Tag: March Madness 2022

Chet Holmgren fouled out on a questionable call and college hoops fans weren’t happy

Look how they messed with Gonzaga’s boy.

This year’s Men’s NCAA tournament was supposed to be the year Gonzaga finally broke through. With freshman Chet Holmgren in the fold, a likely NBA lottery pick, the Bulldogs would avenge their defeat in last season’s national championship game, and everything would be sunshine and rainbows.

You know what they say: The best-laid plans of bulldogs and men often go awry.

On Thursday night, Arkansas upset Gonzaga, 74-68. A shame because the impeccably talented Holmgren was supposed to take Zags (-8.5) over the top, but that’s only when he plays the entire game. With Arkansas leading 62-56 and smelling blood in the water late in the second half, J.D. Notae drove down the baseline toward Holmgren.

When Holgrem went up to challenge him, Notae managed the unthinkable — he got the big man to foul out.

As is often the case in big games, college hoops fans took exception to the controversial call on Holmgren that unofficially ended a Gonzaga comeback attempt. They didn’t agree with a few of the previous foul calls on Holmgren, either.

Arkansas deserves credit for the shocking upset, but given the circumstances, this one will sting a long time for Gonzaga. While the Bulldogs could’ve defended better, especially on Notae (23 points), Holmgren fouling out didn’t help their chances at victory. It’s another March and another year where Gonzaga disappoints.

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Almost everyone bet on Gonzaga. Almost everyone lost money

Almost everyone bet on Gonzaga. Almost everyone lost money.

Thursday night was not only a loss for Gonzaga, it was a loss for its fans, the refs, and most importantly, the betting public.

Entering Friday’s contest, 65 percent of bets placed against the spread took Gonzaga (-8.5) while 84 percent of the money was wagered that same line, according to Action Network.

What’s worse? A whopping 99 percent of bets and 85 percent of the money wagered on the moneyline was backing Gonzaga.

The Zags did that thing where they play below standard in the first half and then try and flip the switch in the second half. In the first two NCAA Tournament games, it worked out nicely for them. They led No. 16 Georgia State in the first round by just two at the break before finishing +19 in the second half and trailed No. 9 Memphis by 10 at the break before outscoring them by 14 in the second half of their second-round win.

Instead, Eric Mussleman’s Arkansas Razorbacks captured a 28-27 lead towards the end of the first half and never relinquished it.

Shoutout to the few bettors who never doubted the Razorbacks to cover the spread. And shoutout to the even fewer bettors who were brave enough to take Arkansas at the moneyline; you’re a little richer today.

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How to bet Arizona-Houston in the Sweet 16 of the 2022 NCAA Tournament

Looking at how to bet on the Sweet 16 matchup between Arizona and Houston.

We almost had an Arizona-Illinois Sweet 16 matchup, which would have been a rematch of that epic 2005 Elite Eight (sorry, Zona fans). But Houston had other plans.

The No. 5 Cougars madeā€” easy work of the No. 4 Fighting Illini in the Round of 32 and now will head into San Antonio with momentum on their side. But will it be enough to upset arguably the best team in the nation?

As the two gear up for what should be an epic Sweet 16 showdown, we take a look at how you might want to consider betting this game.

All odds via Tipico Sportsbook.

Chris Webber reunited with Juwan Howard, gave an impassioned speech to Michigan ahead of the Sweet 16

We’re not crying, you’re crying.

There are a few things in life that simply belong together.

Peanut butter and jelly in a generous sandwich. Bacon and eggs as a hearty breakfast to start your day. Daryl Hall and John Oates serenading the masses with their 80s heartthrob melodies. Don’t be surprised when you find it quite challenging to get through your happy existence without any of these pairs.

One combination in men’s college basketball might rule them all: “The Fab Five” and Michigan. After the fallout of the university’s infamous scandal centered around booster Ed Martin, the relationships between members of this group — particularly Jalen Rose, Chris Webber, and Juwan Howard — chilled for a while.

In recent years, it appears that the former college teammates have started to make amends. Howard is, of course, now in his fourth season as the Wolverines’ Men’s head basketball coach. With the team playing in its second consecutive Sweet 16, it was a perfect time to bring someone special back to Ann Arbor to speak.

Chris Webber.

Incredible. I don’t know if I’ve seen a happier human being than Webber as he speaks to the young Wolverines. That it came at the behest and invitation of Howard makes the moment all the more special.

The Fab Five had to count its lucky stars because Rose and Ray Jackson were also in attendance after Michigan’s upset win over No. 3 Tennessee in the Men’s NCAA tournament. A surprise of a victory that could have only happened with Michigan royalty in the house at the same time.

What a moment and what a sight to see these gentlemen together smiling again.

On Thursday night, Michigan (+5 underdogs) plays against No. 2 seed Villanova in the Sweet 16. If fate should have it, they’ll advance and we’ll get to continue seeing the Fab Five being happy and celebrating together. I, for one, am not opposed to witnessing that mutual joy between old friends.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO).

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The NCAA should be embarrassed by how bad the refs have been so far in the men’s tournament

This can’t go on.

This is the online version of our daily newsletter,Ā The Morning Win.Ā SubscribeĀ to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning.

The 2022 men’s NCAA tournament has been a lot of fun so far. We’ve had thrilling finishes, incredible upsets, and plenty of big-name teams advancing to the Sweet 16.

But you know what wasn’t great at all during the first two rounds? The refs. They were largely terrible and mostly embarrassing and there inability to do their jobs at a high level can’t continue the rest of the way or the NCAA will have a mess on its hands.

Three bad moments from last weekend stick out immediately when it comes to looking at how bad the refs have been.

There was the horrendous Flagrant 2 call against UNC’s Brady Manek that had him ejected from the game, which helped Baylor storm back and force overtime before being knocked out of the tournament. The call on Manek was a joke and should never have happened.

Speaking of jokes, on Sunday we saw Illinoisā€™ R.J. Melende get T’d up for hanging on the rim, which was just a mind-boggling call. Melende barely hung on the rim at all and only did so for a split second to get his balance and to make sure he didn’t land on anyone. I watched the replay a number of times and never in a million years would I have thought that it deserved such a call. It was just so bad.

Then in Sunday’s final game we saw TCU get you-know-whatted when Mike Miles Jr. got tossed to the ground in the final seconds of a tie game and no call was made. Arizona scooped up the ball and almost won it at the buzzer but Miles should have been on the foul line trying to win the game. How did they not call this one? Arizona, by the way, went on to win in overtime. Shameful.

Again, those are just three REALLY bad examples that stick out on this Tuesday morning. But if you watched a lot of the games last weekend then you know there were a ton of other moments in which the refs were so, so bad.

It’s never good when fans are on Twitter saying certain referee crews should be banned from working any more games in the tournament but that happened a few different times over the first two rounds last weekend.

There’s a ton on the line in this tournament for the players, coaches, and fans and it will be a travesty if refs continue to play such a large factor in games simply because they can’t do their jobs.

The NCAA needs to send a message to its refs and do it now because this can’t go on.

Quick hits: More proof that Urban Meyer is a joke… NFL fans rip Falcons over Matt Ryan trade… Sign up for our new NBA newsletter… And more.Ā 

(Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

– The Athletic yesterday published an incredible behind-the-scenes story on Urban Meyer’s disastrous stint with the Jaguars and his cowardly threats were only topped by the fact that he didn’t know who Aaron Donald was. Seriously.

– The Falcons traded Matt Ryan to the Colts for a third-round pick and NFL fans ripped them for it.

– Our new daily NBA newsletter Layup Lines kicks off this week and it will get you ready every afternoon for the big games coming up that night. Signing up for it is quick and easy to do right here. You’re going to want this in your basketball lives.

– Mary Clarke breaks down the winners and losers of yesterday’s NHL trade deadline.

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Bennedict Mathurin dunked all over TCU and Arizona teammate Dalen Terry had a priceless reaction

No one was happier for Bennedict Mathurin than Dalen Terry.

During Arizona’s overtime win over TCU, sophomore Bennedict Mathurin had arguably the best highlight of March Madness thus far.

Mathurin, who matched his season-high with 30 points during the victory, also added 8 rebounds as well as 4 assists and 2 steals. Although he hit three 3-pointers during the contest, showcasing his “clutch gene” in the process, it was one of his dunks that fans will remember.

During the second half, after a high pick and roll from Kerr Kriisa, Mathurin stole the show. On a field goal attempt that would give his team the lead, with a short roll assist from Christian Koloko, the Canadian-born wing took flight on a cut to the basket.

The absurd athleticism Mathurin showed on this possession is nothing short of stupendous, and certainly, the type of display NBA scouts love to see from draft prospects:

However, as much fun as it is to think about the dunk itself, let’s take a step back and zoom in on something else for a second.

Watch the way that Arizona’s Dalen Terry, who was seen spotting up on the perimeter, reacts to what his teammate just accomplished.

Terry, a 6-foot-7 sophomore, looks like the happiest person on the entire planet. There are kids going to Disneyland for the first time who come off depressed when compared to the reaction Terry had. Take a look:

That is some pure, unadulterated, and unfiltered joy. Do you know how happy you have to be to leap in the air and fully spin around like a top the way Terry did?

When he saw that dunk from Mathurin, it seems Terry was able to experience a type of happiness that many in this world will likely never know. Whatever it was that Terry’s brain felt in that moment should be bottled up and given to those who need the serotonin rush.

Even after the game, Terry was still leading the hype train for Mathurin. He interrupted Mathurin’s postgame interview to tell the world that his teammate is the best player in the country.

During the victory on Sunday, both Terry and Mathurin played every second of the second half and of overtime for the Wildcats.

Once he was off the floor, Terry continued to push his narrative and share his excitement.

Terry took to Twitter to share with everyone, once again, just how much his mind was blown by Mathurin’s performance against TCU

But when you know his background, it makes sense as to why Terry has so much buy-in for this roster.

Terry attendedĀ Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix and even when he was a little kid, the Phoenix native wanted to play basketball for Arizona.

Now, after the win, he and Mathurin will have a chance to take the Wildcats to the Elite Eight if they can win their Sweet 16 matchup against Houston on March 24.

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We all need Duke in the NCAA tournament now more than ever

Duke just makes this whole thing better.

The first four days of the 2022 men’s NCAA tournament are in the books and we still have three No. 1 seeds advancing, we have a fun Cinderella team in Saint Peter’s to root for, and we have some other big-name programs like North Carolina, Michigan and UCLA in the Sweet 16.

But most importantly we still have the villain of the tournament moving on to fight another day.

I’m talking, of course, about Duke.

The Blue Devils survived quite a scare yesterday when they rallied late to beat Michigan State, 85-76. After leading for most of the game, Duke found itself down by five points with just over five minutes remaining. Mike Krzyzewski’s legendary career was so close to coming to an end and everyone on the internet was ready to dance on his coaching grave.

Coach K’s young team responded, however, and refused to let their coach entire retirement just yet.

In doing so, they helped all of us by making sure the team so many people love to hate is still around making things interesting heading into the second weekend of the tournament.

If you didn’t go to Duke chances are you hate Duke. You love to see Duke lose and love to boo them any chance you get. There isn’t another team in the tournament like that. It’s fun to dislike Duke.

If you’re a casual fan then you don’t really care how Arizona, Kansas, or Gonzaga – the three No. 1 seeds left – fare in a game. They just kind of blend into the whole picture and don’t make you feel any sort of way about them.

But if you’re a casual fan, or even a hardcore college hoops fan, chances are you perk up when you see Duke is in a close game and you get into the final few minutes more than you would for any other team.

That’s what makes sports fun! Villains are important. It’s like rooting against the Patriots if you don’t have a team in the fight. We all need a team that is universally disliked to bring us together and bring some more intensity out of a game that we normally wouldn’t care all that much about.

Is Coach K’s final season storyline getting annoying. Of course it is! But that adds even more to the whole villain situation. You know how crazy the internet is going to get when he loses and his career comes to an end? It’s gonna be bananas.

The more Duke wins the better the NCAA tournament will be. Hopefully the Blue Devils keep going because an Elite 8 matchup with Gonzaga would be absolutely tremendous.

Embrace the power of the villain, folks!

Quick hits: Charles Barkley’s bad bracket… Bob Huggins creeps everyone out… Drew Timme’s hilarious postgame interview… And more.Ā 

– Charles Barkley broke down his bad bracket over the weekend in an absolutely hilarious segment.

– Bob Huggins creeped everyone out with some bedroom talk.

– Gonzaga’s Drew Timme hilariously stopped himself from dropping a F-bomb on live TV and fans were in awe.

– College hoops fans rightfully loved this special moment between Juwan Howard and Tennessee’s Kennedy Chandler after Michigan’s win Saturday night.

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Jim LarraƱaga immediately trolled Charles Barkley after Miamiā€™s dominant win over Auburn

Charles can’t seem to win, can he?

Life can’t get it much better for Miami Men’s head basketball coach, Jim LarraƱaga. As the respected leader of the Hurricane program for over 11 years now, LarraƱaga has brought stability and (occasional) excellence to Miami.

On top of that, I don’t mean to digress:Ā  He lives in Miami! Eternal sunshine and beautiful weather by the beach year-round! It genuinely hurts to be this jealous.

Another place where you might be envious of LarraƱaga is his program’s ongoing success during this year’s March Madness. After dismantling No. 2 Auburn (+6.5 favorites) 79-61 and humiliating their prized talisman in the process, you can forgive LarraƱaga if he’s proud of his players.

It’s not often you win wire to wire over a No. 2 seed.

Next weekend will have been the first time Miami’s played in a Sweet Sixteen since 2016. We’ll cut their coach some appropriate slack.

But with LarraƱaga clearly riding on cloud nine after his team’s statement victory, no one was safe from his crosshairs. Not even dancing Auburn legendĀ Charles Barkley.

You see, Barkley had asserted that he’d take his shirt off in the event of a Tiger victory over LarraƱaga’s Hurricanes during his studio show. In his postgame comments, it was a moment that the coach was all too happy to share how unhappy he’d be to see Barkley like that.

Ouch. I might suggest a rebuttal if I was in Barkley’s shoes, but that might be opening a larger can of worms and a string of insults down the line.

LarraƱaga: 1.

Barkley: 0.

Miami: To the Sweet Sixteen.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO).

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Isaiah Wong posterized Jabari Smith and college hoops fans went wild

We won’t forget this dunk for a long time.

Few plays are more humiliating than getting dunked on. You can shrug it off when someone makes a tightly-contested shot in your face. Sometimes the hoop does appear larger in real life than in the mirror. If they happen to cross you over in a rather nasty way, at least you still have your bearings.

But to get dunked on? To have your entire defensive mystique as an athlete called into question? To be memorialized in a niche poster? That’s forever, and you don’t forget the overstep.

Auburn’s (-6.5) Jabari Smith is used to making defenders look silly. On Sunday night, during Auburn’s second-round Men’s NCAA tournament matchup with Miami, someone finally returned the favor.

The Hurricanes’ Isaiah Wong.

The crossover. The regathered dribble. The short anticipatory space in time where not even Wong himself knew what was going to happen at the rim, let alone anyone spectating. And a picture-perfect dunk on a likely NBA lottery pick. It doesn’t get any better.

Everyone watching at home agreed. Wong had their full approval.

Look at that angle. I didn’t think the highlight could improve, but here we are.

Maybe “One Shining Moment” doesn’t only have to happen when you cut down the nets?

Wong’s dunk over an elite player was so special it almost even left Miami’s coach, Jim LarraƱaga, at a loss for words.

Why yes, the dunk heard around the world this March was quite nice.

For a while on Sunday night, Wong took the greater college basketball community by storm. Get everyone’s jaw to drop with an incredible play, and you one day might be able to do the same.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO).

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Bob Huggins creeped everyone out with his take on Drew Timme not dropping a F-bomb on TV

Sir.

In case you missed it, Gonzaga star Drew Timme had a hilarious postgame interview after his team’s comeback win over Memphis last night in Portland. in which he found some great ways to censor himself on the spot and not drop any bad words on live TV.

Really, his mom would be so proud of him for the way he was able to contain himself.

A few minutes later West Virginia coach Bob Huggins, who is doing some TV work with CBS/TNT during the tournament, provided his take on Timme’s self censoring and, well, it was something.

Here you go:

Well, alrighty then.

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