NCAA Play

Three months ago the Arkansas Razorbacks were a program on the rise in college football and the 2012 season looked poise to be a breakout one for the squad. My how things have changed since then. On April 10th, then head coach Bobby Petrino was fired after trying to cover up the details of an April 1st motorcycle accident he was involved in with his mistress Jessica Dorell. That incident cost Petrino his job and the university decided to hire John L. Smith as his replacement last month.

The latest black mark on the program took place on Saturday when there were three players arrested for allegedly burglarizing dorm rooms. Of the three players, wide receivers Marquel Wade and Maudrecus Humphrey were two of the three who were arrested. University police say that they have footage of the three going into form rooms and stealing $5,000.00 worth of goods including textbooks and computers. John L. Smith did the correct thing and immediately suspended the players indefinitely for the incident. If there is one positive in this particular incident it is that Smith acted very promptly and suspended the players. Acting swiftly from a discipline standpoint has to be something that the university was encouraged to see out of Smith.

To say the offseason has been tumultuous for the Razorbacks would be an understatement. This makes 6 arrests for Arkansas players since they beat Kansas St. in the Cotton Bowl and not to mention the firing of head coach Bobby Petrino under whom the program had seen a rebirth under since he took control of the program. The Razorbacks already play in the most competitive division in college football, the SEC West, which includes perennial powers LSU and Alabama. Hopefully these recent issues do not hamper the program to the point where they fall back into being one of the average programs in the conference once again.

As a whole in college football we are seeing a trend developing in college football in that all of the news we hear in the offseason is negative in nature. Most of it revolves around player arrests or the shadiness of coaches who either leave their schools without notice or who are involved in other questionable issues involving the NCAA or otherwise. Is this just a troubled time period for college football or an indication to how things will be permanently in college football for years to come? Only time will tell that. What I can tell you though is that no matter how bad of an offseason college football has from a media perspective we will all be there watching in droves when the college kids kickoff in late August. (For sports gambling men check out acesportsbook.com to bet on all the ncaa action!)

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The leaders of all major FBS conferences met recently to discuss putting a four team playoff system in place for college football. Although none of the parameters or specifics were hammered out, these “initial talks” are still enough to get college football fans excited about the possibility of a playoff finally happening. Unfortunately the college football bowl system probably became archaic about two decades ago and fans have been thirsting for a solution that the current Bowl Championship Series obviously does not quench. Before anyone can take this four team playoff seriously I think we need to know some specifics about certain elements of it, because if it is not done the right way it could be more of a mess than the BCS.

 Where will the games for the playoff be played? We are obviously talking about three games in total for which the locations they are played can have a big impact on not only the end result, but public perception as well. The powers that be could make things easy on themselves and just have the higher seed host the semifinal games and decide on a neutral site for the championship, but there is less money to be made that way so you know it won’t happen. They will then be opened up to a “is this game really being played at a neural site” argument. Let’s say an SEC team is playing in the title game at either the Georgia Dome or Superdome, we can just hear the fans of the other conferences crowing about an unfair advantage for the southern team. With money being the main thing that will steer these locations we imagine they would either rotate the locations among the now BCS bowl sites or put the locations of the games up for bid, with the highest bidder taking it.

 No matter how they determine where the games are played, as college football fans we should probably consider any four team playoff a win for us. Think of the sports gambling and viewing interest in a tournament like this. Other than the Super Bowl there will probably not be many events that rival these three games from both of those perspectives. Is the system perfect? Well, we won’t know for sure until it plays out, but logic would dictate that how they choose the four teams could present a source of controversy. That however is a discussion for another time. As fans we have our four team tournament that looks like it will be implemented soon and consider that a victory against the ever slowly transforming world of college football.

Sports gambling fans love action, and the 2012 first round of the NFL draft was action packed with an unprecedented amount of trades. To be precise there were 16 picks traded in the first round which is a new record.

The biggest trade of the evening – When it comes to wheeling and dealing there is no bigger gunslinger than Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. So it should be no surprise to sports gambling fans that he made the biggest move trading up 8 spots to draft CB Morris Claiborne. This was a great and ballsy move in a division where you have to face Eli Manning twice a year, you need a shutdown corner, and that is what you get with Claiborne.

The team that got exactly what they wanted and more – The Minnesota Vikings were able to move back one spot to fourth and were still able to get the left tackle Matt Kalil who they desperately wanted, plus 3 additional picks from Cleveland. You really can’t ask for anything more, however the Vikings then parlayed themselves back into the first round with the help of the additional picks and chose Harrison Smith, the second rated safety in the draft.

Showed why he is the master – The evil genius loves making trades on draft day, but this time he actually traded up and was able to score two elite pass rushers. DE Chandler Jones from Syracuse and ILB Dont’a Hightower from Alabama are two quality pass rushers who should have an immediate impact. These guys will be wrecking havoc on opposing QB’s for years to come and remind me of when the Patriots double downed on TE’s two years ago picking Aaron Hernandez, and Rob Gronkowski, and we all know how that is working out.

Most immediate impact player in Draft – The Cleveland Browns had to give up a small fortune of 3 picks just to move up one spot, but sports gambling fans can bet their ass that the Browns got one of the best RB’s since Adrian Peterson. RB Trent Richardson from Alabama will play immediately and sports gambling fans can mark it down that they saw it here first, that he will rush for over 1000 yards this season and be the Rookie of the Year. The Browns also made the headlines by selecting QB Brandon Weeden with their other first round selection. This means Colt McCoy is done in Cleveland, because Weeden has the goods to start next year and will be the surprise rookie QB from this draft.

The Team that is stockpiling picks – The St. Louis Rams started off the trading frenzy weeks ago when they received a kings ransom for the 2nd overall pick in the draft. Unfortunately for the Rams the Jaguars beat them at their own game and traded ahead of them to pick the talented WR Justin Blackmon. The Rams then traded back to 14 to pick DT Michael Brockers after missing out on their coveted WR, and in the process picked up another 2nd round pick. This means the Rams will be entering the second round today with 3 picks in the first 12 selections of the second round of this deep draft. Sports gambling fans can sure bet that the Rams will pick a WR with one of those 3 picks and WR Stephen Hill from Georgia Tech might be the guy. Also don’t forget that the Rams now have two first round picks in the 2013 and 2014 draft.

Worst Pick – When ILB Luke Kuechly was picked at 9 by the Carolina Panthers, sports gambling fans knew that the Seattle Seahawks would bail on the number 12 pick and trade back. That is exactly what they did, but at the 15 spot they picked a player in LB Bruce Irvin that has a ton of off field issues, and who many teams did not have graded as first or even second round talent. If Seattle really wanted this guy they should have just continued trading back and stock piling picks, because they definitely did not get the best value at 15 in Irvin.

Most over drafted guy in first round – By far the Miami Dolphins drafted a guy at the 8 spot who should not have been a top 10 pick. But in a QB hungry league and with an angry fan base who has not seen a 1st round QB selected since Dan Marino, the Dolphin organization was forced to pick QB Ryan Tannehill above his value. This guy has tons of potential but is lacking experience and needs some time to acclimate to the NFL. The good news for the Dolphin fans is that if Tannehill is going to be a franchise QB there is no better place then Miami since he will be playing in a familiar offensive system because of being a former player of offensive coordinator Mike Sherman.

The biggest bust – Leave it to the team who loves the headlines more then a dirty whore loves fellatio. The New York Jets selected DE Quinton Coples who is a physical specimen, but has no drive, which is evident of him constantly taking plays off at North Carolina. The Jets are expecting an elite pass rusher from the edge, but they will be sorely disappointed. This pick looks eerily similar to when the Jets used an early first round pick on over hyped DE Vernon Gholston, and sports gambling fans all know how that has turned out.

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The offensive players usually get all the fame and spotlight, but championship teams are built with a dominant defense. Also the best defensive talent drafted in the country can step right into a starting lineup and make an immediate impact. There are 5 Defensive monsters from this draft that will be household names by mid season next year.

1 – DE Melvin Ingram - The South Carolina standout had a superb performance at his pro day and the smart sports betting strategy is that he will be the first defensive end taken in the draft. He has a great combination of speed and power, and already has a good rip and spin move to beat offensive linemen. He is also capable of playing linebacker in a 3-4 defense. He had a great year at South Carolina with 48 tackles, 15 tackles for a loss, 10 sacks, 2 INT’s, 2 batted down balls, and 3 TD’s. The wise sports betting strategy is to bet that the Jacksonville Jaguars pick him with the 7th pick in the draft.

2 – DE/OLB Courtney Upshaw – The Alabama stud had a poor combine and sat out his pro day because of a minor injury. However, his dominant year playing against the cream of the crop of the SEC will put any doubters to rest. He is coming from a well coached pro style defense under Nick Saban and will be an automatic day one starter. Last year he had 52 tackles, 18 tackles for a loss, 9.5 sacks, 1 INT, and 2 forced fumbles. The correct sports betting strategy is to bet that the Dallas Cowboys pick him with the 14th pick in the draft.

3 – DT Fletcher Cox – The Mississippi State Defensive tackle is very fast and strong with a non stop motor. What sets him apart from other DT’s is his phenomenal pass-rushing ability. He had a very productive season for a DT with 56 tackles, 14.5 tackles for a loss, 5 sacks, and 1 forced fumble. He reminds me of a poor man’s Ndamukong Suh. The sport betting strategy is to bet that the San Diego Chargers select him with the 18th pick in the draft.

4 – OLB Lavonte David – He was the center piece of a dominant defense for the Nebraska Cornhuskers last season. David has a nose for the football and he has a tenacious energize bunny motor. He had monster statistics last season racking up 133 tackles, 12 tackles for a loss, 5.5 sacks, 2 INT, and 2 forced fumbles. The only area of concern is size which is on the small side at 6’1” and 230 pounds. He reminds me of former Miami Dolphins LB Zach Thomas, and if he plays anything like him he will be a steal for anyone who picks him. The smart sports betting strategy is to bet that the New York Giants select him with the 32nd and last pick of the first round.

5 – DE Quinton Coples – The North Carolina star played well in the senior bowl and was able to display his rare combination of speed and strength, which enabled him to destroy the offensive line competition. He is a tough run defender and a great pass rusher which is evident from his last season stats of 55 tackles, 15 tackles for a loss, 7.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and a plethora of QB hurries. Even though the sports betting strategy is to bet that he will be drafted ahead of Upshaw by the Kansas City Chiefs at the 11 spot, I fear he will not be better in the NFL then Upshaw. Coples is very inconsistent and is known for taking plays off, which is a major red flag. If some coach can’t light a fire under his ass, he has major potential to be a bust.

Even though Kentucky just claimed the 2011-12 NCAA Men’s Basketball championship last Monday, the avid college basketball fan may start to suffer from a lack of games.

For now, they will have to hang tight for the beginning of the 2012-13 college basketball season.

Something to look forward to though is where their favorite players end up in the 2012 NBA Draft on June 28. Or will they return for another year of college ball?

Underclassmen have until April 29 to declare for the draft. Players who have not previously declared and that have not hired an agent must withdraw from the draft by April 10 to stay eligible for college. The NBA’s deadline is June 18.

Here are who im wagering on being the Top 10 picks, assuming they enter the draft.

1. Anthony Davis, F, Kentucky- Davis is a premier shot-blocker and can change opponents’ offensive game plan. The freshman averaged 14 points, 10 rebounds, and five block shots a game leading the Wildcats to a National Championship victory.

2. Thomas Robinson, F, Kansas- The junior poured in 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds per game, pushing the Jayhawks to the National Championship matchup against Kentucky. As great of a player he is, he is an even better person.

3. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, F, Kentucky- His top attributes are his defensive skills. On offense he averaged 12 points, seven rebounds and two assists.

4. Bradley Beal, G, Florida- Beal has not decided on his NBA fate yet but if he does come out he should be the first guard taking. He is a typical shooting guard with great passing abilities. The freshman scored 15 points a game, with seven rebounds and 2.2 assists.

5. Andre Drummond, C, UCONN- Drummond is another freshman who has yet to declare for the NBA draft. Scouts love his 6-11 275 pd. frame and think his potential is vast. He may stay at UCONN another year to improve on his 10 point, 8 rebound performance a game.

6. Harrison Barnes, F, UNC- Barnes is a big time scorer but has short comings as an athlete. Last year in his sophomore season he dropped in 17 points a night.

7. Jared Sullinger, F, Ohio State- Sullinger is a dominant post player with scoring and rebounding talents. He could have entered the draft last year but chose to return help his stock in this years draft. It may have actually hurt him.

8. Jeremy Lamb, G, UCONN- The sophomore can score from anywhere on the floor but his size will probably limit him to a small forward role in the NBA. He averaged 18 points and five rebounds for the Huskies in 2011-12.

9.Cody Zeller, C, Indiana- The freshman center may return to the Hoosiers in 2012-13 in hopes of furthering Indiana’s return to NCAA glory. The 6-11 230 pounder averaged 16 points on 62 percent shooting and pulled down seven boards per contest for the Hoosiers last year.

10. Perry Jones, F, Baylor- Will an NBA team take a chance on the inconsistent Jones? You betcha! The sophomore at times showed stints of star power guiding the Bears to the Elite Eight on averages of 14 points, 8 rebounds per game.

So for the college basketball fan, your next glimpse of your former favorite players may have to wait until they walk across the stage to shake Commissioner David Stern’s hand.

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All sports fans have their Bucket List. A list of sporting events they must attend before they “kick the bucket.”

The World Series. The Super Bowl. The NBA Finals.  How about a BCS game? The MLB All-Star game, the NBA All-Star game.  Maybe The Masters. Daytona 500. Wimbledon anyone? The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament these are what I would wager are on the top of those lists.

The list could go on and on…

Well I was lucky enough to cross one off of my list. The Final Four!

I had the privilege of arriving in New Orleans last Thursday in preparation for lots of basketball entertainment, food, fun, festivities and more.

It all started on Friday with free admission inside the Mercedes Benz Superdome to watch the Final Four teams in their last practice before the games tipped off on Saturday.

What an atmosphere, and this was just practice. Practice? Where talking about practice? Well practice makes perfect Allen Iverson!

While I had little rooting interest in the teams who had made it this far, I am a huge fan of college basketball and the tournament in particular.

The Louisville Cardinals, Ohio State Buckeyes, Kentucky Wildcats, and Kansas Jayhawks all took the court for approximately an hour to give fans a glimpse into their final walk-through and preparations before the big games the following day.

Fans spent the time ooohing and ahhing over their alma-maters or team they have followed throughout their lives. You could get an up close view of the teams going through their drills. Many cameras and cell phones batteries were drained due to the endless photo and video opportunities this event provided.

Following the end of each teams practices the coach and players made themselves available to the media for questioning.

If you were lucky enough to have a close enough seat and were in the right place at the right time you were able to snag some autographs from future NBA stars.

After the practices concluded the College All-Star game took place. This was a very fast paced, highly entertaining game going back and forth with some of the nation’s top seniors showcasing their talents for the last time before hoping to enter the NBA draft.

Throughout the game there were many mascots representing universities throughout the nation mingling with the crowd and taking pictures by the hundreds. Free T-shirts and coupons galore were handed out to the thousands in attendance. Cameras continued to flash as fans were enthralled throughout the game. Afterwards the players’ courteous behavior continued as autographs and one-on-one photo opportunities were aplenty.

To conclude the event, several prizes were given away, including tickets to the Final Four and Championship games.

My wife and kids as well as I got much joy out of this event. It’s a cant miss if you ever have the chance to attend. I even let my kids skip school and the memories made were worthwhile.

While all of this was going on inside the Superdome much more was going on outside along the streets of New Orleans.

There were block parties everywhere with thousands of fans squeezed into cramped spaces. Vendors on just about every street corner selling everything from NCAA memorabilia, to tickets, to “Free Sean Payton T-Shirts.”

The “Big Easy” is the perfect city for Final Four weekend. There are literally thousands of restaurants within a 30 minute walk of the Superdome that one can partake in. Even if you are not a sports fan there is something for everyone as the countless souvenir shops line the streets.

You never know what you might come across in New Orleans! Be warned!

To close out the night on Friday, we headed to the “Big Dance” concert. This was a three-day outdoor event on the Mississippi river featuring a music lineup fit for all tastes. We were able to listen to the rock band KISS for about an hour before the rains drove us away.

After a long day we had a wonderful dinner at a seafood restaurant away from all of the action. We then went back to my brothers’ home in a suburban neighborhood outside of New Orleans.

Saturday arrived with much anticipation. My attendance at the Final Four games was not finalized yet. My brother, nephew, my son and I had won tickets on Ebay and they were supposed to arrive Friday by noon. After a lengthy and stressful battle with UPS our tickets arrived Saturday morning.

If I could suggest one thing to future Final Four attendees it would be to go ahead and buy your tickets as early as possible. While we did get a decent price on our tickets, we almost didn’t get them at all because we waited a little too long, trying to get a bargain.

The first game was set for tip-off at 5:09 PM. However, many hours earlier all of the festivities started much earlier. There was a tailgate party that kicked off around noon and went right up until game time. It was literally a sea of fans all within a few blocks waiting with anticipation to the start of the games.

There was also the concert series taken place right up until tip-off. We chose to chill out back at the house, knowing we would have our share of fun at the games.

As we made our way down the streets of New Orleans towards the Superdome, you could feel the excitement in the air. Tens of thousands of fans were scampering into the Superdome for this once in a lifetime event for many of them.

The streets were filled with ticket scalpers looking to sell their tickets at the last second for the highest amount possible. Whether those tickets are real or not is a chance I would not take.

Upon entering the Superdome I could not help but feel overcome with extreme excitement. This was an event I had wanted to attend since I was a young child. Silly as it may sound, I actually started to shed some tears of joy.

Our seats were in the nosebleeds and after a slow ascent into the clouds of the stadium we reached our seats. Section 646, Row 30, Seats 1-4. We could not have been up much higher, Row 32 was the peak!

After gathering my equilibrium about 10 minutes later I settled down and soaked up the atmosphere. The view was surprisingly good and I felt assured I would be able to enjoy the game. I had fears I would be watching on the big screens but the view of the court was very clear.

It was amazing all the senses that were at work. The sight of the whole spectacle was overwhelming. You could see the division of the fans in the color of their shirts. The sound of the buzz in the Superdome was astonishing. Mix with it the fans screaming their team chants and the bands playing the school songs I went into sensory overload. As for the scents, one could not help but be overwhelmed by the aromas of popcorn, beer, hot dogs and other stadium delights.

The first game featured arch-rivals Kentucky and Louisville going at it. A game that has become known as The Bluegrass Battle. What great anticipation this game had in the previous days. It didn’t disappoint as both teams went back and forth at each other before the Wildcats pulled away at the end with a 69-61 victory. I was rooting for the Cardinals to pull off the upset but was not dissatisfied after witnessing such an epic game. I was mentally exhausted and still had the second game to watch.

Their was approximately a 45 minute break in between games and most used that to feed their bellies, stretch out their legs, use the restroom and take a deep breath before the next game between Ohio State and Kansas.

This game was a letdown coming off the previous one. Ohio State appeared to be in total control of the game leading throughout most of the game. However the Jayhawks pulled off a historic comeback with a 64-62 triumph and the “privilege” of going up against Kentucky on Monday night.

What a night! 73,000 plus fans were treated to an amazing two games.

Our last event took place on Sunday.

Bracket Town or Fanfest as it is commonly referred to took place at the Morial Convention Center all weekend.

This was a plethora of basketball games, skills challenges, giveaways, promotions, memorabilia, and photo and autograph opportunities. A basketball lovers dream come true indeed, under 300,000 square feet.

After about four hours of this, we all were on our last leg. We decided it was time to head back home to Texas.

While we didn’t get to stay for the Championship game on Monday due to work and school obligations we did not feel slighted at all.

I am blessed to be able to say “I was there.” Many years from now I will still have these cherished memories that I made with my family.

Do not pass up the chance to attend a Final Four weekend. Should it visit a city near you, you better be there. Next year it’s in Atlanta, followed by Dallas. You can bet I’ll be heading to the Big D in 2014.

So after crossing off The Final Four from my “Bucket List” I now prepare for the 2013 NBA All-Star game, slated for Houston.

Was anyone else lucky enough to make it to the Final Four in New Orleans over the weekend? If so, I’d love to hear the memories you made.

What other events are on your sports “Bucket List” and what have you been able to cross off?

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From 68 teams, down to 2.

The NCAA Championship comes down to the Kentucky Wildcats against the Kansas Jayhawks.

Tip-off is set for 9:23 PM ET on Monday from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans and will be televised on CBS.

The Wildcats held off arch-rival Louisville, 69-61, in the first Final Four game on Saturday.

It is the first trip to the championship game for Kentucky (37-2) since they won it in 1998.

As for Kansas (32-6), they needed a late rally to overcome the Ohio State Buckeyes, 64-62, in the night cap of the Final Four.

In closely reviewing both teams’ stats and tendencies, Kentucky has a clear advantage on both sides of the ball

Defensively, they only allow 60 points per game on 37 percent shooting, which is the stingiest in the nation. Potential No.1 NBA pick Anthony Davis is a major presence in the lane, blocking almost five shots per game. Despite the scoring efforts of Kansas’ power forward Thomas Robinson and point guard Tyshawn Taylor, the Jayhawks only reached 70 points once in the tournament. Taylor also can’t afford to keep turning the ball over if the Jayhawks expect to stick around in this one.

When Kentucky has the ball they can kill you with several different weapons. Six players average in double figures, with Davis leading the way with 14. Kansas counters on defense with center Jeff Withey averaging 5.4 blocks per game throughout the tournament.

Even though Kansas is the 6.5 point underdog on acesportsbook.com, they have proved all year they have plenty of fight and determination in them.

My prediction is that the Jayhawks lose, but I would wager they cover the spread.

Kentucky 72, Kansas 68.

 

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The city of New Orleans is in for a treat.

After another thrilling weekend in the NCAA tournament, the Elite Eight are now the Final Four.

The No.4 seed Louisville Cardinals won the West Region on Saturday, claiming their spot in the Final Four with a 72-68 victory over the No.7 seeded Florida Gators. The Cardinals will face off against their state rival Kentucky Wildcats. The No. 1 seed Wildcats eliminated the No. 3 seed Baylor Bears 82-70, on Sunday in the South Region.

The No.2 seed Ohio State Buckeyes then upset the top-seeded Syracuse Orangemen, 77-70, in the East Region finale on Saturday. The Buckeyes are set for an epic battle with the MidWest Region winner, Kansas JayHawks. The No.2 seeded JayHawks defeated the top-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels 80-67 on Sunday.

Both of the semi-final games will be played on March 31, and should provide much entertainment and drama for basketball fans in “The Big Easy.”

The first semi-final game will feature Louisville versus Kentucky. Tip-off is set for 6:09 PM ET from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Kentucky will be in the Final Four for the second year in a row. They lost in the semi-finals last year to the eventual national champion Connecticut Huskies. The Wildcats are looking for their first national championship since 1998. Current Louisville head coach Rick Pitino was at the helm of the Wildcats when they won a national championship in 1996.

This will be the first Final Four for Louisville since 2005 when they lost to Illinois in the semi-finals.  Pitino was the head coach of that Cardinal team as well.

In analyzing this bluegrass rivalry one may want to automatically assume Kentucky will dominate this game. Not so fast! Louisville is the hottest team in the tournament and has won eight straight games. They have one of the best college coaches ever in Pitino, who appears to be on a mission to prove himself again.

However, with that being said I have to pick Kentucky to win. They have too much offensive fire-power with six players averaging in double-figures and the nation’s top shot-blocker Anthony Davis will control the paint.

Kentucky is the current 8.5 point favorites and while I agree they will beat Louisville, I think it would be a safe wager to bet on the Cardinals covering the spread.

The night-cap has Ohio State going against Kansas and will get underway at approximately 8:49 PM ET.

Ohio State last made it to the Final Four in 2007 and fell in the championship game to Florida.

Kansas returns to the Final Four for the first time since 2008, when they won it all.

In looking at this matchup I see a very close game. Both teams’ stats are almost identical. The Buckeyes Jared Sullinger and the Jayhawks Thomas Robinson will cancel each other out so this game will be won by the team that can knock down the outside shots on a more consistent basis. Another key will be the turnover battle. Buckeyes point guard Aaron Craft is a pesky defender and could give Jayhawks guard Tyshawn Taylor fits.

My heart says Ohio State will win, but my brain says Kansas. However, the Buckeyes are currently 2.5 point favorites so wagering on the Jayhawks to pull off the upset is not that risky. Go for it!

If my semi-final predictions serve correct, the Championship game on April 2 will pit Kentucky versus Kansas, with tip set for 9 PM ET on CBS.

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For my picks on yesteday’s games visit Elite Eight day 1 preview

In the South Region the No. 3 seed Baylor Bears survived the 10^th seeded Xavier Musketeers, 75-70. Baylor will play the top-seeded Kentucky Wildcats, who defeated the No.4 seed Indiana Hoosiers 102-90. Tip is set for 2:20 PM ET tomorrow on CBS.

Both teams can light it up on the scoreboard however Kentucky has the edge on defense. 6-10 freshman center Anthony Davis is a defensive beast in the paint, as he led the nation with almost five blocks per game. His 169 blocks on the season are more than Baylor’s whole team. Along with support from Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, the Wildcats held opponents to 37 percent shooting on the year.

If Baylor thinks they can play an up-tempo game and outscore Kentucky, they just need to look at the 102 points the Wildcats dropped on Indiana last night. The Wildcats have four players who average double-figures in scoring and two others who average 9.9 and 9.8. On the other hand if the Bears try to slow it down, Kentucky can play that game as well with their superior defense.

The current line has the Wildcats as 7.5 favorites and while I am picking them to send Baylor home, I believe it would be a safe wager to pick Baylor to cover the spread.

As for the Midwest Region the top-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels had to use overtime to get by the No.13 seed Ohio Bobcats, by the score of 73-65. The Tar Heels Elite Eight opponent is the No. 2 seed Kansas Jayhawks. Kansas also had a scare, surviving the No.11 seed North Carolina State WolfPack, 60-57. This 1 against 2 battle gets underway at approximately 5:05 PM ET Sunday on CBS.

While this should be an instant classic, Kansas has struggled offensively throughout the tournament. The Jayhawks are scoring an average of 10 points less in the tournament than they did in the regular season. Their top scorers, Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor are shooting only 36 percent in the tournament after shooting near 50 percent in the regular season.

A note of concern for North Carolina is the status of point guard Kendall Marshall. He fractured his right wrist against Creighton and missed last night’s game against Ohio. It is uncertain whether he will be able to play against Kansas, but it looks doubtful to me.

North Carolina is currently the 2.5 point underdog but I feel confident in wagering for the Tar Heels to upset Kansas.

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In the West Region the fourth seeded Louisville Cardinals surprised the top-ranked Michigan State Spartans 57-44 to advance to play the No.7 seed Florida Gators, who upended the No.3 seeded Marquette Golden Eagles 68-58 in another upset. This Elite Eight game gets underway at 4:30 PM ET on CBS on Saturday.

Florida has several great shooters and attempts almost 10 three-pointers per game, most in the nation. The Gators will have to be on top of their game offensively because Coach Rick Pitino has Louisville playing outstanding defense in the tournament, limiting their opponents to 51 points, led by center Gorgui Dieng’s shot blocking presence in the lane.

I’d wager that Louisville to defeat Florida and advance to their first Final Four in seven years.

As for the East Region, The No. 1 seeded Syracuse Orangemen survived the No.4 seed Wisconsin Badgers 64-63 and will take on the Ohio State Buckeyes, the No. 2 seed, who had little trouble disposing of the sixth seeded Cincinnati Bearcats 81-66. Tip-off for this 1 versus 2 clash is set for 7:05 PM ET on Saturday and will be broadcasted on CBS as well.

This should be an outstanding game. Ohio State averages 74.8 points per game while Syracuse puts in 74.5. Defensively the teams match up favorably as well. The Buckeyes allow 59.3, while the Orangemen surrender 60.5 per contest.

The X-factor for Ohio State could be the presence of 6-9 265 pd. power forward Jared Sullinger in the paint. Syracuse is without their big man Fab Melo after being declared ineligible and this could open the door for Sullinger to have a monstrous game.

I’d wager that the Buckeyes exploiting the mis-match in the post position and advancing past the Orangemen.

Make sure to return to ncaaplay.com  tomorrow to see my picks for the Elite Eight games on Sunday.

For my picks on last night’s Sweet 16 games, visit sweet-16-day-2-upsets.

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