NCAAB
Thursday, March 20
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NCAA Midwest Regional betting news and notes: Duke struggling in crunch time
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 1 Wichita State Shockers vs No. 16 Cal Poly Mustangs (-16, 125.5)
Cal Poly coach Joe Callero has hope that his Mustangs can become the first No. 16 seed to upset a No. 1 seed when they take on the undefeated Wichita State Shockers Friday. In fact, Callero says he has been cheering against No. 16 seeds so he can coach the first team to do it.
"I'm so weird that I was cheering the last five years that a 16 (seed) never upsets a 1," Callero said following the Mustang's 12 point win over Texas Southern in the First Four. "Because if we ever got a bid, we'd be a 16 seed and then we'd have a chance to make real history."
No. 8 Kentucky Wildcats vs No. 9 Kansas State Wildcats (-6, 132.5)
Ever since coach John Calipari made a "big tweak" during the SEC Tournament the Kentucky Wildcats have looked like a much better offensive team. Asking Andrew Harrison to pass first and score second, Coach Cal has Harrison's APG number rising from 3.8 in the regular season to 6.3 in the SEC Tournament (19 total). Kentucky looks like a different team with Harrison as a facilitator, something that KU will be hoping continues in the tourney.
No. 3 Duke Blue Devils vs No. 14 Mercer (-12.5, 140.5)
Heading into the tournament, the Blue Devils have been developing a trend of faltering down the stretch late in games. In the final five minutes of their past five contests, the Blue Devils have been outscored 76-47 and have been favored by -9.5 in all of those games excluding the ACC Championship where Duke crumbled late again against Virginia. Going in as massive favorites against Mercer, Coach K (and bettors) will be hoping that Duke's late struggles are a thing of the past as fatigue may be settling in for the Blue Devils.
No. 6 UMass Minutemen vs No. 11 Tennessee Vols (+4, 136)
After watching Tennessee squeeze out an overtime win over Iowa in the First Four, UMass will go into Friday's game feeling confident that, despite the Vols clutch win, it will have the edge should the game go down to the wire. The Minutemen are 13-4 in games decided by six points or fewer. The Vols, however, are known for their fast starts, outscoring teams by an average of 5.3 points in the opening ten minutes of their SEC games.
Thursday, March 20
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NCAA Midwest Regional betting news and notes: Duke struggling in crunch time
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 1 Wichita State Shockers vs No. 16 Cal Poly Mustangs (-16, 125.5)
Cal Poly coach Joe Callero has hope that his Mustangs can become the first No. 16 seed to upset a No. 1 seed when they take on the undefeated Wichita State Shockers Friday. In fact, Callero says he has been cheering against No. 16 seeds so he can coach the first team to do it.
"I'm so weird that I was cheering the last five years that a 16 (seed) never upsets a 1," Callero said following the Mustang's 12 point win over Texas Southern in the First Four. "Because if we ever got a bid, we'd be a 16 seed and then we'd have a chance to make real history."
No. 8 Kentucky Wildcats vs No. 9 Kansas State Wildcats (-6, 132.5)
Ever since coach John Calipari made a "big tweak" during the SEC Tournament the Kentucky Wildcats have looked like a much better offensive team. Asking Andrew Harrison to pass first and score second, Coach Cal has Harrison's APG number rising from 3.8 in the regular season to 6.3 in the SEC Tournament (19 total). Kentucky looks like a different team with Harrison as a facilitator, something that KU will be hoping continues in the tourney.
No. 3 Duke Blue Devils vs No. 14 Mercer (-12.5, 140.5)
Heading into the tournament, the Blue Devils have been developing a trend of faltering down the stretch late in games. In the final five minutes of their past five contests, the Blue Devils have been outscored 76-47 and have been favored by -9.5 in all of those games excluding the ACC Championship where Duke crumbled late again against Virginia. Going in as massive favorites against Mercer, Coach K (and bettors) will be hoping that Duke's late struggles are a thing of the past as fatigue may be settling in for the Blue Devils.
No. 6 UMass Minutemen vs No. 11 Tennessee Vols (+4, 136)
After watching Tennessee squeeze out an overtime win over Iowa in the First Four, UMass will go into Friday's game feeling confident that, despite the Vols clutch win, it will have the edge should the game go down to the wire. The Minutemen are 13-4 in games decided by six points or fewer. The Vols, however, are known for their fast starts, outscoring teams by an average of 5.3 points in the opening ten minutes of their SEC games.
Comment