Tag: NCAAB

2020 Big 12 College Basketball Tournament odds and betting futures

Analyzing the 2020 Big 12 Tournament odds and futures, with sports betting picks, tips and best bets.

The 2020 Big 12 Conference Tournament kicks off Wednesday at Sprint Center in Kansas City. The tournament features two matchups Wednesday, and four battles Thursday. The Kansas Jayhawks secured the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament, and a handful of teams are in good shape for at-large bids whether they win the tourney or not, while others need a deep run. Below, we look at the futures odds to win the Big 12 tournament.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday, March 11 at 10:45 a.m. ET.

2020 Big 12 odds: Kansas Jayhawks (+105)

Regular-season record: (28-3, 17-1 Big 12)

The Jayhawks enter the tourney as the hottest team in the conference, winners of 16 in a row. They’re also a very impressive 7-2 ATS across their past nine outings, so remember that as you bet single games through the postseason. Kansas is likely to land as one of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament barring an absolute disaster in their first game in this tournament.

Get some action on this event or others by placing a bet at BetMGM.

Kansas will be challenged by Baylor, a team they split with during the regular season. They won in Waco against the Bears 64-61 Feb. 22, so if they match up in the Final, expect to sweat out every minute. They’ll have a pro-Jayhawks crowd filling the seats in Kansas City, so that adds to their chances.

The FAVORITE IS WORTH A BET AT +105, as the Jayhawks are on a tear right now.

2020 Big 12 odds: Baylor Bears (+315)

Regular-season record: (26-4, 15-3 Big 12)

The Bears looked like they were a slam-dunk No. 1 seed for most of the season, but they faltered down the stretch, going 2-3 straight up and 1-4 against the spread, losing to Kansas, at TCU and at West Virginia in the final month. As such, they’re not nearly as strong of a play as the favored Jayhawks. In fact, it’s Kansas, and then the drop-off is precipitous.

If you pick two teams to play, BAYLOR IS WORTH A SMALL-UNIT BET AT +315, but they’re playing their worst ball of the season.

2020 Big 12 odds: West Virginia Mountaineers (+375)

Regular-season record: (21-10, 9-9 Big 12)

The Mountaineers humbled Baylor 76-63 in the regular-season finale March 7, bouncing back after a late three-game skid, and a 1-6 SU stretch between Feb. 8-29. Their late-season swoon really makes this a wide-open tourney, especially if Kansas somehow stumbles. Still, the Mountaineers were really bad down the stretch, and they played .500 ball in the conference. There’s not much value at this price. AVOID.

2020 Big 12 odds: Texas Tech Red Raiders (+800)

Regular-season record: (18-13, 9-9 Big 12)

The Red Raiders gave Kansas a scare in the regular-season finale, but they dropped each of their past four to go from an NCAA Tournament certainly to a bubble team in need of some quality wins. They got hot last season en route to their first-ever Final Four. Can they do it again? A four-game skid to close out the season suggests otherwise. AVOID.

2020 Big 12 odds: Oklahoma Sooners (+1600)

Regular-season record: (19-12, 9-9 Big 12)

The Sooners might be the best value on the entire board. Some talking heads have them projected as a 9-seed for the NCAA Tournament, but they will likely breathe easier on Selection Sunday with a win or two in this tournament. Like Baylor, Texas Tech and West Virginia, the Sooner had their issues down the stretch. They lost three in a row from Feb. 15-22, although two of those losses were to Baylor and Kansas, so there’s no shame in that.

A SMALL-UNIT PLAY TO WIN THE BIG 12 AT +1600 IS A GREAT VALUE. Their defense ranks 36th in the country with a 39.9 defensive field-goal percentage. They’re also 20th in the nation in free-throw percentage at 76.6.

2020 Big 12 odds: Texas Longhorns (+4000)

Regular-season record: (19-12, 9-9 Big 12)

The Longhorns looked to be rolling into the postseason, winning and covering five in a row from Feb. 19-March 3; however, they were smashed 81-59 at home by a mediocre Oklahoma State team, casting doubt on their viability and landing them right back on the bubble in need of two wins to realistically have a shot at the NCAA Tournament, if not an overall win. Confidence is low, as they were swept by Baylor, swept by Kansas and went 1-1 against Texas Tech and West Virginia. AVOID.

2020 Big 12 odds: TCU Horned Frogs (+4500)

Regular-season record: (16-15, 7-11 Big 12)

The Horned Frogs were a thorn in people’s sides down the stretch, and they even beat Baylor Feb. 29 by a 75-72 count in Fort Worth. They were 2-4 SU/3-3 ATS in their final six games, and they lost two games to Kansas by a total of 23 points, showing they have nothing for the top seed. They also had an ugly 46-point loss at Texas Tech Feb. 10 which sticks out like a sore thumb. AVOID.

2020 Big 12 odds: Oklahoma State Cowboys (+12500)

Regular-season record: (17-14, 7-11 Big 12)

The Cowboys finished with three wins to close out the regular season, hotter than any lower seed. In a wide-open Big 12, they have just as good of a chance as any to run to the Final, but can they beat Kansas? They lost by 15 and 25 to the Jayhawks, and were swept by Baylor by a total of 15 points. They were also pounded by West Virginia in two games by an average of 16 points. AVOID.

2020 Big 12 odds: Kansas State Wildcats (+15000)

Regular-season record: (10-21, 3-15 Big 12)

K-State lost 10 straight games from Feb. 1 to March 4 before winning the final against Iowa State. Nothing to see here. AVOID.

2020 Big 12 odds: Iowa State Cyclones (+20000)

Regular-season record: (12-19, 5-13 Big 12)

The Cyclones dropped 10 of their final 13 contests, and they were 1-5 ATS in their final six, so remember that for their first-round matchup. I-State lost two games to Kansas by a total of 46 points, two to Baylor by a total of 27, etc. No chance the Cyclones find any magic. AVOID.

Want some action on this tournament? Place a bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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2020 Pac-12 College Basketball Tournament odds and betting futures

Analyzing the 2020 Pac-12 Tournament odds and futures, with sports betting picks, tips and best bets.

The 2020 Pac-12 Conference Tournament starts Wednesday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The tournament features four games Wednesday, and four more battles Thursday. The Oregon Ducks earned the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament, while UCLA, Arizona State and USC also secured first-round byes as the next three top seeds. Below, we look at the futures odds to win the Pac-12 tournament, which has eight teams tipping off the action Wednesday.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday, March 11 at 10:20 a.m. ET.

2020 Pac-12 odds: Oregon Ducks (+175)

Regular season record: (24-7, 13-5 Pac-12)

The Ducks were the class of the Pac-12, scratching out a regular-season conference title. While that’s all well and good, they were a perfect 17-0 at home, but just 7-7 in their 14 games either on the road or on a neutral-site court. Oregon rolls into the tourney on a 4-0 straight up and against the spread run, and they’re 6-1 SU/ATS across their past seven games, with only a loss at Arizona State in the mix.

Get some action on this event or others by placing a bet at BetMGM.

G Payton Pritchard is a stud, rolling up 20.5 points and 5.5 assists per game this season. The Ducks are among the best 3-point shooting teams in the nation, hitting at a 39.6% clip from behind the arc.

The FAVORITE IS WORTH A BET AT +175, as Oregon is playing better ball than anyone in the conference.

2020 Pac-12 odds: Arizona Wildcats (+340)

Regular-season record: (20-11, 10-8 Pac-12)

The Wildcats have rather short odds considering they stumbled hard down the stretch. Arizona dropped four of its final five regular-season games, also going 1-4 ATS during the run.

There is just no value here, as the Wildcats are ice cold. ARIZONA IS A TERRIBLE PLAY AT +340, AVOID.

2020 Pac-12 odds: Colorado Buffaloes (+350)

Regular-season record: (21-10, 10-8 Pac-12)

The Buffaloes were at or near the top of the Pac-12 standings all season, but they ended the campaign on a four-game skid, and they failed to cover in five straight and eight of their final nine games. Confidence is EXTREMELY low they’ll win one game in the tourney, let alone a championship. AVOID.

2020 Pac-12 odds: UCLA Bruins (+600)

Regular-season record: (19-12, 12-6 Pac-12)

The Bruins really got their act together down the stretch, winning seven in a row before losing a defensive nail-biter at USC in the regular-season finale. The Bruins might need a win to feel more confident on Selection Sunday, and it’s possible this team is one of the First Four teams. A conference title would go a long way in seeding, and they’re playing the second-best basketball of anyone in the conference besides Oregon. A SMALL-UNIT PLAY AT +600 IS WARRANTED.

2020 Pac-12 odds: Arizona State Sun Devils (+800)

Regular-season record: (20-11, 11-7 Pac-12)

The Sun Devils dropped three in a row at UCLA, at USC and at home against lowly Washington, splashing cold water on their momentum after a seven-game winning streak from Feb. 1-22. The Sun Devils are a very mediocre team who will be NIT-bound barring a championship. It’s not happening. AVOID.

2020 Pac-12 odds: USC Trojans (+1200)

Regular-season record: (22-9, 11-7 Pac-12)

The Trojans are a tremendous sleeper most people give little credit. They rattled off a three-game winning streak against Arizona, Arizona State and UCLA to close out the season, and if you’re looking for a mid-tier value, they’re it. They lost their only meeting against Oregon in Eugene Jan. 23, but they took the Ducks to overtime before falling 79-70. USC IS A TREMENDOUS VALUE WITH UPSIDE AT +1200.

2020 Pac-12 odds: Stanford Cardinal (+1500)

Regular-season record: (20-11, 9-9 Pac-12)

The Cardinal split the season series with Oregon, they split with Colorado and they also had a win at UCLA, while losing an OT thriller at USC. Stanford has a strong defense, and it slows it down with a methodical offense. The Cardinal are a good 3-point shooting team when they do hoist them up, and they’re accurate from the floor. A SMALL-UNIT PLAY AT +1500 ISN’T A WASTE OF MONEY.

2020 Pac-12 odds: Oregon State Beavers (+5000)

Regular-season record: (17-13, 7-11 Pac-12)

The Beavers topped the top-seeded Ducks by a 63-53 count, but could they do it in Vegas? They were swept by Arizona State, but played them tough, too. The Beavers can hang around and be a pain, but they’re likely one-and-done after running out of steam in the second half. AVOID.

2020 Pac-12 odds: Washington Huskies (+5000)

Regular-season record: (15-16, 5-13 Pac-12)

Washington stunned Arizona State and Arizona on the road to close out the regular season, and has the talent to give anyone fits, but can they go 4-for-4 to win a title? Nah. AVOID.

2020 Pac-12 odds: Utah Utes (+7000)

Regular-season record: (16-14, 7-11 Pac-12)

The Utes ended the season on a high note, adding to Colorado’s woes. They upset USC Feb. 23, but they also lost to California, and were dusted by Oregon State. Utah is too inconsistent, thus the long odds. AVOID.

2020 Pac-12 odds: Washington State Cougars (+7000)

Regular-season record: (15-16, 6-12 Pac-12)

The Cougs closed the season on a 1-6 SU/3-4 ATS run in the final seven regular-season games. They have wins against Arizona State, Oregon and UCLA this season, but they were also swept by Cal and Stanford. AVOID.

2020 Pac-12 odds: California Bears (+8000)

Regular-season record: (13-18, 7-11 Pac-12)

The Bears won just three of their final 10 games, and they closed out the season with a 24-point loss in Oregon and 18-point loss in Oregon State. There’s a reason they have the worst odds. They’re skidding hard. AVOID.

Want some action on this tournament? Place a bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Harvard player is furious about ‘horrible, horrible decision’ to cancel Ivy League tournament

“Everyone knows the risks of playing!”

The Ivy League tournaments to decide which team from the conference would clinch a bids to both the women’s and men’s 2020 NCAA tourney were canceled on Tuesday, per an announcement.

The concern was for “the health of students as well as the campus and the general community” with the continuing spread of coronavirus, and the decision handed the titles to the Princeton women’s team and the Yale men’s squad.

It was that decision that angered Bryce Aiken, the Crimson guard and leading scorer. Harvard beat Yale in their two meetings this season and his university was set to host the tournament. Here’s what he tweeted:

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2020 Horizon League College Basketball Tournament odds and betting futures

Analyzing the 2020 Horizon League Tournament odds and futures, with sports betting picks, tips and best bets.

Then there were four remaining in the Horizon League race for a dance ticket to the 2020 NCAA Tournament.

The Wright State Raiders, Northern Kentucky Norse, Green Bay Phoenix and Illinois-Chicago Flames are the last four standing, but the oddsmakers are really considering it a two-horse race. Stranger things have happened, however, and that’s what makes the craziness of March college hoops so exciting.

Below, we look at the futures odds to win the Horizon League, which is down to Monday’s semifinals after featuring first-round games March 3 and the quarterfinals Thursday.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Monday, March 9 at 3:10 p.m. ET.

2020 Horizon League odds: Wright State Raiders (-179)

Wright State rolled to a 15-3 regular-season conference record, winning the league by two full games over second-place Northern Kentucky. As such, the Raiders earned a bye into the semifinals, avoiding the possibility of an early-round upset. It could have happened, too. They were shocked in an 88-70 loss at Youngstown State, the No. 5 seed, three games ago. But YSU was knocked out by Illinois-Chicago in the quarters.

Get some action on this event or others by placing a bet at BetMGM.

The Raiders rank fifth in the country in offense, posting 81.4 points per game (PPG), and are 37th with a 36.6 percentage from 3-point land. The one thing that could potentially hold the Raiders back in a close game, either in the semifinals, conference final or in the NCAA Tournament, is their struggles at the free-throw line. They’re terrible, ranking 270th at just 68.0 percent. The player to watch is C Loudon Love, the 6-foot-11 big from Illinois who averages 16.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots per game.

The FAVORITE IS WORTH A BET AT -179, and just hope the Raiders can avoid the upset bug and a disappointing trip to the NIT.

The Raiders (-6, -110) are favored vs. the Flames in Monday’s first semifinal at Indianapolis (7 p.m. ET). WSU is -250 on the moneyline, while UIC is +200. The O/U is 150.5.

2020 Horizon League odds: Northern Kentucky Norse (+130)

The Norse fell to Wright State at home on Feb. 28 in the regular-season finale, but they were still able to snag the No. 2 seed. They didn’t fare terribly well down the stretch, however, going 2-2 straight up (SU) and 1-4 against the spread (ATS) in the final four. If a 3-pointer is needed, the Norse rank a lowly 306th at 30.7 percent from behind the arc, and they are a middling 137th in points scored (72.2 PPG).

NKU went 0-2 SU/ATS against Wright State. The Norse split with each Green Bay and UIC, going 1-1 SU/ATS. They have some short odds, but it might be best to look elsewhere.

NKU (-5, -115) play Green Bay in Monday’s second semifinal. The Norse are -228 on the moneyline, while the Phoenix are +185. The O/U is 151.

2020 Horizon League odds: Green Bay Phoenix (+1500)

The Phoenix ended up just one game over .500 at 16-15 in the regular season, but finished up strong. Green Bay won four of the final five in the regular season, only falling at Oakland 92-88 in overtime on Feb. 23. The Phoenix exacted revenge in the Horizon quarters with a 78-63 beating of the Oakland Golden Grizzlies, easily covering a 4-point number. For the Phoenix, it’s all offense and very little mind to defense. They rank third in the country at 82.0 PPG, and they’re 22nd in 3-pointer percentage (37.3%). However, they are 338th in scoring defense, yielding 80.1 PPG. Still, they’re a pretty solid long-shot pick worthy of a SMALL-UNIT BET AT +1500.

2020 Horizon League odds: Illinois-Chicago Flames (+2000)

The Flames were 15-16 during the regular season, but they have racked up wins over IUPUI and Youngstown State to play their way into the Horizon semifinals. UIC struggles to post points, averaging just 69.0 PPG to rank 237th. Despite the Flames’ scoring woes, they still managed to split with each of the top three seeds, Wright State, NKU and Green Bay. Still, UIC is likely to flame out, pun totally intended. AVOID.

Want some action on this tournament? Place a bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Bill Self faked out Kansas players in the locker room after winning Big 12 title

Bill Self tried to convince everyone he was too tired to celebrate.

The No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks won the outright Big 12 regular-season championship with a 66-62 road win over Texas Tech on Saturday in Lubbock.

They already had at least a share of the conference title after beating TCU on Wednesday. And in fact, they had their outright championship secured before their game against the Red Raiders even ended, thanks to No. 4 Baylor’s loss to West Virginia earlier in the day.

Coach Bill Self decided to have a little fun with the players before their post-game celebration started. As he walked into the Jayhawks’ locker room where the players were waiting for him, he was smiling but calm.

“All right, nobody jump around,” he said to the team. “No, I’m tired.”

Letting it sink in for a moment, Self quickly revealed he was joking, and he and his players, well, jumped around.

Against Texas Tech, guard Devon Dotson led the Jayhawks offense with 17 points, while center Udoka Azubuike had 15 points and 11 boards.

With such a strong regular season, it’s practically guaranteed that Kansas will be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

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West Virginia guard proposes to girlfriend on the court before upsetting Baylor

The Mountaineers upsetting Baylor wasn’t the only surprise on Senior Day.

Before West Virginia upset No. 4 Baylor, 76-64, on Saturday in Morgantown, there was another surprise on the court during the Senior Day introductions.

Senior guard Chase Harler got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend, Lindsey Baker, in front of the home crowd. The two have been together since eighth grade, a detail the game’s announcer also shared with everyone during his proposal.

That same announcer, however, got a little ahead of himself and spoiled the surprise by saying that Harler was, in addition to his parents, also accompanied by his future fiancé. That prediction, of course, came true when she said yes, and the two shared a hug and a kiss before tipoff.

Harler finished the game with one rebound and one assist.

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Texas shocks Oklahoma with awkward buzzer-beater to boost March Madness resume

The Longhorns are on a five-game win streak going into their regular-season finale.

As a comfortable bubble team ahead of March Madness this season, Texas is doing everything it possibly can to earn an at-large bid for the 2020 NCAA men’s tournament. The Longhorns are now on a five-game win streak, which includes two 10-point victories over then-No. 20 West Virginia and then-No. 22 Texas Tech.

And they extended that streak Tuesday night with a thrilling one-point win over Oklahoma, 52-51, thanks to this awkward but incredible buzzer-beating three from junior guard Matt Coleman III.

The Sooners had a 51-49 lead when Oklahoma’s Kristian Doolittle missed a pair of free throws with just five seconds left. Texas got the rebound, immediately handed the ball off to Coleman, who flew up the court and launched a literal last-second shot several feet behind the 3-point line.

It wasn’t the prettiest shot, but it was perfect, lifting Texas to get the W. In early January, the Sooners won their first matchup of the season, 72-62, but it looks like the Longhorns are getting hot at just the right time.

Texas is tied for third with Texas Tech in the Big 12 behind Kansas and Baylor, and it closes its regular season against Oklahoma State on Saturday.

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Jackson State manager ‘Snacks’ might have a new nickname thanks to Kevin Durant

The Nets superstar tweeted about the viral star.

Jackson State Tigers student manager Thomas Lee — known to many as “Snacks” — became a viral sensation on Tuesday when he put on a uniform and checked into the team’s senior night game against UAPB.

He hit a shot from looooong distance, and Tigers fans, the announcers and just about everyone else went nuts. And as they should, because student managers hitting shots is always a terrific moment.

The love and praise has come from far and wide. He was named the SWAC men’s basketball player of the week … and none other than Kevin Durant — who hasn’t been tweeting as much as he usually does lately — commented:

Snacks could turn into Snipe?

“It’s in the mix,” Lee told ESPN.

By the way, where did his nickname come from in the first place? From that story:

He became Jackson State’s team manager in 2015. Shortly after arriving, he started to bring Skittles and other candy to the locker room. Since he was the new guy and some of the players didn’t know his name, they just started to call him “Snacks.”

As for his reaction to the moment he’ll never forget, here’s what he told the Clarion Ledger:

“In my mind, I felt like I was on top of the world,” Lee said. “It did not feel real that I scored in an actual Division I basketball game.”

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Arena erupts when Jackson State manager ‘Snacks’ drills a three from Steph Curry range

SNACKS!

It’s an all-time top ten moment in sports that we’ve seen time and time again: a student manager playing on senior night with the team he or she has worked with for a long time and hitting a shot.

This time, it was the Jackson State Tigers who finished their final home game with a win over UAPB, along with a moment that has gone viral.

Jackson State’s student manager is Thomas Lee, also known as “Snacks,” and with the home crowd shouting “WE WANT SNACKS,” Lee checked in with two minutes left.

You know where this is going. He chucked up three shots from distance and missed them all. Then, his last shot came from Steph Curry distance … and everyone went nuts when it swished:

SNACKS!

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Kentucky fan sinks half-court shot, wins $10k and celebrates spectacularly

And on his first attempt!

For as frequently as half-court shot contests occur, it’s pretty rare to see someone actually sink it. It’s even more unlikely that someone will make the shot on their first attempt.

But amazingly, that’s exactly what happened Saturday during the Kentucky-Auburn game with this Wildcats fan winning $10,000 for the basket.

Nearly midway through the first half of the game at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky fan Nick Hostetter — a local resident who graduated from the school in 2019, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader — had three tries in the half-court shot contest to make a basket. But he only needed one.

He nailed his first shot, won 10 grand and celebrated spectacularly in front of the home crowd like he just hit a buzzer-beater in the national championship game.

It’s not exactly the full-court shot a Montana State student made last weekend, but this is still pretty impressive.

And perhaps his shot offered some inspiration or helped wake the Wildcats up in the game between the top-2 teams in the SEC. They were down, 20-11, when Hostetter stepped up for the contest during a timeout, as the Lexington Herald-Leader noted. But after he made it, they went on a 20-3 run and had a slight halftime lead.

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