[Jeff Grant]

I'll be releasing my first Handicapper Line for every first round matchup on Twitter (@JeffGrantSports) - will later be edited in here.

All information and videos will also be found inside of this thread.
Feel free in asking any questions - Good luck - best event in sports


Midwest Region

1. Louisville
16.

8. Colorado State
9. Missouri

5. Oklahoma State
12. Oregon

4. Saint Louis
13. New Mexico State

6. Memphis
11.

3. Michigan State
14. Valparaiso

7. Creighton
10. Cincinnati

2. Duke
15. Albany


East Region

1. Indiana
16.

8. NC State (-4.5)
9. Temple

5. UNLV (-2.5)
12. California

4. Syracuse (-11)
13. Montana

6. Butler
11. Bucknell

3. Marquette
14. Davidson

7. Illinois
10. Colorado

2. Miami FL
15. Pacific


South Region

1. Kansas
16. Western Kentucky

8. North Carolina
9. Villanova

5. VCU
12. Akron

4. Michigan
13. South Dakota State

6. UCLA
11. Minnesota

3. Florida
14. Northwestern St

7. SDSU
10. Oklahoma

2. Georgetown
15. FL Gulf Coast


West Region

1. Gonzaga
16. Southern U

8. Pittsburgh
9. Wichita State

5. Wisconsin
12. Mississippi

4. Kansas State
13.

6. Arizona
11. Belmont

3. New Mexico
14. Harvard

7. Notre Dame
10. Iowa State

2. Ohio State
15. Iona

[Jeff Grant]

Early Notes (some may be outdated - will continue editing in)

East

NC State
-Very dependent on starters
-Ninth team in ACC history to have four 1,000-point scorers

Temple
-Big non-conference win over Syracuse
-Khalif Wyatt, A-10 Player of the Year
-Little to no bench
-F Anthony Lee (concussion)

UNLV
-Led by freshman F Anthony Bennett
-6th in the country in rebounding, 16th defensive FG%
-Rebels were 1.5-point road underdogs vs. Cal

California
-Pac-12 POY Allen Crabbe
-Crabbe and Justin Cobbs highest scoring pair in Pac-12
-Held opponents to 39.3 percent shooting before Pac-12 tourney (lowest since 1960)
-Suffered a 76-75 home loss to UNLV on December 9
-Shot 15 of 28 from the FT line vs Rebels

Montana
-5th nationally in FT%
-13th in 3-point %
-23rd in overall FG%
-Lack size
-Mathias Ward (out for the season, 14.8 ppg 3.9 rpg)

Syracuse
-Held opponents to 37.6% shooting
-Plus-4.3 rebounding margin
-Beat SDSU in California in season opener (62-49)
-1-4 ATS L5 tourney games

Butler
-First in the A-10 and tenth nationally in rebounding margin (+7.7)
-60-7 under Brad Stevens when hitting at least 9 three-pointers
-Beaten Gonzaga, Indiana, Marquette, North Carolina
-16-5 ATS L21 NCAA Tournament games

Bucknell
-Start three seniors, junior, sophomore
-Little to no bench production
-C Mike Muscala only player nationally in the 2,000-point, 1,000-rebound club
-Held 23 of L30 foes under 40 percent shooting
-4 of 5 losses by three points or less (Princeton 79-67)

[TPowell]

Early Notes (some may be outdated - will continue editing in)

East

NC State
-Very dependent on starters
-Ninth team in ACC history to have four 1,000-point scorers

Temple
-Big non-conference win over Syracuse
-Khalif Wyatt, A-10 Player of the Year
-Little to no bench
-F Anthony Lee (concussion)

line is probably right but I can see this NC State flaming out early.... or upsetting Indiana who struggles with athletic teams

[bballs84]

Where did you find that line at Jeff

[Jeff Grant]

Where did you find that line at Jeff

The lines that I'm posting at the top are mine (Handicapper Line)

Something for me and others to work off of if they choose

[bballs84]

Gotcha thanks

[CBASS]

Thanks for posting, Jeff.

[Jeff Grant]

Thanks for posting, Jeff.

Don't forget to enter the Free NCAA Brackets Contest: http://bit.ly/ZN8uHF

[CBASS]

Just signed up. Thanks for the reminder.

[Jeff Grant]

Key NCAA Tournament betting trends:

-California Golden Bears are 0-4 SUATS as neutral court underdogs of three points or less L2-plus seasons
-Michigan Wolverines are 12-6 ATS on a neutral floor the L2-plus seasons
-Belmont is 1-9 ATS (8-2 SU) in March the L2-plus seasons
-Arizona Wildcats are 1-5 ATS as neutral court favorites of 3.5 to 6 points the L2-plus seasons
-Oklahoma State is 17-6 SUATS in first round tournament games since 1997
-Cincinnati Bearcats are 11-5 SUATS in all neutral court games L2-plus seasons
-Creighton Bluejays are 4-0 SU (3-0-1 ATS) as neutral court favorites of three points or less L2-plus seasons
-NC State Wolfpack are 14-7 SU (15-5-1 ATS) in all neutral court games L2-plus seasons
-UCLA Bruins are 6-12 ATS in all tournament games the L2-plus seasons
-Ohio State Buckeyes are 16-6 ATS in March the L2-plus seasons
-Miami Hurricanes are 17-6 ATS versus winning teams this season
-New Mexico Lobos are 11-6 ATS in neutral court games the L2-plus seasons

Make sure to check out the NCAA Tournament Seeding Trends

[Jeff Grant]

The Saint Mary’s Gaels (27-6) and Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders (28-5) will meet up in the first round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament, with the opening tip scheduled for 9:10 ET at the University of Dayton Arena

Saint Mary’s Gaels vs. Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders

Saint Mary’s will be thrilled not to play the Gonzaga Bulldogs in this affair, as three of its six losses have come to its West Coast Conference rival, including a 65-51 setback in the tournament final on March 11. The Gaels are one of four programs nationally to have won at least 25 games in each of the last six seasons, while they’ve finished no lower than second in the WCC eight times in the last 10 campaigns. Saint Mary’s is 6-10 ATS in all tournament games the last two-plus seasons, with the UNDER going 9-8 in that situation.

The Gaels have compiled an 81-20 record against non-conference opponents the last six years, while their current four-year senior class has compiled a dominating 107-27 combined record since arriving on campus. Saint Mary’s is led by the play of point guard Matthew Dellavedova, who is the school’s all-time career leader in scoring, while ranking second among active players with 757 assists.

Middle Tennessee is set to make its seventh appearance in the NCAA Tournament, with this being its first trip since 1989. The Blue Raiders are 2-6 all-time in March Madness, as they earned the Sun Belt Conference’s first at-large bid since 2008. The team has the most wins in program history, which included a winning streak of 17 games. Defensively, the squad ranks 15th nationally in allowing just 57.8 points per game, while sitting 19th in 3-point field goal percentage defense. Middle Tennessee State is 6-10 ATS when playing a team with a winning record this year, with the UNDER going 2-0 in that situation.

The Blue Raiders outscored conference opponents by 16.5 points per game this season, while posting back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since the 1987-88 and 1988-89 campaigns. Middle Tennessee State is tied for the second-most experienced team in the country, with an average of 2.53 years, which happens to be just behind the Valparaiso Crusaders.

Sports bettors will likely back the Blue Raiders due to their 4-1 ATS mark following a straight-up loss, while the Gaels are 1-4 ATS on a neutral floor.

College Basketball Pick: Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders +2.5



The Marquette Golden Eagles have reached the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament the last two seasons, but they’ll be on upset alert against the Davidson Wildcats Thursday.

Let’s take a closer look at the NCAA basketball odds for this matchup between the Big East Conference and Southern Conference, with the opening tip scheduled for 3:10 ET at Rupp Arena.

Big East may be a bit overrated

Marquette claimed a share of its first-ever Big East regular-season championship, but I believe the conference is a bit overrated this year. The Golden Eagles were unable to take advantage of their double bye in the league’s tournament at Madison Square Garden, as they suffered a 73-65 setback to Notre Dame as three-point favorites last Thursday.

Southern Conference was down this year

Davidson had a pretty easy path to earn the Southern Conference’s automatic bid to the Big Dance, as it enters with the nation’s longest winning streak at 17 games. The Wildcats have compiled a 10-7 against-the-spread (ATS) record during their current run.

The program didn’t have much competition during league play, with only the Elon Phoenix and College of Charleston finishing with 20 or more wins.

Bench play

College basketball handicappers need to keep an eye on the Golden Eagles in the Round of 32 and Elite 8 if they make a run, considering head coach Buzz Williams has nine players that averaged 13.3 minutes or more per game.

Marquette’s bench accounted for 44 percent of the team’s scoring in 31 games to this point, which happens to be the second-highest figure of its kind nationally.

Giving to charity

One of the key factors that many sports bettors forget to handicap is free throw shooting—a category that gains incredible importance with the season on the line. Davidson is a dangerous team in the 2013 NCAA Tournament because of this category.

The Wildcats led the nation in shooting 80.1 percent from the charity stripe, while the Golden Eagles hit just 67 percent of their tries over the last five games.

Nation’s longest winning streak

The national media will put Marquette on upset alert, considering Davidson enters with the nation’s longest winning streak of 17 games.

As mentioned earlier, the Wildcats had a really easy go of it in their conference, which could be detrimental when facing better competition. The program is 4-1 ATS in its last five NCAA Tournament games.

Prediction

I’m going to recommend that readers back the Wildcats as one of their NCAA Tournament picks Thursday, as the Golden Eagles are 5-11-1 ATS in their last 17 non-conference games.

Marquette hasn’t been nearly as dominant this year on a neutral/road floor than at home, which will lead to a possible early exit in facing an experienced team that can knock down shots from the perimeter.

College Basketball Pick: Davidson Wildcats +4 at BetOnline



The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels and California Golden Bears will play each other for the third time in a span of 15 months Thursday night, as the two teams meet in the Bay Area.

Let’s take a closer look at the NCAA basketball odds for this matchup between the Mountain West Conference and Pac-12 Conference, with the opening tip scheduled for 7:27 p.m. ET at the HP Pavilion.

How strong is the Mountain West?

Nobody really knows for sure, but many college basketball experts feel that the Mountain West was the second-best conference nationally—trailing on the Big Ten in terms of relative strength.

UNLV suffered a 63-56 setback to the New Mexico Lobos as 2.5-point home favorites in the tournament final, but it did manage to win seven of its last 10 games, while the UNDER cashed in seven of those opportunities.

A virtual home game

California was bounced out of the Pac-12 Tournament in the quarterfinals by dropping a 79-69 overtime decision to Utah as eight-point neutral-site favorites last Thursday, but may have landed in the best spot possible for any team in the Big Dance.

The Golden Bears will only have to travel 47 miles from Berkeley to San Jose, which can’t be ignored when making your college basketball picks in the second round Thursday.

Success against the Pac-12

I don’t think many college basketball handicappers will be surprised to find the Runnin’ Rebels favored in this spot, especially since they’ve won five of six all-time meetings against the Golden Bears.

UNLV has also compiled a 58-49 overall record when facing current members of the Pac-12, including a losing 3-4 mark when meeting up in the NCAA Tournament.

Bennett and Crabbe are the players to watch

All signs point to Anthony Bennett leaving Sin City at the end of the season, as the freshman forward leads UNLV in averaging 16.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. He scored a game-high 25 points in the team’s 76-75 win over California as 1.5-point road underdogs on Dec. 9.

California’s junior guard duo of Allen Crabbe and Justin Cobbs were the highest scoring pair in the Pac-12, which could make them a dangerous underdog due to the importance of backcourt play in this format. Crabbe was named the conference’s Player of the Year.

Prediction

I’m going to recommend that readers back the Golden Bears as one of their NCAA basketball picks, as I established the Runnin’ Rebels as 2.5-point neutral-site favorites.

In my opinion—this game offers very little betting value.

NCAA Basketball Pick: California Golden Bears +3 at BetOnline



The NC State Wolfpack will make their second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, as they prepare to take on the Temple Owls in the second round Friday.

Let’s take a closer look at the NCAA basketball odds for this matchup between the Atlantic Coast Conference and Atlantic 10 Conference in the East Region, with the opening tip scheduled for 1:40 p.m. ET at Dayton Arena.

Significant win total

NC State enters with a 24-10 overall record, which represents its highest win total in 30 years, while going 17-15 against the spread. The Wolfpack were handed an 81-71 loss by the Miami Hurricanes as two-point neutral-site underdogs in the ACC Tournament semifinals last time out.

Finished strong

Temple won 10 of its last 12 games, but was bounced out of the Atlantic 10 Tournament in the quarterfinal round in dropping a 79-74 decision to the Massachusetts Minutemen as 4.5-point neutral-site favorites last Friday.

The Owls are one of eight teams making their sixth straight appearance in the field—joining Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Louisville, Marquette, Michigan State and Wisconsin.

Begins and ends with the starting five

Few teams nationally possess a more talented starting five than NC State, as its the only one in the country to have five players average over 12.0 points per game. NC State also happens to be only the ninth in ACC history to have four 1,000-point scorers on the same squad.

Due to both teams being limited on the bench, I believe one of the more important factors in this game is foul trouble, which can’t be ignored when making your college basketball picks against the spread Friday.

Wyatt is the player to watch

Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Khalif Wyatt led the Owls in averaging 19.8 points per game, while ranking seventh in the conference in dishing out 4.1 assists per game.

In leading Temple to a 83-79 victory over Syracuse as 10-point neutral-site underdogs on Dec. 22, Wyatt finished with a game-high 33 points on 8 of 17 shooting, while knocking down all 15 tries from the charity stripe.

Tournament trends

College basketball handicappers will find that the eighth-seeded Wolfpack are 4-1 ATS in their last five NCAA Tournament games, while the ninth-seeded Owls are 0-6-1 ATS in their last seven games in that situation.

NC State has also gotten the cash in its last four games versus A-10 competition, with Temple going 9-3 ATS in its last 12 opportunities against ACC foes.

Prediction

I’m going to recommend that readers back the Wolfpack as one of their college basketball picks, as I established them as 4.5-point favorites against the Owls.

College Basketball Pick: NC State Wolfpack -4 at 5Dimes

[Frisco]

We, nc state, are very dependent on our starters. Howell and leslie stay out of foul trouble we should handle temple. Key will be lo brown playing well against wyatt

[Jeff Grant]

[Jeff Grant]

The Butler Bulldogs have been incredible at covering the spread on a neutral floor the last three seasons, which gives them an edge against the Bucknell Bison Thursday.

Let’s take a closer look at the NCAA basketball odds for this second-round matchup in the East Region, with the opening tip scheduled for 12:40 p.m. ET at Rupp Arena.

First go around

Butler enjoyed a solid first season in the Atlantic 10 Conference, which is an important handicapping angle in my opinion, as its coaching staff and players were facing new challenges in league play.

The Bulldogs suffered a 67-56 setback to the Saint Louis Billikens as 4.5-point neutral-site underdogs in the semifinal round of the conference tournament, with the UNDER cashing in six of their last 10 games overall.

Quite an accomplishment

Bucknell has just 3,500 students on campus, which makes it quite an accomplishment to reach the NCAA Tournament, as it earned its spot by winning the Patriot League title. The Bison enter with a 28-5 overall record.

The Biston are 17-5 straight up (SU) and 8-11 against the spread (ATS) in all tournament games the last two-plus seasons.


Nothing neutral about it

College basketball handicappers are definitely aware of the Bulldogs’ success in this environment, which will make them a popular pick at the betting window, as they’ve gone 16-4 SU and 17-3 ATS on a neutral floor since the start of the 2010-11 campaign.

Butler is making its 11th NCAA appearance since 1997—providing the school national notoriety due to reaching back-to-back title games (2010, 2011) and making two other appearances in the Sweet 16 (2003, 2007).

You better get to know him

Mike Muscala is the type of player that can make some noise on the big stage, as the Bison senior center leads the country with 22 double-doubles, while he’s the only one in the field that has compiled 2,000-plus points and 1,000-plus rebounds in his career.

Bulldogs coach Brad Stevens will definitely have to game plan in stopping him, but his roster has already faced some of the best front courts in the country in wins over Gonzaga and Indiana.

Prediction

I’m going to recommend that readers back the Bulldogs as one of their NCAA tournament picks Thursday, as the Bison are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games versus a team with a winning record.

Butler advances to the Round of 32 as long as starting center Andrew Smith stays out of foul trouble.

NCAA Basketball Pick: Butler Bulldogs -3.5 at Pinnacle




The Syracuse Orange land in one of the worst situational spots for the Round of 64 in the 2013 NCAA Tournament, which makes the Montana Grizzlies a playable option Thursday night.

Let’s take a closer look at the NCAA basketball odds for this matchup between the Big East and Big Sky Conference, with the opening tip scheduled for 9:57 p.m. ET at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, CA.

Second-half collapse

Syracuse seemed destined to capture the Big East Championship heading into the break with a 13-point lead over the Louisville Cardinals last Saturday, but was outscored by a 56-26 margin in the final 20 minutes in suffering a 78-61 loss as 5.5-point neutral-site underdogs.


The Orange put forth an impressive effort in the event, including a thrilling 58-55 overtime victory over the Georgetown Hoyas as one-point underdogs in the semifinal round.

Taking care of business at home

Montana will enter this contest on a 6-0 straight up and against-the-spread (ATS) run, as it took care of business in the Big Sky Championship game at home—coming away with a 67-64 triumph over Weber State as one-point favorites last Saturday.

The Grizzlies have played their last four games in Missoula, as they’ll have to leave the area for the first time since March 4.

Traveling to the West Coast

I’m having a hard time remembering a worst situational spot for a No. 4 seed in the Round of 64, which may offer value for the double-digit underdogs in this matchup when looking over the SBR Odds page.

Syracuse had to play four games in four nights at Madison Square Garden last week, which earned them a trip across country to play the nightcap in the Bay Area.

The Orange did open up their 2012-13 schedule with a trip to California, as they came away with an impressive 62-49 victory over San Diego State, but they’ve been known to stay in the Eastern Time Zone throughout the years.

Big Sky has fallen short

As a graduate of Northern Arizona University, I definitely monitor the Big Sky standings throughout the year, but its last seven representatives in the Big Dance have failed to show up. Those seven teams have lost each game in SU fashion (1-6 ATS) and have been outscored by an average of 14.8 points.

Prediction

I’m going to recommend that readers back the Grizzlies as one of their NCAA tournament picks Thursday, as I established the Orange as 11-point favorites in this spot—giving us two points of value in terms of the point spread.

NCAA Basketball Pick: Montana Grizzlies +13 at Bovada




The Miami Hurricanes are the first ACC team to not earn a No. 1 seed in the Big Dance despite winning the regular season and tournament title, as they prepare to take on the Pacific Tigers Friday.

Let’s take a closer look at the NCAA basketball odds for this matchup in the East Region, with the opening tip scheduled for 2:20 p.m. ET at the Erwin Center in Austin, TX.

No. 2 seed

Miami won and covered the spread in all three of its games in capturing the 2013 ACC championship, but it wasn’t enough to secure one of the four No. 1 seeds in the upcoming NCAA tournament.

The Hurricanes enter with a 27-6 straight-up (SU) record, while going 20-7 against the spread (ATS) versus lined competition.

Retiring on top

Pacific earned an automatic bid by capturing a 64-55 victory over the UC Irvine Anteaters as two-point neutral-site favorites in the Big West title game, while going UNDER the posted total for the third time in four contests.

Tigers coach Bob Thomason will retire at the end of the season—his 25th at his alma mater—compiling a 488-344 overall record (436-321 at Pacific). The program is 2-4 under his direction in NCAA tournament games.

Pace

College basketball handicappers need to realize that both of these teams want to play a game in the 60’s, as they’ve demonstrated a similar tempo on the court offensively throughout the 2012-13 campaign.

I’m not too concerned about the upward movement in the betting total when looking over the SBR Odds page, considering that most early action is likely reacting to these programs averaging a combined 136.7 points per game—well above the current number in the market.

Larranaga will preach defense

Information is king in my opinion as a sports handicapper, which is why I was all ears when Miami coach Jim Larranaga appeared on ESPN Radio Sunday night after his team arrived back in the Sunshine State after winning the ACC tournament.

He mentioned offseason meetings with his roster about the importance of defense, which was the main reason for this team’s rise in the rankings throughout the year.
After allowing 77 and 71 points to North Carolina and NC State, I’m expecting a huge performance on the defensive end from this veteran squad Friday.

Prediction

I’m going to recommend that readers play the total as one of their NCAA tournament picks, as the Hurricanes fell UNDER the posted total in six non-conference games when it was offered in the market.

NCAA Basketball Pick: Under 125 at Pinnacle



The Colorado Buffaloes will be making back-to-back appearances in the NCAA tournament for the first time in 50 years, as they prepare to take on the Illinois Fighting Illini in the East Region.

Let’s take a closer look at the NCAA basketball odds for this Pac-12 versus Big 10 matchup, with Friday’s opening tip scheduled for 4:40 ET at the Erwin Center in Austin, TX.

Groce delivers

Illinois first-year coach John Groce will lead the program to its 30th all-time NCAA appearance, as it looks to improve upon its 22-12 overall record. He previously led the Ohio Bobcats to appearances in the Big Dance in 2010 and 2012 before arriving in Champaign.

The Fighting Illini compiled a 13-18 against-the-spread (ATS) record, while the UNDER went 17-12.

Rare accomplishment

Colorado is making a second consecutive trip to this event for the first time in 50 years, which was made possible by winning 10 of its final 14 Pac-12 Conference games to end the regular season.

The Buffaloes were 15-9 straight up (SU) and 15-8-1 ATS when taking on opponents with a winning record, with the UNDER going 7-5 in that situation.

On a neutral floor

College basketball handicappers will find that the Buffaloes are 4-1 SUATS on a neutral floor this year, with the OVER going 3-1 in that particular role. Colorado was bounced out of the Pac-12 championship in suffering a 79-69 loss as 4.5-point underdogs last Thursday.

The Fighting Illini were knocked out of the Big Ten championship by dropping an 80-64 decision to the Indiana Hoosiers as 10-point underdogs four days ago, while going OVER the posted total of 139. Illinois is 7-11 SU and 6-12 ATS when playing at a neutral site the last two-plus seasons.

There’s no place like home

Andre Roberson was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, while he’s also managed to average a double-double in scoring 10.9 points and grabbing 11.3 rebounds per game.

The junior forward from San Antonio, TX, showed few effects at the conference tournament of a viral illness that sidelined him for a couple games—making this squad a dangerous underdog when looking over the SBR Odds page.

Prediction

I’m going to recommend that readers play the total as one of their NCAA tournament picks Friday, as both the Buffaloes and Fighting Illini have gone OVER the total in four of their last five neutral-site games.

NCAA Basketball Pick: Over 127 at 5Dimes

[Frisco]

Appreciate the work you're putting in.

[muffmoolah]

Nice write up Grant I am on the Bulldogs as well

[Jeff Grant]

[PaperTrail07]

Throw out the numbers!!!!

[PaperTrail07]

less #'s..more this is what im talkkn bout!...eye test...gut...coaching...

[Jeff Grant]

• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports4m
  #IowaState Cyclones have won their first game in six of their last seven NCAA Tournament appearances
  
  Expand
  

  • Reply
  • Delete
  • Favorite
  • More
    

  
  
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports5m
  #IowaState and #Michigan are the only two teams in the NCAA Tournament that have three players with 60 or more 3-point makes
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports7m
  #NotreDame Fighting Irish are 50-18 SU all-time against current members of the Big 12 Conference #iowastate
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports11m
  #Duke Blue Devils are 11-0 SU all-time against teams from the American East Conference, including 2-0 in NCAA Tournament play #albany
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports12m
  #Duke Blue Devils are 475-73 SU (.887) against non-conference foes under Coach K, including a 13-0 mark this season
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports16m
  Best March coaching records since 2004-05: Calipari (65-13), Smart (22-5), Matta (50-12), R. Williams (56-14), B. Stevens (23-7)
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports22m
  Wisconsin #Badgers six straight opening-round wins have come by an average of 12.0 ppg - allowing just 55.7 in those contests
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports23m
  Kansas #Jayhawks and Wisconsin #Badgers currently own the longest opening-round winning streak in the NCAA Tournament at six games
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports34m
  Kansas #Jayhawks played 16 games against 10 teams in this year's NCAA Tournament field - going 13-3 SU in those contests
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports35m
  #Kansas Jayhawks are 14-7 SU in NCAA Tournament games played in Kansas City
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports40m
  #Syracuse Orange (2,827 miles) and #SDSU Aztecs (2.732 miles) have the two-longest distances to travel for their first game in the tourney
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports43m
  Steve Fisher is 14-6 SU all-time against Lon Kruger #sdsu #oklahoma
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports49m
  #UNC Tar Heels have won at least one game in 28 of their L29 NCAA Tournament appearances, including the last 10
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports52m
  #UNC Tar Heels are 4-1 SU against the #Villanova Wildcats in NCAA Tournament play
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports54m
  In head to head matchups, No. 9 seeds are 58-54 SU against No. 8 seeds in the #NCAATournament
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports55m
  #Villanova Wildcats own a 15-13 SU record as an underdog seed in the NCAA Tournament since 1979
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports59m
  Since the NCAA Tournament began seeding teams in 1979, the #Villanova Wildcats have more wins as an underdog seed (15) than any other team
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports1h
  #UNLV Runnin' Rebels are 22-7 SU all-time when playing a lower seeded team in the NCAA Tournament
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports1h
  #UNLV Runnin' Rebels are 13-6 SU all-time in opening-round matchups in the NCAA Tournament

[CBASS]

Keep up the good work, Jeff. Your analysis is always appreciated.

[Jeff Grant]

The La Salle Explorers (21-9) and Boise State Broncos (21-10) will meet up in the first round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament Wednesday night, with the opening tip scheduled for 9:10 p.m. ET at Dayton Arena


La Salle Explorers vs. Boise State Broncos


La Salle dropped and failed to cover the spread in its last two games, including a 69-58 setback to the Butler Bulldogs as 1.5-point neutral-site underdogs in the Atlantic 10 tournament quarterfinals, while going UNDER the total in both of those contests. The Explorers haven’t participated int he Big Dance in 21 years, which is important to consider when making your college basketball picks Wednesday. The program has won 20 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1988-89 and 1989-90. La Salle is 1-5 SUATS as underdogs this season.


The Explorers are 4-5 versus this year’s NCAA Field, while they’ve gone 0-3 all-time against the Kansas State Wildcats—their potential matchup in the second round. La Salle had four A-10 road wins this year, which tied for third in the league behind the Saint Louis Billikens and VCU Rams. Offensively, the team led the confernece and ranked 21st nationally in three-point field goal percentage defense, as it limited foes to 29.9 percent shooting in that category.


Boise State has alternated wins and losses over its last four games, as it was bounced out of the Mountain West tournament by the San Diego Aztecs a week ago. The Broncos still managed to earn their first at-large selection to the NCAA Tournament, which is important to consider when looking over the betting odds. Of the eight players in the Mountain West with 30-point games this season—three are on this roster, with five of the 15 30-point outings coming from the Broncos. Boise State is 0-3-1 ATS when playing with five or six days rest this year.


The Broncos have played just one all-time game against the 16 teams that currently make up the A-10, as they suffered a two-point loss to VCU in 1973. Boise State is one of just 10 teams nationally to win multiple games on the road versus ranked opponents, which makes them dangerous in this spot. The squad led the Mountain West and ranked 13th nationally in shooting 39.1 percent from beyond the arc, averaging 7.81 3-point field goal makes per game.

[Jeff Grant]

• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports6m
  #Butler Bulldogs are 8-1 ATS in their last nine opening-round games in the NCAA Tournament
  
  Expand
  

  • Reply
  • Delete
  • Favorite
  • More
    

  
  
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports6m
  #Oregon Ducks are 0-7 ATS in their L7 opening-round games in the NCAA Tournament
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports8m
  I just played Notre Dame (-115 ML) against Iowa State
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports16m
  Each of the #Florida Gators' 26 victories this year have been by a double-digit margin
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports19m
  Big Ten Conference teams are on a 10-0 SU and 8-2 ATS run in opening-round games when favored by 22-plus points #indiana
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports22m
  Mike Montgomery is 12-2 SU in opening-round games in the NCAA Tournament #cal
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports25m
  #Gonzaga Bulldogs are just 3-8 ATS as favorites when participating in the NCAA Tournament
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports30m
  John Beilein is 8-1-1 ATS vs. No. 10 or higher seeds in the NCAA Tournament #michigan
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports31m
  #Minnesota Golden Gophers are on a 5-0 ATS run as favorites and 0-7 ATS run as underdogs in the NCAA Tournament
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports32m
  Pac-12 Conference teams are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games as underdogs when playing with revenge in the NCAA Tournament #cal #unlv
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports33m
  Ivy League teams are 1-11 ATS in their last 12 games as underdogs of five points or more in the NCAA Tournament #harvard
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports34m
  Western Kentucky #Hilltoppers are 5-0 ATS in their last five games as double-digit underdogs in the NCAA Tournament
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports36m
  #Duke Blue Devils are 0-7-1 ATS in their last eight games as a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament

[Jeff Grant]

• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports3h
  #Miami Hurricanes have NEVER advanced past the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament
  
  Expand
  

  • Reply
  • Delete
  • Favorite
  • More
    

  
  
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports3h
  #Creighton Bluejays have gone 8-1 SU against teams from BCS conferences the L2 seasons - Doug McDermott averaged 25.3 ppg and 8.3 rpg
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports3h
  Missouri Valley Conference teams are 3-0 SU all-time as a No. 7 seed in their first game #creighton
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports3h
  In 25 previous NCAA and NIT appearances, the #Creighton Bluejays have NEVER won consecutive games in the same event
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports3h
  #NewMexico Lobos have NEVER won two games in a single NCAA Tournament
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports3h
  #NewMexico Lobos are 14-0 SU all-time against Ivy League schools, with all 14 of those games taking place at The Pit #harvard
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports3h
  Greg Marshall has a 1-8 SU record in the NCAA Tournament during his time with Wichita State and Winthrop
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports3h
  #Missouri Tigers are 3-0 all-time in NCAA Tournament games when playing in a venue of a conference rival #rupparena
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports3h
  #Syracuse Orange are 24-5 in NCAA Tournament openers under coach Jim Boeheim

[Jeff Grant]

• 
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports9h
  A No. 12 seed has failed to defeat a No. 5 seed in the first games of the #NCAATournament just three times since 1985
  
  Expand
  

  • Reply
  • Delete
  • Favorite
  • More
    

  
  
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports9h
  Since 1985, the #OklahomaState Cowboys are 12-3 SU in NCAA Tournament openers
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports9h
  #Valparaiso Crusaders didn't play a neutral-site game this year, but set a D-1 school record with 10 true road wins
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports10h
  @ESPN_Colin Izzo takes a two-game approach in the NCAA Tournament (17-3 in the second game of a weekend - only three losses to No. 1 seeds)
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports10h
  #Valparaiso Crusaders are 2-7 SU all-time in the NCAA Tournament, but their trip to Auburn Hills is their shortest ever in the event
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports10h
  #MichiganState Spartans led the Big Ten Conference with eight wins when trailing at the break (8-4)
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports10h
  Tom Izzo is 17-3 SU in the second game of an NCAA Tournament weekend - with all three losses coming against No. 1 seeds #spartans
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports10h
  #MichiganState Spartans have won 10 of their last 11 games in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports10h
  #MichiganState Spartans are 20-6 SU in their first game of the NCAA Tournament (11-4 under Tom Izzo)
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports10h
  #MichiganState Spartans opened their 2000 NCAA Championship run with a victory over #Valparaiso in the first round
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports10h
  #MichiganState Spartans are 10-2 SU all-time when playing at The Palace of Auburn Hills
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports10h
  #BoiseState Broncos are one of just 10 teams nationally with multiple road victories over ranked teams this season
  
  Expand
  
  
• Jeff Grant ‏@JeffGrantSports10h
  Wednesday marks the 59th anniversary to the day of #LaSalle winning the 1954 NCAA Championship over Bradley
  
  

[Jeff Grant]