Beating The Book: The 2021 NCAA Tournament Special with Seth Walder, ESPN, on Giant Killers; 3 Man Weave on Round 1 ATS and Bracket Pools

a little more than an hour. Towards the end of the show, we will go region by region, bracket by racket, and we will do it a t s and just in terms of advancing in your pools, upset minded pools, whatever kind of pool you're in. So both from a betting, individual games and bracket standpoint, with all three man Weavers

looking forward to that. And then in the first or ESPN Sports analytics writer Seth Walder who has carried the Giant Killers mantel now for a while at ESPNS, and we will start with with him momentarily talking about the game's most ripe for Giant Killer upsets. And I think I have this right when I say we define giant killers by anything that is five seeds or more in separation, so eleven verses six, twelve verses five, four, so on. That could apply to second round and beyond as well.

Say if an eight B to one, that kind of thing, as long as it separated by five seeds. Good morning to you, Seth, Good morning Gil. I think we even did this last year without a tournament. Yes, we that's exactly right. We did it without a tournament, and we did it a week early, sadly, so that's why we did it. We had no idea what was about to happen. Uh, Seth. Let's define first of all, I don't know if you

heard the preamble there. Let's define what constitutes a giant killer in terms of seeding, and then what are the characteristics first of all that that are really essential to the profile of a potential giant killer. Yeah, Gil, you had it right. It's a five seed differential, so in the first round we're looking at anything. An eleventh seed or worse in the first round could be classified as

a giant killer. Basically, the model is the majority of the model is our regular basketball power index, so it's our our model that you see across ESPN that it takes into count efficiencies, opponent adjustments, all of that. But then we layer on top of it a bit of a style component that's sort of specifically looking for the for upsets, and it's it's kind of what you would expect.

The best things you can do is increased variants. So slow paced teams, teams that shoot a lot of threes and shoot them, well, all those things give you a better chance. You want to you want to increase the variants if you're an underdog. But it's sort of looking at those style components between the two teams and seeing how it might nudge the numbers off that bp I rating just just a little bit one way or another.

All right. So for those who want to see the printed piece that that accompanies this, this actually a companies the printed piece. It's called Giant Killers Complete upset picks for every region in the March Madness Bracket one. Seth does it with his colleague John Gasaway, who we have who we have had on this show as well over

there at ESPN plus. Uh So you do this very uh very you know, logically, region by region and then you break them down into per region, best bet in terms of giant killer worth a long look, um, not completely ridiculous, and stay away. I love those categories alright, So for our purposes here, because the time is of the essence, we'll stay away from not completely ridiculous and stay away. But let's talk about let's start with the East Region. Let's go to the best bet in the

East Region in terms of a giant killer possibility. Yeah, so that's U c l A over B y U. If U c l A beat Michigan State in the first four, this is actually the Giant Killer's number one upset pick overall. It's obviously contingent on that first four matchup, but we're giving U c l A a forty one percent chance to be B y U if the matchup occurs. Uh. You know, this is a team U c l A who's gonna protect the basketball and probably have a bit of an offensive or a bit of a rebounding advantage

overall in that matchup. So I would expect that they would get a couple more shot attempts in this game relative to B y U. And you know they're both both teams that can shoot the three. Well, they don't shoot U c l. A I'm talking about. They don't shoot a ton of threes, but they are efficient when they do it. So, uh, I think the U c l has got a really good shot here. Forty one

percent is really high. I mean for an eleven six as a really high upset, I think if you're filling out a bracket, you got to take a really long look at U c L. An. Yeah, as you say, mccronit's team in a play in game with Michigan State. Michigan State over B y U and is one of the worth a long looks in the same region. Just below that, Yeah, yeah, exactly. And and I want to say this about Michigan State. You know, we're not factoring in anything about this pause they had in the middle

of the season. They had three losses right off the bat there after after that pause. If you're a believer that they sort of figured things out late, maybe we're underrating Michigan State. I don't think that's impossible. So I think that Michigan State either way, that is definitely a potential good upset game for your bracket. All right, And a little and a little more percentage on that I skipped one. Actually Georgetown also falls into the worth a

long look category against Colorado at twelve five. Yeah, I was kind of surprised here because we're not we're not factoring in recency. Obviously Georgetown came on hot at the end. But the reality is that what Georgetown did lately, especially that blowout win over Craton, that does substantially change what we think what we think of them. They they jumped up twenty three spots in bp i's rankings over the final week of the Sea then, and so we think

there's we think there's a shot there. I mean, it's not. I don't think that you're going to get that performance out of them every every night. But that's a solid that's a solid number for a twelve five. So we're in the East region. UM, and those are again the best bet U c l A in terms of a giant killer, best bet U c l A over B y u, best chance of a giant killer in the

entire tournament. And then worth a long look Georgetown over Colorado at twelve five, and then Michigan State if they beat U c l A in the play and over B y U. UM. By the way, Abilene Christian fans not completely ridiculous Abilene Christian over Texas. Also in that region. Let's go to the West. Let's go best bet in terms of a giant killer in the West region Staff

if you could. You know how like every year, by the time the tournament happens, by the time the first games go on, there's one upset that you're just blocked in. You're like, this is just a it's gonna hit. I think Coldgate over Arkansas is gonna be that team for me. I'm not there yet, but by come Friday, I'll probably be certain this one is gonna hit. It's a really interesting matchup because Colgate has been super efficient, super efficient. You have two high paced, fast paced teams, so not

normally what we're looking at, and giant Killers. They're super efficient, but they've played absolutely no better. I mean they had I think with four games in a row against holy Cross, so uh, they had played absolutely nobody. But this is why you need a model, in my opinion, to handle this, because we're putting an opponent adjustment in there, and and

our model still likes coal Gate. I mean not like the net ranking with which Adam in the top ten, but we still like cold Gate as a as A as a good team, and so we give a thirty five percent chance to be Arkansas. They can certainly score. I think there is real I mean for a four team three this is an incredible number. Uh Cold Gate over archanfas here in some sort of pool, you know, multiply the seeds. This is an absolutely no brainer to pick cold Gate away an upset rewarded pool like that

would be great. One sixty two. One sixty two is the total, by the way, in that game seth um Arkansas and coal Gate the three or four team game in the West. So that's the best bet in terms of a giant killer at West. Thirty five percent chance. Uh, not quite of the u c l A u c l A B Y you match up in the previous region. What about worth a long look in the West. So just below coal Gate Arkansas, Yeah, North Texas and Perdue,

we give it a twenty two upset chance. I mentioned at the top taste this is one of those pages games you've got two slow teams. It's just about limiting the number of possessions. It gives per Due, which is obviously the better team here, just gives them fewer chances to extend that advantage over North Texas. It means if you get a couple of balls, you know, a couple of balls bounced right for North Texas, a loose ball here, a three point there, maybe they could maybe they could

turn that and uh. And so that's where we put North Texas, giving them a as against Perdue and the other one in that region. That is worth a long look. You say, is Utah stayed over Texas Tech? You state a team that a lot of folks didn't think would make the brackets and Texas Tech. You know, it's interesting because I've had sort of here on the show. A lot of people are like, we love Chris Beard, but

this isn't his best outfit. Yeah, I think that's right. Yeah, Utah. Stay, if you look at our resume numbers, Utah stayed over Louisville was a pretty questionable choice, I think by the committee. But there's a shot here. I think if we look at there, this could be a game where they have a rebounding advantage. Uh. They were you know, they were sixteenth and offensive reboundary and Texas Tech two four and

defensive reboundary per ten palms. So I think that's one area where they could have it, have an edge, gives them a shot. I don't think it's crazy to pick this upset. There are a lot of other games that are that are worse than this one. So there's a chance here, all right. Also in that region, again, just to sort of say it not completely ridiculous, Winthrop over

Villanova's the twelve five. Now, interestingly, by the way, where talk at to Seth Walter from ESPN sports analytics writer who did this great giant killer's pace with John Gasaway in the South which is Baylor's region. If you will, there is no best bet in terms of a giant killer, and you have one worth a long look. So this one is devoid of of what you would call a best bet. But what's the worth a long look here?

If you see Santa Barbara over Creating the twelve five and if you are like I mentioned, we don't put any factor or in any sort of recency stop here. So Creating's lost against Georgetown, whether that happened last game or back you know in January, either way sort of counting the same. If you're believering in recency, even maybe you think the Goucher's have a better shot, you know, we give them just a twenty one percent chance. It

wasn't sort of like a perfect matchup there. Uh, you see, Santa Barbara was one of those teams that I was looking at before the tournament. Given the right opponent we might have, they might have had a higher chance. Creighton, you know, is a is a pretty good team that absent that last game or absolutely le shop for you see Santa Barbara. But this and the West I think are going to be a little bit chalkier in terms of the regions. This is this is awesome. There's people

listening right now, Okay, filling out and you're right. The upset rewarded pools specifically, uh, this is key not completely

ridiculous in that region. Also the play in whoever wins the play game Wichita State or Drake against USC, so in that eleven six the eventual eleven six Wichita State incrementally more of an upset chance than Drake, but either one of those teams has a not completely ridiculous shot according to the Giant Killer's model of taking down number six USC with Evan Mobley the Pack twelve player of the year. Alright, so if we go to let's see

here oh, there's more. Not there's more, actually not completely ridiculous. Pardon me, Ohio over Virginia Eastern washingtover Kidsas but none of those qualifies. The best bet corrects the correct But yeah, no, that's that's absolutely right. We're all we're all on the low low teams there, all right. So and then in the Midwest, we do have a best bet. Uh, I like this one, what you got in the Midwest. There's

a big one, this Syraccus over San Diego State. We give it a thirty nine percent chance to hit, So it's our best guaranteed matchup. I guess you could say, uh, second only to U C. L A. And with Serious, it's not it's not some big style factor here. It's just a matter of looking at these efficiencies. I mean Syraccus is basically we make them the thirty third best

team in the country going forward. And to put that in context, they're an eleventh seed, which is how State is also in eleven seed, and we make them in the ninety seven best team in the country. So I think I think you're getting a really wide range there in Serious season is on the strong side. If you look at just efficiencies and we adjust for opponent quality, we would say that San Diego State was about three

and a half points per game better than Syracuse. Once we've got during the preseason prior, we make it about a two point difference between these two teams. So that's you know, that's that's how you sort of end up in this kind of range. So Syricuse, I think, is a really is a really good play. It's just when you're factoring in those opponent adjustments, it matters and worth a long look. In that same Midwest region, Yeah, Liberty

over Oklahoma State, this is a fun one. Liberty. They've got the offense they you know, they chuck threes up, they hit them too. You know, there are two point field low percentage, three point field low percenters, free throw shooting, ball security, Like, they have the offensive edge in this game. So Oklahoma State, no question, they're the better defensive team here.

But in the thirteen four game, to tell me you're getting the team that is you know, normally it's like, well, maybe the difference between these two teams is in that large, but we're actually getting the better offense here with Liberty, and so that to me is really appealing. I certainly know like it. On my brackets, I will have liberty chance we have them. Beating Oklahoma State should be a fun day in a while. Oklahoma State got the raw

end of the deal. I think most people think on these brackets as you write with liberty two point field goal percentage, chack three point field goal percentage, check free throw shooting, check ball security check um. Also, by the way, in that region, not completely ridiculous. More Head stayed over West Virginia, Oregon State over Tennessee in the twelve five, but those again in a in a lower category, so

just a review. And again the piece is called Giant Killers Complete upset picks for every region in the March bat is Bracket one. The best bets in the East region you see l A if they can win the play in game against Michigan State U C l A over b y U and the eleven six would be, according to the Giant Killers model, the highest upset chance in the whole tournament. Also a best bet in the West region col Gate over Arkansas. The model gives it thirty five percent chance to do that. And uh. And

then finally the third one is the one we just discussed. Uh. You know in the in the Midwest region Syracuse the eleven sixs over San Diego State. That would be, as Seth just said, of the guaranteed matchups, the highest percentage upset chance per the Giant Killers model. Seth, will you update this after the first round and after the second

round into the sweet sixteen if there's anything applicable. I don't know if we'll have a story, but I'll certainly probably tweet tweet out what we have going into the going into there. Obviously second round you can look at it seven two or any sort of crazy, crazy matchup. A lot can happen in the second round two, all right, and people can find that at Seth Walder W A. L. D E. R. Seth, I always appreciated man, love your work. Uh and John as well. Thank you for continuing with

the Giant Killer's mantle over there, Sir Seth Walder. Everybody sports analytics writer for ESPN want to go through each and every bracket here with a man. We've crew. We're gonna breathe them in separately. UM, So here's how we're gonna do it. We're gonna have Maddie Cox in first, Jim Roots gonna join us in studio. We're gonna add Kaim McKay and next after that we're gonna go through all of these now A t s and Brackett by Brackett. Do we have Matt by the way yet, Jason? Do

we have Matt? Yes, we do. Matt Cox. Everybody from three Man Weave you can check out all their tweets are underscore CBB on a daily basis. How are you doing once again, Matt? We meet again Gil. Always a pleasure. Yeah, the marathon begins, Let's do it. The marathon begins. We will put this in podcast form as well. For those wondering what are you gonna put this a beating the book, we will. Um we were this is a a something in the making for a year. We wanted to do

this last year. Obviously we did not get the opportunity. Um before we get in anything. Six referees yesterday. What was that story? So the headline was pretty straightforward and we were going back and forth thought who's to blame here? But basically the kind of the big wigs of the instantly refereeing pool, guys like TV Teddy, John Eyres and

Bob Higgins got to their hotel, their rooms. Apparently we're not ready, so that they feared, hey, let's go out and get a meal, And sure enough they test deposit for COVID. It's not I don't think confirming that's where they got COVID, but it's a pretty safe assumption. So everyone's saying, how can their freeze be up? So obtuse to go out and have a meal given the stringent protocols. But I also think there's some blood on the end

stable as hands. Maybe get the rooms ready to go, Like I think we've known about this tournament for a few weeks now, a few weeks or months. It wasn't like, oh, we need to like accommodate a whole like convention and the and the drop of the hat. So yeah, I had an odd story. But hopefully this is not a bad omen of more such stoppages to come. Yeah, So six pm is the deadline today, six pm Eastern for everybody. All teams meeting their medical protocols. All teams in the

pool sixty eight teams. Uh if those are all And by the way, Louisville is the first team up in case any team does not meet that and can't play in the tournament. If it is a one bid conference team, then a team from that conference will replace, um, the team that's already in. So if someone from the America East. By the way, if if if not to pick on

you know, not to pick on a small conference. But if if a automatic bid from a smaller conference America's Northeast, so for so on and so forth, they can't go, they would be replaced by a team in their particular conference. Okay, and by the way, it should be noted that if if something happens after six pm, then it's just team forfeits and the team playing that team that can't meet the medical requirements, they just advance. Right, those are those

are your ground rules. So okay, Thursday, we have four play in games, the first four if you will you actually you actually before we even get to the brackets themselves, starting with the sixty four, you actually like some bets here? At three you had a four of these games, right, yeah? I like the action on you mentioned Suny pipercente of the of the openers. It's nice that we get some some bets off and running here to start. I think my favorite of this batch goes I mentioned last night

Mount St. Mary's spread has been hit pretty hard. It's closer to pick at some places after opening plus two and a half plus three at some books. I hopped in early, so I was endorsing anything at plus two or higher. I still think it's worth a hard look. This is fits into like the middle of the ven diagram between matchup that's favorable and price that's favorable. You have a team that's coming off very impressive NACY tournament

win Mount St. Mary's. They have a little jitterbug named Damien Chong quick five eight guy, and the rest of their lineup kind of looks like the mon Stars from Space Sham. They start six nine six nine six five. Really an outlier type of DNA for a mid major team should give a lot of problems to Texas Southern coach by Johnny Jones, the former l s U head honcho.

He's a talent vacuum. He's got guys that played at Georgetown, Steven F. Austin, oh Michael Marcus Weathers, there best players at Oklahoma State, So no shortage of talent for Johnny Jones bunch. But they are excessively rim reliance and Mount St. Mary's is just a kryptonite matchup with all the size and length they have. I think you're getting a good price here. Mount St. Mary's best bet of the first four bunch for me. Okay um, not the game that

we're showing there on on the screen. We're talking about Mount St. Mary's over Texas Southern in the play and game to take on Michigan. All right, Mount Saint Mary's one of them. What's the what or the other two? So looking at Appalachian State against Norfolk, this is just the classics Southern or Sun Belt versus MIAK discrepancy. I thought the opening number didn't really account for the the

chasm between those two caliber of conferences. App States under value because they had a couple of cod interruptions this year. We saw what they can do when they're at their best. Probably four game run through the conference tournament. They win two of those in overtime. But they are on fire

right now and they're shooting the barb really well. Coached by Dustin Kern's who's a big endorser embracer of the pace in space, you know, analytic driven ball movement where you just space it out, you knocked down threes, get highly efficient looks. Play Norfolk State plays a lot of his own, so I think they can get a lot of open threes. Continue that momentum of the hot shooting

that really carried them through that Sun Belt tournament. Got in Michael on Honesty's hit twenty three is the last four games he has en Fuego, just one of three snipers they have. I think app State's are great, bad here, even at the current price of three. Anything about three, though, I'd advise staying away. All right, I'll say it this wave because I know I'll get tweets. Right. Wait, which

games did he like? In the playing games? Uh? All you have to remember here is Mountaineers Mountaineers in the first two exactly Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers simple for that season. That's right, Stall Mountaineers Mount St. Mary's over Texas Southern. Uh. This is the sixteen seed play in game to play Michigan in the East and then Appalachian State, those Mountaineers against Norfolk State, the Spartans from the meak Uh. The Mountaineers of the Sun Belt, this time playing game to

take on Gonzaga. Both of those a t app State laying three in this one against Norfolk State, and then one more of the plans you like as well. Yeah, real short and sweethear Drake. The Bulldogs squeaked in thank goodness. They thought they were incredibly deserving key factor here as they could get Tank Hemp held back arguably their second most valuable player down the stretch, a real athlete, a weapon, and so much of what they do on both sides of the floor. But what I really like Drake here,

even if he doesn't play or is not effective. The Bulldogs are twenty and eight against the spread out of

conference the last three seasons. I don't like using trends big picture that macro as sort of a reason to bet on a team, But when you think about why Debris use it so much, the complexity and the nuance of their offense is very intricate, and I think for teams who don't know that as well, like the teams in the Missouri Valley do, they tend to have value when they're playing unfamiliar foes, which Toast State is going

to be. You know, I think caught off guard defensively, there's so much backscreen or back cutting screening, they're gonna take time to figure it out. You can scout all week for it, but until you see it on the floor, It's a different beast. I could argue Drakes under Valley because it teams in the Valley just know their stuff so well, and when they get back out of conference teams that don't know them as well, that's where I think they have big time value. So I would take

Drake here any spot where they're still a dog. By the way, I had Seth Walder on for BSPN earlier, he thought that the Wichita State Drake winner had a pretty legit shot as a giant killer against USC and eleven six. How do you feel about that? Yeah, I've been down on USC all season. At some point I have to respect what they've done. I mean, they're basically crawled into the top fifteen and most of the metrics

I think top fifteen and Ken pom Uh. They have the best player on the floor against pretty much any team they play in Evan Mobley an absolute freak of an athlete that the things he can do with the basketball at seven foot, the way he moves are unfair. I don't know how out of these guys are just they're being built different these days. I don't understand it, but it's an interesting matchup I worry about Drake's lack of size if they were advanced against USC. But they

can play the the X and no chess match. On the other end, the way they spread you out, they can bring uh. They go this small ball lineup and bring Mobile away from the baskets, sort of limiting his impact inside. I gets the right lane, but I'm not as excited to fade USC, which has not been a very profitable strategy this year for me. I should probably be fairer to set that was it is not completely ridiculous. Category which was his third category? Wasn't his best bet?

Wasn't worth a long look if you will. As we were categorizing them, we'll rehash what his best bets in terms of giant killers were as we go through this bracket by bracket. We only have a couple of minutes here, Matt, so I'll wait to go through the first two brackets when Jim gets here and the three of us can do it. But I'll rehash some of the questions I asked you last night on Primetime Action the Numbers Game.

Audience didn't hear your your answers to these One easiest path for a number one seed is I think Gonzaga trying to remove the fact that Zaga is the best number one seed for not quite just looking at the field of the draw, the two seed, three seat, four seed in that region I've already beat, and I think they'd beat all three HANDI at Virginia, Iowa and Kansas. Talk about Virginia with their COVID issues. Kansas sort of in the same boat. Iowa just a brutal matchup for

the Hawkeyes. I just don't think even if Iowa does advanced to relate, which I'm skeptical they will, if they catch Gonzaga there in the rematch, I think the Zags do exactly what they did in the first one. That game played to like twenty points. I think the final marginal was closer to ten, but the Zags up twenty in the first half. They just let their foot off the gas. So I think the Zags are a safe safe Betsa's final four and uh, your final four, well,

we'll get to that. Let me see that the hardest or the the most unfair, I'll use that word, but sort of the team that got the shaft here is it? Oklahoma State as a number four seed? Yeah, I you know, I can say that the one seed that has the toughest I think path you could argue is Illinois. For that reason, you have Oklahoma State lurking in the same

side of that upper half of the Midwest bracket. Then you talk about Loyola, who they could see second round of vastly underseate, a team ranked in the top fifteen, top ten, and most of the advanced metrics. I think whoever comes out of that little pocket um will have gone through a gauntlet to get there. The winner of that probably takes on Houston. I think we'll actually to

be in my official final four pick. I've been going back and forth between Illinois in Houston the Midwest, but I think Houston, because I have an easier draw to get to the Elite eight, is the better value pick. And you're looking to take a region future ticket, all right, Yeah, I think Illinois probably has the toughest four seed, but maybe the easiest two in three that's debatable, but maybe

that's good. Yeah, West Virginia vulnerable. I agree with that. Yeah, um, all right, we'll we'll have Jim Root join us next. From three man, we've the three of us, Matt Cox, Jim Route, and I we'll start with the West and the East. Will go through those two sides of March madness, those two regions. We'll do it bracket by bracket, will do a t S if there's a t S thoughts, will certainly do it as an advanced through the bracket as well. The madness is here. Matt Cox kind enough

to stay with us. From three Man We've again at three m W underscore CBB Matt Cox via the magic of Skype and Matt. Look who just walked into the studio. Also from three Man Weaves just like old times. Man, Jim Root, you do, Jim Good. It's good to be back in the South Point studio. It's been a while for me. This guy. Man, look at this guy. You know, yeah, I see the COVID, but but I'm here. I made it. You made it. Yeah, so yeah, we couldn't do this for a year. I used to come here regularly to

talk college basketball, the numbers game. Um, and you're getting a taste. You've been co hosting shows on Visa and how's that going? What's going well? You know, clearly they've elevated me, elevated me above Matt and the other two. I'm in person. So look, I've taken that extra step, Matthew, I think they like me more. I'm sorry, shots fired. I went to this whole little thing to get my background set up for March Madness ship, and I'm still

just throwing. You know, you're in the Ivory Tower. I'm just looking up and in all of you so we can all spire reach the level that you're at right now. By the way, you and Kai Kai, who was joining us in about a half hour. You guys coming into town this week as well, Yeah, Thursday evening. I believe it's in our flight lands. We have heard of us joining for an annual tradition, and I'm playing on saying

next week as well. So I'm hoping to weasel my way in to Jim's throwing for some studio hits next week, depending the offers on the table. For on the table, sir, All right, let's do it. You have one for me formally? All right, let's start with here's what we'll do. We'll do west and east, the three of us, and when KaiA comes on in, will tackle both the south and

the midwest. Let's start this bracket by bracket. Will go to the west first, Gonzaga against the winner of Norfolk State and Appalachias Date, and again we'll do this a T S and brackets. I assume that everybody's going to advance Gonzaga past the winner of the Mountaineers of app State from the Sun Belt and the Spartans of Norfolk State from MIAK that playing game. Do you agree, Jim though, with Matt on playing Appalachian State against the number here?

I do. I think that's probably the side there. It's just it's weird to have a Sun Belt team in the playing game that that conferences like above playing to me in my mind? Yes, so you're with it? Lay the three there, yep. Okay, Appalachian Date, Mountaineers, the winner of the Gonzaga play in winner game, which we're all advancing Gazaga there. Um, we'll play the winner of Oklahoma and Missouri the eight nine game in the West Region.

Oklahoma favored by two points. Here, Jim will start with you because this is you know, this is as close to that as close but very close to a coin flip here, who do you like to advance? Do you like the number? I thought you're gonna say you're starting with me because it's close to home for me. It's alma mater, Miszoo. I'm sorry, yeah, that the Tigers. I'm a little nervous about the match up. I think there's

a coaching edge for Oklahoma here. I thin Kruger's will a little better than Klanza, particularly in postseason settings, and the matchup, I'm worried. I think picking Pops with Brady Manic, they can spread out Miszoo's defense. Jeremiah Tilma not great at covering in space like that, and then defensively, Oklahoma is going to be a shell and make Miszoo shoot over the top. I assume, Matt are you with me there?

Are you actually gonna back my my alma mater here? No, I'm gonna sit next to you guys in rout you on because I cannot stand to be in the town of Vegas after Missoo loses. So I went to that experience when you guys fumbled it against Florida State. So don't do that again, please for my own personal morale and my experience my return to the desert matchup wise, I think you said it. You know, you hit the nail on the head. The one thing that Lon Kruger

always does. He finds mismatches. I call him the mismatch Mastermind. But mssour has big guards and they have burstal defenders. I don't think that there as exploitable from that angle. But if Kruger sees a weakness that you know, develops throughout the game, I think he finds it. So yeah, Cloak Coaching edge to oh you, I think the price is about right. It's clip Coast are close to a coin club. I think minus two is a pretty a pretty accurate price. So no a t s play here,

but something for me. Yeah, you're thinking towards Oklahoma. I mean maybe there's some like emotional hedge anti bias that I'm working with there. So all right, but you're advancing Oklahoma. Yes, okay, you hate your alma mater. I'm just kidding, alright. Five twelve game in the West. So yesterday on the show, I had about, you know, three different instances of people liking the Gauchos. Here for an outright upsets you c SB the twelve seed of the Gauchos out of the

Big West Big West Conference Tournament champions against Creighton. Creighton got House did the Big East title game against Georgetown. Creton is the five seed. Creighton is a six and a half point favorite. By the way, that Oklahoma Missouri game is actually Saturday, the second day, UM Creton, U C. S B, Jim A T s or advanced. Either way, How do you want to go here? I'm struggling with this one. Ucs B still waiting on some injury news here with a jar Sni one of their starting guards.

He's a double digit score key piece for them. If he's in, that'll probably tip me towards UC Santa Barbara. Without him, I think maybe that it's getting a little too cute trying to back the gauchos here, and I would go Creton so lean towards you met so pending right now, in other words, pending skill Alexander, Jim Root, Matt Cox, both those guys from three Man Weave. It's a numbers game at Visa, the sports betting network, Visa dot Com, the Visa at foodbost Link game plus. Of

course I R radio Matt your thoughts on that. Yeah, it seems like U C. S B. E feels like what's happening on the other side of the bracket with Villa Nova and went Throp the darling Cinderella is already starting to be formed with the Eagles, and I see seemed getting the same vibes as you mentioned here with the GAU shows. I'm sort of pouring pouring cold water on both those. I respect Craton, they don't have the same injury issues that Nova does. Like this team is

just very undervalued right now. I think Steven's a pretty accurate price. The early money hit it pretty hard from eight and a half down to seven. But I'm not going to follow the public party here on u C s B. I just respect the Jas too much. I think they're making up shots. They defend well too. I think it's the thing that's forgotten about this j S team. They really defended a lot better down the stretch, and you see he's got plenty of talent. But I just

think seven's too short. Yeah, rounding out that half of the of the West region. By the way, when everybody at UCSB yesterday it made me worried as well. But rounding out the winner of the five twelve creaton UCSB game plays, the winner of Virginia and Ohio, the who's number four seed out of the a SEC. That's the highest seed but they SEC team this year against the Bobcats of Ohio MAC tournament champs. They get the thirteen s lot. Who's favored by It was eight now it's

seven and a half. Let's call it actually was ten and a half as an open all the way down to seven and a half in favor of u v A. Another of all all these games, by the way, on Saturday, Jim, we'll start with you here again. I'm I'm an Ohio guy. I'm a Bobcat. I think that that steamed down from that opener of ten and a half, which was crazy to me, makes sense. Virginia, we don't even know who all is going to be there. They're they're traveling to

this game on Thursday. There, they're still back home quarantining after pulling out of the a SEC tournament. We don't know for sure they'll be full strength. And Ohio is playing so well right now. They are hitting, hitting their stride at the right time. They've got a star at point guard. They've got a pretty balanced roster. Matthew, I am, I am an Ohio bob kitten. Here are you joining me? I missed the number. I don't know why. I guess how snooze and are looking up at the ceiling or something.

But yeah, at this point, got to hit down immediately at for the COVID reasons you mentioned. Akin to my take with Cranton UCSB, I just think the line's gotten a little too short. I'm not looking to buy back on Virginia yet. Um, but but I think it's if you're looking to play Ohio, which I think is the right side, you've missed your price. So I think you gotta find other other spots to pick off. Oh I can really shoot it, man. They got deep, deep range

on multiple their guards. Ben vander Plaska is a sort of a mismatch in verse four, who could be a tricky spot for the who's to defend? So yeah, I think the Virginia could be an upset alert here. I just think from a betting perspective at seven, it's too low. You advancing Ohio and your brackets. I am I'm taking Ohio here yet I am going to take Ohio my bracket. Yeah, I have to. There you go. That's the classic. I won't bet on them, but I'll advance them. Cool, that's

exactly that's right. Come on, Matt, come on the other side. Of the Western Region USC. We talked about this moments ago Matt and turns the playing game, which to State Drake winner to take on USC. What was your take on the Witch Toll State Drake game? Real quick, Matt again, Drake Darien rise is offense is tough to prepare for if you don't know it, and I think the Missouri Valley teams have an edge because they're so familiar with it. Drake has always been good against the number of the

last few years, no matter what. They are especially good out of conference against teams that aren't familiar with it. I think Drake has a very substantial matchumage, especially with Tank hen Toll back in the fold. You're nodding, Jim, I'm with him. Yeah, I think he said it. They're They're great non conference against the spread twenty and eight the last three years, so almost there. They're really tough if you're not familiar with them. They remember that playing

game is on Thursday. This year everything staggered, so the four playing games, the first four in if you will on Thursday, and then the sixty four starts on a Friday. Uh, either of you have Drake or Wichita State. If it happens to be Wichita State beating USC. I do not. I just USC size worries me. Drake can kind of get beat up inside even though they have Darnell Brodie. It's it's only one man against the mountains that USC offers.

So I just I'm not quite confident that without Roman pen there that the tray can get into the round of thirty two. Yeah. I mean, and Field has been really good in the tournament. You look back the last few years. I think he's he's I'm looking at numbers right, he's four and oh his last four games in March. He had that run as a play in UH seed a few years back. They this year just that size and that a thousands and that talent is so overwhelming.

I disrespecting them all season. I'm done doing that. I think that I think the Trojans can march onto the sweet six team to be honest, against a potentially vulnerable KU squad there in the second round. It's being both teams in advance. Oh what about that KU? Eastern Washington? The three four team gave the Eagles out of the Big Sky first time in the tournaments. Kansas favored by about ten and a half mant Eastern Washington defense not

always trustworthy, but yeah I am so. I'll say this Oral Roberts not always trustworthy defensively, but both teams can score the crap out of the ball. And it's a very unorthodox offense. They run sort of through a high post action, a lot of cutters and shooters off that. If k He's not connected on defense, this is a game where they can find themselves downtent early just through a straight barrage of threes. This will be a cute

first of fifteen. But for me, I think gil so I look out for the books taking some big money here on the sharp shooting Eagles to to get up early on the Hawks. Yeah, it's it's come down a little bit. I'm sort of inclined to hope it gets two single digits. In back Kansas. They're coming off COVID issues of their own. It sounds like McCormick will be able to play, but Jalen Wilson starting forward not traveling

for them, so they're a little bit shorthanded. I still think you can guard them somewhat, and Eastern Washington can't stop anybody. I think Kansas can score almost it will here, so Kansas advances. You might even play them if it gets the single digits here, Okay, a t s that is last two in the West. Uh. The seven ten game is Oregon VCU. Duck's favored by six last night. Check let me update that. And then the two fifteen game they'll play the winner. That is the seven ten game.

The Oregan VCU winner will take on the winner of Iowa Grand Canyon. The Antelopes out of the whack Hawkeyes favored by more than a couple of touchdowns here fourteen and a half, and I think jim on either of those. I think Grand Canyon is a really good matchup against Iowa. It's they've got the size to at least battle with Garza inside. So I'm hoping that ticks back up to fifteen, but I will probably end up back in Grand Canyon there, but I would advances in the bracket of course. And

then uh, anything on Oregon VCU. I like Oregon, but the numbers too high, so I'll be advancing it but not betting it. Advancing Oregon but not betting it. Stame with you, man, Yeah, advancing Oregan. I made this read minus four. It was actually tempted to take VCU on the opener, but it's come down a little bit. I trust an Altman. He is phenomenal in the tournament. Kin to Jim Beheim and some of these coaches who use a myriad of junk defenses to throw wrenches and opposing offenses,

Altman's a top coach. Prepared for man, especially if they advance. I'd be on upsite alert if you're a Hawkeye fan. Um. Altman's especially good in the short turnaround spots. Round of thirty two, Elite eight we've seen the the last few seasons. I think they get past VCU, and they could being the Sweet sixteen. They make some shots against the Hawkeyes.

All right, all those games on Saturday, by the way, in the Western Region, all right, let's go to the East, the winner of the Western Region, and we'll get your final four picks here. Momentarily, winner of the West will take on the winner of the East. Michigan is the number one seed. Obviously Isaiah livers Um. I don't know. Michigan might not have him for the whole weekend here. Can they survive to the Sweet sixteen? Will they get him back for the Sweet sixteen? They won't have him

for the weekend. Michigan will take on the winner of Mount St. Mary's in Texas Southern the play in game for the number sixteen seed. Matt already said he actually likes Mount Saint Mary's in the play in game against the number You like it, Yeah, I'm with him. I took it early two and a half. I think i'd still take it a pick because I do think they win. They just got some matchup edges and I think a coaching advantage there as well. Yeah, straight pick him now

in that one. Yeah, it's still worth it. Okay, still worth it, all right? I assume you have Michigan advancing, though I do No. One sixteen on my bracket, and now do you either bet? Okay, eight nine games the winner. We're assuming Michigan will take on the winner of the eight nine game. This is pretty good right year. L s U out of the SEC, playing great against the Atlantic tin regular season and conference tournament champions, the bodies of St. Bonaventure. L s U favored by two is

what I'm seeing right now? Too is the latest? Yes too? So um and this, by the way, still Saturday, you'll see someone and a half. Let's call it one and a half kid census. Jim thoughts here, I took the Bonnies money line. I liked them quite a bit. Mark Schmidt is a great game planner, fantastic for the Bonnies. He just game planned for a whole week for a shock of smart assistant for the ten Championship against ECU,

and now he's got to do it again. Will Wade at L s U a shock of smart assistant as well. I think he's he's basically got a bunch of tricks up his street sleeve here. The only worry is that this is kind of a five man team, and if they get in foul trouble at all, they're they're in for Their bench is just bad. So they've just got to stay in the half court and out of foul trouble. Maddie, Yeah, I'm a Bonnie boy, have been all season. I do want to give some crowd to L. S U who

has played better defensively. Will Waite has those guys defending at a higher level than we saw earlier in the year, starting to play some man to man and actually weaponize the athletes that they have. It's shocking that they've been as bad defensively given all the you know, the size and the speed at all five positions. But in a close sort of toss up pickup game, Jim's right, just take the better coach and Mark Smitz as good as anyone in the country in terms of X and no

tactician game planning. All right, all these games we said, we decided to do it West East. All these games Saturday. By the way, these are the second day of the tournament, if you will, um the playing games, notwithstanding five twelve in the East, Colorado against Georgetown, Patrick Ewing at Georgetown winning the Big East Tournament. Uh, the that's five and it's been five the whole time. So Colorado favored by five. Jim, I kind of like Georgetown. Yes, I leaned that way.

It felt a little bit short on the number, but I kind of looked at it again. And Colorado away from Boulder, where they've just demolished teams at altitude, has not been quite as good. Uh. And Georgetown just they're playing fantastic you right now. They've kind of figured out an identity that they're hitting shots from the perimeter, and I think they can score inside here. Despite Colorado having some decent interior protection, cute just swahab a beast inside

for for they Now, are you uh? Are you on the on George Town as well? Are you going with Colorado A t s and advancing them in your brackets five? Matt? I'm going the other way on both. I think the concerns about George tommiell score inside or about I looked at some of the advanced numbers. Kryle's post defense has not been that great this year for a team that we think of physical size, you know, flushed up front, really have had trouble stopping guys in in the paint.

I think Calad was just undervalued. I really look at what they've done the last month. Blew a lot of late leads. Um got up early on a bunch of teams if they sided. I took first half ye a guilt because I'm warring about the same dynamic playing out here. The five feels too high and sort of an ugly game. But I did take my three first half on the bumps. I need to get out to a hot start. And I think this whole Georgetown run sort of like the organ State thing. It was cute, it was fun. I'm

just not by the endo. I think they'd go home early. How dare you dare? And I had to offend your DC roots there? Later you will fade Maryland, I'm sure as well, that's coming up. I actually like the terms. We'll get their momentarily. Winner of Colorado Georgetown five twelve takes on the winner Florida State, U N and CG the University of North Carolina Greensboro, the Spartans out of the Southern four thirteen game. Florida State favored by double

digits here. I'm gonna assume you're gonna advance the seminoles here, but what about the number. I'm probably gonna end up backing FSU here. I'm kind of waiting to see what the number is. But I just think for every mid major that gets into the tournament, your nightmare matchup is Florida State because you can't do anything against them athletically. They're huge, and unc Greensboro's whole edges. They've got a point guard as a miller who is like maybe the

best athlete in the tournament. He has a near fifty in vertical. He's an absolute stud. But that advantage is completely nullified against Florida state and athleticism that they have, so I the only worry for FSDU is turning the ball over against pressure. But I still think Florida States the play here interesting as it relates to mid majors.

Matt Yeah, un CG is basically the most athletic and tallest team against every team they play up until this point, and should mention Floria Satan and gains all of that. I mean, this is like a nightmare matchup for U n c G. I will absolutely be advancing Florida State. From a spread perspective, UNCG is spunky enough to keep it close. I don't really see the Doles blowing the doors off the Spartans, So that's where I was a

little bit torn. Can maybe talk me into taking a small dabble on on the Spartans here at plus eleven, it's pretty high spread, but this is not an upset alert for me. Terrible draw here for the for West Miller and the Spartans back half of the Eastern Region b y U the number six S is gonna take. The winner is going to take on the winner of the Michigan State u c L A blue blood play

in game. Steth Walter from ESPN was on earlier on the show, his number one giant Killer Model shot was you see l A over B y U. Yeah, I think he's still had Michigan State over view. I fairly highly rated as well. That surprised me. I mean, maybe you B y u s tempo is not super conducive to to not getting upset, But I like B YU here. I think Mark Pope is a terrific coach no matter who they play. Yeah, I like him either way. Michigan

State maybe the more dangerous matchup to me. I'm sorry sorry to Model there, but I'm rolling with the Cougars there, Matt. I think you're a You're a big cougar boy, aren't you. Yeah, cougar is blind, doesn't matter who wins this matchup, I think. Yeah. I think that's that's the reputation just exactly. Yeah, the Store and Mormons no affiliation with that with that school. But Mark Pope top five coach for me in the country. I think he's that good. Um, they can march on

really far in this wide open region. I think their size upfront will bully whoever comes out of this play and game win or both U C. L A and Michigan State much thinner upfront than they have been in years past. Matt, you stayed away from Michigan State U c l A. Do you have any conviction on that? Not a current number. I took it. In mind, this one up to two makes me a little nervous. I

think it's closer to a coin flip. Okay, b Y, you play in game winner, whether it's Michigan State or U c l A takes on the winner of the three fourteen game Texas Big Twelve Tournament champs against Abilene Christian the Wildcats out of the Southland. UH. Texas favored by nine. Let's call it eight and a half now, Jim will start with you. Abilene Christian live or not? I don't think so. It's a little similar to UNC Greensboro and Florida State, where Abilene has been all about

their size and the paint. They're one of the biggest post up teams in the entire country, and you can't do that against Texas. They're huge inside. So I'll keep this one quick. I think Texas kind of blows them out. Okay, So against the number two, yeah, I took it. I took eight and a half. So Matt. Yeah, Texas just takes care of the ball. I think they win pretty easily here. Um, Joe Golding is a phenomenal basketball coach.

What he's done with that program, making the tradition to D one now having him as a powerhouse of that conference. Very commendable. Brutal matchup drawl though. I mean Texas like Florida State, like Tennessee. I think they're all three very undervalue teams that played like elite teams at certain spurts throughout the season. Um, and there's a bound to start playing right back to that with the stakes as high

as they are now. All right, Um, we're gonna run into a break here, So I'm gonna save yukon Maryland and Alabama iona for well, let's just tell Alabama I OA real quick the two fifteen. Alabama favored by seventeen here last I last I checked. You'll advance Alabama against Rick Petino's gals. I would imagine any play on the number. Yeah, it's too high. I'm I'm on the Gayls on the gail. I think they can be feisty, they can stop drible penetration a little bit, so I'll be Yeah, I took

my ownA at seventeen and a half. You too, Matt. You're nodding, yes, sir, exact same advancing Bama. But I think the gals keep it close. Ish okay, I'll save you can Maryland for after the break. Get your thoughts on who you got in the final four. Take a look at some region by region odds as well. Is there a bet to be made to win the region? We shall see Jim Root, Matt Cox, Kima Keon will

join us coming up as well. We'll do the other two regions right here on the numbers game visa these sports betting network is Gal Alexander, Matt Cox and Jim Root from three man. We've here kind of me. I'm still talking, so he'll be joining us in a minute. And big shots still got a full time job, so we gotta let him do that. We neglected one game,

almost timed it perfectly. But the winner of the Alabama I own a to fifteen, which you guys both said, you like Alabama to advance, but you like the Gales of Iona against the number um is the seven ten game between Yukon and Maryland. Yukon favored by It was two and a half last night looked. I'll update that for you. But Yukon Maryland it is three. Let's call it now three across the board. How do you feel

about this? I took Yukon minus too. I'm gonna wish I was skyping for this now that I'm I'm sitting next to you betting against Maryland. Okay, Ukans got some questions. R J Cole is in concussion protocol. He's been awesome for them down the stretch, so if he's not back, I'm a little concerned about the two. But I'm hoping he plays. And I just think Ukans kind of on the on the ascendancy right now and book night is is too much of a star to bet against in March, Matt,

I sense that you agree. You know I do. I was hyping up your terms earlier. I looked at the you know, sort of the zoom in efficiency status that bark Torvik offers. Since the Illinois game, Maryland's been a top twenty five team. They've played tremendously. Turgent made some tweaks to their lineup. They played kind of a five out, perimeter oriented type approach. Just a tough draw against Yukon

that can beat up inside with all their size. I'm gonna advance to Yukon with you know, burgrudgingly, because I do think Marilan is a team that has a dark horse ten a to it. It just got put in really, you know, crappy spot in the brackets. So I will advance Yukon. I have no bet on this. I think

it's a pretty accurate spread. All right. We'll save the South in the Midwest for when Kai gets here after the after the break here, But I wanted to get your guys thoughts on these region markets, which are available at bet MGM per region. Is there a bet to be made? Let's start anywhere you want to go here, Jason, Region by region. Um, we'll start with again courtesy of bet mg the West gonzag Is region, if you will,

gonzag is minus one h everybody else a distance. Iowa would be the closest, the shortest shot otherwise at plus six fifty great eight to one everybody else double digits. By the way, if Norfolk State won this or Appalachian State won this, like if Norfolk State one, that shouldn't we get more than a hundred one? Yeah, it should be ten thousand of one ship really should be Jim Dye think you like here? Besides, Gonzaga is at all Gonzaga? I unfortunately, no, Yeah, I think Gonzaga wins value wise.

Maybe I could truck and say Creighton plus eight hundred, but I just I'm kind of a Gonzaga backer all all along. So nothing for me here, Matt Gonzaga, Yeah, Zag, especially if it's less than minus two hundred. I saw a few bucks had it at minus two thirty, So an MGM has given you, I think a fair price there. I said, it's the easiest, easiest path for any of the one seeds are the best team. I think you'd take the Zags and go go forward next Jason, next

region on this again. These courtesy of bet MGM, proud sponsors of this here program. Uh. These are the odds to win the East Michigan's if you will Michi and plus one seventy five the number one seed. This is a little more interesting. Alabama four to one, f s U five to one, Texas plus five fifty, UKN eight to one, and then everybody else double digits again. Isaiah Livers not going to be available here this weekend. How do you feel here, Jim, this is the region to

take a shot. I think Michigan being I think the most vulnerable number one without livers. I'm looking at that Alabama Florida State tier a little bit, but then even further down, I think I won't steal what I think that's going to say, but Yukon could could be a potential dark course. I just think this is the region

where you take a swing man. Yeah, I'm gonna probably spread my risk across three teams, Florida State, Yukon, m B I u uh talk storing Mormons earlier, and I think Florida State has a chance to elevate themselves to being the clear cut best team in this region. We've seen Leonard Hamilton's teams make these types of runs before they really have everything clicking. Right now, I think the dolls are pretty good bet there at what is that plus five D? I actually seen up to a plus

nine dred some books as well. You you and Seth Walder oppo b y U My goodness, all right, let's get through these fan well, disrespect Mark Pope by your own perilment. That kind of big thinks they're they're ripe for giant Sledge. Odds to win the South Baylor even money, Ohio State six to one, Texas Tech eight to one, everybody else double digits. Jim, I kind of like Baylor at plus one hundred. I think I saw Earli there

like minus one two hundred places. I I still think Baylor can get to a gear that other teams can't. Not the best Texas Tech outfit here. It's I mean, the value is pretty high for well, I guess for for a sixth seed, Matt, yeah, all Baylor. I just love the narrative that this could be the Big twelve verse Big ten. Uh, you know, basically battleground. Baylor could potentially has to go through Wisconsin, Perdue, and Ohio State.

And I'm a big subscribe to the to the narrative that the Big twelve is still better than the Big ten and we'll play as such tournament real quick. Then. Odds to win the Midwest, the Lionized region there plus one fifty. Okay State four to one. West Virginia and Houston both sixth and one. Everybody else double digits. That's that's those are sharp lines. I like to Olcahoma State at higher prices, but four to one, isn't isn't entirely valuable. I like Houston at that price plus six hundred. Tough

drawfer Okay state, Matt, Yeah, I love Houston. Easiest draw there on the bottom half of the bracket. You avoid the Illinois and Oklahoma state barn burner potentially, so yeah, I think Houston plus six hundreds in the right plant all right, South and Midwest bracket buy bracket. Next the numbers game at Vista and these Sports Betting Network with three man we've by the way, it's Gill Alexander with all the three man we've crew now Matt Cox, Jim Root,

Kay McKeon joining us as well. Are you doing, kay? You good? I'm doing well, Guilt. It's great to see old Jim there in the studio. That's uh, that's fun. Yeah, guess Jim is really really feels like Jim. You know, you feel a little superior to those two guys right now. Absolutely definitely beneath me. Unreal. Alright, guys, So in the interest of time, by the way, you all, I hate to put you on the spot here. Do you have any and I who's gonna win the n I T do you even know who's in the n I t do.

I did a little mini preview for it. I kind of like Davidson is a value play, but I think Slew wins it. St. Louis wins it. But you like Davidson is a value play? All right? All right, I'm not gonna go around the horn for that. I don't think they all right the horn discussion. So in the interest of time here, I'm gonna I'm gonna call out each bracket here and if there's a definitive a t S or upset pick um, anybody feel free to shout out here. So let's start Baylor Hartford the one sixteen.

We're talking to South Region. Now, Baylor favored by good Lord twenty six last I look against the Hartford Hawks out of the American East, first time out of the Americans that they've ever been in the tournament. Um, Baylor advances everybody, I would assume. And there's there's no play against the Bread, is there? Blood bath? I took Baylor twenty five and a half. I think they murder him. Wow. Yeah, I agree with Jim. I think it's gonna be just

a total destruction. Hartford maybe slows it down, only hope. Okay, yeah, so we've sweeped here, and Gail I saw Matt Netcap tweeted out there's some back and porch sharp action. So sounds like we and had to have with some big money on the dog here. But yeah, I like the favorite lay in the wood across the board, winner of the one sixteen plays, the winner of the eight nine between Carolina and Wisconsin a CC against a big ten. This is a was it two points of favorite of

the heels? Yeah, it's I don't love the line, but I'm taking Carolina to advance. I just don't trust this wisconstant team at all. Carolinas who advanced no play against the number guys. I'm kind of fighting against Jim here. I'm I'm leading Badgers. I wrote this preview up and I couldn't really decide gil. Ultimately, I'm gonna go with the better guards, and Wisconsin's guards are just extremely better than U n C's. UM. They might get killed inside,

but I'm hoping to swing offense frustrates the UNC. Maybe a radic defense somewhat. Matt, I got nothing here complain toss up. I wish my colleagues both walking their head to head. I love it five twelve Villanova Winthrop Eagles out of the Big South. No Colin Gillespie Villanova by six might have changed though. Yeah. I gave Matt a little guff earlier for the for betting or advancing a dog but not betting it. That's kind of what I

might do here. I think this line is too low, but I'm kind of with the the groundswell of opinion that is on the Winthrop side. Dancing I got Villanova might is six and a half. Can says it. So you you're you're taking Winthrop to advance. I am okay, guys with them to advance? Anybody else I think so too. I think everyone is on Winthrop right in the public to ESPN, guys are on Winthrop. I think no Glespie

really hurts them here. They haven't played a team that pressures quite yet like Winthrop does without him in the lineup, Mat no play. Just feels like everyone and their mothers on Winthrop and six points for Villanova. I don't care if Glspie plays or not. He's not playing. It just seems disrespectful, so I know bed for me and their mother, Matt,

I'm with you. Per Due North Texas winner Villanova Winthrop takes on the fourth thirteen game, Mean Green of North Texas out of Conference USA per Due boiler Maker's favored by seven and a half. I think this game is too ugly to take the favorite. I would take North Texas. If anything, I will probably not bet the side I leaned to. It's the under. I think it's just going to be a gross, gross, half court game. Matt or Kin, Yeah, nuts and strong. I'm leaning to North Texas. I'm leaning

under Iger Jim. It's gonna be very, very ugly lean North Texas lean under, although I see it's been bet down a little bit one six, so it could be too low for me at this point. Yanks all right. Second half of the brackets six eleven Texas Tech Utah State uh Steth Walder, again earlier in the show, gave Utah State a puncher's chance here. Texas Tech Red Raiders favored by five consensus. I'm with him. I I bet the under here, but I'm also maybe going to take

Uta State now that it is five. I saw four and a half for a while at five. I like the Ikes. It's a great coaching matchup here. Wow, I did too. I did to Texas texts gonna have trouble scoring inside against this Utah State defense. I I think Utah State covers here. I think they might even win the game. Mat Yeah, this is one of my best bets the first round. I'm glad that Steth came around. He missed the boat on the other Utah Morbran based program there at you I U, but he got this

one right. God you love by U. Winner of six eleven Texas Tech. UTAs State takes on the winner of three four teen game. What a matchup, at least on paper. Arkansas Coal Gate one sixty two, I believe is the spread. I'll double check on that. Arkansas favored by nine and a half over the Raiders from the Patriot League. I think the opener was crazy low for the total here, and it immediately got that up. That made sense. I liked the over, but on the number, I kind of

in Arkansas. Colgate hasn't played a nonconference game all year. I think this is a big step up in competition for them. It is one sixty two, but it has come down a bit on the spread, so it's nine or eight and a half's out there. I think I think Arkansas scores a hundred. I think they covered this game. Colgate has not played any team close to their caliber. Justice Smith is going to crush them in the pain made. No colleagues are wrong, coal Gate. It's going to be

a barnburner back and forth. They can make shots and go punch for punch with the with pigs. Joe, I like the raid is you're taking the points? Are you advancing them in your bracket though? Mr Man, Yeah, I guess I have to. I can't be a coal Gate stand and so I'll take points in advance. I like it all right. Last two Florida votech seven ten in the South. Uh, this is as close to a pick him as again Virginia Tech major coaching edge. I'm I'm taking the Hokies. Yeah, I got nothing here. I'm really

early in for a toss up in this one. Okeyes, for sure. I like Mike Young with time to prepare, that's a tough offense to game plan for. I I worry from Mike White in that defense. All right, straight up pick him on that one. A couple of votes for the Hokies right there, and then the winner of that seven ten game takes on the winner of a

House State, Oral Roberts the Golden Eagles out of the summit. Now, before I just passed this off, we've we have a little bit of Oral Bob love here anecdotally here at Vista. What do you think here? I I leaned them for the side. I took the over earlier at a lower number. I think this is a complete shootout. Neither team can stop each other. Both have prolific offenses. So I like the over lean towards Oral Bob like the over lean towards Oral Roberts. Supposed to the points, but you'll advance

the House State will Yeah? All right, kay I Coach Jim, I think there's gonna be a ton of points. Really fun game to watch, Man Max A. Smith. That guy is a lightning bolt for for Oral Roberts. One fifty six and a half, by the way, the total and Matt, Yeah, I love old Bob to go. I just wanted that your colleagues haven't seen them play defense, which is where they are not always engaged. To put it lightly, so this one could be in the hundreds. Apparently. The word

that I got was Greg Hoops Peterson. As soon as you saw the brackets the very first thing he said was Oral Roberts for the win. Yeah right, all right, there's your South. One more to go. Midwest will get to it next. We'll get these guys final four. Uh maybe Ellen pushed them to a lead. Eight picks coming up as well. Although Jim, you and I are in the same boat, brackets are a whole different animal. Yeah, I'm bad at them, terrible at practic pools in the game.

Thanks for joining us, everybody. No, we'll do the We'll do the Midwest next. What more to get to with the three man we've crew, Ki, Jim, Matt coming back on the numbers game at Visa. These sports betting that work, Matt, Kai and Jim all at once. And Jim, you guys do something every day over there at SBR. You should let the folks know about that. Yeah, I just want to mention Sports Book Review dot Com. We got a morning show five days a week at nine, Ames Central,

seven and Pacific. I just want to get that sneak that plug in there. Also, you should be an auctioneer every once in a while. Pretty pretty soon it's gonna be like five states states and that's the end of the Show's a big, a whole segment alright, Midwest Illinois Drexel the one sixteen game. Uh the line I full disclosure, I have made to want to win it all, so I'm a big line I fan here. Um, they're monster favorites against Drexel. Obviously north of twenty points. Let's call

it twenty two and a half. Um Illinois to advance any play on the number year. I think Illinois blows them out. It's a terrible matchup for Drexel. They can't guard pick and roll. Illinois is great at that. Just worried about Drexel slowing the game down. We have it at twenty three up on the screen as well. Kay, is it weird? I kind of lean Drexel. I kind of do. I'm not. I'm not taking anything officially here,

but the Dragons are scrappy. I think they should be a fifteen seeds, so they're a little underseated for me. By the way, of course, that would be a sixteen one game on the screen there at Visa dot Com. Matt, Drexel is a paper tiger, Jim. I think you have the three shooting stats the last six or so games. They've just rode this hot wave of lights out shooting. I think ELLINOI blows them out in their last six

games from deep. That's that's fake. Kai likes that. Kai likes the dragons out of the Colonial plus the points. It is a little weird, Kuy, but but I respected. Yeah. One six winner, we student with the a lie and I goes up against the eight nine winner Loyola of Chicago, the Ramblers out of the Missouri Valley two point favorites

over a CC tournament champion George A. Tech. Let's call it two and a half now, Jim, Yeah, this is a tricky matchup for Loyal I was ready to auto advance them against just about anybody, but Georgia Tech plays a tricky matchup zone that could make what LOYALA wants to do offensively difficult. I'm still going with Loyola. I took him at minus two against number and him advancing them as well. Right, Yeah, really ugly game, low scoring. I think loyal is gonna gonna cover this one, though,

I think they're gonna advance as well. Um minus two and a half. I'm on the Ramblers here first of the Oh yeah, my first bat on the board. I don't like the matchup Tokyo. I just think poor Moser figures it out. Even though Loyala has not seen any zone this season whatsoever, it does concern me. I think the price is fair. I would take loyal on minus two and a half. But consensus on loyal tchicargo right there.

I'm interesting. I did not expect that five twelve games Tennessee and Oregon State Oregon State bid stealer out of the pack twelve vols seven and a half point favorites. Yeah, I have nothing on this. On the side here, I my number leans Tennessee. The Oregan State I think can do some tricky zone defenses to mess with the balls. But I like the under is what I actually played under. I think ugly game. Look at you playing some totals. I respect that. What was your number? I see one

thirty one and a half. I got one thirty two, but I would still take one one and a half. Okay, uh yeah. John Folgerson's status key he got nailed in the face in one of their last games for Tennessee. I think the balls are gonna crush Organ State on the glass. I actually leaned pretty heavily towards Tennessee. I'm not sure, I'm confident to putting money down on it. Yeah, I'm surprised it's come down. Go. I think it's minus

seven and i've boks right now. If I get confirmation that forms and is kind of play and it's still seven, I'll probably add more. I'm already holding minor State. I just think this organ State, you know, magic carpet right comes to an end. It's it's over, It's done, alright. Five twelve winner gets a couple of magic carpet rides it here for you. Five twelve winner will take on the winner of Oklahoma State Liberty the four thirteen game

in the Midwest region. We talked earlier Matt and I did Oklahoma State maybe the rawest deal in this entire tournament, getting that four seed and getting a matchup let alone there if they have to face the balls in the second round. Some people think that's tough matchup, but they got to take on the Liberty flames out of the Atlantic Sun, and Liberty sort of fits all the bills of what a giant killer has. Profile wise, Oklahoma State

is favored by currently seven and a half. This has been bet down a lot of money coming in on Liberty here. That was men I took. I took nine and a half. I like the flames did I do that? I can still deal with seven and a half. But it's just, yeah, the way they sloat down, the way they shoot threes, it's kind of a problematic matchup for Oklahoma State. Yeah, not to mention on the other end,

they're gonna have to turn Oklahoma State into shooters. I liked my auds with Liberty plus seven and a half there and there in their pack line defense, Matthew, there's the Pakiston defense reference. We always got sea. Yeah, the pack line didn't. We call that a box in one when we were kids. It's a little different, a little different, but it's just it's just a just pack in to the to the key right the defense. If you're off

the ball, you're you're really squeezed into right. So if your opponent is hitting threes, you're in big trouble with a pack line. Yeah, okay, sorry about that, matt Go ahead, and this is my my drink for the pack line drinking game here. But this is a trip to the dentist for Okloma State. I think they advanced, but it will not be an easy k qualk, It'll be a painful forty minutes for k and the boys. Just to clarify, you have Liberty advancing. No, I'm advancing Oklahoma State. I

think clutch time Kade makes plays all right. Second half of the Midwest. Then San Diego State Syracuse six eleven game. Uh, the Aztecs favored by three here against Jim Beeheim in his thirty five tournament. Yes, it's it's wild. I'm going to San Diego State, even though I'm terrified of the narrative of Syracuse sneaks in, maybe doesn't deserve it and goes on a run. Totally feels that way. I'm just glad that I'm backing a coach I really trust here

in Brian Ducher. If it wasn't somebody that I liked, like if this was USC in the spot, I would take Syracuse. But I'll ride with the Aztecs. I'm going with Beheim. In the voodoo magic that the evil black magic he possesses. I think Syracuse could could shoot San Diego State out of the gym. So I'll take plus three and I'll probably have him advancing too. In my bracket. Yeah, Syracuse eight and two against the number last three tournaments,

covering by averages seven points a game. There's something very real to be him in March, and the way that zone be fuddles teams that don't know it that well. So I like the ques here. You're on an island there. That's fine, all right, I'll deal with it. Six eleven winner San Diego State Syracuse takes on a whinever the three four team game West Virginia and Moorhead State. The Eagles out of the Ohio Valley Mountaineers. Not your typical

Mountaineers team in terms of their profile. Favored by double digits here, let's call it twelve and a half. Yeah, they're all offense this year ever since Oscar Sheeway transferred. I'm gonna back more Head State on the number. Not a not a strong lean at all. I just wrote this game last night, and I don't feel super strongly about it. But I'll advance West Virginia here. I got nothing in this game. I really have no feel. I

think I leaned West Virginia. If I had a gun on my head, choose a side, but I'm staying away. I kind of like under. I think more actually controls the tempo and they keep this to a really slow mid sixties possession and game. I think las Vinia has troll scoring against the the Eagles defense, so I like like the underman nothing on the side one thirty seven and a half on that one. By the way, most famous graduate of more Head State ever is I'm gonna go fil I'm gonna go Phil Sims. Okay Ken seven

ten games Clemson Rutgers. This is a virtual pick um here, but Rutgers actually favored as the ten seed by one and a half points. Unless this is the only game on in a time slot, don't watch it. It's going to be Both defenses are way better than both offenses. I'm taking Rutgers just because I like the coaching matchup. I like Steve pikeel but they can't make free throws, which is making me very nervous and a potentially close game. Are leaning Rutgers leaning under I grew Jim, don't watch this.

Also to the committee ten's favorite over seven, I think you messed up a little bit here there. It is, Yeah, Ellen's Carlotte Knight. It's nothing profound. I'll be probably tuning into another game or talking with you guys during this one. Not really interested watching Alright win Clemson. Rutgers takes on

the two fifteen winner Houston Cleveland State. Houston. Obviously, I'm gonna guess everybody advances Houston nineteen and a half now twenty and a half point favorites against the vikings of Cleveland State at the horizon. Once upon a time, for those of a certain age, we remember, Cleveland State is controlled chaos. They're back. But you like Houston? Do you like it against the number? No, I can't recommend it at that high. They're gonna get a million offensive rebounds.

But Cleveland State is just super feisty. They play really, really hard. I think the back door will be open. I think Houston destroys them. It's not going to be close, reminiscent of Tennessee Right State for from many moons ago. In the tournament game, I think it could be a thirty point game. I do worry about what Houston. What happened to Houston East Carolina another junkie zone team that really bothered them. But I'm with Kai, I think the

potential runout could be in the cards here. By the way Cleveland State has been in the tournaments, it's mouse mcfatt and I just want to play that out. I'm aware, alright, alright, guys, final so it give me your elite eight, Jim Elite eight. Okay. So let's see what we'll start. In the West. I've got Gonzaga over I can't who whom I going? Remember two seats Iowa's right, I should have brought a bracket. Gonzaga over Oregon there in that in that region, Gonzaga

to the final four. Okay, you can keep going with the other keep going all right, Alabama over Florida State in the in the that region the East, Baylor in that region, I don't remember who the two seat is. Okay, maybe we should have just done final four. The two seat is is Ohio State, Okay, that's who I haven't okay. And then Midwest Houston in that one over Oklahoma State, and you oh Houston over Oklahoma State, and you have Gonzaga winning at all. Oh boy, I'm going Gonzaga over

Iowa and the West. I really have made a decision here, but I'm going to go off the fly and go Yukon over Florida State. In the East. I will go Baylor over Ohio State. In the South, and Houston as well. For me over, let's say Illinois and who wins it all? Who wins it all? Gonzaga? Alright, I don't Matt Scott gets frisky In the East too, We got Matt, I

got Zag's Oregon. In the West, I'll copy my boy Jimmer there, Florida State, b y U, Florida State advancing over the store Mormons in the East, wide open region with livers in, you know, sort of under duress. For Michigan Baylor, Ohio State, I'm going Schalk. In the South Midwest, I have Houston versus eleanor Houston advancing losing to Baylor for the inevitable Baylor Gonzaga showdown we've all been waiting for,

which they should just play a seven game series. By the way, that's been my proposal on table for a while. The Zags prevail, Zag's prevail Zags all around. Is that what we heard here? Yeah, it's we've consensus on attack. They're the only one that qualifies for the championship formula year after year here on on the show. Guys appreciate it. Can't thank you enough. Jim, Jim Root. Let's do it again sometime. Absolutely I'm only a call away about fifteen minutes.

Let me know, Jim Route, Budding Star guys, you're unnoticed. Kai McKee and Matt Cox from three Man. We've at three m W underscore CBB there you haven't appreciated. You put it into podcast form for those who missed it on the Beating the Books. I thank you, gentlemen,