March Madness Gambling

[soxmuscle]

0-1 to start.

Notre Dame was up for the entirety of the game but gets ousted by a late run by ODU due to some miserable shooting in the second half. Harangody ends his ND career with one of his worst games, which is impossible to predict given how well they played down the stretch and into the Big East tournament.

Frustrating start, but at least I stayed smart and didn't force any afternoon plays simply because I'm a degenerate.

 

[soxmuscle]

2-4, -9.85

Shitty start, got talked into a few games I obviously now regret. For instance, Armon Basset and Ohio I was on all week and then changed last minute and made it my biggest play - had I waited to make wagers (something I made sure not to do last night) and let the games play out, I would never have bet 5 units on Georgetown and most likely would have been 3 on the points and small on the Ohio moneyline. I need to be smart today...

 

[soxmuscle]

Xavier pick, 3.3 wins 3

It's going to look like I'm shitting on the Big Ten today, but I'm not for a change. I just happen to think Xavier matches up well against a pretty good and rather deep Minnesota team. Though deep, yesterday we learned that good players step up when called upon and that's exactly what Jordan Crawford is going to do - another Indiana transfer who I sat next to in class (like Basset) on numerous occasions - whose game I love.

Like Xavier to move on in a tight one. May also look at the over...

 

[soxmuscle]

Temple -3.5, 3.3 wins 3

Cornell got a real tough draw with Temple who I feel should have been a four over Wisconsin. With that said, Temple has far more talent on their roster and should win this game. Though talent doesn't always equate to winning basketball games, the only way it doesn't today is if Cornell goes off from three point land. I'm not counting on that with Temple's excellent defense and I think they come out determined given their snubbing of a five seed.

 

[soxmuscle]

Morgan State +17.5, 3.3 wins 3

West Virginia has a tough time shooting the basketball and has from the moment this season began. They're very capable of being a Final Four contender, but that doesn't mean they won't be tested today. Morgan State is no slouch, though they were beaten by teams from big conferences in non-conference play, and I've fallen into the whole Bozeman story. I think West Virginia wins but ultimately, their shooting woes allow Morgan State to keep this within the number.

 

[soxmuscle]

Purdue -5, 3.3 wins 3

Siena is getting hammered in both brackets and in the gambling world and yet the line goes up a point in Purdue's favor. It appears to me as if they're begging for Siena action. Yes, Purdue hasn't been very good without Hummel and their not long for the tournament, but I see them getting the job done here today.

 

[soxmuscle]

Clemson pick, 3.75 wins 3

Mainly a fade on Missouri who has been terrible lately.

 

[soxmuscle]

Wofford +10.5, 3.3 wins 3

Both teams play with a similar style and I think the total (115 and 113 at some other books) is spot on. With that said, it will be tough for Wisconsin to pull away by double digits at any point in this game. They're certainly capable of doing that and I would be shocked if they lost but I like Wofford to stay within the ten.

Pittsburgh -9.5, 3.3 wins 3

When we beat Pittsburgh and only a couple weeks later they were being regarded as one of the top teams in the country, I was shocked. As the season wound down, IU continued to spiral into a bottomless pit and in contrasting fashion, Pittsburgh fought through adversity and turned their intensity and focus up a notch. This isn't the DeJuan Blair team of last year but they're still very talented with Dixon, Gibbs, Brown and Wanamaker picking up the brunt of the scoring load. Their five star freshman sensation, Dante Taylor, hasn't lived up to expectations yet and is extremely raw, but I expect his name to be mentioned a couple of times today. Keith Benson of Oakland presents match-up problems and is a pretty solid big and they have the kid Nelson, who tore up the tournament, but I think Pittsburgh handles this Oakland bunch, just like every team from a mid-major to major conference has this season.

I forgot to post these...

 

[soxmuscle]

Texas A&M -3, 3.3 wins 3

I like Utah State and may end up kicking myself but it's a risk I'm willing to take. In my opinion, Texas A&M wins by 7+ or Utah State wins outright.