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**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 06:49 AM

Re: CBB Betting Info. 3/25

Friday's Sweet 16 Action
By Sportsbook.ag

IOWA ST CYCLONES (23-11) vs. VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (28-7)

Sportsbook.ag Line: Virginia -5.5, Total: 141

No. 1 seed Virginia returns to the Sweet Sixteen for the second time in three seasons as it looks to outlast No. 4 seed Iowa State and move on to the Elite Eight.

Virginia (18-15 ATS) will be aiming to get past the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 1995 when they play Iowa State (17-13-1 ATS) on Friday night in Chicago. Coach Tony Bennett’s Cavaliers have lost the previous two seasons to Michigan State, and were a No. 1 seed in 2014 as well when bowing out in the Sweet Sixteen.

Iowa State is also returning to the Sweet Sixteen for the second time in three seasons. They bowed out to eventual 2014 National Champion Connecticut before getting upset by No. 14 seed UAB in their first game in last season’s tournament. Coach Steve Prohm is in his first season at the helm of the Cyclones and was 1-1 in the NCAA Tournament as coach of Murray State before winning Iowa State’s first two games last week.

The Cyclones advanced by beating No. 13 Iona in the first round (94-81, ISU -6.5) and No. 12 Arkansas-Little Rock last Saturday (78-61, ISU -6). Prior to that, Iowa State had closed out their regular season in mediocre fashion (5-6 SU, 5-6 ATS). That said, the Cyclones have covered their last four contests.

Iowa State has fared well in neutral sites (5-2 SU, 5-2 ATS) but has struggled as an underdog at 1-6 SU (4-3 ATS). Coach Prohm will have plenty of time to prepare for Virginia’s vaunted pack-line defense, and the Cyclones are 12-5 SU (9-6-1) on 3+ days rest this season.

Since dropping three games in mid-January to non-NCAA Tournament teams, Virginia has closed the season 15-3 (11-7 ATS). The Cavaliers dropped the ACC title game to North Carolina (61-57, UVA +2.5) but rebounded to crush Hampton in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament (81-45, UVA -23), and then dismissed Butler (77-69, UVA -8.5). The Cavaliers will also be well rested to face Iowa State’s potent offense in this contrast of styles, as Virginia is 12-4 (8-7 ATS) on 3+ days rest. Virginia has been excellent on neutral site courts this season (8-1 SU, 6-3 ATS) and is 25-14 (16-13 ATS) as a favorite.

In total trends, the UNDER is 12-3 in Virginia’s last 15 games and 10-3 in Iowa State’s last 13 games in neutral sites. This will be the third highest total (141) of the season for Virginia, and the Cavaliers are 2-0 SU (0-2 ATS) with the OVER at 1-1 with a total of 140+.

Iowa State can fill it up on offense (82.1 PPG, 13th NCAA), which should make this game a treat to watch with contrasting styles. The Cyclones lead the country in field goals made per game (31.2), as they don’t rely on the charity stripe or an inflated pace of play (73.6 possessions per game, 73rd NCAA) to bolster their scoring totals. If Iowa State loses their efficiency, though, Virginia’s slowest-in-the-nation pace (60.2 possessions per game) will make things awfully uncomfortable for the Cyclones. Iowa State hasn’t played anyone (outside of two games against Oklahoma State) where the final total was under 130, as Friday’s pregame total of 141 is the lowest of the season for Iowa State.

The Cyclones had little success against the Big 12’s best defensive team, West Virginia (0-2 SU, 0-2 ATS), but the Mountaineers play a much different style of defense than Virginia does. Iowa State excelled against the best half-court defensive team they played this season, going to Cincinnati and beating the Bearcats 81-79 in December.

The Cyclones are led by senior F Georges Niang (20.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 3.3 APG), who’s had a marvelous tournament thus far (28 PPG, 53.7% FG, 50% 3PT). A third straight 28-point outing will be a lot to ask of Niang against Virginia’s defense, but playing through the crafty forward is a great way to take pressure off of G Monte Morris (13.9 PPG, 6.9 APG). If any point guard in the country is poised enough to extend possessions against the Cavaliers, it’s Morris - the nation’s leader in assist-to-turnover ratio two straight seasons.

G Matt Thomas (10.9 PPG, 43% 3PT) is one of five double-figure scorers for the Cyclones, but he’s upped his all-around play in the tournament (15 PPG, 5 RPG, 3.5 APG) while staying steady as Iowa State’s main three-point threat (46.7 3PT, 3.5 3PM). Thomas and F Abdel Nader (13.2 PPG) will be key secondary sources of perimeter production that Iowa State will need if Virginia is able to compromise Niang’s otherworldly production thus far.

If the game is close down the stretch, F Jameel McKay (11.3 PPG, 9 RPG, 1.8 BPG) could become a liability. Iowa State’s biggest defensive asset, McKay went 0-6 FT against Arkansas-Little Rock and shot at only a 53.5% mark on the season from the stripe.

Virginia was somewhat shaky on defense in their win over Butler last Sunday, allowing the Bulldogs to shoot 46.3% FG and 46.7% 3PT. It was the Cavaliers offense (55.8% FG; 73% in the 2nd half) that led them into the Sweet Sixteen. Coach Bennett went with four guards around standout F Anthony Gill (13.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG) in the second half to match Butler’s size, and the results speak for themselves. This could be a similar lineup Bennett rolls out whenever Iowa State’s McKay isn’t on the floor.

Gill has been phenomenal in Virginia’s two NCAA Tournament games, putting up 19 points in each (68.2% FG), and McKay will be the only Cyclone defender who has the chops to slow him down.

Virginia’s MVP this season, though, has been ACC player of the year Malcolm Brogdon (18.6 PPG, 47% FG, 40% 3PT). The 6-foot-5 senior guard is strong enough to guard four positions on the floor, take it to the hoop on offense and finish in traffic. Brogdon put up a well-rounded 22 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists while going 8-14 in the win over Butler.

While much is rightfully talked about Virginia’s defense (59.5 PPG), they do a great job keeping opponents off the glass (28.2 RPG, 1st NCAA) and – as mentioned earlier – play at the slowest pace in all of Division 1. Delving deeper, though, the Cavaliers can be vulnerable to a team patient enough to work for good shots, and that describes Iowa State as well as any team in the country. Virgina’s defensive shooting numbers aren’t as elite as their totals (166th NCAA in 3PT % defense, 78th NCAA in FG% defense) and they don’t force a ton of turnovers (11.2 TO, 247th NCAA).

Conversely, Virginia’s offense is much better than the totals would lead you to believe (1.16 points per possession, 15th NCAA) and Iowa State’s defense is easily vulnerable in many areas (74.7 PPG allowed, 244th NCAA). Virginia could very well jump on Iowa State’s leaky defense early on and make it very tough for the Cyclones to make a comeback.

WISCONSIN BADGERS (22-12) vs. NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH (23-11)

Sportsbook.ag Line: Notre Dame -1, Total: 131.5

#7 Wisconsin will be going for a third straight Elite 8 appearance when the team faces #6 Notre Dame on Friday.

The Badgers are coming off of a buzzer-beating 66-63 victory over #2 Xavier on Sunday and they have now won-and-covered in each of their two tournament games. Wisconsin has been thriving on the defensive end of the floor, holding each of its past two opponents to under 43% shooting from the field. If the Badgers can put forth a similar effort defensively on Friday then they’ll like their chances of advancing to the Elite Eight on Sunday.

The Fighting Irish, however, are a very good offensive team and will be welcoming the challenge of remaining efficient against a tough Badgers team. Notre Dame defeated #14 Stephen F. Austin 76-75 on a tip-in at the buzzer on Sunday and has now shot 58% or better from the field in each of the past two contests.

The Fighting Irish have only faced the Badgers once since 1997 and Notre Dame won-and-covered in that game. One trend that is working in Wisconsin’s favor is the fact that the team is 14-3 ATS when playing away from home after forcing an opponent to commit eight or less turnovers over the past three seasons. Notre Dame also happens to be 0-6 ATS away from home after two or more consecutive wins this season.

Wisconsin was down as many as nine points late in the second half, but the team was able to rally back against Xavier. The Badgers’ defense has been the big story this tournament, but they would not be playing in this game if it weren’t for G Bronson Koenig (13.3 PPG). With the Badgers down three in the final minute of regulation, Koenig hit a deep three to tie the game at 63-63. On the next trip down for Xavier, G Zak Showalter (7.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.0 SPG) drew a charge that ultimately gave the Badgers the ball back with two seconds left. Head Coach Greg Gard designed a brilliant play from there and it ended with Koenig hitting a game winning, step-back three from the corner.

Wisconsin must now shift its attention to Notre Dame, though. The team will need both Koenig and Showalter to come up big in this one. Koenig is going to need to continue to bury shots for this team. The Fighting Irish are a very good team offensively and the Badgers can’t afford to continue to shoot the ball the way they have been.

Showalter, meanwhile, will likely need to guard Demetrius Jackson in this game and it’s crucial that the Wisconsin guard finds a way to contain him.

F Nigel Hayes (15.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.1 SPG) desperately needs to get it going for the Badgers in this one. Hayes is by far the most talented player on this Wisconsin team, but he is just 5-for-27 from the field in the tournament. Hayes is a guy that is capable of going off for 25 or more on any given night and the Badgers need him to find his stroke against the Fighting Irish.

One guy that can always be relied on is F Ethan Happ (12.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.8 SPG), though. Happ is averaging 16.5 PPG and 8.0 RPG in the tournament and he is a handful to guard around the basket. If he can find a way to get Zach Auguste in foul trouble then the Badgers should be able to advance.

The Fighting Irish were extremely close to being upset by Stephen F. Austin, but they were able to escape with a tip-in shot with just under two seconds remaining in the game. Notre Dame will need to be a lot better against a feisty Wisconsin team on Friday.

One guy that should be able to dominate this game is C Zach Auguste (14.3 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 1.1 BPG). Auguste has been a monster for Notre Dame in this tournament, averaging 13.0 PPG, 13.5 RPG and 2.0 BPG in 29.0 MPG. He has a very unique blend of size and athleticism and should give the Badgers a lot of trouble around the basket. He will need to avoid foul trouble or Notre Dame will have a lot of issues on both ends of the floor.

G Demetrius Jackson (15.5 PPG, 4.7 APG, 1.2 SPG) will also need to have a big game for the Fighting Irish on Friday. Jackson is a lot quicker than most of the Badgers’ guards, so he should be able to get to the rim pretty easily in this game. It’d be a major plus for the team if he can knock down some shots from the outside as well. He was 2-for-3 from three against the Lumberjacks on Sunday, but he was just 4-for-18 from the outside in the four games before that.

G Steve Vasturia (11.6 PPG) is a guy that needs to be a lot better for Notre Dame moving forward. He’s just 6-for-22 from the field in this tournament and the Fighting Irish are counting on him to regain his stroke on Friday. The team is much more beatable when he is not playing well offensively.

F V.J. Beachem (11.6 PPG, 4.0 RPG) might just be the x-factor for Notre Dame in this one, though. Beachem is 15-for-30 from the outside over the past five games and Notre Dame is extremely tough to beat when he gets it going from deep.

GONZAGA BULLDOGS (28-7) vs. SYRACUSE ORANGE (21-13)

Sportsbook.ag Line: Gonzaga -4, Total: 135

#11 Gonzaga and #10 Syracuse clash on Friday night and whoever wins will be the only double-digit seeded team to reach the Elite Eight.

The Bulldogs are on fire heading into this meeting with the Orange, as they have now won seven straight games and they have covered in six of those contests. Gonzaga defeated #6 Seton Hall 68-52 as a two-point favorite in the first round of the tournament and followed it up with an 82-59 victory as a one-point favorite over #3 Utah in the second round. The Bulldogs have been outstanding on both sides of the ball, as they have now shot 55% or better from the field in two of the past three contests and they have held their opponents to under 43% shooting in two straight.

Syracuse has played very solid basketball in the tournament as well. The Orange defeated #7 Dayton 70-51 as one-point favorites in the first round and then knocked off #15 Middle Tennessee State 75-50 as six-point favorites in the second round. The team’s defense has been outstanding so far, holding each of its first two opponents to less than 33% shooting from the field.

Syracuse and Gonzaga have met just once since 1997 and the Orange won-and-covered in that game. One thing the Bulldogs will feel good about heading into this game is that the Orange are just 5-14 ATS after having won two of their past three games this season. Syracuse is, however, an impressive 8-1 ATS after allowing 55 points or less in two straight games over the past three seasons.

Gonzaga has been on a tear throughout the tournament and C Domantas Sabonis (17.5 PPG, 11.7 RPG) is a huge reason for that. In two tournament games, Sabonis is averaging 20.0 PPG, 13.0 RPG and 1.5 BPG for the Bulldogs. He was absolutely dominant against Jakob Poeltl and Utah in the second round, going 8-for-12 from the floor and even knocking down his only attempt from three. Syracuse’s zone may make it a big tough for Sabonis to get the touches he normally does, but one thing he’ll be able to do against them is rebound. If he crashes the boards hard and avoids foul trouble then he should get plenty of second chance opportunities on Friday.

F Kyle Wiltjer (20.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG), meanwhile, will need to get hot in this one. The zone should play right into his strengths, as all he’ll need to do is find a few spots to pull up from. Wiltjer was 7-for-10 from the field and 3-for-4 from the outside against Utah, so he should be feeling confident heading into this game. It is, however, important that he really digs in on the defensive end in this one.

As is seemingly always the case for Gonzaga, the x-factors in this game will likely be Gs Josh Perkins (10.2 PPG, 4.0 APG, 1.2 SPG) and Eric McClellan (10.9 PPG). The two of them should get plenty of open looks against this Syracuse defense and will just need to make good decisions with the basketball on Friday. If they can move the ball quickly then they should find spaces in the Orange zone and both guys have been hitting shots lately. The two of them combined for 32 points against Utah and a similar performance on Friday would likely mean that Gonzaga is advancing to the Elite Eight.

Syracuse is on fire coming into this game, but the team has not yet faced anybody that is nearly as good as Gonzaga. The Bulldogs are an extremely big team and that means that guys like C DaJuan Coleman (5.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG) and F Tyler Roberson (9.0 PPG, 8.4 RPG) will need to be ready to play in this one. Coleman is a big body that will likely be tasked with keeping Sabonis off of the glass in this one. That is not going to be easy, but if he is badly beaten in that regard then Syracuse will not be advancing in this one.

Roberson should be able to help Coleman on the boards. He’s averaging 13.5 RPG through two tournament games and will need to carry that over into Friday’s matchup.

Offensively, the Orange are going to need big performances from Gs Trevor Cooney (12.8 PPG), Michael Gbinije (17.8 PPG, 4.4 APG, 4.1 RPG, 2.0 SPG) and Malachi Richardson (13.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.2 SPG).

Cooney is this team’s veteran leader and also happens to be the most dangerous outside shooter Syracuse has. He has shot it well throughout the tournament, going 6-for-12 from the outside in the opening rounds. If he can continue to be efficient from the outside then it’ll really help his team moving forward.

Gbinije is the most talented player on this roster. He had 23 points on 10-for-14 shooting against Middle Tennessee State and will need to come ready to score in this game as well. The Bulldogs are weakest in their backcourt, so Gbinije should find some success here on Friday.

Syracuse does need Malachi Richardson to be more consistent. After scoring 21 points on 5-for-12 shooting in the first round, Richardson had just four points on 1-for-7 shooting against the Blue Raiders. He is a very versatile scorer, but if he has an off night on Friday then it’ll be tough for the Orange to advance.

INDIANA HOOSIERS (27-7) vs. NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS (30-6)

Sportsbook.ag Line: North Carolina -5.5, Total: 158.5

Bluebloods #1 North Carolina and #5 Indiana meet in the Sweet Sixteen in Philadelphia on Friday night.

The Tar Heels have been comfortable thus far in the NCAA Tournament, with an 85-66 win over #9 Providence on Saturday as 11.5-point favorites. UNC shot an impressive 52.5% from the field, and grabbed 42 rebounds compared to Providence’s 24.

Indiana, meanwhile, defeated #4 Kentucky on Saturday by a score of 73-67 as 3.5-point underdogs. The Hoosiers shot 48.1% from the field and held a dangerous Kentucky squad to just 42.1% shooting.

Since 1997, Indiana is 4-0 ATS and 3-1 SU against North Carolina. Working in UNC’s favor is that Indiana is just 11-22 ATS after games in which they covered the spread in the past two seasons. Indiana is, however, 20-10 ATS when playing just their second game in eight days over the past two seasons.

North Carolina has been dominant in March Madness, and will need to keep up the good play against a tough opponent in Indiana. F Brice Johnson (16.8 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 61.9% FG) is UNC’s key player, and he has lived up to the hype through his team’s first two games in the tournament, averaging 19.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 5.0 BPG. How young Indiana big man Thomas Bryant can handle Johnson down low will go a long way in determining the outcome of this matchup.

F Justin Jackson (12.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG) has also had a solid tournament, and could be an x-factor for Roy Williams’ squad. Jackson is a very good defender on the perimeter and he’s also capable of hitting outside shots when called upon.

F Isaiah Hicks (9.4 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 61.5% FG), ACC Sixth Man of the Year, has also enjoyed a great start to the tournament, averaging 12.5 PPG and 5.5 RPG on 9-for-12 shooting.

Senior G Marcus Paige (12.0 PPG, 3.7 APG, 1.2 SPG) has struggled from the field this season, shooting just 38.9%, but if he regains his form from two seasons ago, the Tar Heels will have to like their chances to advance to the Elite Eight.

Big Ten champions Indiana are a force on the offensive end of the court, averaging 82.3 PPG (11th in NCAA) on 50.1% shooting from the field (3rd in NCAA). G Yogi Ferrell (17.1 PPG, 5.6 APG, 41.9% 3FG) is Indiana’s best player, and his double-double of 20 points and 10 assists paced the Hoosiers in their first round matchup against Chattanooga. With 18 points, four assists, and five rebounds against Kentucky, he proved that he can put up big numbers against top competition, and he will not shy away from the UNC defense.

F Troy Williams (13.0 PPG, 5.9 RPG) is a versatile option for Tom Crean’s squad, and C Thomas Bryant (11.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 68.9% FG) is a force in the post. Indiana’s best players will need to show up, and if they are to get a win the likes of F Max Bielfeldt (8.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 44.1% 3FG) and G Nick Zeisloft (6.7 PPG, 42.5% 3FG) will need to shoot well from three-point range.

**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 06:49 AM

Re: CBB Betting Info. 3/25

Sweet 16 - Friday Early Tips
By Tony Mejia
VegasInsider.com

#1 Virginia (-5, 141) vs. #4 Iowa State

There is a drastic contrast in styles here, so expect a tug of war for control of the tempo. Iowa State was forced to replace Fred Hoiberg with Steve Prohm when he left for the Bulls, but have still averaged 82.1 points per game, ranking tops in the Big 12 in scoring. For the fourth straight season, the Cyclones are currently among the top 15 teams in the country in that department. The Cavaliers play the slowest pace in D-I and rank second in the nation in points allowed, the fifth straight year they’ve been in the top-five in that department under Tony Bennett. For Virginia to play its ideal game, it must stay out of foul trouble and limit Georges Niang’s impact.

Niang, a talented senior forward was named a Second-Team All-American by the USBWA and has been the centerpiece for the Cyclones in recent years, often serving as point forward, bullying his way into the paint with his ability to put the ball on the floor at 6-8, while possessing a nice touch from the perimeter as well. Virginia has dealt with talented, versatile players throughout the ACC, so seeing how the team attacks Niang defensively will be this game’s top attraction. Iowa State has plenty of others who can hurt you, starting with junior point guard Monte Morris, whose 6.9 assists to 1.6 turnovers again ranks among the best ratios in the country, which means wings Matt Thomas, Abdel Nader and sixth man Deonte Burton often get open looks. Thomas is a 43 percent shooter. Burton has a 46 percent clip off the bench.

Virginia’s leader is First Team All-American Malcolm Brogdon, a physically strong shooting guard who can defend just about anyone and will likely see some time on Niang. He averages a team-best 18.6 points, ranks second in assists and shoots 89 percent from the 3-point line and 40 percent from 3-point range. Backcourt mate London Perrantes, a stifling defender and heady floor general, shoots nearly 48 percent from beyond the arc. Anthony Gill is the primary post threat and will have to do his part against Niang. He's averaged 13.6 points and 6.2 rebounds, but the play alongside him and behind him from Mike Tobey, Isaiah Wilkins and Evan Nolte has been spotty. They do have a size edge on Cyclones enforcer Jameel McKay.

Expect the 3-ball to play a huge role here, since Virginia’s presence is almost certain to ensure fewer possessions than the Cyclones are typically used to unless they’re able to get out early and dictate, forcing catch-up mode. The Cavaliers have only played three games that have gone ‘over’ the posted total since Jan. 30, a span of 15 contests. Virginia is 11-2 SU in games that have surpassed the posted total, but are just 6-7 ATS. Conversely, Iowa State is 7-1 in games where 141 points or fewer have been scored, covering the number in six of those. UVA rolled over Hampton 81-45 and held off Butler 77-69 to advance to this spot, going 1-1 ATS. Iowa State has covered in both of its wins, beating Iona 94-81 and Little Rock 78-61 to reach the Sweet 16.

#6 Notre Dame (-1, 131.5) vs. #7 Wisconsin

Two Midwest-based teams that entered these NCAAs as wild cards will battle for a spot in the Elite Eight, looking to make it back-to-back memorable seasons. While most remember Bo Ryan-led Wisconsin defeating Kentucky and making it to last April’s Championship game, it’s not as easy to recall that the Fighting Irish nearly took down the undefeated ‘Cats in the Elite Eight. Although they graduated current Knicks guard Jerian Grant and Trail Blazers wing Pat Connaughton, the team that won the ACC Tournament a year ago returned a lot of talent. In that sense, they were better off than the Badgers, who lost first-round picks Frank Kaminsky (Hornets) and Sam Dekker (Rockets) in addition to other key role players. That both teams find themselves in this situation after seasons where they’ve suffered double-digit seasons ties them together in terms of resiliency and an ability to rise up when it matters most.

Notre Dame held off Michigan in the first round and survived 76-75 against Stephen F. Austin on a tip-in by little-used reserve freshman forward Rex Pflueger, coming back from a five-point deficit inside the game’s final 1:35. Wisconsin got a buzzer-beater from guard Bronson Koenig, who eliminated second-seeded Xavier 66-63 with perhaps the shot of the tournament, a buzzer-beater out of the corner he knew was good the moment he left his hands. The Badgers survived Pittsburgh 47-43 in the first round and are 2-0 in these NCAAs as an underdog, which means they likely don’t mind being in that role here.

Veterans Nigel Hayes, Koenig, Zak Showalter and Vitto Brown, all supporting players during last year's run to the Final Four, have combined with freshman Ethan Happ to keep the Badgers in this mix despite being the most inexperienced Badgers team Ryan brought into a season since taking over in '01. After ups and downs, he stepped down midseason to give assistant Greg Gard an opportunity to keep the job, which he has nicely managed to accomplish. Meanwhile, this is the first time the Fighting Irish have reached the Sweet 16 in consecutive seasons, so head coach Mike Brey has no doubt he has a special group. Point guard Demetrius Jackson is the top current pro prospect in this matchup, but he's got plenty of talent around him, starting with senior forward Zach Auguste, one of a handful of guys in the country averaging a double-double (14.3 ppg, 10.9 rpg). Juniors V.J. Beachem and Steve Vasturia are joined by sophomre Bonzie Colson as others averaging double-figures in scoring for Notre Dame.

Although the Irish have a reputation as a higher-scoring team and the Badgers are often chastised for their plodding style, the teams were only separated by one possession on average this season, ranking among the last 20 teams in the country in pace. The 'under' has prevailed in 10 of Wisconsin's last 11 games, but also in seven of Notre Dame's last 10.

**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 06:49 AM

Re: CBB Betting Info. 3/25

Sweet 16 - Friday Late Tips
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com

#11 Gonzaga (-4, 135) vs. #10 Syracuse

The two lowest seeds remaining in the NCAA tournament hook up in the Windy City as both of these stellar programs look to advance to the Elite Eight. Gonzaga (28-7 SU, 17-15-1 ATS) finished as the regular season co-champions in the West Coast Conference along with St. Mary’s, but Mark Few’s team wrapped up its 18th consecutive NCAA tournament berth by winning the WCC tournament.

The Bulldogs cruised to a pair of victories in the first two rounds of the Big Dance against Seton Hall and Utah. In the opening round win over the Big East tournament champions, Gonzaga cruised to a 68-52 triumph as two-point favorites. Forward Domantas Sabonis (son of Blazers’ legend Arvydas) led the Bulldogs with a 20-point, 16-rebound performance, while Gonzaga limited Seton Hall to 32% shooting from the floor to win their tournament opener for the eighth straight season.

Gonzaga proved that the Seton Hall blowout was no fluke as the Bulldogs crushed Utah in the second round, 82-59 as 1½-point favorites. The ‘Zags jumped out to a 15-point halftime lead and never looked back as Gonzaga shot a scorching 56% from the floor. Gonzaga extended its winning streak to seven, while covering each time during this hot streak.

Syracuse (21-13 SU, 18-15 ATS) overcame a late season three-game losing streak, which included a one-and-done exit in the ACC tournament against Pittsburgh. The Orange pulled away in the second half of a 70-51 rout of Dayton in the opening round, outscoring the Flyers in the second half, 40-23, in spite of shooting 40% from the floor. Jim Boeheim’s squad outrebounded Dayton, 45-27, including a game-high 18 boards pulled down by Tyler Roberson.

In the round of 32, Syracuse avoided second-seed Michigan State after the Spartans were upset by Middle Tennessee State. The Orange took advantage of facing the 15th-seed Blue Raiders by ripping the Conference USA tournament champions, 75-50 to easily cash as six-point favorites. Syracuse used another big second half to advance to the Sweet 16, outscoring MTSU, 44-23, while shooting 55% from the floor.

VegasInsider.com handicapper Joe Nelson believes that this game will be decided defending the triple, “One thing Gonzaga does have in the backcourt is size and the effective field goal rate vs. the Bulldogs is among the best in the nation, with very strong numbers against the 3-point shooting for opposing teams. Given that Syracuse is reliant on the 3-point shot more than any other remaining team in the tournament other than Oklahoma that may prove to be a key factor as over 37 percent of the scoring from the Orange comes from beyond the arc. The biggest issue in facing Syracuse is mastering the 2-3 zone defense and the length that the Orange possesses.”

Since winning the national championship in 2003, Syracuse owns a 2-3 record in its last five Sweet 16 appearances. In 2013, the Orange crushed Indiana in the regional semifinals, 61-50 as five-point underdogs. Gonzaga is playing in its third Sweet 16 since 2009, as the Bulldogs rolled past UCLA last March in this round, 74-62 as 8½-point favorites.

#5 Indiana vs. #1 North Carolina (-5½, 158½)

Two legendary programs that played for the 1981 National Championship at the Spectrum in Philadelphia meet in the Sweet 16 round 35 years later in the City of Brotherly Love. One season after getting knocked out in the regional semifinals, North Carolina (30-6 SU, 17-18-1 ATS) looks to reach its seventh Elite 8 under Roy Williams. Meanwhile, Indiana (27-7 SU, 19-15 ATS) hasn’t qualified for the Elite 8 since reaching the National Championship game in 2002.

The Tar Heels cruised to an ACC regular season title at 14-4, while grabbing the ACC tournament championship, including victories over Sweet 16 participants Notre Dame and Virginia. UNC picked up a pair of double-digit wins in each of its first two NCAA tournament victories over Florida Gulf Coast and Providence to extend their winning streak to seven since late February. In the round of 32 victory over Providence, the Tar Heels outscored the Friars in the second half by 15 points to capture an 85-66 win as 11-point favorites.

The Hoosiers won the regular season championship in the loaded Big 10, but dropped their opening game of the conference tournament in the final seconds to Michigan. Indiana regrouped in the NCAA tournament by crushing public underdog Chattanooga in the first round, 99-74 to cash as 11-point favorites. Yogi Ferrell led IU with 20 points and 10 assists, while the Hoosiers torched the Moccasins by shooting 65% from the floor. Tom Crean’s club broke away late from Kentucky in the second round, 73-67 as 3½-point underdogs to improve to 5-1 SU/ATS in the last six games and advance to the Sweet 16.

Nelson breaks down some of the key factors for this matchup, “Indiana finished the season with some of the best shooting numbers in the nation and this is a team with many options including four regulars that shoot over 41 percent from 3-point range. Turnovers have been the big weakness for Indiana as incredibly the conference champions had the worst turnover rate in the Big Ten. Creating turnovers is not a strong suit of the North Carolina defense and in that regard, this matchup should be reasonable for the Hoosiers despite the great talent and top seeding of the Tar Heels.”

The long distance game will be important for each team, according to Nelson. “North Carolina was actually the worst 3-point shooting team in the ACC, but this is a team that continues to take a fair amount of 3-point shots, attempting 35 in the first two rounds and making just 31 percent, exactly the team’s season average. Against Kentucky, Thomas Bryant was Indiana’s key player scoring 19 and converting all six 2-point field goal attempts while also getting to the line several times. Bryant will have a much tougher matchup in this game and the success of the Hoosiers is more likely to hinge on the outside shooters with North Carolina’s 3-point defense also being an area of weakness,” Nelson says.

North Carolina sits at 4/1 odds to grab the National Championship at Sportsbook.ag, while listed at 5/7 odds (Bet $1.40 to win $1.00) to advance to the Final Four. Indiana is the second-favorite to come out the East region at 3/1 odds, while sitting at 20/1 to win the program’s first title since 1987.

**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 08:07 AM

Re: CBB Betting Info. 3/25

Regional Trends
By Marc Lawrence

If you are a player or a coach, there is nothing sweeter this time of the year than being alive in the NCAA Tournament. For those teams that survived the opening two rounds of this main event it’s on to the Sweet 16 and, hopefully, the Elite 8 this weekend.

Here are essential notes and trends of the teams that have arrived. Stay tuned. Note: all stats are ATS (Against The Spread) unless noted otherwise.

NCAA SWEET 16 ROUND NOTES

-- #1 Seeds off BB SUATS wins are 19-8 ATS (Kansas)
-- #2 Seed favs of > 4 pts are 2-6-1 ATS (Villanova)
-- #3 Seed dogs of > 4 pts are 6-1 ATS (Miami, Florida)
-- #4 Seed dogs < 6 pts are 6-1 ATS (Duke, Iowa State)
-- #5 Seeds off a DD SU win are 0-4 ATS (Maryland)
-- #6 Seeds off a SU favorite win are 5-0 ATS (Notre Dame)
-- #7 Seed dogs of 3 < pts are 1-3 ATS (Wisconsin)
-- #10 or worse seed dogs of > 4 pts are 6-1 ATS (Syracuse)
-- Favorites off a SU win of 20 > pts are 0-4 ATS (Gonzaga)

Best Team ATS records in this round
Wisconsin 3-0
Oregon 2-0
Virginia 2-0
Oklahoma 4-1
Duke 3-1

Worst Team ATS records in this round
Miami-FL 0-2
Syracuse 1-6
Gonzaga 1-3
Indiana 1-3
Kansas 4-10

Best Conference ATS records in this round
SEC: 7-1-1
Big East: 5-1 as dogs

Worst Conference ATS records in this round
Big 12: 0-6
MVC: 0-4
West Coast: 1-3
Pac 12: 2-6

NCAA ELITE 8 ROUND NOTES

-- #1 Seed favs > 7 pts are 1-9 ATS
-- #2 Seeds are 3-10-1 ATS off a DD ATS win
-- #3 Seeds are 2-9 ATS
-- #4 Seeds are 11-3 ATS
-- #5 Seeds are 7-0 ATS
-- #6 Seeds are 2-5 ATS
-- #7 Seeds are 3-1-1 ATS
-- #8 Seeds are 5-1 ATS
-- Teams that score 67 < pts are 17-49 SU & 17-46-3 ATS
-- Teams that score 85 > pts are 29-7 SU & 26-8-2 ATS
-- Teams off 3+ ATS wins are 7-1-1 ATS
-- Teams with Revenge are 16-6-1 ATS
-- Dogs off 3 straight DD wins are 2-7-1 ATS

Best Conference ATS records in this round
Big East: 6-1 as dogs 4 < pts
Big 10: 5-1 as dogs
SEC: 5-1 as favs 7 > pts
Pac 12: 4-1 as dogs

Worst Conference ATS records in this round
Big 12: 0-11, ACC: 0-4 as favs > 7 pts
Pac 12: 1-5 as favs 2 > pts
Big East: 1-4 as favs 4 < pts
SEC: 2-5 as favs < 7 pts

COACH ME IF YOU CAN

-- Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski is 20-5 SU from the Elite 8 Round out since 1991, including 15-2 ATS when not favored by 7 or more points

**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 08:07 AM

Re: CBB Betting Info. 3/25

Essential betting stats and trends for the Sweet 16 and Elite 8
By MARC LAWRENCE

If you are a player, a coach, or a fan, there is nothing sweeter this time of the year than being alive in the NCAA Tournament. For those teams that survived the opening two rounds of the "Big Dance," it’s on to the Sweet 16 and hopefully, the Elite 8 this weekend.

So before placing your wagers for the next two rounds, Marc Lawrence digs up all the essential betting notes and trends of the teams that have arrived.

*Note: all stats are ATS (Against The Spread) unless noted otherwise.

NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Round notes

• No. 1 Seeds coming off back-to-back SU/ATS wins are 19-8 ATS. Kansas fits the bill this year.
• No. 2 Seed favorites of 4-points or greater, are 2-6-1 ATS. So be cautious Villanova backers.
• No. 3 Seed dogs of 4-points or greater, are 6-1 ATS. That is the situation for Miami.
• No. 4 Seed dogs of 6-points or less, are 6-1 ATS. Both Duke and Iowa State are in that spot.
• No. 5 Seeds off a double-digit SU win, are 0-4 ATS. Maryland hopes to break that trend.
• No. 6 Seeds off a SU win as favorites, are 5-0 ATS. Notre Dame hopes that holds true.
• No. 7 Seed dogs of 3-pts or less, are 1-3 ATS. Wisconsin is in that spot this year.
• No. 10 or worse seed dogs of 4-points or greater, are 6-1 ATS. Syracuse is looking at that situation.
• Favorites off a SU win of 20 or more points are 0-4 ATS. Gonzaga is coming off a 23-point win over Utah.

Best Team ATS records in the Sweet 16:

Wisconsin 3-0, Oregon, Virginia 2-0, Oklahoma 4-1, Duke 3-1.

Worst Team ATS records in the Sweet 16:

Miami-Fl 0-2, Syracuse 1-6, Gonzaga and Indiana 1-3, Kansas 4-10.

Best Conference ATS records in the Sweet 16:

SEC: 7-1-1, Big East: 5-1 as dogs

Worst Conference ATS records in this round:

Big 12: 0-6, MVC: 0-4, West Coast: 1-3, Pac-12: 2-6

NCAA Tournament ELITE 8 Round notes

• No. 1 Seed favorites of greater than 7-points are 1-9 ATS.
• No. 2 Seeds are 3-10-1 ATS coming off a double-digit ATS win.
• No. 3 Seeds are 2-9 ATS.
• No. 4 Seeds are 11-3 ATS.
• No. 5 Seeds are 7-0 ATS.
• No. 6 Seeds are 2-5 ATS.
• No. 7 Seeds are 3-1-1 ATS.
• No. 8 Seeds are 5-1 ATS.
• Teams that score 67 points or less are 17-49 SU and 17-46-3 ATS.
• Teams that score 85 points or more are 29-7 SU and 26-8-2 ATS.
• Teams coming off three or more ATS wins are 7-1-1 ATS.
• Teams in Revenge spots are 16-6-1 ATS.
• Dogs coming off three straight double-digit wins are 2-7-1 ATS.

Best Conference ATS records in this round:

Big East: 6-1 as dogs of 4-points or less, Big 10: 5-1 as dogs, SEC: 5-1 as favorites of 7 or more points, Pac 12: 4-1 as dogs.

Worst Conference ATS records in this round:

Big 12: 0-11, ACC: 0-4 as favorites of greater than 7-points, Pac 12: 1-5 as favorites of greater than 2-points, Big East: 1-4 as favorites of less than 4-points, SEC: 2-5 as favs less than 7-points.

Coach me if you can

• Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski is 20-5 SU from the Elite 8 Round out since 1991, including 15-2 ATS when not favored by 7 or more points.

**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 08:08 AM

Re: CBB Betting Info. 3/25

UNC, Indiana renew rivalry
By Bruce Marshall

After first and second rounds of the Big Dance that suggested all sorts of wild matchup possibilities for the Sweet 16 and beyond, order seems to have been restored-albeit narrowly. The spry upset winners from the first round, and many of the potential rich storylines for the tournament, all would go down to defeat (some in more heartbreaking fashion than others) in the second round. The lowest seeds remaining in the Dance are all college hoops brand names (7 seed Wisconsin in the East, 10th and 11th seeds Syracuse and Gonzaga in the South). Surprisingly, there are a record six Atlantic Coast Conference teams still alive, which makes the Sweet 16 almost look like a continuation of the recent ACC Tourney at Washington, D.C.'s Verizon Center. Meanwhile, the Big East, Pac-12, and SEC barely maintain a pulse with one entry each.

Yet, we are always apt to reminisce, especially when it comes to this time of the basketball season. Vivid memories of past NCAA Tourneys help us recall each year, and past hoops seasons, more precisely. Especially since the Big Dance often provides us with matchups that are reminders of years gone by. And if it seems as if we keep landing on Indiana for a lot of these trips down memory lane, it's because the Hoosiers have often been at the eye of the March hurricane, with memorable games, players, and one particular coach often as the centerpiece for some unforgettable hoops.

Sweet 16-bound Indiana is back on the big stage again this week in another all-hoops blue blood battle against North Carolina. The Hoosiers and Tar Heels have tangled several times over the years, though a couple of their most memorable battles occurred in the Big Dance during the early 1980s. Moreover, the Philadelphia site for this week's East Regional recalls not only the venue for the Indiana Final Four win in 1976, but also the 1981 Final Four held at the old Spectrum, its site now a parking lot between the Phillies' Citizens Bank Park, the Eagles' Lincoln Financial Field, and the current Wells Fargo Center, which will host the hoops action this weekend.

Big Dance action in Philly, however, will always recall 1981 and the title game between Bob Knight's Indiana and Dean Smith's North Carolina.<

Of course, many historians remember that final game for an altogether different reason, played as it was on the evening of an assassination attempt on President Reagan earlier that day in Washington. The nation was unnerved, memories of JFK and Dallas in 1963 still fresh in many minds. The president's condition turned out to be more serious than was reported that afternoon and evening in a jumble of conflicting stories out of the D.C. news grid. Late in the afternoon, having determined that the president's condition probably wasn't life-threatening (which turned out to be an erroneous assumption), the decision was made in Philadelphia to go ahead with the Hoosiers-Tar Heels title game, to be televised by NBC. (The Academy Awards, scheduled to air on ABC on the same night, decided to postpone their event 24 hours until Tuesday.) So, there was a bit of surreal feeling surrounding the contest, with normal pre-game talk pre-empted, as was the halftime show, as NBC would be quick to switch back to Washington for news updates. Analyst Al McGuire, working alongside Dick Enberg in what would be NBC's last Final Four before CBS acquired the package in 1982, famously said on the air that he really didn't want to be watching or talking about a basketball game that night, setting the somber mood for the evening.

The 1981 Final Four, which also included LSU (IU's semifinal victim) and Ralph Sampson's Virginia (which lost to UNC in an all-ACC semifinal), had already been noteworthy for action earlier in the weekend, and not all of it on the court. Not surprisingly, the controversial Knight was involved in the middle of the storm, this time for a confrontation with an LSU fan, reportedly intoxicated and confrontational with Knight at a Cherry Hill, NJ hotel. The fan ended up deposited in a wastebasket by The General, one of the many bits of Knight folklore that are probably better addressed in one of the countless books chronicling the life and times of the former Indiana coach.

The title game vs. the Tar Heels was the culmination of a great stretch run by that Knight team, which finished with an unremarkable 26-9 SU record, but one that The General himself still believes might, by the end of the season, at least, have been the equal to his undefeated 1975-76 squad. In the outstanding biography Knight, authored by the legendary Bob Hammel, The General offered that opinion to which he and he alone could be considered the ultimate arbiter.

"Don't ever downgrade that (1980-81) team because of its record," The General would say in Knight. "By championship night in Philadelphia, that team had become one of the few in college basketball history that could have stepped onto the court with our 1975 and 1976 teams and competed very well.

"There'd have been a good matchup in the backcourt: Isiah Thomas and Randy Wittman against Quinn Buckner and Bobby Wilkerson. And Ray Tolbert and Landon Turner would have been a good counter to Scott May and Kent Benson. The fifth starter and the bench-no big edge either way. One team lost nine games, the other none. I have to wonder always what I did wrong in 1980-81. The answer quite possibly may be that the '76 team had a much greater focus throughout, and getting that is part of the coach's job."

In that 1980-81 season, the Hoosiers had played North Carolina in December and lost, 65-56, a game in which Isiah Thomas had played so poorly that he was benched by Knight. By the time the Final Four rolled along, however, Indiana was, to borrow the late, great race caller Chic Anderson's description of Secretariat in the 1973 Belmont, moving like a tremendous machine. Indiana "plays five guards--one point and four pulling," one coach had said jokingly earlier in the tournament, a reference to the quicksilver Isiah Thomas and his bludgeoning teammates.

But Isiah Thomas was a different sort of weapon for Knight. In preseason, Knight had retooled his offense and defense to take better advantage of Isiah's unique talents. Thomas did certain things so well and was so much a better player at that stage than the other Hoosiers, save Randy Wittman and Ray Tolbert, that Knight felt it would be wise to install some subtle changes in his intricate motion offense.

"Isiah is our most obvious asset," said Knight early in that 1980-81 season. ""But to capitalize fully on his skills, we have to use him in a different way than we did last season. When we were recruiting Isiah, we told him he wouldn't have the freedom here that he'd have somewhere else. Now that's not true. Within our framework, he'll have more freedom than he would elsewhere. But it's not a freedom to throw the ball away or take bad shots."

With the previous year's stalwart, Mike Woodson, having moved to the NBA, Thomas was asked to do more shooting and scoring. To help him get more shots and points and take greater advantage of his quickness, ball handling and passing, Indiana tried to fast-break more often. And to ensure a maximum number of fast-break opportunities, Knight wanted the Hoosiers to do more trapping than usual on defense in an attempt to create turnovers.

There was another Thomas, Jimmy, on that IU team who would play a valued role, especially on defense. Trailing the Heels by a 16-8 count early in the finale, Knight had inserted Jimmy into the lineup along with Isiah to form an all-Thomas backcourt, with Wittman moving to a wing. Jim Thomas, a defensive stopper, immediately began to fluster one of Carolina's gunners, Al Wood. Meanwhile, Knight's adjustments moved the big, mobile Turner on to Carolina's Sam Perkins, who had scored seven points in the early going.

With the matchups now in order, Knight's team started to crawl back from the early eight-point deficit. Wittman began to shred the Heel zone from the perimeter, his four bombs providing the spark for the Hoosiers to seize the lead by a 27-26 count at the half.

The IU momentum would carry into the second half. Jim Thomas and Turner held the productive Wood and Perkins to a combined five baskets and five rebounds. Meanwhile, explosive Carolina soph F James Worthy was blanked by Ray Tolbert. The second half also witnessed the reawakening of Isiah Thomas, who seemed to be pressing too much in the first half, when he made just 1 of 7 shots. Early in the second half, however, it was a different Isiah, as he stole a pass near midcourt and went in for the layup. Although Perkins got the basket back with an alley-oop drop-in, Isiah was just getting started, feeding Turner for a bucket to put the Hoosiers up 31-28. Next Isiah picked off another pass, this one intended for Perkins down low, and raced in to give Indiana a 33-28 lead. "The way they jumped on us there broke our backs," UNC's Wood admitted later. Two more Isiah baskets and it was 39-30. Isiah from the circle and Wittman, who finished with 16 points, off the glass made it 45-34 at the 12:31 mark. Carolina was on the ropes. Meanwhile, at the other end of the floor, the Tar Heels were faring about as well vs. Knight's defense as the drunken LSU fan a couple of nights earlier against The General in Cherry Hill.

The Hoosiers were breaking down the Heels psychologically and physically in the purest Knight fashion. Even when Carolina's Wood, who finished with 18 points, brought his team back to within seven with eight minutes remaining, all the Hoosiers did was spread out against the Heels' half-court traps and get the ball into Isiah's fast and sure hands. The lead was more than safe as it expanded until the final horn, a thumping 63-50 win and Knight's second national title.

As for The General's comparisons with his first national title winner five years earlier, it should be noted that the 1976 national champ Hoosiers, regarded as the terror of the age, beat their five tournament opponents by a total of 66 points, while Knight's 1981 winners beat their five foes by 113 points, including a dangerous Maryland, swamped 99-64 in the second round at Dayton.

"(There would end up a forever bittersweet taste about the 1980-81 Hoosiers when key F Landon Turner would suffer paralyzing injuries in an auto accident that summer. Turner's basketball star was on the rise and could have turned him into a dominant force on the hardwood. Though, after the accident, Turner would battle admirably and continue to lead a productive life.)

The 1981 title game wasn't the only memorable Indiana-Carolina battle in the decade. Three years later, with Michael Jordan having arrived at Chapel Hill and having helped lead the Heels to the national title in his freshman season of 1981-82, Carolina was at the top of the polls entering the 1984 Dance in Jordan's junior season that would be his last in Carolina blue before he moved to the NBA. The East Regionals were considered a mere stepping stone to the national title for the Heels, who were expected to beat underdog Indiana without much trouble in the Sweet 16 at The Omni in Atlanta.

Instead, it would turn into one of the finest hours of Knight's career. And it would involve an unlikely hero-Dan Dakich, who had started just five times that season but would be handed the unenviable task of tracking the undefendable Jordan in the Sweet 16. (That's the same Dan Dakich who would eventually coach at Bowling Green and would succeed Kelvin Sampson on an interim basis at IU, and is now one of the prominent college hoop analysts for ESPN.)

In Knight, The General recounted his thinking prior to facing Jordan, and his gamble of starting the little-used Dakich.

"There were only two things I thought we could do with Jordan: take away the backcut and keep him off the backboard," said Knight. "Dakich was about 6-foot-5, not very quick but a tough kid. I thought he was the best we had to do both of those things.

"We knew Dakich wasn't going to be able to overplay Michael and keep him from getting the ball. So we underplayed him-backed him off and pretty much gave him the jump shot, which wasn't nearly the weapon then that it became for him. He (Jordan) did two things that just killed you-he was great going to the bucket without the ball, and he was a very, very good offensive rebounder. But not that night.

"We told Dakich in the hotel the night before the game that he was going to guard Jordan. He told the press later his reaction was, 'I went back to my room and threw up.'"

Knight's strategic gamble was that he would try to contain the two Carolina stars, Perkins and Jordan, and let the rest of the Tar Heels beat him from the outside if they could. "They jammed Perkins and Jordan and were willing to pay the price for that," said Heel HC Dean Smith. "We could've taken all the 15-footers we wanted, but they would've been from the people they chose to allow to shoot." Dakich, with no meaningful vertical leap, was instead instructed by Knight to lay off Jordan, thereby cutting off any direct path to the basket. The tactic so confounded Jordan that he became indecisive about when to shoot, and he eventually fouled out after only 26 minutes of playing time. Further, Carolina had to play catch-up nearly the whole game. "One thing that hurt us was that (after the first few minutes) they never had to play from behind," said Perkins. "There was no need for them to play scared."

Tactics or not, the upset never really figured, because that was not a vintage Knight team in 1984. The Hoosiers started a couple of frosh and a sophomore. One of the frosh, however, was G Steve Alford. And while Knight's tactics worked splendidly, Smith did not push the same correct buttons from the Carolina sideline.

"North Carolina did the one thing in that game that they couldn't do: they tried to trap us," said The General in Knight. "Rarely did they trap us successfully in the games that we played against them. Even when they beat us in the 1979-80 and 1980-81 seasons, if they trapped us ten times, we scored nine.

"But in that 1984 game, it wasn't like those two games-we didn't have Isiah Thomas and Randy Wittman, and I think North Carolina underestimated what the kids we did have could do in terms of handling the ball. And we had some breaks. Late in the game Marty Simmons got trapped, the ball was jarred loose, it bounced on the floor three times, and we got a layup."

The Hoosiers built their lead mainly on Alford's nine points midway through the second half, and an Alford layup with 5:36 to play put the Hoosiers up by 12, the largest Tar Heel deficit of the season. Yet Carolina would rally, and by the end IU was hanging on for dear life before Alford broke a 10-0 Heels run and made 6 of 6 free throws in one-and-one situations after Indiana had failed on the front end of four consecutive bonus tries. The Hoosiers didn't even take a shot from the field in the final 5 ½ minutes, but Alford made one big play after another en route to scoring 27 points. As for Jordan, he would end with only 13 points in what would be the last game of his college career, and Knight would have his monster upset, 72-68, shocking the college hoops world.

That was the last hurrah for those 1984 Hoosiers, however, as they would cough up a late lead and get pipped by post-Ralph Sampson Virginia, 50-48, two days later in the East finale, sending the Cavs instead of the Hoosiers to the '84 Final Four, held in Seattle. But that Indiana upset over North Carolina in '84 still resonates in Bloomington, Chapel Hill, and elsewhere in the minds of college hoops aficionados who all know where they were when Dan Dakich became a household name in the sport.

We can only hope they'll be remembering this Friday's Hoosiers-Tar Heels clash 32 years hence as we do that 1984 classic upset!

SWEET SIXTEEN & ELITE EIGHT ON DECK!

After underdogs fared extremely well in Sweet 16 action during the Big Dances of 2013 and 2014, covering six of eight chances each season, the tables completely reversed a year ago, with favorites prevailing in six of eight in 2015.

Elite Eight underdogs, which had covered 5 of 8 chances over the 2013-14 span, split four chances with the favorites last season, though the dogs still stand 40-28 in this round since '98.

Conference-wise, the stickout performer is the Big 10 in the Elite Eight, standing 16-7 vs. the line since '98, including 2-0 last season (wins and covers by Wisconsin and Michigan State).

Following are Against the Spread breakdowns in Sweet 16 and Elite Eight action since 1998, with 2015 Sweet 16, and 2013-15 Elite Eight performance noted as well.

Sweet Sixteen Favorites
ATS Category 1998-2015 2013-2015
1-3 points 21-20 2-1
3 ½ - 6 ½ points 21-27 2-0
7 - 9 ½ points 17-13 1-0
10 or more 7-12 1-1
Total 66-72 6-2

Sweet 16 ATS Records
Conference 1998-2015 2013-2015
American 1-1 1-1
ACC 19-19-1 3-2
Atlantic Sun 1-0 1-0
Atlantic-10 12-9-2 1-1
Big East 17-26 0-1
Big Ten 22-21 2-0
Big 12 1 17-17 0-2
CAA 2-0 1-0
C-USA 5-3 0-0
Horizon 3-2 1-0
MAC 2-1 1-0
Mid-Continent 1-0 0-0
MVC 2-5 0-1
Mountain West 1-3 1-0
Pac-12 13-20 1-2
SEC 20-12 1-0
SoCon 1-0 0-0
Sun Belt 1-0 0-0
WAC 2-1 0-0
West Coast 3-4 1-0

Elite Eight Favorites
ATS Category 1998-2015 2013-2015
1-3 points 10-16 3-2
3 ½ - 6 ½ points 13-14 2-3
7 - 9 ½ points 4-6 0-0
10 or more 1-4 0-2
Overall 28-40 5-7

Elite Eight ATS Records
Conference 1998-2015 2013-2015
American 1-0 1-0
ACC 10-10 2-2
Atlantic-10 4-2 1-0
Big East 11-11 2-1
Big Ten 16-7 4-3
Big 12 5-16 0-0
CAA 2-0 0-0
C-USA 2-3 0-0
Horizon 2-0 0-0
Pac-12 7-8 0-2
SEC 10-8 1-3
SoCon 1-0 0-0
WAC 1-1 0-0
West Coast 1-1 0-1

**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 08:08 AM

Re: CBB Betting Info. 3/25

'Sweet-Sixteen'

Two schools with contrasting styles go at it in the Midwest Region with 4th-seed Iowa State (23-11, 17-13-1 ATS) attemting to upend #1-seed Virginia Cavaliers (28-7, 18-14-1 ATS).

The Cyclones no slouches on offense lead by Georges Niang (20.2) along with five other players in double digits have netted 82.1 per/game on the season, 86.0 PPG in two NCAA Tournament games hitting 52.9% of their shots, 48.8% from outside. On the other side, the Cavaliers great at protecting their own basket have allowed a stingy 59.5 points/game on the year, 57.0 PPG in the first two rounds holding opponents to 38.2% from the field, 29.4% from long range.

When handicapping this contest, a few betting numbers to ponder. The #4 seed facing a #1 seed in the Sweet-Sixteen and getting 6.0 or less points are good bets. In the last ten such instances the #4 is 7-3 against the betting line. However, Iowa State has not been a peg to hang your hat recently in an underdog roll, Cyclones have lost six consecutive games taking points (3-3 ATS). On the other side, Virginia finds itself in a sweet betting spot. The Cavaliers has been money in the bank recently laying -5.5 or less points posting a sparkling 8-1 record against the betting line.

**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 08:08 AM

Re: CBB Betting Info. 3/25

CBB Betting: March Madness: Sweet-Sixteen

The ACC has owned the NCAA Tournament thus far. The league has compiled an impressive 12-1 (7-5-1 ATS) record over the first weekend with the lone blemish being Pittsburgh which fell to Wisconsin.

With that, the ACC sends six teams to the Sweet Sixteen. Thursday it's Miami (#3) facing Villavona (#2) and Duke (#4) goes up against Oregon (#1). Then on Friday, North Carolina (#1) takes ont Indiana (#5), then Notre Dame (#6) gets Wisconsin (#7), Syracuse (#10) matches up with Gonzaga (#11) and Virginia (#1) battles Iowa State (#4).

The following are some betting nuggets for the ACC teams along with Seed pairings which hopefully helps when making your selections.

#1 Virginia (28-7, 18-14-1 ATS) vs #4 Iowa State (23-11, 17-13-1 ATS)

-Virginia 5-5 ATS L10 in Tourney, 3-1 ATS as #1 Seed
-Iowa State 8-4 ATS L12 Dancing, 0-1 ATS in S16

- #1 vs #4 in this round 8-11 ATS, 1-3 ATS as chalk of 3.5 or less, 2-4 ATS faves of 4 to 6.5

#1 North Carolina (30-6, 17-18-1 ATS) vs #5 Indiana (27-7, 19-15 ATS)
- UNC 20-15 ATS L35 NCAA Tourney Games, 13-4 ATS L17 as #1 Seed, 3-2 ATS in Sweet-16
- Indiana 8-8-1 ATS L17 in NCAA Tourney, 0-2 ATS in Sweet-16

- #1 vs #5 in SW-16 7-8-1 ATS, 3-4-1 ATS laying 4 to 6.5, 4-4 ATS laying 7 or more

#10 Syracuse (21-13, 18-15 ATS) vs #11 Gonzaga (28-7, 17-15-1 ATS)
- Syracuse 7-6 ATS L13 NCAA Tourney Games, 1-5 ATS L6 in Sweet-16
- Gonzaga 13-16 ATS since 2003, 3-1 ATS as #11, 1-1 ATS in S16

- #10 Seed 3-5 ATS S16 including 0-2 SU/ATS vs #11 Seed

Other trends of note:

Favorites in the Sweet Sixteen are 44-47-3 ATS since 2002-3.
Favorites of -3.5 or less are a vig losing 13-13-1 ATS
Chalk of -4.5 to -6.5 are 14-20-2 ATS
Faves of -7 to -9.5 are 12-7 ATS
Double Digit Chalks 5-7 ATS

**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 08:09 AM

Re: CBB Betting Info. 3/25

StatFox Super Situations

CBB | IOWA ST at VIRGINIA
Play Under - All teams where the total is between 140 and 149.5 points in a game involving two good excellent shooting teams (>=47%), in a game involving two good ball handling team (<=14.5 TO's) after 15+ games
132-74 over the last 5 seasons. ( 64.1% | 50.6 units )
36-22 this year. ( 62.1% | 11.8 units )

CBB | IOWA ST at VIRGINIA
Play On - Neutral court teams (VIRGINIA) excellent ball handling team - committing <=12 turnovers/game, after 4 straight games committing 11 or less turnovers
249-161 since 1997. ( 60.7% | 67.2 units )
33-24 this year. ( 57.9% | -3.7 units )

CBB | IOWA ST at VIRGINIA
Play Under - Neutral court teams where the first half total is 65.5 to 70.5 after leading their last 2 games by 10+ points at the half against opponent after scoring 25 points or less in the first half last game
46-18 since 1997. ( 71.9% | 26.2 units )
1-3 this year. ( 25.0% | -2.3 units )

**Satch** · 03-25-2016, 09:39 AM

Re: CBB Betting Info. 3/25

Opening odds and early betting action on NCAA ‘Sweet 16’ matchups
By Jason Logan
After an opening weekend filled with upset stunners and heartbreaking losses, the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16 is set. And for such a thrilling four days of “Big Dance” action, the remaining eight matchups are void of a true Cinderella team.
The biggest seeds left standing face off in a No. 10 versus No. 11 showdown, when the Syracuse Orange take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the Midwest Regional semifinals. But while these teams are double-digit draws this year, it’s tough to call two power programs, like Syracuse and Gonzaga, true Cinderellas.
Oddsmakers opened with the No. 11 Bulldogs as low as 4-point favorites in Chicago Friday, with that number quickly being bet up to -4.5. In Las Vegas, sportsbook operator CG Technology opened the Zags as 5-point chalk.
According to online book Carbon Gaming, which opened Gonzaga -4.5, they’ve seen early money on the underdog.
“The Orange are getting 54 percent of the early action,” says Michael Stewart of CarbonGaming. following Syracuse’s dominant 25-point win against Middle Tennessee State.
Outside of that meeting between double-digit seeds, the tournament has trickled down as many expected – for the most part.
No. 7 Wisconsin shocked No. 2 Xavier with a last-second shot Sunday, setting up the Badgers with No. 6 Notre Dame in the Sweet 16. Oddsmakers opened this game a pick’em and early money sided with the Fighting Irish, moving this spread to -1.5. Notre Dame avoided an upset of its own with a 76-75 victory over Stephen F. Austin in the Round of 32.
No. 2 Villanova Wildcats vs. No. 3 Miami Hurricanes – Open: +4, Move: +5, +4.5
The bottom half of the South Regional has the No. 2 Wildcats facing the No. 3 Hurricanes. Oddsmakers opened Villanova as low as -4 and watched action bet the line up as high as -5 before buyback on Miami, trimmed a half a point from that spread.
“We initially took Nova money from a lot of the public and one player we respect. We moved the spread to +5 but then quickly got action from some smart bettors so we moved back to the opener of -4.5,” John Lester, line manager for Bookmaker. “It will be interesting to see where this goes but there haven’t been a lot of Hurricanes backers in the tournament thus far.”
Villanova has rolled through its first two tournament opponents, crushing UNC-Asheville and Iowa to advance to the Sweet 16. Miami, on the other hand, was challenged by Buffalo in the opening round but looked sound against Wichita State in the Round of 32.
No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels vs. No. 5 Indiana Hoosiers – Open: +4.5, Move: +6
Online books opened North Carolina as low as -4.5 versus Indiana, but according to CG Technology some of their oddsmakers wanted the spread even lower for this East Regional semifinal Friday.
“Indiana versus UNC is, in my opinion, the most intriguing matchup and it was a tricky one to make a line for,” Jason Simbal, vice president of risk management for CG Technology. “Our team ranged from 3.5 to 6 and we went with the higher end based on the expectation of a lot of public bets on the Tar Heels coming Saturday.”
The move to six has been pushed by public money, says Bookmaker. Wiseguys have yet to have an opinion on this name-brand Sweet 16 showdown. North Carolina has been one of the biggest public draws of the NCAA tournament, for games and outright winner futures as well.
“We’ve booked more action on North Carolina to win it all than any other team. Bettors have also been backing them each round and the Sweet 16 is no different,” says Lester. “We opened Tar Heels -4.5 and have moved to -6 currently. It’s mostly public money at this point but if the sharps get involved on that side, we’ll really need a Hoosiers cover.”
No. 1 Virginia Cavaliers vs. No. 4 Iowa State Cyclones – Open: +6, Move: +5
The No. 1 Cavaliers opened as 6-point favorites for their meeting with the No. 4 Cyclones in Chicago Thursday, and according to CG Technology early money is siding with the underdog. Simbal says the second most money wagered for the Sweet 16 is on Iowa State, trimming a half a point from their opener.
Online books, like Carbon Gaming, are down to Virginia -5 with 60 percent of the early money grabbing the points with the underdog.
The Cyclones breezed past Iona in the Round of 64 and rolled Arkansas-Little Rock in the Round of 32, scoring a total of 172 points in those contests. Iowa State ranks 14th in the nation in scoring, averaging 82.1 points per game, and now faces a methodical Virginia program that thrives on defense and extending possessions.
The Cavaliers play the slowest tempo in the country, according to KenPom.com, leaving books to set Thursday’s total at 141 points – the lowest number for an Iowa State game all season. According to Stewart, early total bettors are expecting Virginia to dictate the pace, with 92 percent of the early handle siding with the Under.
Remaining NCAA Sweet 16 odds:
No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies vs. No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners (-2, 145)
No. 5 Maryland Terrapins vs. No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks (-7, 147)
No. 4 Duke Blue Devils vs. No. 1 Oregon Ducks (-2.5, 156)

**Satch** · 03-25-2016, 09:41 AM

Re: CBB Betting Info. 3/25

Sweet 16 Primer
By Brian Edwards
Six ACC teams and all four No. 1 seeds are still alive in the 2016 NCAA Tournament that saw its field reduced to 16 during Sunday’s thrilling set of games.
Notre Dame is one of the ACC schools that still has a pulse thanks to a 76-75 win over Stephen F. Austin in a helluva Round of 32 slugfest at Barclays Arena in Brooklyn. The Lumberjacks covered the spread as 1.5-point underdogs, while the 151 combined points zipped ‘over’ the 139.5-point total.
Rex Pflueger’s amazing tip-in of a Zach Auguste miss with 1.5 seconds remaining lifted the Fighting Irish to a second straight Sweet 16 appearance. The bucket was Pflueger’s only one of the game, an epic affair that never saw more than a seven-point separation that the Fighting Irish enjoyed midway through the second half.
Demetrius Jackson and Auguste were the catalysts for Mike Brey’s team. Jackson finished with 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field. He drained 2-of-3 attempts from downtown, including a trey with less than one second remaining in the first half to send the Irish to the locker room with a one-point cushion. Jackson’s 3-ball allowed Notre Dame to either push (-1) or cover (pick ‘em, -120 or -125 price) for its backers on first-half bets.
Auguste finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds, making 8-of-9 shots from the field. V.J. Beachem scored 15 points and seven rebounds.
Notre Dame, a No. 6 seed, will face seventh-seeded Wisconsin on Friday at 7:25 p.m. Eastern in Philadelphia. One book had the Irish favored by 1.5 points early this morning.
Stephen F. Austin had won 21 in a row after bouncing third-seeded West Va. from the Tournament as a seven-point underdog Friday night. Senior Thomas Walkup saw his collegiate career end in gut-wrenching fashion, but he went out on his sword. He played terrific in his final game, producing 21 points, five rebounds and five assists without committing a turnover.
Wisconsin advanced by edging Xavier on Bronson Koenig’s buzzer beater from the corner while fading out of bounds. The Badgers trailed by nine with 6:19 remaining, but a trey by Koenig knotted the score at 63-63 with 11.7 seconds left. After Zak Showalter drew a charge with 4.7 seconds left, UW inbounded to halfcourt before calling its last timeout to set up a play that led to Koenig’s game winner.
Wisconsin is in the region semifinals for the fifth time in six years. The Badgers are here despite starting the season with a 9-9 record and despite losing legendary head coach Bo Ryan to retirement before Christmas.
The late game in Philly will pit No. 1 seed North Carolina against fifth-seeded Indiana. The Tar Heels have been installed as six-point ‘chalk’ with a total of 160.
IU bounced Kentucky from the Tournament on Saturday night in Des Moines. Meanwhile, North Carolina overcame a four-point halftime deficit to pull away and even cover as a double-digit favorite vs. Providence.
Jay Wright has his Villanova (31-5 SU, 17-17-1 ATS) program back in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2009 after it destroyed Iowa 87-68 in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicated. The Wildcats easily hooked up their backers as six-point favorites.
Senior guard Ryan Arcidiacono led the way with 16 points and four assists without a turnover. Josh Hart scored a team-high 19 points, while Kris Jenkins finished with 15 points, two steals and six assists without a turnover.
Villanova will take on Miami on Thursday night in Louisville, Ky. The Westgate opened Villanova as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 142.5 points. The Hurricanes, who beat Wichita St. as two-point underdogs Saturday, are +180 on the money line (risk $100 to win $180).
The other South Region semifinal matchup features No. 1 seed Kansas against fifth-seeded Maryland. One book had the Jayhawks installed as seven-point favorites early this morning.
KU took the cash in Saturday’s 73-61 win over UConn as an eight-point favorite. Meanwhile, the Terrapins put away a pesky Hawaii squad with a 14-0 run midway through the second half of a 73-60 win in Spokane, WA. They covered the number as 7.5-point favorites, while the 133 combined points dipped ‘under’ the 144-point tally.
Melo Trimble paced the winners with 24 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Diamond Stone and Rasheed Sulaimon finished with 14 points apiece.
The SEC still has life – somehow. Northern Iowa blew a 12-point lead with 35 seconds remaining in a collapse of unfathomable proportions. Texas A&M took advantage and won a 92-88 decision in double overtime.
Forty-eight hours after beating Texas on a buzzer beater off the glass from halfcourt by senior Paul Jesperson, the Panthers committed four turnovers in 33 seconds and allowed the Aggies to make six straight shots to end regulation. Nevertheless, NIU still took the money as a seven-point underdog.
Alex Caruso led the winners with 25 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Danuel House finished with 22 points and eight boards. NIU’s Jeremy Morgan was sensational in heartbreaking defeat, producing 36 points, 12 boards, three steals, two assists and a pair of blocked shots.
Billy Kennedy’s squad will take on Oklahoma in Anaheim on Thursday night in the West Region semifinals. One betting shop had the Sooners favored by two early this morning.
OU slipped past VCU by an 85-81 count in what equated to a home game on Oklahoma City. The Rams trailed by 13 at halftime, but they stormed back and into the lead with 9:55 remaining thanks to back-to-back 3-pointers from Michael Gilmore.
Buddy Hield’s 3-ball with 6:37 left gave the Sooners the lead back for good, though. The senior All-American erupted for 29 of his game-high 36 points in the second half. VCU’s Melvin Johnson and JeQuan Lewis scored 23 and 22 points, respectively.
Form held in the West Region, leaving us with a semifinal showdown between No. 1 seed Oregon and fourth-seeded Duke. The Blue Devils nearly blew a 27-point second-half lead Saturday against Yale. The Bulldogs trimmed the deficit to three, but Duke pulled away in the final minute for a 71-64 triumph as a six-point favorite.
Oregon beat St. Joseph’s 69-64 thanks to an 11-4 run in the final two minutes, but the Hawks covered the spread as seven-point underdogs. Dillon Brooks led the way with a game-high 25 points.
In the Midwest Region, a double-digit seed with play in the Elite Eight at United Center in Chicago this weekend. That’s because No. 10 seed Syracuse and No. 11 seed Gonzaga will collide in one semifinal matchup.
Both schools were on the bubble two weeks ago. Jim Boeheim’s team advanced by smashing Middle Tennessee 75-50 Sunday as a six-point ‘chalk.’ Gonzaga drilled third-seeded Utah 82-59 on Saturday night, two days after dropping Seton Hall by a 68-52 score.
As of early this morning, most books had Gonzaga favored by 4.5 points with a total of 135.
Virginia and Iowa State will face each other in Friday’s early game from the Windy City. The Cavaliers are favored by 5.5 with a total of 141 points.
**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**
— Bettors backing Northern Iowa on the money line for a +250 return obviously sustained all-timer of a bad beat. However, those on the Panthers plus seven might’ve taken the worst beat (EVER!) if not for inept free-throw shooting from Texas A&M in the second extra session.
— St. Joseph’s finished its season with an incredible 10-1-1 spread record in 12 games as an underdog. The Hawks won nine of those games outright, but they were unable to do so against the Ducks.
— Texas A&M is in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2007.
— Florida advanced to the NIT quarterfinals by winning 74-66 at Ohio St. as a 1.5-point favorite Sunday afternoon in Columbus. The Gators will play on the road Wednesday against the winner of Monday’s winner of George Washington at Monmouth. Dorian Finney-Smith had 16 points and 12 rebounds against the Buckeyes. Kasey Hill had 15 points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals.
— The collegiate careers of Charles Mann and Kenny Gaines came to an end Sunday night in Georgia’s 77-65 loss at Saint Mary’s as a seven-point underdog. UGA did cover second half bets (pick ‘em) after trailing by 13 at intermission. Yante Maten made 14-of-17 field goals in the Bulldogs’ opening-round home win over Belmont. But against the Gaels, he couldn’t throw it in the ocean, missing 16 of his 22 shots from the field. Mann and Gaines finished with 13 and 11 points, respectively. I offer both a hat tip to excellent careers in which they helped me to many winners along with J.J. Frazier, who is a junior and will return for Mark Fox’s program next season. Frazier had 13 points, seven assists and five boards against the Gaels, but he was only 5-of-15 from the field

**Satch** · 03-25-2016, 09:42 AM

Re: CBB Betting Info. 3/25

College Basketball Betting Trends – Fri – Mar, 25
Indiana at North Carolina, 9:55 ET
Indiana: 6-0 ATS after 2 straight games with 9 or less offensive rebounds
N Carolina: 2-9 ATS after 2 straight wins by 10 points or more
Wisconsin at Notre Dame, 7:25 ET
Wisconsin: 20-9 ATS in road games after having won 5 or 6 of their last 7
Notre Dame: 0-6 ATS in road games after 2 or more consecutive wins
Iowa State at Virginia, 7:10 ET
Iowa St: 6-17 ATS on road after covering the spread in 4 or + consecutive games
Virginia: 8-2 ATS after 3 straight games forcing opp to commit 14 or less turnovers
Gonzaga at Syracuse, 9:40 ET
Gonzaga: 2-11 ATS in road games after 2 straight wins by 15 points or more
Syracuse: 8-1 ATS after allowing 55 points or less 2 straight games

**Satch** · 03-25-2016, 09:43 AM

Re: CBB Betting Info. 3/25

Sweet 16 Stats & Angles
By ASA
No. 4 Iowa State vs. No. 1 Virginia (CBS, 7:10 p.m. ET)
— Iowa State is the top team remaining in offensive efficiency ranking 2nd nationally
— Iowa State is DEAD LAST (351st) in the country at getting to the stripe with only 13.8% of their points coming from the FT line
— However, the Cyclones are 2nd nationally on the flip side of that as only 14% of their opponents points come from the FT line
— Iowa State is the worst offensive rebounding team remaining – 269th nationally. The rebound just 26% of their own misses
— Virginia is top team remaining in defensive efficiency ranking 4th nationally
— Virginia scores only 25% of their points from beyond the arc which is the lowest percentage remaining
No. 7 Wisconsin vs. No. 6 Notre Dame (TBS, 7:37 p.m. ET)
— Notre Dame & Wisconsin are two of the worst teams nationally at defending the 3 ranking 302nd and 313th respectively
— The Badgers have won 11 of their last 13 NCAA tournament games
— The Irish were 7-7 this season vs teams that made the NCAA tournament – that includes their 2-0 mark so far
— Wisconsin was 11-6 this season vs teams that made the Big Dance – that also includes their 2-0 mark thus far
— These two teams play among the slowest tempos in college hoops – Notre Dame’s adjusted tempo is 321st and Wisconsin’s is 345th
No. 5 Indiana vs. No. 1 North Carolina (TBS, 9:57 p.m. ET)
— Indiana uses their bench more than any other team remaining – 51st nationally in bench minutes
— Indiana turns the ball over more than any team remaining at nearly 20% – 273rd nationally
— UNC is the top offensive rebounding team left in the tourney – 4th nationally. The Heels rebound 40% of their own misses
— The Hoosiers are the best shooting team in the nation with an eFG% of 59% – they are in the top 5 nationally in both 3 point FG% and 2 point FG%
— UNC coach Roy Williams has an NCAA tourney record of 67-23 (74%) which ranks him 4th all time (winning % wise)
No. 11 Gonzaga vs. No. 10 Syracuse (CBS, 9:40 p.m. ET)
— Syracuse uses their bench less than any other team remaining – 350th nationally in bench minutes
— Gonzaga comes into the Sweet 16 as the lowest remaining seed (11 seed). Since 1979, just three 11 seeds
have gone onto make the Final 4
— The Zags are 8th nationally at defending the 3 allowing just 30% from beyond the arc
— Syracuse is the first 10 seed to reach the Sweet 16 since Steph Curry’s Davidson team back in 2008. Since expanding to 64 teams in 1985, no 10 seed has ever made the Final 4
— The Orange are the only team remaining that plays almost exclusively zone defense

**Satch** · 03-25-2016, 09:45 AM

Re: CBB Betting Info. 3/25

Midwest Region Sweet 16’ betting previewNo. 4 Iowa St. Cyclones vs. No. 1 Virginia Cavaliers (-5, 141)
Game to be played at United Center, Chicago, IL.
It will be a contrast in styles when No. 1 seed Virginia puts its shutdown defense up against No. 4 seed Iowa State’s high-powered attack in an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 matchup in Chicago on Friday. The Cavaliers, who are seeking their first visit to the Elite Eight since 1995, own the second-ranked scoring defense (59.5) in the country, while the Cyclones have the third-best offensive output (82.1) among remaining tournament teams.
They are hoping to reach a regional final for the first time in 16 years and after averaging 86 points in first- and second-round wins – are poised to impose their style of play on the top team in the Midwest Region. “It’s obviously going to be a toughness battle,” Iowa State forward Georges Niang, who has scored 28 points in both tournament games, told reporters. “Who’s going to be tougher? Who’s going to really will their team to a win? That’s what it comes down to.” The Cavaliers had some issues imposing their will against Butler in the second round before a solid stretch run lifted them to a 77-69 victory. Anthony Gill remained a rock for Virginia as the senior forward posted his second straight 19-point effort and hauled in a game-high eight rebounds.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CBS
LINE HISTORY:
Top seed Virginia opened as 5.5-point favorites over Iowa St. but the line was quickly adjusted down to -5. The total began the week at 141 and hasn’t moved. Check out the complete line history here.
ABOUT IOWA STATE (23-11, 17-13-1 ATS, 14-16-1 O/U):
Guard Matt Thomas has taken a liking to tournament play, averaging 15 points while making 7-of-15 3-pointers through the first two rounds. The junior, who has one turnover in 77 minutes in those two games, is 12-of-24 from beyond the arc in six career contests in the Big Dance. Niang is winding up a stellar career with a flourish, producing double digits in made field goals in a career-high three consecutive games.
ABOUT THE VIRGINIA (28-7, 18-14-1 ATS, 13-20 O/U):
The second-round win allowed ACC Player of the Year Malcolm Brogdon (22 points) to put forth perhaps the best of his seven career tournament games, and the only one in which he has shot better than 50 percent from the field (8-of-14). The Cavaliers have also been getting great production off the bench from big man Mike Tobey, who has made 9-of-11 shots, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked three shots in 24 total minutes of tournament play. Guard Marial Shayok added 12 points versus Butler and has three double-digit efforts in his last four games after producing a total of four in his previous 29 affairs.
TRENDS:
* Cyclones are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Cavaliers are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
* Over is 5-1 in Cyclones last 6 vs. Atlantic Coast.
* Under is 12-3 in Cavaliers last 15 overall.
TIP-INS
1. The winner plays No. 10 seed Syracuse or No. 11 seed Gonzaga in the Elite Eight.
2. Cyclones senior F Abdel Nader, who grew up outside Chicago, is averaging 15.4 points over his last nine games while shooting 45.5 percent from 3-point range.
3. Iowa State owns a 2-1 series advantage and won the previous meeting 60-47 on Dec. 30, 2010 at Virginia.
PREDICTION: Virginia 73, Iowa State 71
Championship Odds
Virginia – 5/1
Iowa St. – 25/1
Gonzaga – 25/1
Syracuse – 60/1

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CBB Betting Info. 3/25

CBB Betting Info. 3/25

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