March Madness

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Developing Stories 📰

The 2024 men's NCAA tournament has been notably less chaotic than last year's, with all four No. 1 and No. 2 seeds still in contention. This sets the stage for some thrilling basketball in the days ahead. Even the sole double-digit seed left, NC State, has proven its mettle by upsetting Duke and North Carolina in the ACC tournament to secure a spot in the Sweet 16. After a brief respite following the tournament's frenetic opening weekend, it's now time to turn our attention to the exciting matchups awaiting us in the Sweet 16.

Arizona Vs. Clemson Thursday 7:09 p.m. ET

The Wildcats have established themselves as one of the nation's top rebounding teams, a significant advantage they'll wield against Clemson, who struggled with rebounding throughout the season. To fully capitalize, they must prioritize exploiting this inside dominance, emphasizing team play over individual heroics, particularly from Caleb Love, given their record reflects their success when he refrains from excessive shot attempts.

For Clemson, maintaining PJ Hall's presence on the court is paramount. The 6'10" top scorer encountered foul trouble early in previous games, severely limiting his impact. With limited offensive rebounding and turnovers, the Tigers must execute flawlessly on offense to compensate.

UCONN vs. SDSU Thursday 7:39 p.m. ET

The Huskies showcase exceptional prowess, fielding a diverse array of talents that enables them to overcome an underperforming star and still dominate their opponents. Offensively, they exhibit greater efficiency than last year's championship-winning squad, with Donovan Clingan's defensive prowess elevating their game. Maintaining their current trajectory is key to their success.

In contrast to the previous season, the Aztecs now possess a bona fide scoring threat in Jaedon LeDee. He's currently on a hot streak, having scored an impressive 58 points in recent games against UAB and Yale. With a consistent track record of scoring at least 20 points in 12 of his last 13 games, including four instances of surpassing 30 points this season, LeDee's performance is pivotal. If he can deliver another standout 30-point game and the Aztecs execute their strongest defensive performance yet, they may stand a chance.

UNC vs. Alabama 8:39 p.m ET

The primary focus for the Tar Heels will be to stick to their style of play against an Alabama team keen on pushing the pace. While North Carolina is capable of playing up-tempo basketball, they should capitalize on their size advantage. Armando Bacot, a consistent double-double performer, has a favorable matchup in the paint and should be a central figure.

Alabama's defensive ranking of 101st in KenPom's adjusted efficiency, coupled with conceding 96 points to a 13th seed, doesn't inspire confidence. Their best strategy likely involves engaging in a high-scoring affair, placing emphasis on leading scorer Mark Sears. The 6'1" senior demonstrated his scoring prowess with a 35-point performance against Purdue and a 30-point outing in the opening game against Charleston. A similar output, perhaps exceeding 30 points, is likely necessary for Alabama to compete effectively.

Iowa State vs. Illinois 10:09 p.m. ET

Defense remains a top priority for the Cyclones, and rightfully so. However, they cannot afford to falter on the offensive end against an Illinois team known for its scoring ability. Players like Keshon Gilbert (13.7 PPG), Milan Momcilovic (11.2 PPG), and Curtis Jones (10.6 PPG) all have the potential to have explosive scoring outings, with at least one of them needing to step up to support versatile point guard Tamin Lipsey.

When easy scoring opportunities are scarce, the Illini often heavily rely on three-point shooting, which may not be the most effective approach considering their shooting percentage of 35.3 percent from beyond the arc, ranking 113th in the NCAA. In a notable instance, they attempted a season-high 36 three-pointers against Tennessee, a formidable defensive team, resulting in a seven-point loss. To improve their chances, they should prioritize attacking the basket with players like Terrence Shannon Jr. and Marcus Domask, aiming to capitalize on fast-break opportunities.

Headlines 🚨

On This Day in Sport History: 1871 First international rugby union match- Scotland Beats England 1-0,

1939 1^st NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship: Oregon beats Ohio State 46-33.

NCAA president Charlie Baker asks lawmakers to ban prop betting on college athletes.

Novak Djokovic splits with his coach Ivanisevic after winning 12 Grand Slam titles together.

Former Bills and Patriots star Damien Harris retires at 27.

Tre’Davious White is signing a one-year deal with the Rams worth up to $10 million.

The Dodgers and Will Smith agree to a 10-year $140 million dollar deal.

MLB unanimously approved as new owner of the Baltimore Orioles.

The Diamondbacks and Jordan Montgomery agree to a one year deal worth up to $25 million.

Kentucky AD confirms John Calipari will return as Kentucky’s head coach.

Trends 📈📉 via Oddsshark

🏀 Spurs at Jazz

• The total has gone UNDER in 6 of San Antonio's last 8 games when playing on the road against Utah

• The total has gone UNDER in 6 of San Antonio's last 8 games

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Utah's last 6 games

• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Utah's last 5 games at home

🎓🏀 CLEM vs ARIZ

• The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Clemson's last 9 games.

•  The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Arizona's last 5 games.

🎓🏀 SDST vs CONN

• San Diego State are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games.

• Connecticut are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games.

🎓🏀 BAMA vs UNC

• Alabama are 3-6 ATS in their last 9 games.

• The total has gone OVER in 11 of Alabama's last 13 games.

• North Carolina are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games.

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of North Carolina's last 6 games.

Public Money 🤑 via VSiN at 9AMCT

🏀 NBA

60% of bets and 84% of money is on UTAH -4

47% of bets and 64% of money is on DEN -7

⚾️ MLB

57% of bets and 74% of money is on OVER 7.5 LAA at BAL

29% of bets and 52% of money is on OVER 9 WSH at CIN

48% of bets and 72% of money is on UNDER 7.5 PIT at MIA

44% of bets and 66% of money is on UNDER 7.5 DET at CWS

🎓🏀 NCAAB

21% of bets and 48% of money is on CLEM +285

36% of bets and 54% of money is on UNDER 146.5 ILL vs ISU

Future Odds 🔮 via Bovada Sportsbook

Picks 🔒

UNC -4.5 | The Tar Heels will present more of an offensive threat than Grand Canyon did. And the UNC defense is also elite. The Crimson Tide will give the Tar Heels a tough game, but in the end, UNC outlasts Alabama for the victory.

Clemson +7 | Clemson's strong duo in the front-court, PJ Hall (scoring 18.5 points per game) and Ian Schieffelin (averaging 9.8 points), helps them score well from close range. They're good at challenging Arizona's front-line players and grabbing rebounds, making the game likely to be close. Arizona has its own good players, Oumar Ballo (averaging 12.9 points) and Keshad Johnson (averaging 11.7 points). Even though people often underestimate Clemson, the game's result might depend on how well Arizona shoots three-pointers.

Tigers -173 | The Tigers, led by Skubal, aim to take control right from the start. With hitters like Kerry Carpenter and Riley Greene, they'll keep scoring against Crochet and the White Sox pitchers, hitting balls hard all game long.

MLB Futures

Giants to win WS +5100

Mariners to win WS +1900

Orioles to win AL East +175

Brewers to win NL Central +700

Cubs Under 84 wins

Brewers Over 77.5 wins

Padres Over 81.5 wins

Rockies Under 60 wins

Angels Under 72 wins

Mets Under 82 wins

Houston Open Winners:

Wyndham Clark +1300

Sahiith Theegala +1600

Kurt Kitayama +5000