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NCAAB

Baylor vs. Kentucky NCAA Tournament Preview & Free Pick

Bet On NCAA Basketball: Bears (3) vs Wildcats (1)

While Duke was knocked out by Lehigh in Round of 64, many people did have Baylor meeting Kentucky in the Elite Eight in the South Region.

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NCAAB

Ohio St. Buckeyes vs. Syracuse Orange East Region Free Pick + Gambling Preview

#2 Buckeyes (30-7) vs Orange (34-2)

The Ohio State Buckeyes played a very interesting game to make it to the East Regional final.   

#2 Ohio State Buckeyes (30-7) vs #1 Syracuse Orange (34-2)
Saturday March 24
East Region – Boston, MA
7:05PM
Moneyline:  Ohio State -150, Syracuse +140
Spread:  Ohio State -3
O/U:  136

Matchup | Preview

Ohio State

Against Cincinnati they looked pretty good early, horrible in the middle then finished strong.

Strong enough that they are now the favourites against the region’s #1 seed.

I find this result interesting.  Does it mean that Cincinnati is very good because that is not what I saw Thursday night.

Should be a very competitive game.

Against Cincinnati it felt like the Buckeyes were always controlling the action.  I didn’t realize it at the time but they scored 14 more points at the foul line.

Aaron Craft was super disruptive on the perimeter both on his man and others.  The Bearcats are not blessed with playmakers on the perimeter so I think their defense will be challenged more against Syracuse which can avoid Craft’s presence a little easier.

Jared Sullinger and Deshawn Thomas both played well, when that happens this team gets all the scoring it needs.

Syracuse

It is a #1 vs #2 matchup but can’t remember the last time a #2 seed was the favourite. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

Against Wisconsin I thought the Orange played pretty well and lets not forget that Ohio State lost to those same Badgers, on their own homecourt, in a game they needed for the Big 10 regular season championship.

Being a #1 seed doesn’t mean you have to trounce teams.

I have been fading Syracuse a bit this year but I love this team as the underdog.

On Thursday night the Badgers were awesome shooting from deep but the Buckeyes do not present the same challenge.

I am curious to see how the zone affects Jared Sullinger because when you can neutralize him the OSU offense can be pretty ordinary.

I am expecting another good game from Dion Waiters tomorrow.   In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if they have to put Craft on him to slow him down.

Spread Pick:  Syracuse +3
O/U Pick:  Over
Score Prediction:  Syracuse 72 – Ohio State 70

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NCAAB

Florida vs. Louisville West Region Gambling Free Picks & Preview

West Bracket – Gators vs Cardinals Handicapping Pick

This could be the best matchup of the entire Elite 8 lineup this weekend, pitting two teams that pulled off slight upsets in the West Region semifinals on Thursday night.

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NCAAB

Ohio Bobcats vs. North Carolina Tar Heels NCAAB Lines & Free Pick

Sweet 16 – Bobcats vs Tar Heels CBB Handicapping Prediction

Ohio is the Cinderella of the Sweet 16 being the 13th seed and while they face the Midwest #1 seed in North Carolina the Tar Heels and their title hopes took a huge blow in their last game when they lost G Kendall Marshall, who leads the nation in assists, to a wrist injury.

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NCAAB

NC State Wolfpack vs. Kansas Jayhawks NCAAB Lines & Free Pick

Sweet 16 – Wolfpack vs Jayhawks CBB Handicapping Prediction

Ohio is not the only Cinderella in the Sweet 16, as 11th seed NC State is still alive and both teams are in the Midwest Region.

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NCAAB

Cincinnati Bearcats vs Ohio St. Buckeyes East Region Free Pick + Gambling Preview

#6 Bearcats (26-10) vs #2 Buckeyes (29-7)

The Cincinnati Bearcats are on a serious roll right now.  No they did not win the Big East Tournament but check this:  in their last 11 games they are 9-2 with only 5 points separating them form 11-0; 5 of those wins were against ranked teams with their only losses to tournament teams South Florida and Louisville.   

Cincinnati Bearcats vs Ohio State Buckeyes
Thursday March 22
East Region – Boston, MA
9:45PM
Moneyline:  No money line currently listed
Spread:  Ohio State -8
O/U: 129

Matchup | Preview 

Cincinnati

I am not saying the Bearcats are my pick to win it all but they certainly deserve to be here and won’t be intimidated by Ohio State.

Cincinnati is coming off a win against Florida State which is no easy task.

Guard Sean Kilpatrick got his game back scoring a team high 18 points as forward Yancy Gates was neutralized in the post by the Seminoles.  The game against FSU was far from pretty but it showed the Bearcats have more than enough grit.

I really like the way they locked in at the foul line making 82% of their shots (they were 64% during the regular season).

Ohio State

I suppose I have to eat some humble pie after Ohio State eliminated my Gonzaga Bulldogs.  [soliloquy id=”82219″]

In the first half the Zags were all over the Buckeyes but their staying power wasn’t very strong, surprising because I still think they are the deeper team.  Ohio State didn’t dominate but they got the job done.

Fellow Ohio school Cincinnati is in the way but this is a favourable matchup despite the steam behind the Bearcats right now.

I am still looking for the evidence that Jared Sullinger is going to be a good player at the next level.

If that is the case he should be able to have success against Bearcats beast of a power forward Yancy Gates.  I think it will be a bit of a stalemate which is fine for the Buckeyes who are superior at all the other spots.

They will probably win going away this time.  Next us Wisconsin?  Maybe.

Spread Pick:  Ohio State -8
O/U Pick:  Over
Score Prediction:  Ohio State 72 – Cincinnati 62

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NCAAB

Indiana vs. Kentucky NCAA Tournament Preview & Free Pick

Bet On NCAA Basketball: Hoosiers (4) vs Wildcats (1)

Kentucky has lost two games all year long and one of them was to the Indiana Hoosiers. The Hoosiers beat the Wildcats 73-72 in Bloomington earlier this year thanks to a Christian Watford three-pointer at the buzzer.

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NCAAB

Xavier vs. Baylor NCAA Tournament Preview & Free Pick

Bet On NCAA Basketball: Musketeers (10) vs Bears (3)

Who would have guessed that the Round of 32 matchup would be Lehigh vs. Xavier? If you had this matchup in your bracket then you have to be one in a million.

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NCAAB

Florida vs. Marquette West Region Gambling Free Picks & Preview

West Bracket – Gators vs Golden Eagles Handicapping Pick

This could quite possibly be the best game of the this year’s Sweet 16, and is definitely the most evenly matched, as the No. 3 Seed Marquette Golden Eagles take on the No. 7 Seed Florida Gators in the second game of a double header in Phoenix on Thursday.

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NCAAB

Louisville vs. Michigan State West Region Gambling Free Picks & Preview

West Bracket – Cardinals vs Spartans Handicapping Pick

After meeting just once since the turn of the century in a 2009 NCAA tournament regional final showdown, the top-seeded Michigan State Spartans will once again meet up with the No. 4 Louisville Cardinals, this time aiming to exact a little revenge on that 1959 88-81 loss, in Thursday’s West Regional semifinals in the Valley of the Sun.

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NCAAB

Wisconsin Badgers vs. Syracuse Orange East Region Free Pick + Gambling Preview

#4 Badgers (26-9) vs #1 Orange (33-2)

There seems to be no real compelling storyline for the Wisconsin Badgers right now.  All they have done to this point is what they are supposed to: crushing a small conference foe and playing a competitive game against Vanderbilt.   

Sweet 16
#4 Wisconsin Badgers (26-9) vs #1 Syracuse Orange (33-2)
Thursday March 22
East Region – Boston, MA
7:15PM
Moneyline:  No money line currently listed
Spread:  120.5
O/U:  Syracuse -3.5

Matchup | Preview

Wisconsin

In my mind this is a very dangerous team because they very rarely beat themselves.  The Orange are no slouches but if they can win they might face off with Ohio State in the Elite Eight.

That would be fun.

With the focus on Kendall Marshall’s wrist injury many are forgetting the best point guard around might just play for the Badgers.  He doesn’t have the gaudy assist number, and is forced to lead the team in scoring, but there are none in the college game better at controlling a game than Jordan Taylor.

It will be interesting to see how Wisconsin attacks that zone, especially with their bigs, who shoot the ball so well from the outside.

Syracuse

Well no Fab Melo – no problem…so far.  They had one close game and one, not the only problem was they came in the reverse order with UNC Asheville giving the Orange a serious scare from #16 seed line.  Against a shorthanded Kansas State squad they had a much easier time.  [soliloquy id=”82219″]

Over the two games no single player has stood out.

A great show of depth but usually teams have that one player that steps forward this time of year.

When you play Syracuse you know what you are going to get.

I think this might be a game where they might want to force tempo a little more and be more aggressive offensively and defensively.  They have a huge advantage in terms of depth even with Melo out.

Looking forward to getting a nice look at guard Dion Waiters on the grand stage.

He has quietly become their best player.

Spread Pick:  Wisconsin +3.5
O/U Pick:  Over
Score Prediction:  Syracuse 69 – Wisconsin 67

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NCAAB

Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Miami Hurricanes NIT Lines & Free Pick

NIT Tournament – Golden Gophers vs Hurricanes CBB Handicapping Prediction

Minnesota really struggled down the stretch in the regular season, which cost them a shot at the Big Dance, but they looked good in their opening round win in the NIT.

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NCAAB

MTSU Blue Raiders vs. Tennessee Volunteers NIT Lines & Free Pick

NIT Tourney – Blue Raiders vs Volunteers CBB Handicapping Prediction

While Tennessee did not make the Big Dance they ended the season well winning 4 of their last 5 games and they had no problem winning in the opening round of the NIT.

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NCAAB

Creighton Bluejays vs. North Carolina Tar Heels NCAAB Lines & Free Pick

Round 2 – Bluejays vs Tar Heels CBB Handicapping Prediction

Some college giants have been slain so far in the Big Dance, but all the #1 seeds are still alive and can Creighton pull off the shocker facing a UNC team that is stacked and has the best frontcourt in the nation?

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NCAAB

Purdue Boilermakers vs. Kansas Jayhawks NCAAB Lines & Free Pick

Round 2 – Boilermakers vs Jayhawks CBB Handicapping Prediction

Kansas played stifling defense in their easy opening round Big Dance win, but it is Purdue that will have to play good D against a stacked Kansas team if they are going to pull off the upset.

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NCAAB

Ohio Bobcats vs. South Florida Bulls NCAAB Lines & Free Pick

Round 2 – Bulls vs Bobcats CBB Handicapping Prediction

Both 12th seed South Florida and Ohio have already pulled off some upsets in the Big Dance and USF and their stellar defense has held their 2 opponents in the Big Dance to only 54 and 44 points respectively.