By this time next week, everyone will have a serious case of March Madness. The NCAA Tournament will be in full force next Saturday, but the field still needs to be set over the course of the next two days. While we are confident that around 60 spots in the 68-team field have been set, there are still those last remaining spots to play for as well as all-important seeding. Coaches are coaching for their jobs, players are playing for their future, and we gamblers are gambling to get that money.
Ivy League Semifinals
Pennsylvania +1 vs. Harvard
Let’s start with the brainy boys. Pennsylvania has been the second-best team in the Ivy League this year according to Ken Pomeroy. The Quakers have a little better offense and a little better defense than the Crimson, but they have not been able to beat them in either of their previous meetings. The third time is the charm though, and I think Penn pulls off the slight upset to move to the Ivy League Championship Game.
Big 10 Semifinals
Michigan State -5 vs. Wisconsin
The Spartans have Nick Ward back, and they are going to be a menace to beat in the NCAA Tournament. Michigan State has a ton of size and enough athleticism to challenge for a title, and the Spartans are probably going to win the rebounding battle against any team they face.
Wisconsin plays very good defense and will be a tough out in the NCAA Tournament, but the Badgers just don’t have the size to stop Michigan State down low here. The Spartans won in Madison by 8 earlier this season and with Ward back, Ethan Happ will not be as productive as usual.
SEC Semifinals
Auburn -3.5 vs. Florida
It’s nice to see the Gators finally playing up to their potential. They have had a number of near-misses this season, but there is no doubt they deserve to be in the NCAA Tournament. Florida plays very good defense and has some guards that can get hot with their three-point shooting. That’s typically good enough to pull off an upset or two, and they will be dangerous come tournament time.
Unfortunately for Florida, they won’t be too much of a challenge for Auburn. The Tigers are one of the most underrated teams in the country, and they are red hot after some struggles in January. They have won six straight games, including a win over Tennessee in their regular season finale, and they are very good at getting to the line. Auburn is averaging nearly 20 free throws per game, and that ability to get to the line and get free buckets will help them here.
Big 12 Championship Game
Iowa State +3 vs. Kansas
The Jayhawks have had a bit of a charmed life so far in the NCAA Tournament. Kansas has yet to face a team that will be in the NCAA Tournament as they beat Texas and West Virginia to reach the conference title game, and that has papered over the intrinsic problems with this team.
There is little depth on Kansas, especially in the frontcourt, as Dedric Lawson is the only player that Bill Self can consistently rely on. Lawson has been fine, but the lack of anyone behind him will especially hurt here as the Jayhawks play their third game in three days.
Iowa State ended the regular season on a down note, but the Cyclones have showed us just how proficient they can be on offense in the last week. They know how to get off good shots on each possession, and Kansas doesn’t have a particularly great defense. This line is largely due to the names of the schools, and the value on Iowa State is there.
NCAA Basketball Odds
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