Announcement

**StarDust Bum** · 03-25-2017, 11:09 AM

NCAAB

Saturday, March 25

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Trend Report
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2:00 PM
FURMAN vs. CAMPBELL
Furman is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Furman's last 11 games on the road
No trends available

5:00 PM
SAINT PETER'S vs. TEXAS STATE
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Saint Peter's last 5 games on the road
Saint Peter's is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Texas State's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Texas State's last 9 games at home

6:09 PM
XAVIER vs. GONZAGA
No trends available
Gonzaga is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Gonzaga is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

8:49 PM
OREGON vs. KANSAS
No trends available
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Kansas's last 5 games
Kansas is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games

**StarDust Bum** · 03-25-2017, 11:11 AM

NCAAB

Saturday, March 25

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NCAA Tournament Elite Eight betting preview and odds: Xavier vs. Gonzaga
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The Musketeers are striving to become just the fourth 11th seed to reach a Final Four and are 15-2-1 ATS in their last 18 NCAA Tournament games as an underdog.

Xavier Musketeers vs Gonzaga Bulldogs (-8.5, 145.5)

Game to be played at SAP Center, San Jose, California

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."

TV: 6:09 p.m. ET, TBS

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." 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.

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NCAAB

Saturday, March 25

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NCAA Tournament Elite Eight betting preview and odds: Xavier vs. Gonzaga
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The Musketeers are striving to become just the fourth 11th seed to reach a Final Four and are 15-2-1 ATS in their last 18 NCAA Tournament games as an underdog.

Xavier Musketeers vs Gonzaga Bulldogs (-8.5, 145.5)

Game to be played at SAP Center, San Jose, California

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."

TV: 6:09 p.m. ET, TBS

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." 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.

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NCAAB

Saturday, March 25

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NCAA Tournament Elite Eight betting preview and odds: Oregon vs Kansas
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The Kansas Jayhawks are 7-1 ATS in their last eight NCAA tournament games as betting favorites. Kansas gives 6.5 points to Oregon Saturday.

Oregon Ducks vs Kansas Jayhawks (-6.5, 156.5)

Game to be played at Sprint Center, Kansas City, Missouri

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.”

TV: 8:49 p.m. ET, TBS

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.

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." 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.

CONSENSUS: 52 percent of spread bets are on Oregon while 72 percent of totals bets are on the Over.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-25-2017, 11:13 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Saturday, March 25

St Peter's @ Texas State

Game 517-518
March 25, 2017 @ 5:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
St Peter's
57.047
Texas State
61.103
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Texas State
by 4
115
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
St Peter's
by 1
120
Dunkel Pick:
Texas State
(+1); Under

Furman @ Campbell

Game 515-516
March 25, 2017 @ 2:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Furman
54.536
Campbell
56.124
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Campbell
by 1 1/2
136
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Furman
by 6
141 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Campbell
(+6); Under

Xavier @ Gonzaga

Game 513-514
March 25, 2017 @ 6:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Xavier
63.177
Gonzaga
76.189
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Gonzaga
by 13
151
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Gonzaga
by 8
145
Dunkel Pick:
Gonzaga
(-8); Over

Oregon @ Kansas

Game 511-512
March 25, 2017 @ 8:45 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oregon
76.634
Kansas
76.588
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oregon
Even
162
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Kansas
by 7
156
Dunkel Pick:
Oregon
(+7); Over

**StarDust Bum** · 03-25-2017, 11:16 AM

Saturday's Elite 8 Tips
March 24, 2017

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

Venue: SAP Center
Location: San Jose, California
TV-Time: TBS, 6:05 p.m. ET

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.

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

Venue: Sprint Center
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
TV-Time: TBS, 8:45 p.m. ET

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.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-25-2017, 11:17 AM

Saturday's Top Action
March 24, 2017

Elite Eight Betting Preview

No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 3 Oregon

After some intense Sweet 16 action on Thursday night, Oregon, Gonzaga, Kansas, and Xavier are all just one win away from a Final Four appearance. It is a tremendous opportunity for all four of those programs after the disappointing way last year's tournament ended for each of them.

Oregon and Kansas were both eliminated in the Elite Eight a year ago, while Gonzaga fell in the Sweet 16, and Xavier – who was a #2 seed – lost on a buzzer beater by Wisconsin in the Round of 32.

One of Oregon or Kansas will get to erase the painful memories of not making a Final Four last year since they go head-to-head this season and that's the game that stands out from a betting perspective here.

Sportsbook.ag Odds: Kansas (-7); Total set at 157.5

There isn't really anything bad to say about this Kansas team that has been on a tear so far in this tournament. Wins by 38, 20, and 32 points have brought them to the Elite Eight and they clearly look like the team to beat in this tournament.

Nobody that has gone up against them has had an answer for slowing the Jayhawks offense down as they've scored at least 90 in all three wins, and there is no doubt that Oregon will be put to their hardest test to date to even keep this close.

Yet, for as dominant as Kansas has been, there comes a point where teams that go on runs like this usually hit at least one major speed bump in the tournament. Nearly everyone out there believes that won't be the case for the Jayhawks this year, but Oregon's defense is arguably the best one remaining out there and they are definitely miles ahead of what Kansas has already faced in UD-Davis, Michigan State, and Purdue.

It's not like Kansas is invincible either (although they've looked that way so far in the tournament) as they entered this NCAA Tournament off an embarrassing loss in their first game of the Big 12 tournament to TCU, and were bested three other times this year.

Two of those three other defeats did come in OT, but all three of them have something relatively in common: They came against teams that can match the Jayhawks score for score and have defensive units that tend to eliminate any mismatches in the Jayhawks favor.

The guard duo of Graham and Mason have been lights out for Kansas in this tournament, but Oregon's got some good ones as well in Tyler Dorsey, Dylan Ennis, and Payton Pritchard, all of whom have the daunting task of slowing that duo down.

But while the rest of the world is already pencilling Kansas in to the Final Four and likely a National Championship, this Ducks team will definitely have something to say about it.

They've been an afterthought this entire tournament as a #3 seed, and for most of the year (partly because they are on the West Coast), but they've been able everything that's been put in front of them so far in this tournament as well and two straight “battle-tested” wins over Rhode Island and Michigan should work in Oregon's favor if this game is tight down the stretch.

Kansas has yet to feel any of that pressure in this tournament and that could end up being their undoing here.

While Kansas averages 83.9 points per game on the year, Oregon isn't too far behind them at 78.7/game. And although there is about a five point margin in those numbers, Oregon holds a 6-pint margin edge in defensive points allowed per game (65.9 vs. 71.8 for Kansas), and while shot-blocker extraordinaire Chris Boucher isn't in the mix anymore, Oregon still has the size inside to block multiple shots and create life difficult for the Jayhawks all night long.

The Dillon Brooks vs Josh Jackson matchup could be one March Madness legends are made of and while both are extremely talented players, the edge might go to Brooks simply based on experience.

So while everyone is already coronating Kansas as the eventual champs with another “easy” win in this game, going against the grain and grabbing the points here is where the value lies.

There comes a point where lines move too high in favor of one side after dominant performances, and with this tournament being a one-off deal where anyone can beat anyone at this stage on a given day, expect this game to be Kansas' first close game of the tournament and whether they buckle under that late game pressure or not remains to be seen.

Oregon deserves much more respect then the 7 points they are getting here and should keep this game well within the number.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-25-2017, 11:20 AM

TIPPING OFF: Kansas, Gonzaga, Oregon, Xavier eye Final Four
March 25, 2017

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) It's finally time to award the first spots in the Final Four.

And for the four teams chasing those tickets Saturday, it's another shot to break through an often frustrating roadblock in the regional finals.

Kansas lost in the Elite Eight last year. So did Oregon, which won the first NCAA Tournament in 1939 but hasn't pushed past the final eight since.

While those two teams meet in the Midwest Region final in Kansas City, Missouri, the West final in San Jose, California, features two teams - Gonzaga and Xavier - who have never won in this round.

Kansas coach Bill Self called it ''the hardest game in the tournament.''

''There's so much emphasis on the road to the Final Four,'' Self said Friday. ''It's almost like the Final Four could be the equivalent of the national championship 30 years ago, with the type of intensity and the type of publicity it gets. ... If you get beat in this game, you come just that close to getting to the goal.''

Kansas (31-4) has had the most success of that quartet, though there's been plenty of frustration, too. The Jayhawks, the Midwest's No. 1 seed, won the national title under Self in 2008 and went to the title game in 2012. But along the way, there have been four Elite Eight losses under Self - three coming despite carrying a 1-seed.

Kansas is chasing its first Final Four since that 2012 run.

Oregon (32-5), the Midwest's 3-seed, is in the Elite Eight for the fourth time since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. The Ducks have lost their last three, including to Kansas in 2002.

In the West, both 1-seed Gonzaga (35-1) and 11th-seeded Xavier (24-13) are each in the regional finals for a third time.

''All the games we feel the pressure to move on, to advance,'' Oregon coach Dana Altman said. ''This one, a little bit more because that Final Four is the goal of everybody.''

Here are things to know about the NCAA Tournament's second week:

HEADLINING NAMES: The Midwest final features a national player of the year candidate in Kansas' Frank Mason III and a preseason Associated Press All-American in Oregon's Dillon Brooks. Mason, a 5-foot-11 senior, is averaging 20.9 points on 49 percent shooting, while Brooks - a 6-7 junior - is averaging 16.3 points.

LEGACY: Gonzaga's Few has built a consistent winner in the Pacific Northwest, though that Final Four is the glaring omission from the resume. Still, Few has routinely refused to be consumed by the pursuit.

''It would be awesome for the school and for the Spokane community to be able to feel good about and hang their hat on,'' Few said. ''But my legacy is going to be about other things, at least as far as I'm concerned.''

SUMNER'S ABSENCE: No one expected Xavier to be here, especially after losing point guard Edmund Sumner to a season-ending knee injury in January. The Musketeers also lost six straight before regrouping to reach the Big East Tournament championship game and now an Elite Eight after upsetting 2-seed Arizona on Thursday night.

''We're all tough guys,'' junior guard J.P. Macura said. ''We stuck together. And we've been playing tough together. And we're not really backing down from anybody. And if you have that mentality, you can beat a lot of teams.''

BLUEBOOD BRACKET: Kentucky beat UCLA in the South Region semifinals on Friday night in Memphis, Tennessee, to claim a matchup of teams with a combined 19 NCAA titles. Now the second-seeded Wildcats are preparing for another marquee name in 1-seed North Carolina, which cruised past Butler, on Sunday.

A NEW SEC TOURNAMENT: The Southeastern Conference enters the regional finals standing alone among leagues. The SEC has three of the eight teams still standing with Kentucky, Florida and South Carolina - and is assured at least one Final Four team considering the Gators and Gamecocks play Sunday in the East final.

FINALLY, AN OVERTIME: The Gators' 84-83 win against Wisconsin on Friday night on Chris Chiozza's running 3-pointer marked the first overtime game of the tournament. And that came only after Badgers guard Zak Showalter hit an off-balance 3 with 2.5 seconds left in regulation to force the extra period.

FAREWELL: It didn't take long after UCLA's loss to Kentucky for star freshman point guard Lonzo Ball to say he was moving on from the college game. He had been considered a likely one-and-done NBA prospect all year and called Friday's loss ''my final game for UCLA.''

**StarDust Bum** · 03-25-2017, 11:23 AM

Alford '100 percent' no on Indiana return
March 25, 2017

MEMPHIS -- Steve Alford is staying at UCLA, eschewing interest from Indiana some 30 years after he led the Hoosiers to a national championship under Bobby Knight.

"I'm absolutely, 100 percent, not going to Indiana," Alford said Friday night, moments after the Bruins lost 86-75 to Kentucky in the Sweet 16. "I am happy here. I love it here. We have a great recruiting class coming in and a brand-new practice facility. Obviously, I love my alma mater. But I'm committed to UCLA. I am not going to talk to Indiana. I am staying a Bruin."

National media termed the deal "done" as recently as Friday morning. CBS Sports radio host Doug Gottlieb and ESPN's Seth Greenberg separately reported that Alford was heading back to Bloomington and Bleacher Report detailed terms of the alleged contract agreement.

But Friday night, Alford said he's not even planning to interview at Indiana. The Hoosiers fired Tom Crean after nine seasons and said they were looking for "an Indiana guy," as a replacement.

Alford has a $7.8 million buyout at UCLA.

The commitment to the Bruins comes as a mild surprise considering the school renegotiated his contract to take away one full year, a matter that privately rankled Alford and his family.

Considering UCLA stands to lose the bulk of its playing rotation, including freshman sensation Lonzo Ball, TJ Leaf and Alford's senior son, Bryce, there is some rebuilding to do.

Crean was fired after Indiana missed the NCAA Tournament and then lost in the NIT, prematurely ending a season the Hoosiers began in the Top 25.

---------------------------

Jayhawks coach Bill Self has mellowed over the years
March 25, 2017

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Kansas coach Bill Self has kicked out the signage on scorer's tables, tossed sweat-stained suit jackets and screamed so loudly at players and officials that his face turned beet red.

Good thing he's mellowed over the years.

These days, Self merely slams clipboards in frustration, yanks to loosen his tie and his face turns a bit scarlet when his temper starts to flare. It's a subtle change in demeanor, to be sure, but one that's noticeable to those who hang around his program on a daily basis.

''Since I've been here, I've definitely seen the changes,'' senior guard Frank Mason III said. ''I think he's mainly trusting us more and we can tell, and you know, he just wants us to compete.''

Self has always employed a tough-love approach to coaching, and he still rides his players just as hard as ever. But the sharp edges that he carried with him through Oral Roberts, Tulsa and Illinois have been filed off, and the bitterness he tasted after defeats has become easier to handle.

They once ate at him for weeks. Now, they might just keep him up a night.

Landen Lucas has seen the changes in his coach over the years, and he traced the watershed moment to the summer of 2015. The Jayhawks anchored the U.S. team for the World University Games in South Korea, and Self was the coach. And during that trip aboard, away from the constant pressure and almost unrealistic expectations that come with coaching at Kansas, Self revealed a different side of himself.

He was a bit more loose. A bit more fun. The bond between coach and players grew just a bit tighter, the trust in each other growing just a bit more. And it remains two years later, as the No. 1 seed Jayhawks prepare to face No. 3 seed Oregon on Saturday night for a spot in the Final Four.

''I think overseas was a time when, you know, it started a bit,'' Lucas said. ''Now this year, if we're playing hard and competing, he doesn't have to worry about getting on us about those things, which we've done so far in this tournament for the most part. It makes it easier when we can coach the other things and not have to worry about intangibles. This team has done pretty well with him.''

Of course, there have been times all that trust has been stretched to the limit.

There is still an ongoing rape investigation involving the men's basketball team's dormitory where five players are listed as witnesses. Devonte Graham and Carlton Bragg Jr. have had minor legal issues, and star freshman Josh Jackson served a one-game suspension for his own legal problems, including when he allegedly kicked in the taillight of a women's basketball player's car.

But the players aren't concerned they've lost Self's faith.

''Coach trusts and believes in us,'' guard Svi Mykhailiuk said, ''and lets us do our thing.''

Even Self is willing to admit he has toned things down over the years, the byproduct of age and experience. The highs are still plenty high, but the lows are no longer quite so devastating.

It has made him a better coach.

By extension, his Jayhawks are a better team.

''The biggest thing is to just go play. Don't play the game like there's - like you've got to win to go to the Final Four,'' Self said Friday, before taking the floor for practice. ''Play the game like you've got to go compete, because you have a chance to win a regional championship.

''Look in the moment,'' he said, ''and enjoy the moment.''

**StarDust Bum** · 03-25-2017, 11:25 AM

Lonzo Ball says he's one and done at UCLA, headed to NBA
March 25, 2017

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) Star UCLA freshman Lonzo Ball says he's one and done at UCLA and headed to the next level.

The guard said Friday night after his team lost to Kentucky in the Sweet 16 that he is moving on from the college game.

''That was my final game for UCLA. I appreciate all the fans and all the support,'' Ball said in the UCLA locker room.

Ball was widely expected to declare for the NBA draft after this season. His father, LaVar Ball, has been especially vocal, declaring that the eldest of three hoops-playing brothers is better than NBA MVP Steph Curry.

Ball said he felt bad that he couldn't carry his team's seniors to another win in the NCAA Tournament. He says UCLA simply lost to a good team.

Ball was outdueled by Kentucky's De'Aaron Fox on Friday night, scoring just 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting. Fox scored 39 for the Wildcats.

UCLA coach Steve Alford indicated he wasn't surprised by Ball's decision, even saying he assumed it was the end of the freshman's college career.

''I probably don't like to assume anything, but he's pretty good,'' Alford said.

He noted that there is a different culture in college basketball than in his playing days at Indiana.

''Guys can make a good living sooner than what it was two decades ago, three decades ago,'' Alford said. ''We've had our share of some very good one-and-dones.''

**************************

SEC, yes the football power, has 3 teams in Elite 8
March 25, 2017

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) The chant ''S-E-C'' so well known around football across the South is coming to the Elite Eight.

The league best known for winning national titles in football has the most teams still alive and playing for a trip to the Final Four. Kentucky and Florida have been joined by upstart South Carolina in the Gamecocks' first ever trip to a regional final.

''No,'' Kentucky coach John Calipari said sarcastically when asked about three SEC teams advancing. ''There are not three SEC teams in the Elite Eight. We're supposed to be a bad league. That's got to be all these other leagues, right?''

Nope. The SEC, which struggled to get three teams into the NCAA Tournament a year ago, now has two more teams playing on than any other league, including the Atlantic Coast Conference, which sent nine teams to the tournament.

Seventh-seeded South Carolina throttled third-seeded Baylor 70-50 in the first semifinal of the East Region in New York. Kentucky followed by knocking off No. 3 seed UCLA 86-75 in the South Region to set up a final with North Carolina on Sunday. The Tar Heels already were the only ACC team to reach the second weekend.

And back in New York, Florida needed overtime and a buzzer-beater by Chris Chiozza for a thrilling 84-83 win over Wisconsin to continue the SEC's postseason success.

De'Aaron Fox noted Florida blew the Kentucky Wildcats out in Gainesville and South Carolina was ranked when they played.

''I mean right now they're just showing them how strong our conference is,'' Fox said. ''Three teams in the Elite Eight. Man, that's tough to do. That's almost 50 percent of the field.''

The SEC currently is 10-2 with an 83.3 percent winning percentage that is the best so far of any league in this tournament, a number that will change Sunday with South Carolina and Florida facing off for a berth in the Final Four at Madison Square Garden. And yes, the SEC has been making sure people in the Big Apple know the league is in town with ads in case anyone is missing the action on the court.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey made sure he was at the Garden and enjoying those ''S-E-C!'' chants. The commissioner brought two ties with him to the arena. He wore garnet for South Carolina in the first semifinal, then changed to blue and orange for Florida in the nightcap.

Florida coach Mike White said the SEC is a conference known for football along with basketball, gymnastics and softball. But the Gators won the 2006 and 2007 national titles, and Florida is tied with North Carolina for the most Elite Eight berths since 2006 with seven. Kentucky is just behind with six.

White also believes the SEC has some momentum even with some negativity about the conference possibly underachieving over the last couple years.

''We know the potential and I think that our conference ... is full of good coaches, tremendous talent, a lot of young talent, recruiting classes continue to get stronger and stronger and we have three in the Elite 8,'' White said. ''And who knows, I mean, I think the SEC's going to be better next year, I really do. With the guys that are coming back, and again the young talent that will continue to grow within our league.'

**StarDust Bum** · 03-25-2017, 06:40 PM

SATURDAY, MARCH 25

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

XAV at GONZ 06:09 PM

GONZ -8.0

U 144.0

ORE at KU 08:49 PM

KU -6.5

O 157.0

**StarDust Bum** · 03-26-2017, 11:37 AM

2017 NCAA Tournament Results
March 26, 2017

NCAA TOURNAMENT BETTING RESULTS

Wager Favorites-Underdogs

Straight Up 45-17
Against the Spread 27-33-2

Total
Over-Under 38-23-1

First-Four Games
TUESDAY, MARCH 14
Matchup Score ATS Result
Mount St. Mary's (+1) vs. New Orleans 67-66 Underdog-Over (132)
Kansas State (-1) vs. Wake Forest 95-88 Favorite-Over (147)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15
North Carolina Central vs. UC Davis (+3.5, ML +150) 67-63 Underdog-Under (131)
Providence vs. Southern California (-2) 75-71 Favorite-Over (141.5)

First Round - Thursday March 16
SESSION 1
Matchup Score ATS Result
Notre Dame (-6) vs. Princeton 60-58 Underdog-Under (133.5)
Virginia (-7.5) vs. UNC Wilmington 76-71 Underdog-Over (134.5)
Butler (-10.5) vs. Winthrop 76-64 Favorite-Under (145)
Gonzaga (-23.5) vs. South Dakota State 66-46 Underdog-Under (157)

SESSION 2
Matchup Score ATS Result
West Virginia (-13) vs. Bucknell 86-80 Underdog-Over (148.5)
Florida (-9.5) vs. East Tennessee State 80-65 Favorite-Under (148)
Minnesota vs. Middle Tennessee State (-1.5) 81-72 Favorite-Over (128)
Northwestern (+2, ML +115) vs. Vanderbilt 68-66 Underdog-Over (130)

SESSION 3
Matchup Score ATS Result
Maryland vs. Xavier (+2, ML +115) 76-65 Underdog-Under (142)
Mount St. Mary's vs. Villanova (-25) 76-56 Underdog-Over (131.5)
St. Mary's, CA (-4) vs. Virginia Commonwealth 85-77 Favorite-Over (128.5)
Purdue (-8) vs. Vermont 80-70 Favorite-Over (134.5)

SESSION 4
Matchup Score ATS Result
Florida State (-11) vs. Florida Gulf Coast 86-80 Underdog-Over (149.5)
Wisconsin (-6) vs. Virginia Tech 84-74 Favorite-Over (136)
Arizona (-18.5) vs. North Dakota 100-82 Underdog-Over (147)
Iowa State (-6) vs. Nevada 84-73 Favorite-Over (157.5)

First Round - Friday, March 17
SESSION 1
Matchup Score ATS Result
Michigan (-2.5) vs. Oklahoma State 92-91 Underdog-Over (155)
Baylor (-11.5) vs. New Mexico State 91-73 Favorite-Over (135)
Arkansas (+1, ML -105) vs. Seton Hall 77-71 Underdog-Over (147)
Oregon (-15) vs. Iona 93-77 Favorite-Over (156.5)

SESSION 2
Matchup Score ATS Result
Louisville (-18.5) vs. Jacksonville State 78-63 Underdog-Over (133)
Southern Methodist vs. USC (+7.5, ML +310) 66-65 Underdog-Under (142)
North Carolina (-26.5) vs. Texas Southern 103-64 Favorite-Over (157.5)
Creighton vs. Rhode Island (-2) 84-72 Favorite-Over (144.5)

SESSION 3
Matchup Score ATS Result
Kansas (-23) vs. UC Davis 100-62 Favorite-Over (144)
Dayton vs. Wichita State (-6.5) 64-58 Underdog-Under (144)
Duke (-19.5) vs. Troy 87-65 Favorite-Under (155.5)
Cincinnati (-3) vs. Kansas State 75-61 Favorite-Over (130)

SESSION 4
Matchup Score ATS Result
Miami-Florida vs. Michigan State (+2, ML +105) 78-58 Underdog-Over (127)
Kentucky (-20) vs. Northern Kentucky 79-70 Underdog-Under (155)
South Carolina (PK) vs. Marquette 93-73 Favorite-Over (143.5)
UCLA (-19.5) vs. Kent State 97-80 Underdog-Over (163.5)

Second Round
SATURDAY, MARCH 18
Matchup Score ATS Result
Notre Dame vs. West Virginia (+2.5, ML +130) 83-71 Underdog-Over (150)
Wisconsin (+5.5, ML +230) vs. Villanova 65-62 Underdog-Under (134)
Northwestern vs. Gonzaga (-10.5) 79-73 Undedog-Over (140.5)
Xavier (+7.5, ML +270) vs. Florida State 91-66 Underdog-Over (154)
Middle Tennessee State vs. Butler (-2.5) 74-65 Favorite-Push (139)
St. Mary's, CA vs. Arizona (-5) 69-60 Favorite-Under (137)
Virginia vs. Florida (-1.5) 65-39 Favorite-Under (126)
Iowa State vs. Purdue (-1) 80-76 Favorite-Over (154.5)

SUNDAY, MARCH 19
Matchup Score ATS Result
Arkansas vs. North Carolina (-11.5) 72-65 Underdog-Under (165.5)
Rhode Island vs. Oregon (-5) 75-72 Underdog-Over (144.5)
Michigan State vs. Kansas (-8) 90-70 Favorite-Over (149)
Michigan (+3, +140) vs. Louisville 73-69 Underdog-Under (142.5)
Southern California vs. Baylor (-5.5) 82-78 Underdog-Over (142)
South Carolina (+6.5, ML +280) vs. Duke 88-81 Underdog-Over (145.5)
Wichita State vs. Kentucky (-3.5) 65-62 Underdog-Under (149.5)
Cincinnati vs. UCLA (-4) 79-67 Favorite-Over (153.5)

Sweet Sixteen
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
Matchup Score ATS Result
Michigan vs. Oregon (+1, -105) 69-68 Underdog-Under (149)
West Virginia vs. Gonzaga (-3) 61-58 Push-Under (150.5)
Purdue vs. Kansas (-5.5) 98-66 Favorite-Over (155.5)
Xavier (+7.5, ML +350) vs. Arizona 73-71 Underdog-Under (145)

FRIDAY, MARCH 24
Matchup Score ATS Result
Butler vs. North Carolina (-7) 92-80 Favorite-Over (155)
South Carolina (+3, ML +140) vs. Baylor 70-50 Underdog-Under (135.5)
UCLA vs. Kentucky (+1.5, ML +105) 86-75 Favorite-Under (167.5)
Wisconsin vs. Florida (-1) 84-83 (OT) Push-Over (131)

Elite Eight
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
Matchup Score ATS Result
Gonzaga (-8.5) vs. Xavier 83-59 Favorite-Over (145.5)
Kansas vs. Oregon (+6.5, ML +290) 74-60 Underdog-Under (158)

SUNDAY, MARCH 26
Matchup Score ATS Result
South Carolina vs. Florida - -
Kentucky vs. North Carolina - -

Final Four & Championship
SATURDAY, APRIL 1 & MONDAY APRIL 3
Matchup Score ATS Result
TBA vs. TBA - -
TBA vs. TBA - -
TBA vs. TBA - -

**StarDust Bum** · 03-26-2017, 11:39 AM

2017 NIT, CBI, CIT Results
March 26, 2017

National Invitation Tournament (NIT)
REGION 1 - CALIFORNIA
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 14 CSU Bakersfield (+6.5, ML+240) at California 73-66 Underdog-Over (125)
Mar. 14 College of Charleston at Colorado State (-4.5) 81-74 Favorite-Over (136)
Mar. 15 Texas-Arlington (+5.5, ML +220) at Brigham Young 105-89 Underdog-Over (166.5)
Mar. 15 Akron (+7.5, ML +300) at Houston 78-75 Underdog-Over (144)
Mar. 20 CSU Bakersfield (+4.5, ML +170) at Colorado State 81-63 Underdog-Over (135.5)
Mar. 20 Akron at Texas-Arlington (-5) 85-69 Favorite-Under (157)
Mar. 22 CSU Bakersfield (+4, ML +240) at Texas-Arlington 80-76 Underdog-Over (143.5)

REGION 2 - SYRACUSE
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 15 UNC Greensboro at Syracuse (-12) 90-77 Favorite-Over (146)
Mar. 14 Mississippi (+1) at Monmouth 91-83 Underdog-Over (167)
Mar. 14 Indiana at Georgia Tech (+2.5, +125 ML) 75-63 Underdog-Under (143)
Mar. 15 Belmont (+5, ML +180) at Georgia 78-69 Underdog-Under (147.5)
Mar. 18 Mississippi (+7.5, ML +290) at Syracuse 85-80 Underdog-Over (158.5)
Mar. 19 Belmont at Georgia Tech (-4) 71-57 Favorite-Under (138.5)
Mar. 21 Georgia Tech (+5.5, +220 ML) at Mississippi 74-66 Underdog-Under (144)

REGION 3 - ILLINOIS STATE
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 14 Boise State (+12, +575 ML) at Utah 73-68 Underdog-Under (156)
Mar. 14 Valparaiso at Illinois (-9) 82-57 Favorite-Over (138.5)
Mar. 15 UC Irvine at Illinois State (-10) 85-71 Favorite-Over (130.5)
Mar. 15 Colorado at UCF (-3.5) 79-74 Favorite-Over (139)
Mar. 20 Boise State at Illinois (-8.5) 71-56 Favorite-Under (145.5)
Mar. 20 UCF (+5.5, ML +190) at Illinois State 63-62 Underdog-Under (128)
Mar. 22 Illinois at UCF (-4) 68-58 Favorite-Under (130)

REGION 4 - IOWA
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 14 Richmond (+8, +315 ML) at Alabama 71-64 Underdog-Under (139)
Mar. 14 Oakland (+10.5, +525 ML) at Clemson 74-69 Underdog-Under (157)
Mar. 15 South Dakota at Iowa (-11) 87-75 Favorite-Under (164)
Mar. 15 Fresno State at Texas Christian (-8.5) 66-59 Underdog-Under (145)
Mar. 19 Oakland at Richmond (-4.5) 87-83 Underdog-Over (159)
Mar. 19 Texas Christian (+3, ML +130) at Iowa 94-92 (OT) Underdog-Over (155)
Mar. 21 Richmond at Texas Christian (-8) 86-68 Favorite-Over (149)

SEMIFINALS & FINALS
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 28 Georgia Tech vs. CSU Bakersfield - -
Mar. 28 Texas Christian vs. UCF - -
Mar. 30 TBA vs. TBA - -

College Basketball Invitational (CBI)
FIRST ROUND
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 15 Utah Valley (+4.5, ML +170) at Georgia Southern 74-49 Underdog-Under (156.5)
Mar. 15 Loyola-Maryland (+10, ML +450) at George Mason 73-58 Underdog-Under (141)
Mar. 15 Hampton at Coastal Carolina (-9) 83-67 Favorite-Over (145)
Mar. 15 Toledo at George Washington (-6) 73-69 Underdog-Under (146.5)
Mar. 16 Stony Brook at Illinois-Chicago (-2.5) 71-69 Favorite-Under (147)
Mar. 15 Green Bay at Missouri-Kansas City (+1.5, ML +110) 92-82 Underdog-Over (169)
Mar. 15 San Francisco at Rice (-1.5) 85-76 Favorite-Over (154.5)
Mar. 15 Eastern Washington at Wyoming (-4.5) 91-81 Favorite-OVer (163)

QUARTERFINALS AND SEMIFINALS
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 20 Loyola-Maryland at Coastal Carolina (-5.5) 72-63 Favorite-Under (141)
Mar. 20 George Washington at Illinois-Chicago (+6, ML +220) 80-71 Underdog-Over (149)
Mar. 20 Utah Valley (+4.5, ML +175) at Rice 85-79 Underdog-Over (162)
Mar. 20 Missouri-Kansas City at Wyoming (-9.5) 72-61 Favorite-Under (171.5)
Mar. 22 Illinois-Chicago at Coastal Carolina (-4.5) 89-79 Favorite-Over (153.5)
Mar. 22 Utah Valley at Wyoming (-4) 74-68 Favorite-Under (159.5)

FINALS (BEST-OF-THREE)
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 27 Wyoming at Coastal Carolina - -
Mar. 29 Coastal Carolina at Wyoming - -
Mar. 31 Wyoming at Coastal Carolina - -

CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT)
FIRST ROUND
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 13 Norfolk State at Liberty (-7) 73-64 Favorite-Over (131)
Mar. 14 St. Francis, PA (+4, +165 ML) at Jacksonville 78-76 Underdog-Under (157.5)
Mar. 14 Houston Baptist at Campbell (+1.5, +105 ML) 98-79 Underdog-Over (150.5)
Mar. 14 Canisius at Samford (-3.5) 78-74 Favorite-Under (164)
Mar. 15 Ball State at IUPUI Fort Wayne (-4.5) 88-80 Favorite-Under (171)
Mar. 15 Fairfield at Maryland-Baltimore County (-3) 88-83 Favorite-Over (153)
Mar. 15 Georgia State at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (+3, ML +135) 80-64 Underdog-Under (146.5)
Mar. 15 Stephen F. Austin at Idaho (-4.5) 73-50 Favorite-Under (138.5)
Mar. 16 Lamar at Texas State (-9.5) 70-60 Favorite-Under (135.5)
Mar. 16 St. Peter's (+2, ML +110) at Albany 59-55 Underdog-Under (121.5)
Mar. 16 Furman (-6.5) at South Carolina-Upstate 79-57 Favorite-Under (148.5)
Mar. 16 UNC Asheville at Tennesse-Martin (+5, ML +180) 89-75 Underdog-Over (151)
Mar. 16 Weber State (+2.5, ML +120) at CS Fullerton 80-76 Underdog-Over (148)

SECOND ROUND AND QUARTERFINALS
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 18 St. Francis, PA at Maryland-Baltimore County (-6.5) 87-79 Favorite-Over (165)
Mar. 20 Tennessee Martin at Campbell (PK) 73-56 Favorite-Under (149)
Mar. 20 Samford at Liberty (-1.5) 66-58 Favorite-Under (140.5)
Mar. 20 Weber State at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (-1.5) 82-73 Favorite-Over (150.5)
Mar. 22 Idaho at Texas State (-5) 64-55 Favorite-Under (131.5)
Mar. 25 Furman (-6) at Campbell 79-64 Favorite-Over (141)
Mar. 25 St. Peter's (+1) at Texas State 49-44 Underdog-Under (120)
Mar. 26 IUPUI-Fort Wayne at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi - -
Mar. 26 Liberty at Maryland-Baltimore County - -

SEMIFINALS & FINALS
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 29 TBA at TBA - -
Mar. 29 TBA at TBA - -
Mar. 31 TBA at TBA - -

**StarDust Bum** · 03-26-2017, 11:41 AM

East Regional Final
March 25, 2017

East Regional Final
No. 4 Florida Gators (-3 ½) vs. No. 7 South Carolina Gamecocks (134½)

Venue: Madison Square Garden
Location: New York, New York
TV-Time: CBS, 2:20 p.m. ET

New York City -- Raise your hand if you had an All-SEC East Region finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City in your bracket? If your hand is up, now stop lying.

Whether or not anyone out there called this matchup ahead of a Villanova-Duke showdown (like I did), it will be fourth-seeded Florida and seventh-seeded South Carolina who will square off for the third time this season here at MSG on Sunday afternoon. The East Region finals will tip at 2:20 p.m. Eastern on CBS.

As of Saturday night, most betting shops had Florida (27-8 straight up, 19-13 against the spread) installed as a three-point favorite with a total of 134.5. The total opened at 132.5 points. The Gamecocks were +145 on the money line (risk $100 to win $145).

Florida won a thriller over Wisconsin 84-83 in overtime thanks to Chris Chiozza’s running 3-pointer at the buzzer. “For Chris to have the wherewithal to know that he can get all the way the length of the court in four seconds. He obviously utilized his speed and quickness and had tremendous composure, of course,” UF second-year head coach Mike White said.

“I just knew I had four seconds and I was trying to get down the court as fast as I could and if somebody was open I was going to pass it,” Chiozza said. “But I was really trying to get to the rim, but they did a good job of bumping me and slowing me down and that was the only shot I had, so I had to take that one.”

It was the second time UF won on a buzzer beater in the NCAA Tournament. The last time it was Mike Miller to beat Butler in the 2000 Tournament at Lawrence-Joel Coliseum. That Gator squad advanced to the final for the first time in school history before losing to Michigan St.’s ‘Flintstones’ team.

KeVaughn Allen likes the rims at MSG. The sophomore guard from Little Rock dropped 21 points on Duke at this venue in December, making 8-of-12 from the field and 3-of-5 launches from downtown. Allen made only 3-of-21 shots in Orlando last weekend, but the change of scenery served him well in Manhattan on Friday night. Allen erupted for a career-best 35 points, the most points ever scored by a Gator in Tourney history. He buried 11-of-24 looks from the field and 9-of-10 from the charity stripe.

Chiozza’s winning 3-ball gave him eight points to go with five assists, four rebounds and one steal. Kevarrius Hayes finished with eight points, seven boards, two blocks, one assist and one steal. Speaking of blocked shots, Canyon Barry had a crucial one with about 35 seconds left, chasing down a UW player who was ahead on a run-out with the Badgers leading by two. After Barry’s block, Chiozza shook a defender to break free for an easy layup to pull UF even.

However, back at the other end, UW’s Nigel Hayes was given an extremely kind whistle and sent to the line for a pair with four seconds remaining. Although Hayes went only 7-of-14 from the stripe for the game, including four misses in the extra session, he buried both like the senior stud he is. But Chiozza’s heroics moments later stole the show. UF blew a 12-point advantage with 5:23 remaining in regulation. Wisconsin senior point guard Bronson Koenig, who, like Hayes, produced so many big plays in 17 career NCAA Tournament games, came through again in the clutch, splashing the nets with a crucial trey to slice the deficit to 72-67 with 1:30 left.

An Ethan Happ layup on the next possession brought the Badgers within three with 44 ticks left. Next, Zak Showalter buried a running 3-pointer (very similar to the one Chiozza would make later) with 2.9 seconds remaining to force the extra session.

South Carolina (25-10 SU, 14-16 ATS) advanced to its first Elite Eight in program history by blasting Baylor 70-50 as a three-point underdog Friday night. Frank Martin’s squad roared out to a 37-22 halftime lead. Defense was the key in this game, as USC forced 16 turnovers, won the rebounding battle by a 37-29 margin and forced Baylor into a deplorable shooting night. The Bears made 17-of-56 (30.4%) shots from the field and only 3-of-13 from long distance (23.1%).

Sindarius Thornwell scored 24 points to go with six rebounds, two assists, two steals and a pair of blocked shots. For the Tournament, Thornwell is averaging 25.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.3 blocked shots per game.

Chris Silva has also come up huge during USC’s improbable Tourney run in the fifth season of Frank Martin’s tenure. Silva had his minutes limited to 25 due to foul trouble, but he still managed 12 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and one steal. P.J. Dozier contributed 12 points, six boards, three assists and two steals, while Duane Notice added 11 points, five rebounds and four assists.

South Carolina advanced to the region semifinals with wins over Marquette (93-73) and Duke (88-81). The Gamecocks had slumped coming into the Tournament from mid-February, losing six of their last nine games, including double-digit losses at Florida and vs. Alabama at the SEC Tourney.

These SEC rivals split a pair of regular-season games with both home teams winning. The first matchup went down in Columbia, where Martin’s club captured a 57-53 victory as a two-point home favorite. The 110 combined points dropped ‘under’ the 135.5-point total.

UF led 28-21 at intermission, but the Gators finished the game missing all 17 of their 3-point attempts. Also, they were an abysmal 15-of-28 (53.6%) from the free-throw line.

Thornwell scored a game-high 20 points for the winners. Silva had 11 points, seven boards and two rejections. In the losing effort, Barry scored a team-best 13 points.

In the rematch at the O-Dome on Feb. 21, UF took a two-point lead into halftime, but the competitive contest didn’t stay that way for long in the final 20 minutes. Allen, who scored just one point in the first meeting at USC, scored 26 points and grabbed a career-high seven rebounds to lead the Gators to an 81-66 win as 7.5-point home ‘chalk.’ The 147 combined points jumped ‘over’ the 136.5-point tally.

Devin Robinson added 14 points, six rebounds, three blocks and two steals for the winners. Chiozza finished with 12 points, four assists and three boards, while Kasey Hill was also in double figures with 10 points.

Thornwell was outstanding in defeat, tallying 23 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and two assists without a turnover. Notice added 16 points.

This is UF’s 10th appearance in the Elite Eight and the fifth in the last seven seasons. The Gators now own a 42-15 record in 18 NCAA Tourney appearances.

USC is ranked eighth in the nation in defending the 3-point line (29.9%), 14th in FG percentage defense (39.8%) and 30th in scoring defense (64.8 PPG).

Despite three consecutive covers, USC is still just 4-9 ATS in its last 13 contests.

The ‘under’ is 18-15-1 overall for the Gators, although a 3-0 ‘under’ streak was ended Friday vs. Wisconsin.

The ‘under’ is 18-13-1 overall for USC, going 4-2-1 in its last seven games.

The UF-USC winner will face Gonzaga in the national semifinals next Saturday.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-26-2017, 11:43 AM

South Regional Final
March 26, 2017

South Regional Final No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels (-2 ½) vs. No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats (159 ½)

Venue: FedEx Forum
Location: Memphis, Tennessee
TV-Time: CBS, 5:05 p.m. ET

In a year when many surprising guests have invaded the Elite Eight, there’s nothing shocking about the schools that’ll square off Sunday in the South Region finals at FedEx Forum in Memphis. That would be North Carolina and Kentucky.

UK is in its 57th NCAA Tournament and is looking to make its 18th Final Four appearance. Meanwhile, UNC is in its 48th Tourney, hoping to go to its 20th Final Four.

As of late Saturday night, most books had North Carolina installed as a 2.5-point favorite with the total in the 159-160 range. The Wildcats were available on the money line for a +125 return (risk $100 to win $125).

These storied programs have only met three times in the NCAA Tournament, but all three of those encounters have come in this same situation – a region final. In 1977, the Tar Heels won a 79-72 decision. Then in 1995, UNC sent UK packing again on its way to another Final Four. But in 2011, the ‘Cats captured a 76-69 victory.

Kentucky (32-5 straight up, 19-17 against the spread) avenged a December home loss to UCLA by beating the Bruins 86-75 as a 1.5-point underdog. The 161 combined points fell ‘under’ the 167-point total. De’Aaron Fox exploded for a career-high 39 points, but it was the defense that was the difference against the nation’s top-scoring offense.

UCLA still shot at a 52.7 percent clip from the field, but the Bruins committed 13 turnovers compared to only six for the ‘Cats. Steve Alford’s team made only 8-of-13 attempts at the free-throw line.

Fox hit 13-of-20 shots from the field and 13-of-15 tries from the charity stripe. The freshman point guard who is expected to be a one-and-done lottery pick in the 2017 NBA Draft also had two steals, three rebounds and four assists compared to just one turnover.

Malik Monk went for 21 points, nailing 4-of-9 launches from 3-point range. Dominique Hawkins came off the bench to score 11 points, draining 3-of-4 from downtown, in only 17 minutes of playing time.

North Carolina (30-7 SU, 19-15 ATS) has been a single-digit favorite 16 times this year, cashing tickets at a 9-6-1 ATS clip. The Tar Heels advanced to the South Region finals thanks to Friday’s 92-80 win over Butler as seven-point ‘chalk.’ The 172 combined points sailed ‘over’ the 155-point total.

Roy Williams, who was coaching in the Sweet 16 for the 18th time in his career, saw his team race out to a 52-36 halftime lead. Luke Maye, a sophomore forward, already had a career-high 14 points at intermission. He would finish with his first double-double (16 points, 12 rebounds).

Unlike Arkansas, which battled back from a 17-point first-half deficit to put UNC on the ropes with a five-point lead at the three-minute mark last Sunday, Butler had no comeback in it Friday. Joel Berry II shook off his ankle woes to score a game-high 26 points. Justin Jackson added 24 points, five rebounds and five assists compared to merely one turnover.

John Calipari’s club has been an underdog twice this year, winning outright against UCLA on Friday and losing by 22 at Florida. Speaking of that loss at UF, UK hasn’t tasted defeat since then, winning 14 in a row.

This will be a rematch of a Dec. 17 matchup at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where UK won by a 103-100 count as a one-point favorite. The 203 combined points soared ‘over’ the 171-point tally.

Monk went off for a career-high 47 points on amazing 8-of-12 shooting from 3-point land. Fox scored 24 points, grabbed four rebounds, made two steals and dished out 10 assists compared to two turnovers. Edrice Adebayo added 13 points and seven boards, but he was limited to 19 minutes of action before fouling out. Isaiah Briscoe was also in double figures with 10 points, seven boards and four assists with only one turnover.

Jackson scored 34 points to go with five rebounds and three assists without a turnover. Berry scored 23 points, dished out seven assists and grabbed five boards. However, Berry fouled out like Kennedy Meeks, who was only able to log 20 minutes of playing time. Meeks had 12 points and seven rebounds.

UK is ranked 10th in the nation in scoring, averaging 85.2 PPG. The ‘Cats are 15th in the country at defending the 3-point line, holding foes to 30.8 percent.

The ‘under’ is on an 11-2 run for UK to improve to 20-17 overall.

The ‘under’ is 20-14-1 overall for UNC, but the ‘over’ is 3-1 in its last four outings.

The winner will face Oregon in the national semifinals. The Ducks are in the Final Four for the first time since 1939.

Tip-off on CBS is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. Eastern.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- Kentucky is 3-9-1 ATS in its last 13 head-to-head meetings against UNC.

-- Indiana hired Dayton’s Archie Miller as is its next head coach to replace Tom Crean after an up-and-down nine-year tenure. Crean was fired more than a week ago. Miller has enjoyed outstanding success with the Flyers after a stellar playing career at North Carolina St. Miller is the younger brother of Arizona head coach Sean Miller. This is a great hire for the Hoosiers, who haven’t won a national title since 1987.

-- With Miller out at Dayton, I would expect the school to go after a couple of big names. If those attempts fail, the Flyers can do a lot worse than going with Miller’s long-time assistant Tom Ostrom, who got his start at Florida during Billy Donovan’s iconic tenure. Ostrom went to Dayton after serving as John Pelphrey’s top assistant at Arkansas. He was critical in the recruitment of both Mike Miller and Joakim Noah.

-- How about that performance from Oregon last night? Damn! The Ducks took Kansas behind the woodshed in its own backyard, capturing a 74-60 victory as 6.5-point underdogs at Sprint Center in Kansas City. Tyler Dorsey’s remarkable play of late continued, as he dominated the game with 27 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field, including 6 makes on 10 shots from long distance. Jordan Bell was incredible as well, producing 11 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and eight blocked shots.

-- The other region final Saturday saw Gonzaga advance to its first Final Four in program history. Mark Few’s team cruised to an 83-59 win over 11th-seeded Xavier, which was trying to become the third No. 11 seed to get to the national semifinals (VCU and LSU were the others). The ‘Zags easily took the money as 8.5-point ‘chalk.’ Nigel Williams-Goss stole the show with 23 points, eight rebounds, two steals and four assists without a turnover. Johnathan Williams added 19 points, eight boards and three rejections.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-26-2017, 11:44 AM

Rematches to decide last two spots
March 26, 2017

The most entertaining college basketball game of the regular season came in December.

Malik Monk set a record for a Kentucky freshman with 47 points, including a go-ahead 3-pointer taken against his coach's wishes, to lift the Wildcats to a 103-100 win over North Carolina.

Are these two ready for an encore?

Of course they are - though it's a valid argument to say this rematch might be better suited for next weekend in the Final Four than Sunday in the Elite Eight.

''I remember watching them play and I'm thinking, `Please don't put them in our bracket,''' Kentucky coach John Calipari said. ''And there they are in our bracket.''

Indeed, the South bracket in which Kentucky and Carolina reside was pegged as the toughest on Selection Sunday. The top four seeds made it to the Sweet 16, and the Wildcats and Tar Heels moved within a game of the Final Four with double-digit wins.

North Carolina is a 2 1/2-point favorite in Sunday's game, which will fill out a Final Four that already includes Gonzaga and Oregon, both of which won Saturday. The first meeting between the Heels and Cats - the late half of a made-for-TV doubleheader in Las Vegas three months ago - now feels like a distant memory.

''I don't think we're freshmen anymore,'' Monk said. ''You can't use that term anymore because it's in the tournament now. Nobody looks at that.''

Kentucky trailed 100-98 and Calipari was imploring his young freshman to drive the ball to the hoop in transition. Instead, he pulled up and made the 3 to put the Wildcats ahead for good with 16 seconds left.

''Heck of a college basketball game if you don't care who won,'' Carolina coach Roy Williams said afterward. ''But I do care who wins.''

If North Carolina turns the tables, it will give the Tar Heels a return trip to the Final Four after their heartbreaking loss to Villanova in the final last year - on a buzzer-beating 3 by Kris Jenkins. It will also mark a festive send-off for Justin Jackson, who leads Carolina with 18.2 points a game and is expected to call this, his junior year, his last in college.

Kentucky's list of probable one-and-doners includes Monk, Bam Adebayo and De'Aaron Fox.

''I'm not worried about that,'' Fox said. ''We're still playing basketball, so I'm not thinking about leaving. If things go as planned, we still have three games left, so that's not in my mind right now.''

SPEAKING OF REMATCHES: Sunday's first game pits familiar foes in an unexpected setting. Florida and South Carolina of the Southeastern Conference will meet at Madison Square Garden for a trip to the Final Four.

''We're playing a team we know,'' said coach Frank Martin, who has led the Gamecocks further through the NCAA bracket than they have ever been. ''We're not playing the moment. We're not playing a building. We're not playing the NCAA Tournament. We're playing the Florida Gators. And our focus should be playing a team that we have played twice.''

In many ways, it was the first meeting - a 57-53 South Carolina win on Jan. 18 - that set the stage for where both teams are today.

The Gators failed to sink a 3-pointer for the first time in 850 games - a streak that began in 1992 and lasted the entire Billy Donovan era. Another loss, three days later, prompted a two-hour team meeting that triggered a nine-game winning streak, including the rematch with the Gamecocks.

But South Carolina's win over Florida also announced the Gamecocks as a force. It was their third win over a Top 25 team this season, and when it was over, senior Sindarius Thornwell said this: ''Before the game, I was saying these are the games you prepare for in your backyard growing up.''

They certainly are. And this next one, too.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-26-2017, 11:46 AM

Indiana hires Archie Miller as new coach
March 25, 2017

Fred Glass wanted to hire a proven winner for Indiana's next coach. The athletic director didn't have to wait long - or travel far to find what he was looking for.

On Saturday, less than 24 hours after UCLA coach Steve Alford pulled his name out of the sweepstakes, Glass announced he had hired Archie Miller from Dayton. Miller replaces Tom Crean, who was fired March 16 after missing the NCAA Tournament five times in nine seasons.

''Archie Miller was on my short list from the very beginning,'' Glass said in a statement. ''The more I learned about him, the more convinced I became that he is the coach we need to meet our high expectations for many years to come.''

Miller will be introduced at a Monday afternoon news conference.

The 38-year-old Miller comes from a basketball family and put together a solid track record in six seasons with the Flyers - earning a school-record four straight NCAA Tourney bids, winning 24 games in each of those seasons and claiming the last two Atlantic 10 regular-season titles.

Miller's older brother, Sean, coaches at perennial powerhouse Arizona, and the younger Miller is considered one of the brightest young coaches in America.

''IU is one of the greatest basketball programs and academic institutions in the country and I cannot wait to get started,'' Miller said. ''With peerless fan support, outstanding facilities and tradition, a beautiful campus, and located in one of the most fertile recruiting areas in the country, IU is a dream destination for me and my family.''

Miller's teams are known for their disciplined, hard-nosed play. Glass also dubbed Miller a tireless recruiter in the Midwest and a ''noted developer of talent.''

Indiana fans wanted all of those features in their new coach - as expect postseason success, too.

Alford, a former Indiana star, might have been a candidate for the job, but he reiterated Friday night that he wanted to remain at UCLA.

The move comes at an opportune time for Miller. The Flyers are losing at least five players from the school's incredible four-year run.

''We did everything we could to keep Archie at UD, but now our sole focus turns to continuing to build the quality of our nationally competitive program,'' athletic director Neil Sullivan said in a statement.

Before taking the Dayton job in 2011, Miller worked as an assistant for his brother at Arizona and as an assistant under Thad Matta ta Ohio State. He also has been an assistant at Arizona State, North Carolina State, his alma mater, and Western Kentucky. And he worked on the staff with USA Basketball's under-19 team, which won the FIBA world championship gold medal in 2015.

Miller's father, John, coached in high school.

Sean, Archie and Lisa Miller all played Division I basketball, and now it's the youngest of the three children who finds himself leading a program that has won five national championships.

''I cannot wait to connect with former players, current players, and future players and all of Hoosier Nation,'' Miller said. ''I want to thank all of the great people and players at the University of Dayton who have supported me along the way. I look forward to outlining my vision for IU basketball.''

Miller is 139-63 in his career.

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