NCAAB Betting News and Notes Saturday, March 25th, 2017

NCAAB Knowledge

Kansas won 11 of last 12 games, losing to TCU in Big X tourney; they beat pair of Big 14 teams in last two games. Jayhawks beat Stanford by 15 in only Pac-12 game this year. Oregon lost at Baylor of Big X in November. Since ’07, favorites are 6-2 vs spread when 1-seed plays a 3-seed in regional final; only 3-seed of those eight to win was Villanova (+2) over Pitt in ’09. Bill Self is 2-4 in regional finals at Kansas; he lost to Villanova in this round LY. Big X teams are 11-4-1 vs spread this postseason, 9-2 as favorites; Pac-12 teams are 7-6-1 vs spread, 2-1 as underdogs. Over last two seasons, Big X teams are 13-5 SU vs Pac-12 squads, 7-5 vs spread when favored.

Double digit seeds covered last five regional finals, winning 3 of 5 SU. Last non-cover? Kent St with vs Indiana in ’02.Xavier is 13-2 outside Big East, losing by 5 at Baylor, by 2 at Colorado in a western swing in early December; Musketeers three starters played 36:00+ in their upset of Arizona Thursday- two subs played 21-19 minutes. Gonzaga won a rock fight with West Virginia Thursday; they played one guy (Williams-Goss) more than 29:00- they’re 15-0 outside WCC; their only loss was at home to BYU in regular season finale. Zags are 4-0 vs top 30 teams, beating Florida/Iowa State/Arizona in addition to West Va Thursday.

Armadillosports.com

Oregon, Kansas battle in Elite Eight
By: Sam Chase
StatFox.com

No one in the country looks better than Kansas right now. Can Oregon slow them down?

Ask anyone who the favorite to win the NCAA Tournament is as the tourney enters the Elite Eight round, and most will say the Kansas Jayhawks without hesitation. That status is well-earned for Kansas, who have now won all three of their tournament games thus far by at least 20 points, with the most recent being a 98-66 destruction of a very good Purdue team (KU -5.5). Any concerns brought about by a Big 12 Tournament quarterfinal loss to TCU appear to be long gone, and the Jayhawks will play their Elite Eight opponent Oregon at Kansas City’s Sprint Center, which is a mere 45-minute drive from the school’s campus in Lawrence. All that said, they’ll face a stiff opponent in Oregon, a team that has been overlooked by prognosticators largely because they lost a key contributor in shot-blocker F Chris Boucher (11.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.5 BPG) to injury right before the tournament. But the Ducks have the experience of having reached the Elite Eight last year, and they impressed in beating arguably the nation’s hottest team in Michigan 69-68 on Thursday (ORE +1).

While Boucher led the Pac-12 in blocks this season, those proclaiming that his absence would doom the Ducks must have forgotten about F Jordan Bell (10.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.1 BPG). The 6-9 junior has been a force on both ends of the court all season, ranking first in the conference in field goal percentage (62.9%) and fourth in blocks. He was money against the Wolverines, scoring 16 points and grabbing 13 rebounds—five more than anyone else on either team. Carrying the team on offense as the team’s leading scorer in all three tournament games has been G Tyler Dorsey (14.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG), whose 5-of-7 three-point shooting propelled him to 20 points against Michigan. He had 24 against Iona and 27 against Rhode Island, and he’s a blistering 68.8% from deep in the tournament. The Ducks’ more heralded scorer, G Dillon Brooks (16.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.1 SPG) has been a little quieter, but is still averaging 16.3 PPG in the tournament, almost exactly his average for the season. The Pac-12 Player of the Year is known for big moments in March, and a late-game shot to take down Kansas would play right into the narrative he has built for himself. Guards Payton Pritchard (7.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.2 SPG) and Dylan Ennis (10.7 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.1 SPG) round out an incredibly talented starting lineup, and Ennis was key in pitching in 10 points, five rebounds and three assists against Michigan. G Casey Benson (5.0 PPG) played 24 minutes off the bench in the Sweet Sixteen, and forwards Kavell Bigby-Williams (3.1 PPG, 2.9 RPG) and Keith Smith (1.9 PPG) saw the court as well.

At this point, every game for Kansas G Frank Mason III (20.9 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 5.2 APG, 1.3 SPG) feels like a cementation of his inevitable coronation as National Player of the Year. He leads the Big 12 in scoring and is fourth in assists, and he is unquestionably the go-to guy for what, at the moment, appears to be the nation’s best team. He has been absolutely on fire in the tournament, scoring 22.7 PPG on 56.1% shooting and 43.8% three-point shooting; He had 26 points on 11 shots to go with seven assists against Purdue. His backcourt mate G Devonte’ Graham (13.7 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.6 SPG) has been just as good, as he also scored 26 against the Boilermakers and is shooting 56.3% and 59.1% from the floor and three-point range in the tournament, respectively. As if that weren’t enough, freshman guard and prospective lottery pick Josh Jackson (16.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.7 SPG, 1.1 BPG) has stepped up his game, as well. He had a game-high 23 points against Michigan State and a game-high 12 rebounds against Purdue, showing a versatility that makes this team look unstoppable. If the team has one potential weakness it’s on the interior, but Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan, perhaps the nation’s best post player, didn’t do enough damage to keep the game close at the end. And that was with F Landen Lucas (7.9 PPG, 8.4 RPG) sitting on the bench for half the game due to foul trouble. Guards Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (9.7 PPG, 3.1 RPG) and Lagerald Vick (7.4 PPG, 3.5 RPG) combined for 22 points, and Vick’s 360 dunk seems destined for this year’s One Shining Moment reel.

Xavier faces Gonzaga in Elite Eight
By: StatFox.com

Gonzaga will be looking to reach its first Final Four in school history with a win over Xavier on Saturday.

The Musketeers shocked the world with a 73-71 victory over Arizona in the Sweet 16 on Thursday. Xavier was a 7.5-point underdog in that game, and the team also trailed late in the second half in that one. The Musketeers did, however, continue to plug away and ended up pulling off the upset. They have now won-and-covered in all three of their tournament games, and they’re playing their best basketball of the season at the right time. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, have not covered in any of their tournament games thus far. They are, however, coming off of an impressive 61-58 victory over a feisty West Virginia team. That game could have gone either way, but the Bulldogs hit big shots late and also got after it defensively. Xavier and Gonzaga have met three times in program history, and the Bulldogs are 3-0 SU (2-1 ATS) in those contests. The most recent game was Dec. 31, 2011, when Gonzaga won 72-65 as a three-point favorite. None of those players from that game are still on either team, though.

The Musketeers have been the most surprising team of the postseason, as this is a group that many picked to lose to Maryland in the Round of 64. Xavier now has a chance to make it to the Final Four, and the team has a chance to do it as long as G Trevon Bluiett (18.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG) continues to shoot the ball well. Bluiett has been on fire this tournament, averaging 25.0 PPG through three games. He is a ridiculous 11-for-23 from three in those contests and it’d be big if he can get hot in this one. G J.P. Macura (14.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.4 SPG) is another guy that can shoot Xavier into the Final Four. Macura is capable of getting extremely hot from three, as evidenced by his 6-for-11 shooting performance from the outside against Creighton on Mar. 10. He is, however, just 2-for-9 from the outside in the tournament. That might be good news for the Musketeers, as he should be able to bounce back and hit a few against Gonzaga. Xavier will, however, need some decent performances from both Fs Sean O’Mara (6.1 PPG, 3.0 RPG) and Tyrique Jones (4.2 PPG, 3.1 RPG) in this one. Gonzaga is huge inside, so the Musketeers need some solid play from their bigs.

Gonzaga is one game away from the Final Four and the team can really thank G Jordan Mathews (10.7 PPG, 3.3 APG) for getting them past West Virginia. Mathews hit some big shots in that game, scoring 13 points with three threes. The last of those threes was the one that put Gonzaga on top, and he’ll need to come through with a few more big ones against Xavier. The Bulldogs will also need their stars G Nigel Williams-Goss (16.5 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.8 SPG) and C Przemek Karnowski (12.4 PPG, 5.9 RPG) to show up in this one. Williams-Goss badly struggled last game, going just 2-for-10 from the floor and also coughing the ball up five times. He should be better in this one, and so should Karnowski. Xavier really lacks size inside, so Karnowski should have a field day in this one. He had 13 points and five boards against the Mountaineers, and that game was not one that really suited his style of play.

Saturday's Elite 8 Tips
By Joe Nelson
VegasInsider.com

No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs (-8½) vs. No. 11 Xavier Musketeers (145½)

As a #11 seed Xavier certainly qualifies as this year’s Cinderella in the NCAA Tournament as an Elite Eight qualifier. While the Big East is the much bigger conference in this matchup Xavier actually has a smaller enrollment than Gonzaga and certainly heading into the tournament the Musketeers had a far lower chance of making it this far. It has been a redemptive run for Chris Mack in many ways though the story for the program could sour if he pursues the Indiana coaching vacancy as some have speculated could be a possibility.

Mack’s team earned a #2 seed in last season’s tournament after a 26-4 regular season but after stumbling in the second game of the Big East tournament Xavier was ousted in the opening weekend with a Round of 32 loss to Wisconsin, losing on a last second shot despite leading by as many as nine late in the game.

This year’s team showed some potential with a 13-2 start to the season but then lost four of five games in January. After that slide one of the team’s top players sophomore guard Edmund Sumner was lost for the season.

Re-grouping with a few wins including a big victory at Creighton Xavier stumbled down the stretch with a 3-6 run with six straight defeats and the only three wins against lowly DePaul before they beat Butler in the Big East tournament. That win was enough to keep Xavier on the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble drawing this #11 seeding.

It proved to be a favorable draw however with Maryland a vastly over-seeded team as the opposing #6 seed and Xavier cruised to wins in that game as well as vs. heavily favored Florida State in the Round of 32 in Orlando.

Xavier shot incredibly well in beating the Seminoles and it looked like the run was over in the Sweet 16 before an amazing finish Thursday night vs. Arizona. In a tight game most of the second half Arizona hit a pair of 3-point shots in a row down the stretch to lead by eight with fewer than four minutes to go and still led by seven with fewer than three minutes to go.

Xavier incredibly rallied to tie the game with a big 3-point shot and going 4-4 at the line before taking the lead. A missed front-end of a one-and-one appeared to be a fatal mistake but Arizona could not connect in the final seconds as the Musketeers scored a second straight major upset with Mack besting Sean Miller, who he was an assistant under before Miller took the Arizona job.

Junior Trevon Bluiett has been one of the stars of the tournament with 75 points in three games including hitting 11 of 23 3-point shots. Relegated to a bench role much of the season junior J.P. Macura has also turned in three double-digit scoring games while junior reserve center Sean O’Mara was nearly the hero and the goat in the Arizona game, hitting the big shot to give Xavier the lead late but missing the front end free throw that could have iced the game before Xavier held on with a defensive stand on the final Arizona possession.

Xavier will have to beat the #1 seed to reach the program’s first Final Four as they failed in the Elite 8 round in both 2004 under Thad Matta and in 2008 under Miller. Both times Xavier had to face a #1 seed and in losses to Duke and UCLA. This season’s matchup is vs. a different type of #1 seed as while Gonzaga has been a college basketball power the past two decades the Bulldogs have also never reached the Final Four and don’t play in a traditional power conference.

This year’s Gonzaga team has been dominant with a 35-1 record with the only defeat in the regular season finale at home against BYU. Gonzaga turned in a few high profile non-conference wins but with 20 wins coming vs. WCC competition the schedule ranked outside the nation’s top 100 in quality and there remains questions about the team.

Gonzaga has NBA prospects with a few power conference transfers as well as a pair of 7-footers for size few teams can come close to. The efficiency numbers were truly elite on both sides of the ball this season including featuring the nation’s top ranked defense.

Gonzaga was deserving of a #1 seed in the West but it hasn’t been a dominant run as the program looks to make its first Final Four appearance, getting close as a Cinderella #10 seed with an Elite Eight run in 1999 while also reaching this round in 2015 as a #2 seed before losing to eventual national champion Duke. Gonzaga trailed much of the first half in the opening game vs. South Dakota State before pulling away in a 66-46 win despite terrible shooting.

The Bulldogs let a big early lead slip away vs. Northwestern, surviving a tight and controversial finish. The Bulldogs also managed to hold on despite trailing by three inside of two minutes vs. West Virginia in a fortunate finish.

Washington transfer Nigel Williams-Goss has been a player of the year candidate for the Bulldogs but he has not played well in the tournament so far scoring just 39 points on just over 28 percent shooting. He has scored 14 points at the line but has also had nine turnovers.

California transfer Jordan Matthews has hit a few big shots for Gonzaga to help the cause but ultimately it has been the defense that has kept Gonzaga alive. This matchup could be the toughest test for the Bulldogs with Xavier an excellent offensive team that has clearly elevated its play in the tournament.

Xavier has made 26 3-point shots at an over 46 percent clip while Gonzaga has made just 16 3-point shots at a below 29 percent clip in the tournament and if those numbers continue an upset is certainly possible. By the season numbers Gonzaga is the stronger shooting team everywhere on the floor while also committing fewer turnovers but clearly those numbers are a bit inflated with the contrasting schedules. Gonzaga will likely be the team facing the most pressure in this game as the top seed with a chance at a historic run for the program getting to the next level on the national stage and the Bulldogs will likely need to lean on its elite defense again to accomplish that result.

In addition to having the best S/U record in the nation Gonzaga was also among the ATS leaders currently at 22-9-2 even with a 0-2-1 ATS run in three NCAA Tournament games. The ‘under’ has hit in six of the last eight Gonzaga games with the Bulldogs allowing just 61 points per game on the season. Since the late season six-game losing streak Xavier is on a 7-0 ATS run including covering in each of the last five games as an underdog with four outright upsets.

Despite the hot shooting last weekend the ‘under’ is 5-1-1 in the last seven games for the Musketeers with the 91-point game vs. Florida State the only outing that cleared the total. These teams last met on New Year’s Eve in 2011 in Cincinnati with Gonzaga winning that game as well as a 2010 meeting in Spokane. Gonzaga also narrowly beat Xavier 79-75 in 3/14 matchup in Salt Lake City in the Round of 64 in the 2006 NCAA Tournament.

No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks (-6½) vs. No. 3 Oregon Ducks (156½)

Oregon owns the 1939 National Championship in basketball and while the program has certainly grown to being a Pac-12 power the last decade the Final Four has eluded the Ducks in the recent history of success. This will be the program’s fourth trip to a regional final since 2002, including losing Oklahoma last season in this round. The Big XII is again standing in Oregon’s way this season and this game could feel like a road game in Kansas City.

Oregon opened the season as a top five team in the rankings before stumbling out of the game with November losses to Baylor and Georgetown. A 17-game winning streak followed as the Ducks went on to claim a share of the Pac-12 regular season title before falling in the tournament championship against Arizona. Oregon lost senior leader Chris Boucher to injury in the Pac-12 tournament which dampened hopes for a deep NCAA Tournament run. Oregon certainly hasn’t dominated in getting three wins to make the Midwest regional final but they are here with a great challenge ahead vs. Kansas.

The efficiency ratings are pretty close for these squads with nearly identical defensive numbers. Both teams are slightly better on offense with the excellent 3-point shooting for Kansas painting the Jayhawks as the superior squad. Value could be with the Ducks however as they open as a bigger underdog than Purdue was Thursday night even though by all accounts Oregon rates ahead of Purdue.

This line is currently only a point higher than the Kansas line in Tulsa vs. Michigan State in the Round of the 32 and there is simply no comparison between this year’s marginal Spartans team and a Ducks team that won the Pac-12 regular season but a hot Jayhawks team many feel is the best in the nation could keep that line climbing.

Sophomore Tyler Dorsey has been the star for Oregon in the tournament with 71 points and late game heroics as Oregon snuck out narrow wins vs. Rhode Island and Michigan in the past two games. Junior Jordan Bell has also helped to carry the load in Boucher’s absence with a big rebounding presence.

Junior Dillon Brooks has had a quieter NCAA Tournament but he remains perhaps the team’s most important player and he and Dorsey have both hit over 41 percent from 3-point range on the season.

Outside shooting burned Oregon in last season’s regional final loss to Oklahoma as the Ducks shot just 19 percent from 3-point range in Oklahoma’s wire-to-wire win that wasn’t as close as the 12-point final margin suggests. Defending the 3-point shot was a big area of improvement for Dana Altman’s team this season however as after allowing over 36 percent from beyond the arc last season, this year’s team allowed just 31.4 percent shooting for one the better rates nationally. It showed against a hot shooting Michigan squad that is reliant on 3-point shooting as the Wolverines missed 20 of 31 long range shots in Oregon’s narrow win.

Kansas shoots the 3-point shot as well as any team in the nation, averaging over 41 percent as a team and the Jayhawks made 15 3-point shots at a 54 percent clip in Thursday’s win over Purdue. In that game Kansas erased an eight-point deficit late in the first half for a blowout result with one of the team’s best shooting performances of the season. Frank Mason is hitting over 48 percent of his 3-point shots this season and he has scored 68 points in three dominant wins for the Jayhawks.

Kansas won its 13th consecutive title this season, going 28-3 in the regular season even with a loss in the first game of the season. An early exit in the Big XII tournament might have helped the team with a break and now in three NCAA Tournament wins Kansas has outscored foes 151-95 in three dominant second halves. Junior Devonte’ Graham had a hot hand in Thursday’s semifinal win and the team is led by future NBA lottery pick freshman Josh Jackson, an immense talent that has had a checkered season including his suspension in the Big XII tournament loss.

The inside scoring options for Kansas are limited as the Jayhawks can struggle if those outside shots are not falling but that has happened only a few times this season. This team currently has the worst defensive efficiency in 14 seasons for Bill Self in Lawrence and despite the long range accuracy Kansas shot just over 67 percent from the free throw line as this squad is not without flaws despite being the tournament favorite to win it all ahead of Friday’s Sweet 16 games.

The Big Ten did not rate as a strong league this season and Kansas perhaps had some good fortune in the bracket to draw two overmatched squads from that conference while also playing very close to home in both contests. That will be the case again Saturday with Lawrence almost a suburb of Kansas City just 40 miles away. In the past three NCAA Tournament exits Kansas has lost in favorable venues in Louisville, Omaha, and St. Louis however as that semi-home court edge can be overvalued at times.

Oregon finished 20-15-1 ATS this season, actually on a 16-7-1 ATS run since starting Pac-12 play after an underwhelming non-conference season amidst high expectations. Kansas is just 14-18-1 ATS on the season though going 3-0 ATS in the NCAA Tournament so far with wins by 38, 20, and 22.

The ‘over’ is on a 5-0 run in Kansas games since the regular season finale while the ‘over’ had hit in four Oregon games in a row until the lower scoring Sweet 16 game with Michigan. These teams played a non-conference home-and-home in 2002 and 2003 with the hosts winning both meetings while Kansas also beat Oregon 104-86 in Madison in the Elite Eight of the 2002 NCAA Tournament under Roy Williams.

NCAA Tournament Elite Eight Betting Preview: Xavier vs. Gonzaga
By Covers.com

Xavier Musketeers vs Gonzaga Bulldogs (-8.5, 145.5)

Top-seeded Gonzaga and 11th-seeded Xavier are both shooting to reach the Final Four for the first time in school history when they meet in Saturday's West Region final at San Jose, Calif. Each school is also part of the Elite Eight for just the third time while the Musketeers are striving to become just the fourth 11th seed to reach a Final Four.

Xavier closed the game with a 9-0 run to post a 73-71 upset victory over second-seeded Arizona on Thursday and senior guard Malcolm Bernard feels his team is ready to join LSU (1986), George Mason (2006) and VCU (2011) as 11 seeds to crash the Final Four. "We worked so hard, not only in the offseason but throughout the year battling adversity," Bernard said in the postgame press conference. "and I just didn't think it was time for our season to end." There is certainly more pressure on the Bulldogs as the school's inability to reach a Final Four has been frequently brought up during their best-ever campaign. "First of all, I don't know that I have a monkey on my back," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said after a 61-58 victory over fourth-seeded West Virginia. "I certainly don't wake up with one or walk around with one. So I don't think these guys think I have one. ... It would be phenomenal to get these guys, this team that I love deeply, the experience to go to a Final Four."

LINE HISTORY: The Bulldogs hit the board as 8.5-point chalk against the Cinderella Musketeers and as of Friday afternoon that number hasn’t moved. The total opened at 145.5 and like the spread has yet to move off that number. Check out the complete line history here.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "With Michigan out of the tourney, Xavier is the certified Cinderella and rightfully so. A 13-loss team that has caught fire at the right time of the season, with a ton of NCAA tourney pedigree (24-4-2 ATS in this event since 2004). The Zags have turned it up defensively, allowing just 59 PPG in this tourney. A classic case of a top seed taking on Cinderella at this stage of the tournament." Covers Expert Marc Lawrence

WHAT BOOKS SAY: “The line opened at Gonzaga -8, then quickly moved to 8.5, however the action has been coming in on Xavier at a 3-1 clip, for both side bets and parlays. Looks like everyone thinks this 11 seed is going to be able to fend off that 8.5 points.” - Lines Manager at GTBets

INJURY REPORT:

Xavier - G Edmond Sumner (Out For Season, Knee)

Gonzaga - C Jacob Larsen (Out For Season, Knee)

ABOUT XAVIER: The Musketeers are led by red-hot junior guard Trevon Bluiett, who scored 25 points against Arizona and is averaging 25 in the NCAA tourney to raise his season-mark to 18.3 with 88 3-pointers. Bernard (6.5 average) scored a career-high 15 against the Wildcats and junior power forward Sean O'Mara (6.3) scored the tiebreaking inside basket with 44.1 seconds to play. Junior guard J.P. Macura contributes 13.9 points to go with 60 3-pointers for a team that has made its impressive postseason dash despite losing star sophomore point guard Edmond Sumner (averages of 15 points and five assists) to a season-ending knee injury in late January.

ABOUT GONZAGA: Shooting guard Jordan Mathews, who averages 10.7 points, drained the go-ahead 3-pointer with 57.3 seconds remaining in a victory over West Virginia that also featured the Bulldogs limiting the Mountaineers to 26.7-percent shooting from the field. Junior point guard Nigel Williams-Goss leads Gonzaga in scoring (16.5) and assists (4.7) but is a meager 12-of-42 shooting in three NCAA Tournament games. The Bulldogs outrebound opponents by 7.4 per game and rely on the sturdy interior trio of senior center Przemek Karnowski (12.4 points, 5.9 rebounds), junior power forward Johnathan Williams (10.1 points, team-best 6.6 boards) and freshman reserve 7-footer Zach Collins (10-point average, 5.7 rebounds).

TRENDS:

* Musketeers are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
* Musketeers are 15-2-1 ATS in their last 18 NCAA Tournament games as an underdog.
* Bulldogs are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 NCAA Tournament games as a favorite.
* Under is 5-1-1 in Musketeers last 7 overall.
* Under is 4-0 in Bulldogs last 4 vs. Big East.

NCAA Tournament Elite Eight Betting Preview: Oregon vs Kansas
By Covers.com

Oregon Ducks vs Kansas Jayhawks (-6.5, 156.5)

The Jayhawks are led by the talented backcourt duo of senior Frank Mason III and junior Devonte’ Graham, who each recorded 26 points in the 98-66 victory over Purdue on Thursday.

“We’re spoiled,” Kansas coach Bill Self told reporters, “. … on the perimeter you’ve always got, in my opinion, an All-American-type guard to be the leader and run your team. To have two guys out there playing like they’re playing, I think, just gives everybody confidence and it can help totally control the pace of the game.”

Oregon lost third-leading scorer and rim protector Chris Boucher to a knee injury in the Pac-12 tournament, but has battled its way into the Elite Eight with a versatile roster.

“We never quit,” Ducks sophomore guard Tyler Dorsey told reporters after the 69-68 win over Michigan on Thursday. “We just keep fighting. We know how to win.”

LINE HISTORY: The Jayhawks opened as 6-point favorites against the Ducks and by Friday afternoon that number was bet up a half point to 6.5. The total hit the board at 156.5 and hasn’t moved off that number. Check out the complete line history here.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "The wounded Ducks continue their flight in this tournament, escaping with wins of 1 and 3 points in their last two games. Meanwhile, Kansas is hitting on all cylinders, topping 90 or more points in all three contests, averaging 96 PPG. Rallying around the loss of star F Ed Boucher has been the rallying cry of Oregon. Beating team like a drum has been Kansas’ mantra. This should prove interesting." Covers Expert Marc Lawrence

WHAT BOOKS SAY: “Kansas opened as a 5 point favorite, but the line has made its way up to 6.5 pretty quickly. The action is pretty close to even, with the Jayhawks seeing slightly more side action at this point.” - Lines Manager at GTBets

INJURY REPORT:

Oregon - F Chris Boucher (Out For Season, knee), F M.J. Cage (Out Indefinitely, knee)

Kansas - C Udoka Azubuike (Out For Season, wrist)

ABOUT OREGON (32-5): Dorsey has been nicknamed “Mr. March” by his teammates for good reason as the Los Angeles product is averaging 23.7 points in the first three games of the NCAA Tournament and 23 in the last six contests overall. Junior forward Dillon Brooks is the team’s leading scorer overall (16.3) and has matched that in the Big Dance while junior forward Jordan Bell has registered 13 points and 12.3 boards per game in the last three. The Ducks could use some added offense from senior guard Dylan Ennis, who is scoring 10.7 per game overall this season but is just 7-for-22 from the field for 22 total points in the NCAAs.

ABOUT KANSAS (31-4): Mason has been outstanding in his last NCAA Tournament, averaging 22.7 points on 23-of-41 shooting and 6.7 assists, and has scored at least 20 in nine of the last 10 contests. Graham became the first player to drain at least four 3-pointers in four straight NCAA Tournament games since Stephen Curry accomplished the feat with Davidson in 2008 and knocked down five against Purdue as Mason told reporters, “It’s probably one of the best games I’ve seen him play.” Freshman swingman Josh Jackson has also been solid in the Big Dance while averaging 18.3 points on 56 percent shooting.

TRENDS:

* Ducks are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Jayhawks are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 NCAA Tournament games as a favorite.
* Over is 5-1 in Ducks last 6 NCAA Tournament games as an underdog of 0.5-6.5.
* Over is 5-0 in Jayhawks last 5 games as a favorite.
* Over is 4-0 in Jayhawks last 4 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.

NCAAB: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com

Xavier vs. Gonzaga

11-seed Xavier pulled off a 73-71 comeback win over 2-seed Arizona Thursday night and now takes on top-seeded Gonzaga in the regional final.

No sense wasting time trying to poke holes in Gonzaga which has scoring punch (83.2) and are one of the best at keeping the ball out of their own net allowing just 61.0 points/game. However, handing Xavier +8.0 points currently being offered at Sports Interaction may be a tad generous.

Bulldogs running cold for bettors during the Tournament going 0-2-1 ATS have not been a peg to hang your hopes on as Tournament chalk. In twelve NCAA Tournament games as favorites, the Bullgos are 4-7-1 ATS. On the other side, Musketeers are one of the most profitable teams during the Big Dance. In its last 32 NCAA Tournament games the Musketeers are 24-6-2 against the betting line (75.0%).

Two additional telling baketball betting stats leap out in favor of Xavier. The Musketeers are a money-making 15-2-2 against the betting line taking points during NCAA Tournament play, 3-1 ATS running the hardwood vs a #1-seed. One final nugget, #1-Seeds in the Elite Eight have not been good bets recently. Since 2012 they're 5-7-1 ATS losing five outright and a money-burning 3-6-1 ATS since 2005 laying -7.5 or more points in this round.

NCAA Tournament Report
By Steve Merril

Xavier vs. Gonzaga

My power ratings make Gonzaga a 9-point favorite in this game, but the current betting line is only -8/-8.5 as the public is backing the underdog. Xavier has been the biggest surprise in the tournament with three straight upset wins as an underdog. The Musketeers have now won five straight games in a row as an underdog going back to the Big East tournament, however their run should end tonight. Xavier has benefited from extreme shooting percentages in their recent games. Gonzaga is the better team, but they have some flaws and have under performed so far in this tournament, going 0-2-1 ATS despite winning all three games straight-up.