Beating The Book: Alan Boston, NCAA Tournament Round of 32 Day 1

days one and two. Want to get his thoughts on the matchups that have been set for round two on Saturday. Let's bring him in from somewhere on the East Coast right now. It's Alan Boston. Good morning to you, sir too. Morning is specifically Connecticut. Here go on the Rhoe Island border near the beautiful westerly Rhode Island. Very nice. How long have you been there? Really is nice? It really is nice around here. He's been in a very wealthy

state since you've left Vegas. That's where you went, That's where you've been. I lived in Ridgefield, Connectic. It was six months, which was h It's when my life was kind of spiraling out of control as after I sold my house at the absolute low, and really, you know, I thought i'd be retiring instead, I'm like scrambling, and I was living in like the wealthiest area of Connecticut, and you know, I couldn't afford it. But probably the time, I probably had the best six months of my life there.

Reunited with my childhood friend, literally my childhood friend. Our parents h walked each other and strollers. He was two months older than me, and his mother was like my second mother. Literally We've known each other our whole lives. I probably have known him my entire life. And turns out he lived fifteen minutes from Ridgefield and he was going through a nasty nashew divorce, so it was good for him to have someone just to hang out with. And uh, I was new there and just had my

great Dane And it's just an amazing town. It's a very it's a very wealthy town, but the people are very, very welcoming. The rich Field Playoffs is probably the best venue on the East Coast, maybe in the country. The acoustics are amazing. It's a nonprofit. They try to keep the prices down. They have two shows a year there and all the old bands and groups that I like play there. So that's kind of why I went there. Uh and uh yeah, maybe I'll get back there again someday.

That's that's a very special area. I'm glad it's working out for you on on these because I'm glad that you have settled in there. I want to get to I want to get to these Saturday games, Allen, and I want to I want to get your reactions when we do that, when we set up the matchups. I want to get your reactions to what went down yesterday

with the teams involved. Uh. And let's start with with the first game that kicks off on or the tips off, I should say, on Saturday, second round game between number six Maryland number three L s u. In terms of the seatings there in the Eastern region, Maryland gets through by virtue of a two point win over Belmont. They win, but do not cover. Uh. Really came down to one loose ball late with about one minute forty seconds left. Maryland's size advantage just barely gets them through that game

and then L s U um they win. We're up eighteen on Yale at one point actually went out to an eleven nothing lead, L came back. L s U got it out to eighteen and then had to stave off a furious Yale rally with threes. L s U gets the win, but not the cover. Yale gets the cash. So it's Maryland and L s U. This opened at one. I immediately grabbed it off shore in L s U. It's L s U minus two and a half in this game. How what do you think about those two

games yesterday? And as you see this matchup on Saturday on second, just go to a send him order out here. Uh uh No, I just noticed. I just thought as I hung tomorrow. So I'm just so yeah, she was very fortunate. I'm not so sure it came down to that loose ball, as you recalled. Mont actually had the ball down one with a chance to win and ran that uh fake panic play that they ran against uh L a years ago. They got famous and it didn't work, and and and Belmont to me kind of like choked

this off. They got what they wanted virtually every time down the court when they ran their offense. There were a myriad of three point plays. Uh and sometimes you know this is the game, but they're a little too prone to quick to quick hitting trees that they could have gotten almost at any point in the shot clock. When they were in their offense, they did better. Malan really had a hard time defending them, and and and

and really the game should have been a ballout. I think, I really think Balmont should have bawn them out, even with Malan just dominating the boards and having a chance to wear them out. They very quickly grabbed the lead in the second half, yet Belmont had to wear with all and and fight to get back in the game. And yeah, there are a couple of most balls that went against them, But but I really think Balmont, you know,

missed some fall shots. That they're good power shoty team that missed some ball shots, and and just two took too many quick shots and down one with the ball, you have to get a shot off. He can't center over, especially when you're Belmont and you run such beautiful of fishing offense. So really a disappointing loss there, because they had a really good chance to beat l s U Uh, even though it was the third game in five days. I would have given them a really good chance. It's

such a hard team to prepare form on short notice. Uh, yeah, you gotta go out, Okay, letting a dog out. And I don't like that song multitask game we understand. Oh yeah, I'm just a sucking wizard. Uh L s U L s U. Was fortunate that Yale missed a lot of threes. Uh. Yes, sometimes when you're seventeen ahead, you tend to get a little complacent. But so you could look at the Yale

come back as that. But Yale ended up eight but thirty seven from three point land and I dare say I didn't watch the whole game, but a lot of them were open shot that they normally make. Uh. Their best player only was one for ten from three and I think two p sixteen or had something. Just a pysmal game. He's a kid who was I posted his

story on on Twitter. He's a great story. He was not even recruited Williams College, which is a very good Division three basketball school up in my neck of the woods, very very good basketball program. I think Dave Paulison, the coach for George Mason, uh started there. Actually it's the

only only one of the the recruited him. And then uh, someone happened to see some tape on him, and and and Yale recruited him without having him, watched him play one minute, not even a second, And obviously he's probably the best player that they'll they had, they've had, and maybe we'll have a long time. He's uh, you know, a lot to make the pros. And for sure, there were twenty one they missed twenty one of twenty two to your point at one for one stretch of that game.

They missed twenty one twenty two behind the ark Yale yesterday. So uh so where's that leave us? It leaves us with, you know, teams that got fortunate to get through. I mean, l ass, you played wall for for for Spurts, but you know they helped us out. The style is uh and and that and that coaches less than admirable. But having watched Uhland and having watched l s U, you just just and again I'm not really a basketball guy. I think the line openly too well. I think els

Was is a much better team. I think you did the right thing. I made the game three and a half and I absolutely would have laid one or order laid one and a half have I had the chance. But the game's changed and lines changed very quickly, and you know there wasn't an opportunity to either, so I'm just gonna leave it alone. But I do think l s U was too athletic and certainly too quick for Maryland. Marland did not look like the the speediest of cruise. Uh and UH. I would expect that you got a

winner there, I hope. So, yeah, it's too too. It's two and a half consensus right now. You might be able to find some twos, but yeah, the ones and the one yeah are gone now. Um the second game carding a lot of lee. Now we're talking on Saturday tomorrow. In round two. Set up from yesterday's games, you have a seven and two that advanced in the Midwest region. Wafford did so last night against Seaton Hall. Uh. And they did so by the way. Kentucky a five point

favorite in this matchup with Walford. Watford advanced on the strength of a seventeen to nothing spurred They were up a point on Seaton Hall with about four and a half minutes left in that game. A seventeen to nothing spurred Fletcher McGee Uh, Nathan Hoover just hitting threes left and right. Wafford gets it done in a big way. Against Seaton Hall. By that last stretch, Kentucky, uh, sort

of a walkover against Abilene Christian. They do so without PJ. Washington, And I must say I'm no Dr Allen, but you look at p J and you see the hard boot and you can't imagine that he'd be ready for this. They've already out, so he's so he's out as well. So this is obviously he's an important player, but obviously Kentucky recruits well. Against Abilene that didn't matter. Now you know, again, I'm not that familiar with the players. I'm sure the

backup is is pretty good. Uh, maybe even better than that. But you know what where Walper is in danger in this game is getting murdered on the boards. That's always the mid major battle in any of these n ci A tournament games or you know, even during the year, but especially these n ci A tournament games where they let him play a little bit as they get killed on the boards. Really, Falmont would have won by twenty

if it wasn't for the mismatch on the on the boards. Uh. And that's why the thirty second clock is really so disturbing to me, because you know, it's more chances for teams to get offensive rebounds and put the lesser team on the defensive and eventually have them crack. It was a much better game at thirty five seconds. It's not supposed to be about the best team or the most

athletic team of the power power school winning. It's supposed to be about college sports, and intelligence should have something to do with it, and not just athleticism and and and you know, if you remember what college really is, it's a place to get an education. So intelligence has something to do with education, and sports are supposed to be secondary and they really have lost their way with this. And uh, but you know it's kind of a micross

of the whole world. Really. When Wale washes up in Japan with seventy times of plastic and it no one seems to give a fun, then there's really something wrong with the world. Uh. Anyway, that's my little environmental diet tribe. As for this game, the lack of Washington is the leading rebounder and in limiting score too, I believe really could could help Wafford a lot. Uh. Anyone who watched Wafford yesterday, I saw why they have been such a home run covering team. This year. They are very prone

to big runs. They defend much better than most mid majors do. The kids Jackson in the middle is an absolute monster, and when they got away from getting the ball into him is when they kind of like lost their way again. They started shooting some quicker threes that really they don't need, because any time Jackson got the ball is something good happened. He he is absolutely fantastic. I hadn't seen much of them, but I had heard that.

You know, he's the difference maker, and you know, having someone like him at a at a Southern Conference school is crazy. The Southern Conference was was really a powerhouse this year. They they had firm in East Tennessee State, NC, Greensboro, and Walford, all with tremendous teams. And as you recalled, Davidson was once a Southern Conference school, so it really could have been a hell of the league this year. It was anyway, but it really could have even taken

another step up. Uh So when does that leave us? Kentucky had an easy time of it. Wofford probably should have had an easy time of it and just just let it get away. You saw when the game got helpter skelter that Walford struggle with that. I assumed that Mike Young will be working on that. Uh when they played Kentucky. Kentucky is not really a pressing type team, but they're super athletic and and and definitely it's eating

Halls athleticism and bother Wartford. So Kentucky's athleticism really could could could reak happoc on him. But Mike Young knows what he's doing. And there's certainly ways to uh, you know, by running good offense and having good spacing and and making proper paths, you can you can negate some of that. And uh, Kentucky is not the smartest of bunches there. They've definitely got a lot better as the year went on. But the loss of p J. Washington absolutely matters in

this case. And and if they don't destroy off put on the boards, uh, an upset certainly isn't out of the possibility. The lines in old bargain it's five five and a half five and a half now, uh So, I you know, as for betting the game, I don't I don't think I don't think the price is any any I mean, it's Kentucky against Wotford, right, it's a it's the absolute, you know, top program in the country versus Southern Conference school and it's five and a half.

So there's never any bargaining betting the dog there for sure. But you know, if they won the game, I don't think any I don't think too many people would be surprised, as well as Peter Keating from me as Pan of Magazine pointed out yesterday to Kentucky two in the nation guarding three point shooting by opponents, so that if you if you're Bett and Wofford, that's probably where you're hanging

your hat. That's their game anyway. But they need to get it into Jackson and let him, you know, if he can, if he can beat this guy with without Washington, that might help a lot to if they can, you know, just just something good happened every time he had the ball. He's a great passer, he's they can't stop him one on one. They need to just go inside out instead of just you know, I think they need to be more patient. Kentucky can be beat if you're patient. They

definitely don't have their focus, uh NonStop. You know, they're so talented, sometimes they're prone to uh to apathy, and that's not the right word. But yeah, I think my points made. They can be probed and beaten Kentucky and and uh and I think that they need to show some patience. Wafford, you don't want to Kentucky play slow, but you don't want to get an attract me with him because because they play slower than most athletic teams. But you don't want to set up too much. Even

though Wofford likes to play fast. I think they'd be better off, uh, you know, if nothing, if they get nothing on the first break down the court to to run their offense for for almost the whole shot clock. That's what I think. But uh, you know, Mike Young is a lot smarter than I am, and and then he'll do the right thing and then, uh, you know what upset Certainly not impossible here, They're they're very very good team. Wofford getting the only five and a half obviously,

it's not it's not impossible. It's it's kind of a stupid thing to say. I'm not so sure how big you know. PJ. Wathingtons Austin, I think that's the h that's the key. And again I don't know who the backup is. And I didn't watch any of the Epilene Christian games. I can't comment. The game was over very early, so I don't even bother. Uh. And that's it. You know, I'm made the game. Uh. I think if if, if

everyone plays, I make it seven. So the guy is probably worth the point in half at least, so you know, five and a half's reasonable? All right? His name is Alan Boston. You can follow him on Twitter at Boston Red eight. We got six more games to get to tomorrow. We will get the reactions that we'll talk about how they got there, as we have just here in this past segment. How did Florida and Michigan get through Murray State in Florida State. Those are the next two we'll

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looking for Bookmaker dot eu slash gill down. Back to a numbers game with your host Gil Alexander, broadcasting live from our vs IN studios in Las Vegas. There is no better time than March, that's for sure, especially when it comes to betting. Now is the perfect time to try out the new points Bet app. Points Bet is New Jersey's premium sports book. Check out there. Make it rain promotion. Every tournament game you bet on, get three dollars whenever your teammates at three. It's the best marked

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also Foobo TV. See that shot live shot of the South Point Hotel casino where people are packing it in ready to make their bets on this second day of March madness. UM Moving on here with with Alan Boston, Florida is taking on Michigan tomorrow in around two game. Michigan got through very easily dispatching Montana last night as a two seed Michigan in the I guess that's the Western Region. Yes, West Region, as is Florida. Obviously Florida does so over Nevada. And by the way, let me

just say this before I bring Allen back in. Uh, there's always one or two people on Twitter who are gonna like give give someone a hard time time because their best bed didn't love. First of all, Allen's inside is phenomenal throughout what he was giving us. Here's the deal with Nevada. They were five of twenty four from three. Uh. Nevada was yesterday in this ball game five or twenty four. Caleb Martin himself five of twenty two from the field,

two for eleven from three. By the way, let me just say this, Nevada had four total assists in that game, four and yet could have one cut it down to a bucket, but it didn't work out. Florida does get the win, um and Florida advances to take on Michigan tomorrow. Michigan favored by a touchdown in this ball game. Let's bring in Allen Boston your thoughts on this Florida Michigan. Martin had the flu. He was being pumped through ivy all night, so he was basically even if he even

the play, which obviously I didn't know about. I would have been getting off. No one knew about it. The game went straight up at the end just starting said a tailor didn't play at all in the second half. Uh. That's just to my still overcome, I dare say that if the team didn't have the flu and the starting center didn't get hurt, this would have been a cakewalk. The team shoots very well from three point when they

missed a lot of shots they normally make. Uh. The game was a mismatch and I really don't care what the result was that. Uh. And and to all those who don't like it, well, don't bet, don't listen. I really you know, I don't read Twitter anyway for that reason, even want to hide behind Twitter. You know, come and tell me face to face. The sixty years old but I still know how to react to something like that. Alan, I call it the courage of anonymity. Yeah, I call it.

I call it stupidity. That's ah. But unfortunately stupidity kind of just reigned supreme in this country, maybe even in the world. So anyway, Nevada had the flu, Martin was being pumped full of ivy all night admittedly said after the game. I don't like making excuses. Yes I didn't feel well, Yes I was getting I vs all night, but that's why his game was not up to snuff. I don't know what happened to Taylor, who was very important for the team, but he didn't play it all

in the second half. Uh. I kind of turned it because I, you know, I had no idea what's going on. I watched them play the first few minutes, and you know, normally they're a very very quick team, and they just seemed very lethargic. And I called my I called a friend up because I was. I was all in on that game, and you know who wants to hear it, Believe me, I had that an absolute fortune in that game.

Like that was far and away my biggest bet of the tournament, like not even close, Like I want almost every game yesterday and probably broke even So that might give you an idea the it was. It's just it is what it is. It's just a bad break, and uh that's that's gambling. But uh so, you know, I'm not giving far to much credit for for beating a

less than uh you know, a team that really wasn't there. Uh, And and now they face a Michigan team that's entirely healthy now and obviously uh has a terrific approach to the game and a coach that knows what he's doing. And even more importantly, they they brought in as assistant who's an absolute defensive wizard, and they just put strangle hold on on every team they play. Uh. Again, Florida's youth, I think is gonna get him here a little bit. I think the line is pretty fair seven seven and

a half. That's that's right where I have it. But I don't again, I don't see how far it has any chance of hanging with this team. And uh, you know, I'm probably not gonna bet it because the line's right, but but you know, my gut says that Michigan, I'll run him out of the gym. Also in the Western Region, right after that, it was very impressive yesday. That Montana team is no picnic. Yeah, yeah, yeah, And they were impressive.

They were they were very very good. Murray State Florida State is the other game in the Western Region tomorrow. Murray State gets there. Really just absolutely boat racing Marquette John Morant not only the best player on the court, but messed around had a triple double in this game. Um and Murray stayed easily taking care of Marquette, Murray State doing it as a twelve seed Florida State in Uh.

You know, I was saying yesterday on Twitter, all these games come down, not all of them, but many of them on on the number, come down to the final possession. Florida State it ends up winning their game against from against Vermont, but choose not to shoot a bucket there at the end when they were read out their basket, a little classy kind of move. But obviously that doesn't help Florida State better. So that was a big grown

in the sports book. So it's Florida State, Murray State, Florida State favored across the board consensus it's at five right now in favor of the Seminoles. Well, uh, after watching Marquette yesterday, I was mumbling to myself, how the hell did this team deep me out of all that money all year? I lost bet against Marquette and just uh and and they showed you know, a loads of Shotsky they however, his name is, you know, the k assistant.

They they just completely they lost their minds. But part of the reason they lost their minds, well they didn't really lose their minds, they just they were never the best coach team anyway. Uhlans ridiculous, like really incredible. I've seen him play before. But that kid is is is I mean, that's just that's like John Stockton personified, like even a more athletic version of start John Stockton. That

that guy sees the court like no other. And they talked about his patients, right, he lets every single play developed, He his his his instinct for the game is his nuts. Uh. And the kid Brown who kept hitting threes, that's about his pure stroke. As you'll see. He he might be a pros some day too. They obviously have talent. Their battle was they were kind of getting mangled on the boards.

And that's where the issue is gonna be here. Mega athletic Farida State number one is not gonna probably get out quick down the court like Marquette did at number two. Just might murder him on the boards. But and this is a big butt. Uh. You know, Vermont mist several shots they normally make and lamb this two straight front ends and one on ones, and that's kind of where the game got away a little bit from Vermont. Ah. Certainly for the State will enjoy playing this more upcome

post style. But Moran is I mean, I I normally don't enjoy a basketball player that much. But that kid, that kid is very very very special. That's about as good a performance as I've seen in a game like ever, even with his uh showboating, uh costing them a couple of turnovers which were unnecessary. They just they were not going to lose that game. They just they were just too too quick for Marquette, and Marquette had had had

a very poor approach, which made it a lot easier. Uh. I think the line is a little bit too high. I think. I Obviously, Murray States is really good and Moran makes them just, you know, unstoppable. They can never be out of any game with him, and it isn't almost always get a good shot. He never you know, he really turns it over unless he gets a little show boatie and uh, you know I I again, this is another situation I think, Uh, where with patients will

be a little bit more will be important. Uh do you want to get a track meet with Florida State? Maybe they do, you know, I'm not sure Farida State certainly wouldn't mind that. But you get farid to State in a half court game like Vermont did and and they they do not run good half court offense, like not even close. Uh and uh this will probably come down to uh if if Farida State doesn't murder them

too much on the boards. But I would definitely be uh have a strong leaning to Murray State here and uh and definitely would have taken the opening number of six and probably and definitely would have taken five and a half. I'm not so sure I'm taking five, but that that team is really good and uh Farida State uh is Uh. The thing that worries me is is Vermont was gonna play far Farida State half court. I'm not so sure Murray State will and and and that

may play into Farides State tands a little bit. So with a little bit of a reservation, I'm definitely uh having a big lean to Murray and uh I hope they went that. Morant is fun to watch. He's fun. That that's uh, that's a treat, it really is. You know. The consensus is that Dezion will be the first pick in the draft. That John Morant will be the second.

I'm not so sure that John isn't more pro ready right from the start than anyone, and certainly in any college basketball game, with the exception of playing perhaps so one of the big ones like a duke, he's the best player on the court, period, and he certainly will be against F. S U. I Also, in addition to taking L s U minus one yesterday, I did take Murray State plus five and a half. I didn't see a six, but I got five and a half. I also took them on the money line at about plus

one four. I believe my number was somewhere right around there. So I'm yeah, got away, gotta get away real quick. I mean, people don't people don't wait any more, and I don't really understand it. If anyone, if you know what you're doing, you're probably gonna bet more than whatever Chris takes on the opener. But you know that's the that's their choice, and others have to live with it. In the old days that that stuff wouldn't have happened, but or mr, you know, someone was straighten it all out.

But anyway, it is what it is, and uh, you know, you can still enjoy the basketball game for what it is, bet and I think, uh, anytime you have a chance to watch Rent that that's fun. I I genuinely enjoyed watching him play, and that does not happen often. One team that's kind of helped the skelter there. There. He is just I mean every single path he makes is at the right angle, to the right spot, at the

right tempo. It's just he just sees the whole court and sees what's gonna happen in the next ten seconds. Like you know, for a player too to be able to play as quickly as he does, yet to have the patients that he has, it's just a really special trade. Plus he can shoot. Plus he's mega quick, and he's he's not a liability defensively, that might be wi Zion Uh is maybe better prob morants not the biggest and uh he might have a little trouble at the next

level defending. But you know, again, I'm not I'm not a scout, so but yeah, I'll take on on my team absolutely before we can do whatever you want, and before we go to break here out as a freak, let me let me squeeze in one more here for you obviously, be quicker to no, no no, no, you're good. Gonzaga Baylor. Baylor got through by beating Syracuse last night. That some might have missed that Um Syracus is one

of those plays that everybody I knew right then. We've been verbalized this for like, I don't know one person on Baylor that would scare me. Bailey, you're talking to us. Who was front of his biggest bets was Baylor. So yeah, no, I'm saying in my spare over here. And then Gonzaga, obviously they scored fifty three in the first half against Fairly Dickinson. That was over Yeah, that was that was They beat everyone by fifty and Philly Dickins is playing

with six guys and on short rest. They had no chance. This is thirty and the problems Gonzaga six or ten can can extend to lead against most teams in the country. That's that's the problem. Uh So Baylor h Scott Drew used previous experience against Syracuse. They need to said, I we're gonna shoot threes, and they did, and they made a bunch of them and uh and they won. Unfortunately he uh uh Mason uh got hit in the thigh and Uh kind of was hobbling around here a little bit.

He has a little bit of a thigh bruise. I think how that how how that heels? He was fine playing through the game. He uh he actually controlled the game for them and and uh won the game for them pretty much. Uh, I don't know how bad that was. And you know, I just read it in the paper and I saw him like not Le's not not totally a hundred percent there, but you know, the he'll the day to get treated. But if that bugs him at all. Uh, they have absolutely no chance against Gonzaga, and they probably

have no chance anyway. Uh. Gonzaga just just you know, made mincemeat out of everybody out there. And I don't think Bayl was gonna hit fifteen or sixteen threes again like they did. Uh. And if they do, then uh, you know, Mark Pugh doesn't stick to one's own defense. Uh, he'll mix it up and and uh he's not his owner anyway, but he'll he'll mix up his defenses and take away what they can. And and this really does

feel like a a complete mismatch. I think Baylor probably uh had that day and the sun and had a good day shoot and got through. But they've been pretty beat up most of the year and and did not healthy and and now on one day's rest off a big win. I would expect them to get budgeted here, So Gonzaga, I I wouldn't care. I would think this will be a thirty point job. So all right, Alan,

stick around one more time. We've got three more games to get to Minnesota, Michigan State, Villanova, Purdue, and Auburn Kansas. Those are the other games on the Saturday's late. We'll get to those momentarily again. The Visa College Basketball Tournament Betting Guide is available to you. It didn't expire just because the game started. It's something you can refer to

throughout the tournament. It's a ninety page digital magazine featuring Brent Musberger, Matt Human's, Dave Tooley, Steve McKinnon, Greg Hoops Peterson fourteen ninety nine. You can order your copy at visa dot com s Last Subscribe, and while you're there check out. The best price to get the guide was fifty two weeks of points spread weekly in a chance to win ten thousand dollars in Visa's Bait Vison's Beat

the Spread challenge. I should say not only ten thousand dollar grand prize of course, as you recall, but that was also to uh have the opportunity to hang out with Brent on set. Maybe get Brent to do a manscaping demonstration. I don't know what's in the final prize package,

but that's obviously underway. All the Visa College Basketball Tournament Betting Guide, factoids and all the expert analysis at Visa dot Com slash subscribe check it out more with Alan Boston coming up on a Numbers Game at Visa Down Back to a Numbers Game with your host Gil Alexander, broadcasting live from our Visa in studios in Las Vegas. It is the Numbers Game, Sports Betting Analytics, live actionable sports betting information. We do have a Take Blues and

play tonight coming up. Um probably shouldn't have stayed away from Take Blues as it turned out last night the NBA, but we will get to pick later on the show. More with Alan Boston right now again at Boston Red eight eight, an American original. Thankful that we have him on the show not only today but also yesterday of the day before. Maybe we can coax him back next week for some Sweet Sixteen analysis as well. Let's continue

with the remainder of stur Day's games. Alan, if we couldn't have a head man out on me, why would you? Why would you have a hit man out on you? Nevada? Oh no, stop it quick update h Evans for vcu Uh. It's not as good news as I had hoped. The coach said he's gonna give it a whirl, but he practiced yesterday. He said, he said he's fine. And the coach that's gonna give it a whirl coaching he's gonna give it a whirl is not as encouraging for me. So I cut my bet down a little bit on

that game. Give it is one of my better plays of the tournament. Give it a world that's huge, Central Florida. Yeah, he's gonna give it a shot. That's what he said. That that's not well, you know, they played possible once in a while, but I don't know. He's certainly not gonna be on the present so and he's way way too important for them. I still think it's a good bet, but just not like a great bet, So I think

I'll throw that out there. I definitely got awful lot of my I had I had a big one on that and definitely cut it way down anyway, Alright, on we go, they the committee putting VCU in Central Florida, as we talked about together, in a bracket, so one could be conveniently eliminated of the mid majors, right, and then they can be worn out to pay duke the next game anyway, Alright, so so we continue tomorrow. Minnesota Michigan State. It's a ten seed, uh, and a two

seed in the Is that the West? Is that? Jeff? Yeah, that's in the west, the East. I'm sorry, it's in the east. Correct, it's in the east, right, well, just when he's actually playing the East, when they're in the East. Reason, just to be thorough here island for the bracket folks out there. Minnesota wins. Minnesota wins. They beat Louisville. This was the first game yesterday and Minnesota, which could could very easily be argued should they have been in the

tournament or not. They go crazy from behind the arc, very un characteristic of them. Uh. Not much arc defense from Louisville, it must be pointed out as well. Michigan State gets it done ultimately against Bradley but it was not easy. For sure, they get they sort of outlast them and get some distance between themselves and Bradley late in that game. Michigan State here favored in this game over Minnis to buy ten Allen, Yeah, they played obviously that both in the Big Ten. They played during the

year of Michigan State. It was thirteen half point team when they first played one rather handily. The trouble of Michigan State, UH is they're basically using a six man rotation or five and a half man rotation. Award only played ten minutes yesterday. Uh, injuries have taken away some of their other players. He basically goes with five guys and and Ward played ten minutes. I think Brown played seven minutes or something. That's it. Uh, that's gonna get

you eventually. And uh, they've gone there. Obviously they went through the conference tournament. They had a Hearns for that, but he he didn't play much either. Uh. My concern is a Michigan State wears down eventually, but UH, it probably won't matter this game. They they had no problem with Minnesota the first time they played Minnesota. Shop the lights out as you point out yesterday, which is certainly an anomaly, and anomalies normally don't happen back to back games.

I think kena is a fair line for the game. They're like, you know, they're with thirteen and a half during the year, so and and Michigan State think a little uh shorthanded you know, probably means a half a point or a point, So ten's fair. Uh and uh I I have no interest in betting this game at all. They're both very familiar with each other and uh, Michigan State shorthanded. This is bugging me a little bit that

that that that team. Uh uh yeah, I thought us five and a half guys for a whole tournament and and that's pretty much what they're doing. And one of them was playing with a big rap on his hand. So I thought about it happen today, Alan, I thought about you when Izo was going after multiple, multiple of his own players and they made a bit, you know, it was made a big deal of in this day and age, and Iszo was getting into the into their faces, and I thought to myself, Uh, old schoolers would just

call this coaching, you know, and it's just coaching. Yeah, but he hates the kid. Yeah, he's so ridiculous what the world has become anyway. Uh, yeah, I mean that was a tough game for them. You say, I misread that completely. You know, they won the Big Ten tournament and they're playing Bradley, and you know, and they finally put the clinker in and Bradley played extremely well. The coach for Bradley is good. They have a couple of very good players who weren't in fear of any Michigan

State did. The starting son of for Bradley was terrific. One of the guards is really good too. Uh, Bradley is gonna have a good team next year. Bradley plus eleven in the second half where it went to die. The plus eleven for Bradley right at the end. For those who bet that halftime number on that happens Shirley often. Yeah, when they cracked, they really cracked. Next, Villanova per Due is next. Villanova gets by St. Mary's. That landed. I think that middled for books that depending on when you

got number for the books. Yeah, not a good number. Villanova won that by four over St. Mary's. Out of the West Coast Conference of Villanova advances is a six seed in the South. They will take on number three per Due who dispatched Old Dominion. Perdue favorite in this one by four consensus right now, but it's moving up to four and a half as we speak. Yeah, that one was too high. Uh. No, Jay Wright with an

excellent game plan. He decided that, you know, when a team wants to control tempo, they're gonna be able to do it. He wanted to play quick. St Mary's wanted to play slow. He resigned himself to the fact that we're gonna have to play sol and just try to grind this out because St. Mary's is so efficient that when you try to speed him up, they're gonna they're

gonna make the proper pass and beat us. So very good decision by right to just try to beat St. Mary's at their game since he has the better talent and he did. You know, Uh, going over as a young team, I thought they might crash out here yesterday. Uh, but they played very well and uh produced dealing with a back issue to the starting center. Uh. They should have put All Dominion away many many moons before that

and and didn't. Uh. There's no way that Purdue was for a four and a half better than villing Over. That is that is just not close to being right. Uh, I will definitely be uh taking the points here. I I this is Vlanova, man. This is not some you know shift program. They did win the national championship last year and then a few years ago too. Yes, the starting three freshmen, and but yes, the year was less than stellar and some of their results are a little dicey.

But Produce another team that that had issues at the end of the year, specifically that guy with I don't I don't remember players names, but I know the back injury was bucking them. Uh, they had some poor results. Yesterday's game was not something to write home about. All the minute is weel coached and didn't didn' muck it up enough to make things ugly. But they had a chance to get them to thirty and and didn't. That

bugs me a little bit. Produce another team that typically displays to the best of their abilities, that coach is very, very good, and they're another one I like to think about that their upside has been hit and they have no where to go but down where I think Vollanova has some wiggle room to move up. Where they are playing three freshmen, they are kind of still learning the Uh. The Ropes was more impressed with vlonov be a state in Perdue and definitely would be taking the points here.

I don't understand the line going up, really don't like it. A lot of conviction there on Villanova with the points against Perdue taking the points in that one. And finally then Alan Auburn and Kansas a five and four advance. Uh. This in the Midwest region. Kansas gets there amongst all seatings that were not one or two seats. Kansas had the easiest time of it. Yesterday. They just rolled Northeastern

and then there was Auburn. Oh my goodness. This this was the ending that I think because of the most buzz of the day. Auburn gets by and I do mean gets by New Mexico State. They beat him by a point. But in the last minute and a half of this game, roughly speaking, how many mistakes were committed?

Oh my goodness, and Auburn. Auburn just absolutely lives to see another day because of a wide open missed three which followed you know, uh, fouling a shooter up three two early then excuse me, yeah, so it didn't really it didn't really matter. Then fouling a three point shooter with one and a half seconds left in the game. Just just an amazing array of mistakes. But Auburn gets by seventy seven. They don't cover obviously a six point favorites.

Auburn opened as a one point favorite against Kansas Allen and this has gone up. It's two now, and I see some two and a half seven in favor of the Auburn Tigers. I mean, you know, athletically, Auburn is is just better than Kansas that there's no doubt about it. Uh. Northeastern just just I have I don't know what Northeast was doing. That was shocking that an experienced team like that would really just lay down like that. I I I I don't know why the moment was too big

for them. This team has been in the n c A Tournament before and had played extremely well. I don't know what happened yesterday. That was a very strange game from Northeastern, a team that finally had gotten healthy by the end of the year. Uh. Really, I just didn't try to stay in front of anybody. Was just you know, maybe they're just completely out athlete it. I didn't think that could ever be the case because some of the players are pretty good. Uh, but you know Kansas rolled him. Uh,

Kansas another team that could get better. I mean he starts I think four freshman. Obviously he recruits like a motherfucker. He's got you know, top tier talent. Uh. And and then there's Auburn. Uh. You know, I'm not a fan of Kansas, but Auburn makes them look like Einstein. Uh. You know, it's as stupidity reigning supreme there. One of the announcers said that, boy, is this a world coach team? And I and I actually I didn't tweet it. This was on the phone in the front. I said, you

believe that these guys get paid to say that? Ship. I mean seriously early in the game because they ran up there. You know there's someone someone actually cut properly and and they got the ball to him. So you know, some some play you making junior high. He was talking about how well coached they are, like there, their offense is very simplistic. They take a million bad shots, They

rely on their athleticism a lot. Uh, and they definitely you know you can't you, I mean the Mechell's take a wide open three up an inbound play one second ago, are you kidding me? And why the kid in the Mesico State just didn't take the lay up? Beyond me? That was that was strange. But then the idiot goes and follows a three point shooter and they couldn't handle

a simple press in the Mexico State throughout him. Part of the reason was they were playing the fifth game in eight days, and now this is the sixth game in ten days for Auburn, and and that that could be the difference here. Uh, you know, our definitely has better talent, but six game in six games in ten days, and they showed signs of weariness at the end of that last game could be Uh, the could spell the doom here. And uh, I am going to be betting

Kansas and hating myself after if I lose. The self loathing begins. Alan. Now you you point literally self. Yeah, you you pointed out I buried the headline on all the poor decisions in that final sequence. You're right, Uh, it's just a bunny to send it into overtime ostensibly, and then the choice to send it out to behind the arc, which then Jane's credit. He he told his kid, you know that's you know, I don't don't knock any

player to make that's to play. He decided, and the guy had an open three, and you know, he had a good follow shot out the line, defended his kid. He did one of three water over time, I mean, you know, was done. Yeah, it was amazing, and Bruce should have taken the layout. He should have. But Bruce, I can't understand another dog. You know, I'll try to win the game right then and there. I'm a big

proponent of that. But they had clearly had taken over the game the last minute, and clearly had Auber on the ropes and and he should have just taken that way up. But you know, yeah, that was his quick decision. Bruce Pearl to your point saying he believes his team is tired. I don't know how much of that is, uh, you know, after the fact, sort of trying to make an excuse, but Bruce Pearl definitely saying that that his

team is tired. So you're on Kansas there, and like you said, if it doesn't, if it doesn't go your way, let the South lowly begin. Alan, you are the best man. Thank you so much for the time. Uh, you're welcome. I'll talk to you next week. There you go, my man. We'll talk about wednesdaysh about the Sweet sixty and let you make your bets. Alan Boston, there he goes at Boston read eight eight on Twitter. Thankful to have him on a numbers game once again this morning. We are privileged, Jeff.

I'm telling you right now, man that this should not go unsaid. Very privileged to have him on. There is nobody better. He'll be honest about it, but there's nobody better when it comes to college basketball