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NCAA Tournament Elite Eight betting preview and odds: Duke vs. Kansas

The Midwest Region wraps up Sunday to decide the last member of the 2018 Final Four. No surprises here as two of college basketball's biggest brands and the regions top seeded teams do battle.

(2) Duke Blue Devils vs (1) Kansas Jayhawks (+3, 154.5)

A wild NCAA Tournament gets back to normalcy on Sunday when two of college basketball's true blue bloods, Duke and Kansas, meet in the Midwest Regional final in Omaha, Neb. The No. 2 seeded Blue Devils and top-seeded Jayhawks have combined to win eight NCAA titles, including three of the last 10, and are two of the top four winningest programs in NCAA history.

After extending its record Big 12 regular-season title streak to 14, Kansas has advanced to the Elite Eight for the third straight year, jumping out to a 20-point lead early in the second half before holding off Clemson, 80-76, on Friday night. "I wanted to get back to this game so bad because I've been here the last two years, and hopefully we can get over the hump," said Big 12 Player of the Year Devonte' Graham referring to losses to eventual NCAA champion Villanova in 2016 (64-59) and Oregon (74-60 last year that denied the Jayhawks a 15th Final Four berth.) Duke will be trying to advance to the Final Four for the 17th time after grinding out a 69-65 victory over Syracuse and is back in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2015 when the Blue Devils went on to win their fifth NCAA championship. "I thought we were young for a lot of today," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said after the Blue Devils shot just 39.3 percent, including 5-of-26 from 3-point range, and were outrebounded, 37-33, by the Orange. "We were so good in Pittsburgh (in the first two rounds), and hopefully what we did under pressure today will help us on Sunday against a great Kansas team."

TV: 5:05 p.m. ET, CBS

LINE HISTORY: Duke opened as 4-point favorites and money coming in on the Jayhawks saw that line drop to Blue Devils -3 heading into game day. The total hit the board at 155.5 and has been bet down slightly to 154.5.

BETTING STATS:



ABOUT DUKE: The Blue Devils are young, starting four freshmen, but don't feel too sorry for old Krzyzewski, who picked up his 1,100th career coaching victory and 94th career tournament win against Syracuse, both NCAA records. Two of the freshmen, 6-11 forward Marvin Bagley III (21.2 ppg, 11.1 rpg), who garnered ACC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors, and 6-10 Wendell Carter Jr. (13.6 ppg, 9.3 rpg) are both both projected as top 10 draft picks, while guards Gary Trent Jr. (14.4 ppg) and Trevon Duval (10.0 ppg, 5.6 apg) are also considered potential first rounders. Senior guard Grayson Allen had 15 points and eight assists to lead Duke in Friday night's win but was just 3-of-14 from 3-point range and is also rated as a potential first round pick.

ABOUT KANSAS: The Jayhawks have made it this far despite the loss of five-star recruit Billy Preston to eligibility issues and 7-foot center Udoka Azubuike playing with a left knee brace to help support a MCL injury suffered in a March 6 practice that forced him to sit out the Big 12 Tournament and play just three minutes in a 76-60 opening-round win over Pennsylvania. The explosive Azubuike has averaged 12 points, nine rebounds and two blocks in the last two games while connecting on 11-of-14 shots despite limping noticeably at times, and his presence inside will be a key factor in trying to defend the imposing Duke front line of Bagley and Carter. The Jayhawks have the edge in the backcourt, however, led by Graham (17.3 ppg, 7.4 apg), senior Svi Mykhailiuk (14.8 ppg), sophomore Malik Newman (13.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and junior Lagerald Vick (12.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg), all excellent 3-point shooters who will test Duke's 2-3 zone.

MATCHUP CHART:



TRENDS:

* Jayhawks are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Over is 12-2 in Blue Devils last 14 non-conference games.
* Over is 6-1 in Jayhawks last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Blue Devils are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 54 percent of bettors taking the underdog from Kansas Jayhawks, while 60 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAA Tournament's biggest betting mismatches: Elite Eight
Monty Andrews

What could be the difference in the Midwest final between Kansas and Duke? Free Throws. Teams average just 10.3 made foul shots on 14.2 attempts against the Blue Devils - both top-10 in the nation.

East Region

No. 3 Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. No. 1 Villanova Wildcats (-6.5, 144.5)

Texas Tech's weak outside game vs. Villanova's insane 3-point attack

Texas Tech is in the Elite Eight for the first time in school history - but getting one round further will be a daunting task as the third-seeded Red Raiders face the No. 1 Villanova Wildcats in the East Region final Sunday night at TD Garden in Boston. The Red Raiders earned their first-ever trip to the fourth round of the NCAA Tournament despite struggling from beyond the arc in a 78-65 win over Purdue on Friday - and a similar performance from 3-point range Sunday will almost certainly mean defeat.

It isn't that Texas Tech is a poor shooting team from long distance; the Red Raiders rank just outside the top 100 nationally in 3-point success rate at 36.2 percent. But the Red Raiders just don't take that many 3s - their 18.9 attempts per game ranks just inside the top 300 in Division I, while their 6.9 makes per contest are good for 247th overall. And those numbers are actually lower so far in the tournament, with Texas Tech averaging just five made 3-pointers on 16 attempts through its first three games.

The Red Raiders will have a difficult time keeping pace with the ever-dangerous Wildcats if that shooting trend continues. Villanova enters the weekend ranked 10th in the nation in 3-point success rate at 40.5 percent - and loves to launch those long-range shots, having taken the third-most shots from distance of any team in the country (1,067). And the Wildcats are heating up from 3, hitting 13-of-24 attempts last time out against West Virginia. Look for Villanova to exploit this mismatch all night long.

Midwest Region

No. 2 Duke Blue Devils vs. No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks (+3.5, 155.5)

Duke's aversion to fouls vs. Kansas's infrequent visits to the line

The Midwest Region boasts the only 1-vs.-2 Elite Eight matchup - and oddsmakers are leaning toward the lower seed as the No. 2 Duke Blue Devils tangle with the top-seeded Kansas Jayhawks. It's hard to argue with the odds, given that the Blue Devils were so dominant through the opening two rounds before holding on to beat a plucky Syracuse team Friday. And they have a significant edge over the Jayhawks when it comes to limiting trips to the free-throw line - an advantage that could decide this one.

The Blue Devils are a dangerous team, evidenced by the fact that they beat Iona and Rhode Island by a combined 47 points over the opening weekend of March Madness. But they showed what makes them a true title threat in their 69-65 win over the Orange, a game in which they were outshot by nearly 10 percent from the field but held Syracuse to 11 free-throw makes on 17 attempts (Duke went 20-for-28 from the line.) Teams average just 10.3 made foul shots on 14.2 attempts - both top-10 in the nation.

The last two victories didn't come easy for the Jayhawks, who roll into the Elite Eight following four-point wins over No. 8 Seton Hall and No. 5 Clemson. And they prevailed despite shooting below 70 percent from the free-throw line in both. While Kansas hasn't had much trouble getting to the line in the tournament, it averages just 11.5 makes on 16.3 attempts to date - both ranking outside the top 300 nationally. And with Duke so stingy when it comes to allowing free throws, the Jayhawks have some work to do.

[StarDust Bum]

Villanova drops T-Tech, back to Final 4
March 25, 2018

BOSTON (AP) With all of the underdogs and upsets that have upended the NCAA tournament, no one has managed to come close to Villanova.

The 2016 national champions are headed back to the Final Four, thanks to a fourth straight double-digit victory in a month of March where they've played every bit like the No. 1 seed they earned.

''This tournament's a crazy tournament. Anybody can beat anybody,'' guard Jalen Brunson said after the Wildcats beat Texas Tech 71-59 in a cold-shooting East regional championship on Sunday to send Villanova back to the Final Four for the second time in three years.

''The underdog mentally, they may have it. But, honestly, they believe they're good. That's why they're in that position. That's (also) why we're in that position,'' Brunson said. ''We're a good team, and we believe we can keep getting better.''

The Wildcats (34-4) will play fellow No. 1 seed Kansas, which beat Duke 85-81 in overtime later Sunday. They will join 11th-seeded Loyola-Chicago and its telegenic nun , along with No. 3 seed Michigan in the national semifinals on Saturday in San Antonio.

Sister Jean, get ready for Father Rob.

''I very much look forward to meeting Sister Jean,'' said the Rev. Rob Hagan, the priest on the Villanova bench. ''I was 12 years of Catholic School and taught by the nuns. I have great respect for the Nuns. Usually what Sister says is what goes.''

But if these two Catholic schools - one Jesuit, one Augustinian - meet in the national championship game, the Wildcats won't be without spiritual support of their own.

''He's our rock,'' said guard Donte DiVincenzo, who scored eight points. ''He keeps us level-headed to make sure we don't get too high or too low. So to be able to share that moment with him was actually real fun.''

Eric Paschall had 12 points and a career-high 14 rebounds, Brunson scored 15, and DiVincenzo also had eight of the Wildcats' season-high 51 rebounds. After starting four guards, Texas Tech (27-10) grabbed just 33 boards and shot just 18 free throws compared to 35 for Villanova to miss a chance to play for a championship in its home state.

''We knew they were a great 3-point shooting team and talented players, but we also knew how tough they were,'' Texas Tech coach Chris Beard said. ''We knew the identity of their team was the toughness and physicality, and that proved to be true.''

The teams matched each other with 33 percent shooting from the floor - Villanova's lowest since 2015- and the Wildcats made just 4 of 24 from beyond the arc. One of the most prolific 3-point shooting teams in NCAA history, they need seven to set a Division I single-season record.

They'll get that chance in the Final Four.

''Wasn't really a pretty offensive game. But we played pretty good defensively too,'' said Villanova coach Jay Wright, whose team spent eight weeks in two different stints as the No. 1 team in The Associated Press Top 25 this season.

''That's why I give Texas Tech credit, they did a great job,'' Wright said. ''But we don't rely on our shooting. There's a lot more to the game. Our guys take pride in that. We never worry about missing shots. It's fun when they go in, but we don't worry about missing them.''

PLAYING THROUGH PAIN

Texas Tech star Keenan Evans scored 12 points for the Red Raiders, and revealed after the game he has been playing with a broken toe since injuring his foot in mid-February against Baylor.

''We take a lot of pride just knowing that the amount of work we put in to get here,'' Evans said. ''We came short of what the ultimate goal was, but just for us digging down and us going through injuries ... we took a lot of pride with it.''

Texas Tech had never reached the Elite Eight in the 93-year history of the program but easily handled Purdue in the Sweet 16.

CUTTING DOWN NETS

It's Villanova's third trip to the Final Four in Wright's tenure; in 2009, they also advanced from the Boston regional before losing in the national semifinals. Four players remain from the team that won it all two years ago.

''You just see how together we are. Every Villanova team I've been on has been like that,'' Brunson said. ''Every time you get to do it is special, every time you're on that court with those group of guys, it's special.''

BAD START

Villanova quickly fell behind 7-0 and trailed 9-1 - the largest deficit the Wildcats had faced in the tournament. But they scored 14 of the next 18 points to lead and closed the half on a 35-14 run for a 36-23 lead at the break. The 23 points was the lowest-scoring half of the season for the Red Raiders.

After falling behind by as many as 15 early in the second, Texas Tech got within eight points with under seven minutes remaining, and made it 52-47 on Brandon Francis' 3-pointer with 6:06 left. They nearly cut it to three points when Evans found Zach Smith in the lane, but Paschall blocked him and sparked a fast break that ended with Phil Booth's basket at the other end.

Texas Tech made only two baskets from there. Villanova had only one in the last three minutes but made its last 12 free throws.

SHOWTIME

Brunson finished with only four assists, but he had the ball in his hands for much of Villanova's possessions and didn't seem troubled by the defense.

Beard compared them to the Showtime Los Angeles Lakers that played across the way in the old Boston Garden.

''It was like watching Magic Johnson back down. They've got (Michael) Cooper in one corner,'' Beard said. ''He's a multi-dimensional player. He can play at the next level for a lot of reasons. I think his toughness and intangibles ... are at the top of that list.''

[StarDust Bum]

Kansas nips Duke 85-81 in OT
March 25, 2018

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) Kansas is going back to the Final Four.

It's hard to argue that Duke shouldn't be headed there as well after the most riveting show of the NCAA tournament.

Malik Newman and the top-seeded Jayhawks got past their Elite Eight road block Sunday, knocking off second-seeded Duke 85-81 in overtime to clinch the program's first trip to the Final Four since 2012.

Newman scored all 13 of the Jayhawks' points in OT and finished with a career-high 32 to lead Kansas (31-7).

The Jayhawks will face fellow top seed Villanova on Saturday in San Antonio - the site of KU's last title over Memphis in 2008 - after snapping a two-game losing skid in the regional finals.

''Everything we've been through...we do it for moments like this,'' Kansas star Devonte' Graham said. ''Especially after the last two years, getting over the hump. It just feels (perfect).''

This was college basketball at its best, two blue bloods trading blows for 45 minutes in what was arguably the best game of March so far, one that featured 18 lead changes and 11 ties.

Had Grayson Allen's bank shot to end regulation gone half an inch in a different direction, it might be Duke heading to South Texas.

But it didn't, and instead the Jayhawks are moving on.

''It was an honor to play in this game,'' said Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who remained tied with UCLA legend John Wooden with 12 Final Four performances. ''I think both teams were deserving of winning.''

Newman, a redshirt sophomore who came on late this season, drilled his fifth and final 3 from the corner to make it 81-78 with 1:49 left. Newman followed with four straight free throws, and the Jayhawks' defense stiffened enough to knock the favored Blue Devils out of the tournament.

Trevon Duval scored 20 points, two shy of a career high, for Duke. Freshman star and future lottery pick Marvin Bagley added 16 points and 10 rebounds in what could have been his final game for the Blue Devils (29-8), who fell shy of their first Final Four trip since winning the national title in 2015.

Allen had 12 points for the Blue Devils, but the senior's try at the regulation buzzer went in and then out and then off the rim before spinning away to force overtime.

''I was trying to drive right, he cut me off. Went back left. Their big stepped into help. I had to get a shot up over him. I tried to bank it in and it about went in,'' said Allen, who finished his brilliant career with 1,996 points.

THE BIG PICTURE

Kansas: This might be the unlikeliest of coach Bill Self's three Final Four squads. They are not stacked with obvious future NBA starters and they lost three times at home this season. But the Jayhawks banded together to win the Big 12's regular season and conference titles and now the Midwest Region. By doing so, they proved to their coach that they were hardly soft - a claim that Self had made often earlier in the season. And with the final buzzer about to sound and the outcome suddenly in focus, Self clenched both of his fists and lifted his arms in the air for a celebration years in the making.

Duke: The Blue Devils might see four of their freshman stars bolt for the NBA Draft, an expected exodus led by Bagley, a likely top-five pick. Duke will also lose Allen, one of the best players in school history. Don't cry for Coach K, who has four five-star recruits committed to join the program next year. But this season will likely be remembered as a lost opportunity - and for that Allen shot that went agonizingly out of the rim.

PIVOTAL MOMENT

Duval was a revelation in the opening half, scoring 13 points to give the Blue Devils a 36-33 lead that at times felt like it could've been bigger. But the Jayhawks opened the second with a 13-3 run, forcing Duke to answer quickly. The Blue Devils did just that, time and time again, until it had the lead in the final minute. But Kansas senior Svi Mykhailiuk drilled a 3 with 25.7 seconds left in the second half to knot the game at 72-all.

THE NUMBERS

Kansas outrebounded Duke 47-32, a staggering stat given that the Jayhawks barely outrebounded their opponents heading into the game. ...Lagerald Vick had 14 points, Devonte' Graham had 11 with six boards and six assists and Mykhailiuk had 11 points, 10 rebounds and five assists while helping defend Bagley. ''Even though Malik scored a lot of points, I don't think that anybody had a better game than Svi did,'' Self said. ... The Blue Devils were 7 of 29 on 3s.

HE SAID IT

''We didn't even talk about going to the Final Four. All we talked about is Duke. I do think playing Duke in that game helped us. It was fun. I would be proud to have coached in that game even if the outcome is different,'' Self said.

UP NEXT

Duke: Welcoming the next batch of one-and-done stars.

Kansas: The Jayhawks are in the Final Four for the 15th time.

[StarDust Bum]

Elite Eight

SATURDAY, MARCH 24
Matchup Score ATS Result
Loyola-Chicago (+1.5, ML +105) vs. Kansas State 78-62 Underdog-Over (126)
Florida State vs. Michigan (-4.5) 58-54 Underdog-Under (145)

SUNDAY, MARCH 25
Matchup Score ATS Result
Duke vs. Kansas (+3.5, ML +155) 85-81 (OT) Underdog-Over (156)
Villanova (-6) vs. Texas Tech 71-59 Favorite-Under (146)

Final Four & Championship

SATURDAY, MARCH 31 & MONDAY APRIL 2
Matchup Score ATS Result
Michigan vs. Loyola-Chicago - -
Kansas vs. Villanova - -
TBD vs. TBD - -

[StarDust Bum]

2018 NIT, CBI, CIT Results
March 25, 2018

National Invitation Tournament (NIT)

SEMIFINALS & FINALS

Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 27 Penn State vs. Mississippi State - -
Mar. 27 Western Kentucky vs. Utah - -
Mar. 29 TBD vs. TBD - -


College Basketball Invitational (CBI)

FINALS (BEST-OF-THREE)

Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 26 North Texas at San Francisco - -
Mar. 28 San Francisco at North Texas - -
Mar. 30 North Texas at San Francisco (if necessary) - -


CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT)

SEMIFINALS & FINALS

Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 28 Illinois-Chicago at Liberty - -
Mar. 28 Sam Houston State at Northern Colorado - -
Mar. 30 TBD at TBD - -

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Monday’s 6-pack

How low-seeded teams have done in national semi-finals:

2006: George Mason (11-seed) lost 73-58 to Florida (-6)
2011: VCU (11-seed) lost 70-62 to Butler (-2.5)
2016: Syracuse (10-seed) lost 83-66 to North Carolina (-9.5)
2013; Wichita St (9-seed) lost 72-68 to Louisville (-10)
2000: Wisconsin (8-seed) lost 53-41 to Michigan St (-8)
2000: North Carolina (8-seed) lost 71-59 to Florida (-5)
2011: Butler (8-seed) beat VCU 70-62 (-2.5)
2014: Kentucky (8-seed) beat Wisconsin 74-73 (+1)

Quote of the Day
“Hopefully, I prove what coach said was wrong and put myself in position to get back as soon as possible,. But right now, who knows? Just try to do my job in the rehab process and get back as soon as I can.”
Stephen Curry, hoping to return before the 2nd round of the NBA playoffs

Monday’s quiz
Where did Klay Thompson play his college basketball?

Sunday’s quiz
QB Mark Sanchez (2009) was the last offensive player the Jets drafted in the first round.

Saturday’s quiz
Lance Alworth, the great WR from the Chargers, was the first player from the AFL inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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Monday’s List of 13: Wrapping up a sports weekend

13) Kansas 85, Duke 81 OT— Jayhawks were 13-36 on arc in this game, 17-33 inside the arc; Newman scored 32 points and Kansas is headed to the Alamo for the Final Four.

Grayson Allen went 3-13 in his last college game; Mavin Bagley was 5-9 in 44:00- if you’re coaching Duke, you’re sick that Bagley got only nine shots in a game this close, especially since he’ll never play for Duke again.

12) Villanova 71, Texas Tech 59— Wildcats were 29-35 on foul line; Tech was 14-18 in game where teams combined to go 9-44 on arc. Villanova is in Final Four for second time in three years; they’re 11-1 in last 12 NCAA tournament games.

11) Final Four pointspreads:
Michigan (-5.5) over Loyola-Chicago
Villanova (-5) over Kansas

10) Since 1987, when two #1-seeds play in the national semifinals, the underdogs are 8-2 against the spread.

9) Was thinking about Gonzaga’s potential move to the Mountain West; I have no idea why they would do that. Gonzaga doesn’t have football, so their TV deal for basketball would only net them an additional $375,000 a year— not much at all.

Mountain West is a better league, but hardly a power league; only reason they got two teams in the NCAA’s this year is because Nevada got beat in the conference tournament. Gonzaga is the king of the WCC; its good to be the king- they’re like UNLV was in the Big West during the peak years of Jerry Tarkanian’s coaching tenure in Las Vegas.

To me, adding Gonzaga would really help the Mountain West, not sure how it helps Gonzaga.

8) Saturday night, Florida State was down 58-54 in the last 0:15; they missed a 3-pointer, then didn’t foul in the last 10 or 11 seconds, and Michigan ran out the clock.

The non-foul occurred right in front of the FSU bench; it seemed like someone on the bench told the Seminole player not to foul, so they let the game end, despite a foul giving them a (very small) chance to win the game. A small chance is still a chance; it happens. Ask Louisville.

As you know, I spend a ridiculous amount of time watching college basketball; can’t remember a situation like this happening before, especially a team whose season ends with a loss. Why give up?

Leonard Hamilton wasn’t happy when he was asked about it after the game. If I was the AD at Florida State, I’d be asking him about it again when we met back in Tallahassee.

7) Duke was down five with 0:11 left in OT Sunday; unlike Florida State, they fouled.

6) Atlanta Braves cut P Scott Kazmir, eating $16M he is owed this year. Kazmir had a rough outing Saturday, blamed it on a 90-100 bullpen session he threw Wednesday, saying he didn’t know he’d be pitching Saturday. Now he is out of a job, though he still gets paid.

5) Phillies gave 2B prospect Scott Kingery a 6-year, $24M contract, which eliminates service time as an issue in making Kingery a major leaguer right now.

Lot of teams delay bringing their prospects up to the majors, to delay their arbitration years from kicking in.

4) Then there is Arizona, which sent OF Yasmany Tomas down to AAA, despite owing him $46M over the next three years. RF Stephen Souza is on the DL and they still sent Tomas down, which tells us they’re pretty sour on him.

3) Twins’ coach Howard Johnson, the old Mets’ 3B, broke bones in his face this weekend when he was hit by a foul ball in the Minnesota dugout. Hope he is feeling better soon.

2) I’m still wondering why the Red Sox fired Terry Francona; Boston averaged 93 wins a year under Francona, winning two World Series with no losing seasons- they were 90-72 his last year, albeit with some off-field hijinx that had people saying Francona ran too loose a ship.

They’ve won one World Series in six years since he left and now have an entry-level manager in Alex Cora. Curious decision.

1— Mets manager Mickey Callaway is the 49th major league pitcher who later became a major league manager. Pitching is obviously the most essential element of baseball; you’d think more former pitchers would’ve become managers.

[StarDust Bum]

Shot that wouldn't fall leads to end of Allen's crazy career
March 26, 2018

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) Grayson Allen curled to the left side of the lane, jumped and kicked out his left leg a bit as he let fly the shot that would send Duke to the Final Four over two Kansas defenders.

With the clock showing less than a second left in regulation, the ball teasingly bounced off the backboard, hit the front of the rim, bounced off the backboard and rim once more - and swirled out to the right.

''I thought it was in,'' star big man Marvin Bagley III said.

So did Allen, who watched as the ball fell away. Sunday's game stayed tied 72-72 and was headed for overtime. Kansas' Malik Newman, the Midwest Region Most Outstanding player, took over from there, and the Jayhawks won 85-81 .

Season over for Duke. Career over for Allen.

''Yeah, that thing rolled around the rim about four times,'' Allen said. ''I thought it was going in. It's not a good feeling.''

Allen never found his rhythm in Omaha. He was 7 for 28 in games against Syracuse and Kansas, 5 for 23 on 3-pointers. He made clutch free throws late in regulation to keep the Blue Devils tied or in the lead against Kansas. His only field goal since the first half, though, was a meaningless 3-pointer four seconds before Kansas started celebrating its victory.

Allen's four seasons at Duke were over, and off the court walked - depending on your perspective - one of the most reviled or celebrated college basketball players in America.

''It's like a shock to your body because you don't plan for a loss,'' Allen said. ''You expect to keep going and going. Then it's so abrupt when it hits you. It's over. I can't really wrap my head around it yet.''

It was at the 2015 Final Four that Allen burst onto the scene. He was the fourth and often overlooked member of Duke's heralded freshman class that year. He ended up scoring 16 points in the national championship game in a win over Wisconsin that gave the Blue Devils their fifth title.

He put off entering the NBA draft after his sophomore and junior years because he loved Duke, loved college basketball and wanted a chance to play for another Final Four and championship.

''He's a 2,000-point scorer. He's a national champion. He's been our leader this year,'' coach Mike Krzyzewski said. ''He's one of the outstanding players to have ever played in our program.''

For all he did statistically as a playmaker and 14.1-point career scorer, Krzyzewski remembers him this season for his leadership and ability to mesh with four outstanding freshmen in the lineup, especially after the switch to a zone defense in mid-February.

''And you're a shot away, a roll away from being in the Final Four,'' Krzyzewski said.

Had that last shot in regulation fallen, it still wouldn't have undone the things Allen will long be remembered for at Duke. On Saturday, Allen said he had accepted and embraced his reputation among all those Duke haters.

The Atlantic Coast Conference reprimanded him for appearing to deliberately trip two players in 2016. Last year he tripped an opponent and was suspended for one game by Coach K and had his team captain's title removed.

Allen mostly stayed out of trouble this season, except for when he put a hip check on North Carolina's Garrison Brooks in the ACC Tournament.

''Obviously I went through a lot of ups and downs, a lot of rough moments, a rough patch last year,'' he said.

His hope, of course, was to extend his senior season one more week in San Antonio.

''All my plans for playing in the Final Four aren't going to happen,'' he said. ''That's why it's hard to grasp. So many emotions come forward at once. I feel I could smile and cry all at once.''

[StarDust Bum]

TIPPING OFF: Wild March stabilizes a bit with Final Four set
March 26, 2018

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) Welcome to a Final Four filled with past national champions - just the way the NCAA selection committee drew it up, right?

OK, maybe not.

Sure, there's plenty of the expected with 1-seed Villanova making it to San Antonio in pursuit of the program's second title in three seasons. Kansas is the other 1-seed to navigate its way through a maze full of upsets as it pursues its first title since 2008.

And plenty figured No. 3 seed Michigan had a good shot to get to the Final Four as the Wolverines chase their first title since the Glen Rice-led group won the program's first in 1989.

But Loyola-Chicago? Consider the 11th-seeded Ramblers the representative for all the low seeds - UMBC, Marshall and Buffalo, to name a few - that pulled off the big stunners in an upset-filled and memorable March.

And yes, the Ramblers do have a national championship, won way back in 1963 during the Kennedy administration.

Now it's time to prepare for next Saturday's first national semifinal (Loyola vs. Michigan ) featuring the upstart against the surging power-conference team in an undercard to the heavyweight matchup of top seeds in the nightcap.

It's a particular relief for Kansas, which had a No. 1 seed for the third straight season and lost in the Elite Eight the past two seasons - including in 2016 to Villanova as the Wildcats marched to the national title.

''You think about it, hey, in their careers all we've been is the No. 1 overall seed, the No. 2 overall seed and the No. 3 overall seed and haven't gotten to a Final Four,'' coach Bill Self said after Sunday's overtime win against Duke in Omaha, Nebraska. ''So that means that these guys have done so well to put us in a position but we hadn't kicked the door in yet.

''I'm happy for us, staff, school, everything, but I'm more happy for these guys because they deserve to experience what the best of college basketball is - and that will be what takes place Saturday and Monday.''

FORESHADOWING?: If you're into good omens, note that Kansas won its last title in San Antonio by beating North Carolina and Memphis under Self a decade ago. And that was the program's first since Danny Manning and The Miracles won the 1988 title as a No. 6 seed - now an even 30 years ago.

So maybe years ending in eight bring a bit of luck for the Jayhawks?

RANKING THE SEEDS: Villanova was the No. 2 overall seed behind Virginia on Selection Sunday, putting the Wildcats as the headliner followed by Kansas at third. Michigan was No. 11 and Loyola-Chicago was No. 46.

WINING UGLY: Villanova and Michigan should arrive in Texas with an extra bit of confidence after winning games when they shot poorly.

The Wildcats shot just 33 percent and made 4 of 24 3-pointers (.167) in Sunday's East final against Texas Tech . The Wolverines shot nearly 39 percent but made just 4 of 22 3s (.182) in Saturday night's West final against Florida State .

On top of that, they combined to make 4 of 27 3s after halftime (.148). Yet here they are.

TITLE HISTORY: Top seeds have hoisted the trophy on the final Monday night of the season in 18 of the past 26 NCAA Tournaments, while No. 3 seeds have won three times (Syracuse in 2003, Florida in 2006, Connecticut in 2011) in that span.

Villanova remains the lowest-seeded team to win a title as a No. 8 in 1985.

NOT SO WILD AFTER ALL: With all the upsets, it sure looked like the Final Four had a chance to be filled with surprises. It didn't end up that way.

The sum of the seeds for the four teams is 16, the highest since 2014 (18). But it was a far cry from joining the four other years since the tournament began seeding teams in 1979 that the combined total was at least 20: 1980 (21), 2000 (22), 2006 (20) and 2011 (26).

The last two of those were the most recent to feature an 11-seed before Loyola-Chicago's run, with George Mason getting there in 2006 and VCU doing it in 2011. The only other Final Four to feature a No. 11 seed came in 1986 with LSU, though the combined seed total was 15 on the strength of 1-seeds Duke and Kansas, and 2-seed Louisville (the eventual champion behind freshman Pervis Ellison) joining the Tigers in Dallas.

ACC'S MISS: The Atlantic Coast Conference was trying to get a team into the national-title game for the fourth straight year but ultimately fell short of the Final Four.

Duke won the championship in 2015. Rival North Carolina lost to Villanova in the 2016 title game before coming all the way back and winning the 2017 title against Gonzaga. And 10th-seeded Syracuse was a surprise semifinalist in 2016 after upsetting No. 1 seed Virginia in a regional final.

IMPROVED NUMBERS: ESPN said none of the 17.3 million entrees had the Elite Eight teams correct in its Tournament Challenge picks contest. But 550 people correctly had the Final Four teams.

Villanova was the most popular pick to get there, winning the East Region on 58.4 percent of the submitted brackets.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Dunkel

Monday, March 26


North Texas @ San Francisco

Game 741-742
March 26, 2018 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
North Texas
54.238
San Francisco
60.784
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Francisco
by 6 1/2
147
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Francisco
by 3 1/2
137 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
San Francisco
(-3 1/2); Over




NCAAB
Long Sheet

Monday, March 26

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N TEXAS (18 - 17) at SAN FRANCISCO (21 - 15) - 3/26/2018, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
N TEXAS is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) as an underdog this season.
N TEXAS is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road games this season.
N TEXAS is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road lined games this season.
N TEXAS is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
N TEXAS is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in non-conference games this season.
N TEXAS is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 90-129 ATS (-51.9 Units) after a non-conference game since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 88-128 ATS (-52.8 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 57-81 ATS (-32.1 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 33-54 ATS (-26.4 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, March 26

Game 1, best-of-3 series
North Texas scored 92 ppg in winning its first three tourney games, after losing seven of last eight C-USA games; Mean Green is #285 experience team that plays pace #211- they’re 8-6 outside C-USA, with an OT win at San Diego of WCC Dec 16. UNT lost three of last four road games, with win at South Dakota. San Francisco won seven of last nine games; they were 0-2 vs San Diego this year, losing by 10-3 points. Dons won first three tourney games by 4-5-3 points. USF is #265 experience team that plays pace #242- they won eight of their last nine home tilts.




NCAAB

Monday, March 26

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Trend Report
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NORTH TEXAS @ SAN FRANCISCO
North Texas is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of North Texas's last 15 games on the road
San Francisco is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games at home
San Francisco is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

[StarDust Bum]

Early Final Four bettors hammering Ramblers, driving line down
Patrick Everson

"Early bettors – including sharps – jumped on Loyola +6.5, driving the number down to Michigan as 5-point chalk."

We’re down to four on the floor in the NCAA Tournament, and the talk of the town is not basketball royalty, but rather the common-man underdog run of an upstart No. 11 seed. We check in on the opening lines and early action for next Saturday’s Final Four, with insights from Dave Mason, brand manager for offshore sportsbook BetOnline.ag.

No. 11 Loyola-Chicago Ramblers vs. No. 3 Michigan Wolverines (-6.5)

Loyola-Chicago is the flavor of the year in the Big Dance, running off a string of four straight outright victories to win the South Region. The Ramblers (32-5 SU, 23-9-1 ATS), now the No. 1 pointspread team in the nation, rumbled over No. 9 seed Kansas State 78-62 as a 1-point pup Saturday to run their winning streak to 14 games (11-3 ATS).

Not to be outdone, Michigan heads to San Antonio on a 13-game tear, going 10-2-1 ATS in that stretch. The Wolverines (32-7 SU, 24-12-2 ATS) held off No. 9 seed Florida State 58-54 to push as a 4-point chalk in Saturday’s West Region final.

“Having covered its last six games, Loyola is now a money-making 23-9-1 ATS on the season,” Mason said. “Early bettors – including sharps – jumped on Loyola +6.5, driving the number down to Michigan as 5-point chalk. Since the move, more Michigan cash is coming in, but 59 percent of the money is still on Loyola and the points.”

No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks vs. No. 1 Villanova Wildcats (-4)

Kansas had to win a big-time battle of the blue bloods Sunday to claim the Midwest Region and reach the Final Four for the first time since 2012. The Jayhawks (31-7 SU, 20-16-1 ATS) went overtime against Duke, thanks to a late 3-pointer tying the score at 72, then went on to an 85-81 victory as a 3.5-point underdog.

Villanova returns to the Final Four seeking its second national championship in three years, having beaten North Carolina for the title to cap the 2015-16 season. The Wildcats (34-4 SU, 26-12 ATS) have four double-digit wins and covers thus far in the tournament, topping No. 3 seed Texas Tech 71-59 as a 6-point fave in Sunday’s East Region final.

“Loyal Villanova bettors have made a fortune over the last month, as the Wildcats have racked up a 7-1 ATS record over their last eight games,” Mason said. “Despite Villanova’s recent covering trend, 64 percent of early bettors are on Kansas and the points. However, the Jayhawks have moved from 4-point ‘dogs to getting 5, thanks to sharps taking ‘Nova minus the points.”

[StarDust Bum]

MONDAY, MARCH 26
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

UNT at SF 10:00 PM
UNT +5.0
U 142.5

[StarDust Bum]

San Francisco beats UNT in CBI Game 1
March 27, 2018

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Chase Foster and Jordan Ratinho each scored 17 points, and San Francisco rode a fast start to a 72-62 victory over North Texas in Game 1 of the best-of-three College Basketball Invitational final on Monday night.

Frankie Ferrari added 13 points and nine assists for the Dons (22-15), who built an 18-point lead in the first half behind sharp shooting and then held on in a rough second half offensively.

Roosevelt Smart scored 15 points and Zachary Simmons had 22 rebounds for the Mean Green (18-18), who had scored at least 90 points in each of the first three games of the tournament.

North Texas cut San Francisco's lead to eight late in the second half and had the ball with a chance to get closer before the Dons seized momentum. After Ryan Woolridge turned the ball over in the lane, Ferrari fed Matt McCarthy for a dunk that made it 63-53 with three minutes to go.

Smart then missed a layup and USF answered with a 3-pointer from Foster.

The Dons started fast and didn't let up the entire first half. They made seven of their first eight tries from 3-point range and used a 22-2 run to break out to an early 18-point lead. Ratinho hit his fifth 3 in as many tries in the closing minute of the first half and USF went to the break leading 46-30 on the strength of 12 3-pointers.

BIG PICTURE

North Texas: The Mean Green got to the CBI Final behind a high-powered offense that averaged 92 points in the first three games and made 14 of 20 3-pointers in a semifinal win over Jacksonville State. That shooting was nowhere to be found against USF as North Texas scored 30 points below its tournament average and shot 4 for 21 from 3-point range.

San Francisco: After the fast start, the Dons couldn't find the basket in the second half, shooting 28.6 percent from the field. They missed three shots on one trip before Nate Renfro scored on a tip-in and missed their first 10 attempts from 3-point range until Renfro hit one from the corner with six minutes left to make it 61-49. The Dons also missed their first seven free throws in the second half.

UP NEXT

The series shifts to Texas for Game 2 on Wednesday night and then Game 3 on Friday if necessary.

[StarDust Bum]

Tuesday’s 6-pack

Odds on teams to make the playoffs this season:

Chicago Cubs: Yes -$310, No +$280

Boston Red Sox: Yes -$310, No +$250

Arizona Diamondbacks: Yes +$115, No -$135

Cleveland Indians: Yes -$1,100, No +$700

Los Angeles Angels: Yes +$145, No -$170

Miami Marlins: Yes +4,000, No -$20,000

Quote of the Day
“Because of fit, I would take Sam Darnold if I were the Cleveland Browns. I think [he has] that blue-collar, gritty attitude. I think his teammates will love him. I think the city will love him. He’ll say the right things. He’ll come in and represent well. I think he kind of represents what Cleveland is. And then if I was one of the New York teams, I’d take Josh (Rosen) like that. I think they’re both going to be great pros.”
Jim Mora, who was ROSEN’S coach at UCLA last year

Tuesday’s quiz
How many colleges in Illinois have won the college basketball national championship?

Monday’s quiz
Klay Thompson played his college basketball at Washington State.

Sunday’s quiz
QB Mark Sanchez (2009) was the last offensive player the Jets drafted in the first round.


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


Tuesday’s List of 13: Nobody asked me, but……..

13) Allow me to start today with a rant……

Texas-Arlington’s basketball team went 72-33 the last three years, 37-19 in conference games, but they didn’t win the Sun Belt tourney in the last 10 years- their only NCAA appearance was in 2008, which was the second year as head coach for Scott Cross, a UTA alum.

Tex-Arlington fired Cross Monday, after a 21-13 season when the Mavericks had the most experienced team in America, starting five seniors. Why?

Firing a mid-major coach who is an alumnus and is an honest guy (the school’s statement went out of its way to say so) and who won 72 games the last three years? No bueno.

You wonder why coaches break the rules so they can win? Stuff like that is why……

12) Whoever the next coach is at Arlington has a full rebuild on his hands; of the eight players who played in the Sun Belt final vs Georgia State, seven were seniors.

11) I saw this on Twitter Monday night and I’m borrowing (stealing) it. The only seven players who hit 2+ homers in an Opening Day game more than once:

Adam Dunn, Juan Gonzalez, Eddie Mathews, Raul Mondesi, Xavier Nady, Albert Pujols, Joe Torre.

10) Bronx 1B Greg Bird is out 6-8 weeks because of an ankle injury that requires surgery; they could move Neil Walker to 1B and play young Tyler Wade at 2B.

9) I’m watching Billions on Showtime (a great show) Sunday night and one of the characters goes into a New York City deli and orders an egg cream, which looks like a milkshake but I have no idea what it really is. It looked good, so I did some research.

Several people had no idea what I was talking about, but my cousin hooked me up with some knowledge: 1/2 cup of whole milk, one cup of seltzer, two tablespoons of chocolate syrup.

I’ll report back when I have one of these and let you know if they’re any good.

8) There are 32 NFL teams, two coordinators per team. Of those 64 high-paying jobs, 31 of them have changed hands since last season ended. Football coaches are nomads.

7) Los Angeles Rams signed Ndamukong Suh to a 1-year, $14M deal; Rams had 6th-most cap space in the league before this signing- their defensive line should be really good.

6) ESPN’s Chris Mortensen predicts the college QB’s will be drafted in this order next month:

“Darnold, Allen, Mayfield, Rosen”

Surprising to me that Mayfield passed Rosen, since Rosen is considered the best pure passer of the rookie QB’s right now. As always, the draft will be interesting.

5) NASCAR race got snowed out in Virginia Sunday; weird having a car race live on TV at 2:00 on a Monday afternoon.

4) RIP Wayne Huizenga, 80; he founded three Fortune 500 companies (Waste Management , Blockbuster and AutoNation), and also owned the Dolphins-Marlins-Florida Panthers.

RIP Zeke Upshaw 26, a player in the G-League who collapsed during a game last week and later passed away, apparently due to heart failure.

3) Sounds like Tubby Smith will surface as the coach at High Point, his alma mater. Panthers fired former North Carolina player Scott Cherry after nine years as coach, despite his going 68-36 in Big South games the last six years.

2) According to the Associated Press, the average salary in major league baseball is on track to be around the same as last year’s $4.45 million, maybe slightly higher.

1— Daytime television is horrendous, except for March, when MLB Network shows spring training games every day. With baseball season starting Thursday, that’ll be the end of good daytime TV for 11 months. Unless you like politics, but I’m not one of those people.

[StarDust Bum]

W. Kentucky coach: NIT semis better
March 26, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) Western Kentucky coach Rick Stansbury says getting his players excited for the NIT Tournament was a sales job.

His pitch: Playing a semifinal at Madison Square Garden is better than losing in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

''Winning three games and getting here is much better than playing one and getting beat,'' Stansbury said Monday.

Stansbury said that opinion is based on experience but that his Hilltoppers staff ''had to sell our team on this journey.''

''It was easy for me because I understood the value of it and how special it can be, winning here and getting to New York,'' he said.

Western Kentucky plays Utah in the NIT semifinals on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. The victor will play for the NIT title Thursday night against the winner of the other semifinal between Penn State and Mississippi State.

''They all beat NCAA teams,'' Stansbury said when asked if there was a common denominator between the four teams. ''It's a fine line when you get up here.''

All four teams rebounded from losses in their conference tournaments with three NIT wins to get this far. Western Kentucky has averaged 83.3 points during its run, the most among the remaining teams.

''The teams that made it to the Final Four of the NIT didn't make it here by accident,'' Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak told reporters at a news conference with all four coaches.

''We're awfully excited to be part of this tournament,'' Krystkowiak said. ''This is tremendous for our team.''

Utah (22-11) lost to Oregon in its first game of the Pac-12 Tournament, but beat often-ranked Saint Mary's in overtime to reach the NIT semifinals. Western Kentucky (27-10) lost its Conference USA championship game 67-66 to Marshall, a team that went on to upset Wichita State in the first round of the NCAAs.

Penn State (24-13) had a middling year in the Big Ten, but beat Ohio State twice in the regular season and again in the Big Ten Tournament before losing to Purdue.

Mississippi State (25-11) beat Nebraska, Baylor and Louisville in its NIT run and appears to be on the rise in the Southeastern Conference under coach Ben Howland, who reached the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament three times when he coached UCLA.

''We've come a long way,'' Mississippi State coach Ben Howland said of his team's growth this season. ''We're a much better team in every way.''