting this season (versus opponents that allow just 72.2 ppg and 43.3%), while North Carolina averages 85.0 points per game on 47.2% FG shooting (versus opponents that allow just 71.1 ppg and 43.9%). A key to this game will be pace as North Carolina likes to play fast, while Oregon has shown the ability win versus uptempo (Kansas) and slow tempo (Rhode Island and Michigan) teams in this tournament.’ - Covers Expert Steve Merril

ABOUT OREGON (33-5 SU, 21-15-1 ATS, 17-20 O/U): The Ducks have done a decent job on the boards this season (plus-4.2 margin), but will need to raise that level higher against the Tar Heels: “Their offensive rebounding numbers are off the charts, so we have to do a great job on the boards,” coach Dana Altman told reporters. Dorsey has been nicknamed “Mr. March” by his teammates, scoring at least 20 in seven straight games while averaging 24.5 in the tournament and making 17-of-26 from 3-point range. Junior Jordan Bell stepped up his game in Boucher’s absence, averaging 12.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in the NCAAs after blocking eight shots against Kansas.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (31-7 SU, 18-15-3 ATS, 14-21-1 O/U): Maye, a former walk-on, was named the Most Outstanding Player of the South Regional after scoring 17 against Kentucky and is averaging 12.5 in the first four games of the tournament. Junior swingman Justin Jackson, the ACC Player of the Year, is averaging 19.8 points in the NCAAs but will need the talented Berry (14.6 overall) to provide him room to operate although the junior point guard is 6-for-26 from behind the arc in the Big Dance. Senior forward Kennedy Meeks, who is averaging 13 rebounds in the tournament after hauling in a career-best 17 against Kentucky, will play a big role against Oregon’s physical lineup.

TRENDS:

* Ducks are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games as an underdog of 0.5-6.5.
* Tar Heels are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 vs. Pacific-12.
* Under is 4-1 in Ducks last 5 neutral site games as an underdog.
* Under is 10-2-1 in Tar Heels last 13 games following a straight up win.

CONSENSUS: 54 percent are taking the points with the Oregon Ducks and the Over is picking up 74 percent of the totals wagers.

NCAAB: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com

South Carolina vs Gonzaga

The first game in Glendale pits Gonzaga against South Carolina. While the Bulldogs have been a solid college basketball program under Mark Few (eight Sweet 16 appearances in 18 years), this is their first trip to the Final Four. This is also new territory for the Gamecocks, who have never been to the Sweet 16 before, let alone the Final Four. They’re led by an experienced head coach Frank Martin, who previously took Kansas State to the Elite Eight in 2010. South Carolina has been the biggest surprise of the bracket, as they had lost five of their last seven upon entering the NCAA Tournament.

Gonzaga has a huge frontcourt with seven-foot, 300-pound Przemek Karnowski and seven-foot freshman Zach Collins. These players helped the Bulldogs finish 10th in rebounding margin. As for the Gamecocks, they’ll rely on SEC Player of the Year Sindarius Thornwell, who’s averaging 25.8 points per game throughout March Madness.

The Bulldogs are listed as 6.5-point favourites on the game line odds, but the Gamecocks are comfortable in the underdog role. They were underdogs against Duke, Baylor and Florida, and won each of those games outright.

Oregon vs North Carolina

While the first contest could be a grind, the second should feature offense. Oregon (+525 to win it all) and North Carolina (+145 to win it all) could have met at the Maui Invitational in November, but the Ducks lost to Georgetown. The Tar Heels won that tournament and the last two times they won at Maui (2004 and 2008), they went on to win the national title. Roy Williams has led the Tar Heels to the Final Four for the fifth time, while Oregon head coach Dana Altman will be making his Final Four debut.

North Carolina are laying five points on the betting lines. They’re ninth in scoring, whereas the Ducks are 49th. Rebounding should be the key to this contest, and the Tar Heels are the best in that business. They led the nation in rebounding margin, checking in at 13.0. To make matters worse for Oregon, they’re playing without big man Chris Boucher, who averaged 11.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. The Ducks haven’t missed him to this point, but they’ll need all the help they can get when they take on the favorites.

Final Four Tip Sheet
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

South Carolina vs Gonzaga

South Carolina and Gonzaga will collide in the first Final Four for both schools Saturday at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The programs took distinctly different paths to get here.

Gonzaga (36-1 straight up, 23-9 against the spread) has been knocking on the door for two decades, appearing in 19 consecutive NCAA Tournaments. On the flip side, South Carolina is in its first NCAA Tournament since 2004 and, before ripping off a four-game winning streak en route to Glendale, it hadn’t tasted an NCAA Tourney victory since 1973.

But in Year 5 of the Frank Martin Era at USC, it is in the national semifinals and 40 minutes away from a shot at a national championship. The faithful in the Palmetto State can thank new Tennessee AD John Currie, who was the Kansas St. AD that inexplicably let Martin walk out the door for Columbia.

Mark Few had already taken the ‘Zags to six Sweet 16’s and one Elite Eight before this current push through March. Many feel that this year’s squad is his best to date, but Few has had nothing but quality teams while building a powerhouse program in Spokane, Washington.

Gonzaga won the West Region as a No. 1 seed with wins over South Dakota State (66-46), Northwestern (79-73), West Virgnia (61-56) and Xavier (83-59). The Bulldogs jumped on the 11th-seeded Musketeers early and often in the blowout win as 8.5-point ‘chalk.’ They were led by Nigel Williams-Goss, who tallied 23 points, eight rebounds, two steals, one block and four assists without a turnover.

Johnathan Williams added 19 points, eight boards, three blocked shots and two steals, while Josh Perkins and Jordan Mathews scored 11 points apiece.

The West Region semifinal battle with WVU was Gonzaga’s toughest challenge to date. With Williams-Goss struggling (10 points, five turnovers compared to only two assists, 2-10 FGs), Williams, Karnowski and Mathews shared team-high scoring honors with 13 points apiece. Leading by three with 38 seconds remaining, Gonzaga closed the show with a ferocious defensive stand.

The Mountaineers missed a quick 3-point attempt, only to gather the offensive rebound. With the shot clock off, WVU was ignorantly dead-set on attempting a tying trey although plenty of time remained. WVU wouldn’t be able to get that shot off, however, as the ‘Zags smothered and covered ‘em. I called it the worst offensive possession in NCAA Tournament history, but plenty of credit for that has to go to the defensive effort from Gonzaga.

Williams-Goss averages team-bests in scoring (16.7 points per game), assists (4.6 APG) and steals (1.8 SPG). Przemek Karnowski (12.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG) is one of three seven-footers on the roster, shooting at a 60.1 percent clip from the field. Williams (10.3 PPG, 6.6 RPG) and Karnowski have blocked 36 shots apiece, but freshman center Zach Collins (9.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG) has a team-high 60 rejections. Collins has made 65.4 percent of his attempts from the field.

Gonzaga is ranked first in the nation in field-goal percentage defense (36.4%), fourth in defending the 3-point line (29.3%) and fifth in scoring defense (60.9 PPG). The ‘Zags thrive offensively as well, ranking second in the country in FG percentage (50.9%) and 14th in scoring (83.2 PPG).

Gonzaga has been a money-making machine as a single-digit favorite, cashing tickets at a 7-1-1 ATS clip.

According to its alpha dog Sindarius Thornwell, South Carolina (26-10 SU, 15-16 ATS) didn’t bring a ‘just-happy-to-be-here’ mentality to Glendale. “We’re not going to settle for this and we still feel like, we got one more game,” Thornwell told the Associated Press. “Why not us? Why not go win it all? And that’s our mindset. We feel like we can compete with anybody right now in the country.”

USC has been an underdog 10 times this season, compiling a 6-3-1 spread record with six outright wins. The Gamecocks advanced to the national semifinals with wins over Marquette, Duke, Baylor and Florida.

Frank Martin’s team rallied from halftime deficits in three of its four Tournament games. USC trailed Florida 40-33 at intermission in last Sunday’s East Region finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

But the Gamecocks were somehow able to get into the bonus with 14:53 remaining in the second half after a flurry of whistles went against the Gators. Later in the game, the lack of a whistle would doom UF, which should’ve had the ball down two with a chance at a 2-for-1 opportunity with 51 seconds remaining. Instead, Duane Notice wasn’t called for a walk (in reality, he actually travelled twice – watch it on DVR in slow-motion if you don’t believe me) after catching a length-of-the-floor pass from Thornwell.

UF opted to foul Notice moments after the blatant travel call was ignored. After he hit both free throws and the Gators missed at the other end, another foul and a pair of subsequent FTs put the game on ice.

Thornwell earned the East Region’s Most Outstanding Player honors by averaging 25.8 PPG in the four victories. The senior small forward craftily logged 36 minutes of playing time despite dealing with foul trouble against UF, producing 26 points, seven rebounds and two steals. P.J. Dozier added 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field. Chris Silva and Maik Kotsar contributed 13 and 12 points, respectively, with Silva pulling down nine boards.

Thornwell averages 21.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game and he shoots at a 39.7 percent clip from 3-point land. P.J. Dozier, a sophomore guard who was a McDonald’s All-American, is averaging 13.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Duane Notice averages 10.2 points, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals per game, while Chris Silva (10.2 PPG) averages team-highs in FG percentage (54.1%), rebounds (5.9 RPG) and blocked shots (1.3 BPG).

South Carolina routed Marquette and Baylor by 20 points apiece. USC trailed Duke, fresh off winning the ACC Tournament the previous week, by seven at halftime. However, it was all Gamecocks in the second half as they scored 65 points in an 88-81 win as 6.5-point underdogs in Greenville, S.C. Thornwell was – as usual – the catalyst against the Blue Devils, producing 24 points, six boards and five assists. Silva and Notice scored 17 points apiece, while Rakym Felder finished with 15 points, four rebounds and three assists without a turnover.

USC’s strength is its defense, which I had first-hand look at this past Sunday at MSG in NYC. I was about 12-15 rows behind South Carolina’s bench, a place Martin won’t hesitate to put his players on for taking a possession off at the defensive end. The Gamecocks play suffocating ‘D,’ and they’ve outstanding athletes to throw at Williams-Goss in Dozier and Notice.

The Gamecocks are ranked eighth in the nation in defending the 3-point line (29.8%), 15th in FG percentage defense (39.8%) and 31st in scoring defense (64.9 PPG). They forced UF to go 0-for-17 from 3-point range in a home win in January before holding the Gators without a trey in the second half last Sunday.

I think the coaching matchup is a push/wash between Martin and Few. Martin owns a 10-4 career record in the NCAA Tournament, while Few is 25-17.

If there are pressing concerns for USC, they include Silva getting into early foul trouble and lulls on the offensive end. The Gamecocks can struggle to get buckets at times, but Thornwell’s been great at bullying his way into the paint for high-percentage looks on crucial possessions. With Gonzaga’s superior size, foul trouble for Silva could spell big-time trouble.

The ‘under’ is 18-16 overall for the ‘Zags, cashing at a 7-2 clip in their last nine outings.

The ‘under’ is 18-14-1 overall for the ‘Cocks, but the ‘over’ has hit in three of their four games in the Tournament.

Oregon vs North Carolina

Oregon is in the Final Four for the first time since 1939, while North Carolina is right back where it was at this point last year. Looking for redemption after falling to Villanova in the finals on Kris Jenkins’s epic buzzer-beating 3-pointer last year, the Tar Heels need to knock off the Ducks to get a shot at winning Roy Williams a third national title.

As of Friday night, most betting shops had North Carolina (31-7 straight up, 19-15-3 against the spread) installed as a five-point favorite with a total of 152.5. The Ducks were +180 on the money line (risk $100 to win $180). For first-half wagers, the Tar Heels were favored by 2.5 points with a 71-point tally.

Oregon (33-5 SU, 21-15 ATS) has been an underdog three times this season, posting a 3-0 spread record with a pair of outright wins. The Ducks probably had the most difficult road to Glendale, needing to beat a pair of hot teams (Rhode Island and Michigan) that were playing their best basketball at the ideal time.

After disposing of the Rams and Wolverines by four combined points, Dana Altman’s team basically had a road game against Kansas at Sprint Center in Kansas City. Nevertheless, it was all Oregon from the start as it coasted to a 74-60 win as a 6.5-point underdog. The 134 combined points fell ‘under’ the 157.5-point total.

Tyler Dorsey was the catalyst against KU, just as he has been throughout the Tournament. The sophomore guard dropped 27 points on the Jayhawks, draining 9-of-13 shots from the field and 6-of-10 from 3-point land. Dillon Brooks added 17 points, five rebounds and four assists, while Jordan Bell contributed 11 points (5-6 FGs), 13 rebounds and eight blocked shots. Bell’s defense in the lane was a crucial factor in KU’s abysmal 21-of-60 shooting effort (35.0%).

Dorsey, who has 8/1 odds to win Most Outstanding Player honors in the Tournament, has been the splashing the nets at a ridiculous rate. He has buried 34-of-51 FGs (67%!) and 17-of-26 launches from downtown (65.4%). Dorsey has scored at least 20 points in seven consecutive games, including another 27-point effort and the game-winning trey with 11 seconds remaining against Rhode Island.

For the season, Dorsey is averaging 14.5 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. He has made 42.3 percent of his 3-balls. Brooks is averaging a team-best 16.3 PPG, while Bell (10.9 PPG) averages team-highs in rebounding (8.6 RPG) and field-goal percentage (63.4%).

Oregon lost starting center and leading shot blocker Chris Boucher to a season-ending knee injury in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals. Boucher was averaging 11.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots per game. Without Boucher, Oregon lost an 83-80 decision to Arizona in the Pac-12 Tourney finals, but it hasn’t lost since then despite how the Selection Committee dropped it to a No. 3 seed when it would’ve otherwise been a No. 2 seed if not for Boucher’s injury.

UNC advanced to the national semifinals with wins over Texas Southern, Arkansas, Butler and Kentucky, but it was nearly ousted in the first weekend. The Razorbacks had a 65-60 lead with less than three minutes remaining in a second-round showdown in Greenville, S.C. With their back against the wall, however, the Tar Heels tightened up on defense and finished the game on a 12-0 run to prevail by a 72-65 count.

In the South Region semifinals last Friday in Memphis, Williams’s squad captured a 92-80 win over Butler as a seven-point favorite. Joel Berry II exploded for a team-high 26 points, while Justin Jackson finished with 24 points, five rebounds and five assists compared to merely one turnover. Luke Maye added 16 points and 12 rebounds in 25 quality minutes from off of the bench.

Maye would be the hero in Sunday’s South Region finals matchup against Kentucky. His jumper from 18 feet out with 0.5 seconds remaining lifted UNC to a 75-73 victory over the Wildcats, who pushed for their backers as two-point underdogs. The 148 combined points dipped ‘under’ the 160.5-point total.

Justin Jackson scored 19 points to go with five rebounds and four assists compared to one turnover vs. UK. Maye had 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including a pair of 3-point makes on three attempts. Berry was also in double figures with 11 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. However, he re-aggravated an ankle injury that’s bothered him recently.

Berry is definitely not at 100 percent. He averages 14.6 PPG, has a 130/68 assists-to-turnovers ratio, 50 steals and makes 39.4 percent of his 3’s. However, Berry is hitting only 6-of-26 from long distance during the Tournament.

Jackson, the ACC Player of the Year who is now the seventh-leading scorer in UNC history, averages a team-best 18.2 PPG and has a 108/64 assists-to-turnovers ratio. Kennedy Meeks (12.3 PPG) paces UNC in rebounding (9.3 RPG) and blocked shots (1.2 BPG).

Maye earned Most Outstanding Player honors for the South Region with his game-winner that crushed the hearts of the Big Blue Nation. Maye is a former walk-on.

UNC is the nation’s leader in offensive rebounds and is ninth in scoring (85.0 PPG). Therefore, it will be critical for Oregon’s Bell to stay out of foul trouble. As we noted with eight blocked shots vs. KU, Bell has stepped up his game since Boucher went down, averaging 12.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game.

North Carolina is playing in its 20th Final Four, the most in NCAA Tourney history. Williams is coaching in his ninth national semifinals, which is the fourth-most all time.

UNC has been a single-digit favorite 17 times, compiling a 9-6-2 spread record.

The ‘over’ is on an 8-3 run for the Ducks, but they’ve seen the ‘under’ go 20-17 overall this season.

The ‘under’ is 21-14-1 overall for UNC.

These schools have met four times. UNC has won in all four encounters, including a 98-69 blowout triumph over the Ducks at the 2008 Maui Invitational.