 This is covering the spread part of the fan dual podcast network We talked through all the Thursday games in the first round of the men's tournament earlier on today So let's shift our focus now and talk about Friday in the round of 64 And who better to get us prepped for day number two of the tourney then Ben is Stevens and sports We're gonna pick his brain around all those games go through the region's talks and futures to get you ready for Friday's games In the tourney this is covering the spread right here on the fan dual podcast network and number fire calm My name is Jim saw this. I am a senior writer and analyst for number fire calm Joined here as mentioned by Ben Stevens. You can check him out on Twitter at Ben Scott Stevens Find his work over at sports grid Ben It is a delightful time of year for you. I assume how you doing today Jim it is the greatest two-day stretch in my humble opinion on the sports calendar Thursday and Friday the round of 64 of the NCAA tournament games start around 12 15 p.m Eastern time the latest tip is after 10 p.m Eastern time it is 12 consistent hours of college basketball nirvana when the madness Intensifies all the chaos that we love. It is truly the best time of the year I'm ecstatic over the moon any superlative you could use that describes my mood right now a Question for you as it relates relates to your watching experience when I watch like a NASCAR race I can like check my heart rate and for some races it'll get above a hundred what I'm sitting there watching I don't know if I'm like moving around just very intense What do you monitor that like do you keep tabs on like the pulse to make sure we're ticking along and not going too crazy here? The pulse always stays high. I don't monitor it if it spikes by any means I just kind of let it ride and appreciate the enthusiasm that I feel but Jim really when the calendar turns to March I can feel it in my bones. I can feel it in my teeth I can feel it everywhere that it feels like March So it's a consistent high really for a month plus that culminates obviously on Monday April 3rd when we crown a national champion Now I can see this going one of two ways where from a caffeine consumption perspective Do you increase this time of year or do you level off because you don't need it because the like the natural State is much higher Jim It's a great point because I stay up to watch every game. I'll peel back the curtain a little bit here Do you work early? I do right? I host a morning show. I'm into the studio often times around 7 45 8 a.m We're up at 6 36 45 want to make sure we're primed and prompt and all the stuff that comes with hosting a National television show because people have told me I have a face for radio. I try to rebuke that all the time So I'm up early often times if it's not a sport that I'm as Delved into like college basketball or even during the regular season hand up. I'll admit it I could watch the first half of the game 10 o'clock comes around have the game on while I'm laying in bed Maybe I doze off. Maybe don't catch the end Maybe I dive back through the box score to make sure I know what happened So I am prepped and ready to go for the next morning, but this is not that I am up Not because I have to be because I want to be I desire to be so it's not a lot of sleep I truly try to embody and I often do as my alarm goes off and I'm groggy and I'm tired I'll say to myself what John Rothstein always says we sleep in May That's right I make sure that I reiterate that to myself to fire myself up and I always think to myself Jim. All right today We're gonna grind through it. We're gonna get through it I'm gonna be exhausted and then by the time we get to the afternoon. I'm like, all right. Let's go Let's roll. I'm always ready to go So what my one cup of coffee in the morning kind of lasts me the day Maybe a second in the afternoon But for the most part just having college basketball on is the caffeine I need our goal today is to ensure That sleep in May is a happy sleep. We're gonna try to go through the Friday games break down What Ben is seeing there across each region talks and futures and gets you ready for that If you want to hear some thoughts on the Thursday games We broke down those with Austin Cass here on the show earlier on today find that by searching for covering the spread You want some last second bracket advice? We had a bracket breakdown on Monday with Dr. Ed Feng and Bennett Corcoran That is also up on the covering the spread podcast feed and over on the Fandle YouTube page Check those out there. If you like what you hear leave us a rating and review as well this March Take a shot of college hoops with a no sweat bet on Fandle Sportsbook It doesn't matter if you knew to Fandle or already have an account right now All customers can tip off the tourney with a no sweat bet just sign in to your Fandle Sportsbook account and claim yours today Then you can bet on everything from the money line to point spreads that 5v12 seed matchup You've been eyeing all to that that is safe secure and super easy to use There's no better place to bet the tournament than Fandle Sportsbook Just sign in to your Fandle Sportsbook account today to clean your no sweat bet make every moment worth Fandle Must be 21 plus and president select states bonus issued is not withdrawable bonus bets that expire seven days after a seat max bonus bet $5 unless otherwise specified Restrictions apply see terms at sportsbook.fandle.com gambling problem call 1 800 gambler Hope is here gambling help line ma. Order call 800 3 2 7 50 50 for 24 7 support in Massachusetts in New York 1877 8 open wire text open Y Fandle is offering online sports raging in Kansas under an agreement with Kansas Dark Casino LLC call 1 800 gambler What's a fandle comm slash RG in Arizona 1 800 next step or text next step to 5 3 3 4 2 In Connecticut 1 8 8 7 8 7 9 7 7 7 7 or visit ccpg.org slash chat in Indiana 109 with it in Wyoming in Kansas 1 800 5 2 2 4700 or in Kansas case gambling help calm of Louisiana is 7 7 7 8 1 8 7 7 7 7 7 0 stop in Maryland empty gambling health org and in West Virginia 1 800 gambler net with all that said let's now dive in and talk about these Friday games But start things off by talking about some futures because then we got to give you the chance to fire away We're gonna have you on the show. I want to give you full range So let's talk futures anything in the board right now You want to lock in before those first tip-offs on Thursday? So Jim I think that's the beauty of the NCAA tournament where the big dance stands right now as sports betting has become more and more Legalized across the country. There's the two thoughts, right? Everybody does a bracket whether you fill it out because you like a team's mascot or a nickname or you had a friend That went to that college you try to beat your co-workers You try to beat your family your cousin whatever it might be in your bracket, which is fun Big picture that could be busted on the opening day though But you can still find profitability with the individual individual game bets But it's not just those two in conjunction from each other with the bracket and the bets It's also hey, I think this is a really good path to the sweet 16 Hey, I think this team has a great path to make it to the lead 8 or the final 4 or hey cut down the nets as the national Champion on Monday April 3rd So it's really fun from that perspective once you get the actual bracket to lay down future bets Jim I've had two future bets that I made way back in the middle to ending portion of November It was Houston to reach the final four believing in the Cougs pedigree and knowing where the final four is this year Of course in H town in Creighton 20 national championship That was my only preseason futures bet Houston was later on in the month of November But still within the first couple of weeks of play the 25 the one number on Creighton that I got before the season underway Looked absolutely sensational for the first six games with a couple of highlights in the Maui Invitational Then it looked absolutely dreadful the six games after that as Creighton started off a perfect 6 and 0 and then lost six straight Their final three without their very talented big man and Ryan Colkbrenner Then it started to get some steam throughout the big East regular season Did it end the way that I wanted it to where Creighton left a little bit to be desired toward the ending of that regular season? Certainly in a game at home in downtown Omaha against the eventual big East regular season champs in Marquette But I still feel pretty confident about where Creighton's bracket lays out how things set up in the south region Alabama has a very easy path on the top half of that portion of the bracket But I think Creighton can make some noise in the bottom half So I feel pretty confident Jim with all that said on where those two Preseason or early season future bets stand right now. I have a better number For well not for Creighton Creighton's a little bit longer I have a better number on houston to reach the final four It was a plus 185 price to where the Cougs are now with the shortest number I believe it's plus 120 at last check something in that ballpark to advance out of the midwest region That is a plus 135 number So maybe some concern about Marcus Sasser and that groin injury which I do understand Although I think it's slightly overblown or at least I'm telling myself I think it is slightly overblown But Jim I also have and I pulled this up as we started to speak here to make sure I had everything with me My four leg parlay Otherwise known as the four teams that I have in the final four in my ncaa tournament bracket Creighton Of course, not only because I'm married to the idea. I have that jay's ticket to win the national championship I do also believe in their path through the south region houston I like that path in the midwest a relatively easy portion of the bracket at least from the seeds After number two because I do think we'll get a texas showdown between the longhorns and the Cougs The east region is incredibly fascinating I know we'll dive through that opening round action But I have kentucky out of the east and then Gonzaga out of a very difficult west region So jim that little wager that I have I bet three dollars on it. That's a half unit play for me I guess you could say is plus 97 712 so it's still the way that I see the final four Am I going to get all four of my final four correct? No Can I find some cash out value if we get it to this week 16 or elite eight? Sure So I think it's funny when you have the bracket that you bet and you're like, I'm married to this I print it out. I write it down with ink. I haven't used a pen or a pencil in years But I printed it out to write it down But you can also wager on that based on what the future odds are right now So I think it's a great way of building those two things kind of in a dichotomy to have some fun And obviously have a sprinkle it maybe hitting it big And I think the the beauty of that is you if you go in with like an assumption You can find multiple ways to profit off of that assumption like let's say you think that cretin is undervalued Well, do you want to bet their money line the first round? Do you want to bet their odds to reach the sweet 16? Do you want to bet them to win at all 35 to 1 is where they stand right now? I think that if you go into that assumption, you can kind of find the best path To betting on that and it could be via your bracket. It could be a lot of different ways So I think that's kind of the luxury here is you don't have to settle for one route when trying to Take advantage of your read on a situation. Absolutely. So Jim We have a guy that comes on the entirety of the sports care network But he comes on the morning after the show that I host each and every week on monday morning His name is Dave Sharapan. He's a former odds maker who has sat in risk rooms And I've learned a lot about just the nature of handicapping and how to think about things From that sports betting perspective that's different than being a fan and saying hey I love the way that houston plays defense, right? Just the sports betting perspective and he spells it out very clearly now in a tournament because that's what march madness is A tournament of 64 teams by the time we get to the round of 64 Trying to play their best basketball for three weeks. That's what it is And so when you think of winning a national championship, alabama, houston, kansas, perdue on the one line Various other two seeds you feel confident in it's a six game parlay six game money line parlay To winning a national championship So houston's number at five to one being the pre tournament favorite might be a little short In that comparison when you look at the coups like that Maybe the value has been set or if you feel confident that a team's path and their portion of the bracket is good To reach the final four. It's a four game money line parlay So it's all those ways of thinking about it. Jim where you're like, oh, I like krayton's first round matchup Oh, I like the way that krayton's gonna perform in the round of 32. Hey, they're in the suite 16 I've already reached this point. What's two more wins on that money line to make that final four ticket more of a reality So that's a different way of kind of conceptualizing it as well Yeah, I think that before you place a wager ask yourself. Is this the best route for betting on this? You can ask yourself in the answer could be very well Yes, but like ask yourself that and uh, you know act appropriately after that, right? Let's talk about some games now, Ben Let's start things off in the east six total games here looking at spreads money lines totals I know you do some player props Not sure if those are posted yet But anything you see in the east where it's a six game slate on Friday So the east region overall gym is the most up in the air in this ncaa tournament the two seed marquette In terms of the two 15 four matchups that we have the two versus the 15 the four games We have all around the bracket marquette despite being the big east regular season champion outright for the first time in program history Despite winning the big east tournament inside Madison square garden By the way, the suite 16 and elite eight of the east regional played in Madison square garden as well So shock of smarts holding eagles should be comfortable if they reach that stage Marquette's only an 11 and a half point favorite against vermont That's the shortest number in favor of a two seed in the entirety of the opening round matchups in k state As the three seed only an eight and a half point favorite against montana state again The shortest number for a three seed in that three versus 14 matchup Which means the east is very open and i'll Obviously allow you all to make your comments on the Purdue Boilermakers You will not hear that from big ten ben or the man wearing the northwestern hat in gym Saunas but as i look at the east gym there are two games that really stand out I was gung-ho in ready you could have told me ben oral roberts is playing tennessee oral roberts is playing St. Mary's oral roberts is playing anybody and i would have said doesn't matter oral roberts money line because Of what connor van over is inside and the name we all remember in max ace miss from their suite 16 run Just two ncaa tournaments ago And then the committee says how about duke ben you feel confident enough against the duke blue devils who have won Nine straight games including that acc tournament title last week in greensboro. It's the one area jim I think this game is competitive. I don't mind betting oral roberts with the spread But it's not that classic five 12 spot. I would look at the golden eagles for an outright victory I do however have they bet on or you to go over their team total against duke It's 69 and a half it's a way for me jim to have some action on max ace miss because i want to and truly believe In this oral roberts team a 30 win basketball team that played 21 conference games in the summit league this year Including their conference tournament and they won all 21 of them to be a 12 seed in the ncaa tournament The fourth best scoring offense in the country averaging more than 82 points per game 82 and a half to be exact So i think it's a way that if oral roberts is going to come close to even around this six and a half point Number that opened at seven in a hook. They're going to have to score 70 points against duke It's a way to have some action where even if they end up losing by nine not covering not advancing of course pulling the upset Hopefully i can find my money on oral roberts because of how good they are Offensively another game in the east region jim that might be the game I've heard the most about maybe across the entirety of the bracket Is the eight nine match up between memphis and florida atlantic the winner of that game is going to beat Purdue doesn't matter who it is the winner of that game is going to be Purdue I'm not so sure and i'm also not so sure that everybody who is backing memphis with their life savings Is seeing things correctly memphis is a really good basketball team memphis and the non con is better than i even anticipated they were and of course they ended the year winning 14 of 17 including The american tournament championship against they marcus sassar less houston team this past weekend But florida atlantic for whatever reason i understand f a u's in a smaller conference even Than the american at that mid major level but f a u was one of three teams in this tournament jim that has won 31 games charleston houston f a u f a u is a fantastic basketball team that has great size which you don't often see at the smaller mid major level They go six or seven deep on the perimeter So i'm not worried about them hanging with the likes of kendrick davis for memphis who is a sensational player Will be the best player on the court but overall depth for f a u I look at the owls here in a spot where it seems like everybody and their mother are backing memphis The line is now working back to f a u so maybe people are starting to catch on how good the owls are But i bet florida atlantic plus two and a half a couple of days ago I like them on the money line of course the game is anticipating a close result But i think florida atlantic is a team jim in that round of 64 matchup that wasn't getting enough credit But as the market starts to move probably even closer to friday might start to get the public perception on their side And i believe when you look at like advanced analytics around this game It typically views this close to a toss up right now the current markets are f a u plus one and a half That's minus 110 money line is plus 102. So let's say you don't have the two and a half in your pocket Um, and we're looking at this market, you know with fresh eyes Yeah, are you preferring the money line at plus 102? Or do you want the one and a half points for the extra flexibility of minus 110? I mean listen the two and a half points. I think is good and you might say to yourself What's the difference then two points is a basket. What does it matter if we're going down to one? I think this game is going to be that close And these games in the tournament when it is do or die are going to be incredibly close The positive i would say jim just overall in college basketball thought given the one in one Given the double bonus and having college kids in the biggest moments of their lives Is either to cover a number regardless of which way you bet it an underdog or the favorite trying to cover that Is having the potential of free throws in a close game tight that is late So if florid atlantic is up three and memphis is trying to prolong the game in the final 40 seconds of a college basketball game Can take half an hour in real time It gives you some wiggle room to cover that number of one one and a half whatever it might be But it also could come down to that game where now memphis comes back They hit a three they went by one of the buzzer And although i felt very confident about the owl's money line all of a sudden i'm like man I really could have used that hook i mean look at the first night of first four action games decided by five combined points Pit one outright as a two and a half point underdog But texas a and m corpus christy kind of set the stage I think for this march madness tournament when they were a three and a half point favorite hit one of two free throws finally late and covered Winning by four points if that's the first game of the ncaa tournament where the hook was so decisive Who's to say it's not so i don't mind jim taking plus one and a half Even though it's not all that different from the money line price of plus 102 You're only laying 110 in terms of the vig It's not going to be that big of a plus money price where the money line intrigues me There are options where i think the one and a half does make as much sense as the money line as well And you're asking how often does this game land on one and in a game like this? It's a non-zero number So I think that that one does matter and I think it's important to keep that in mind So like an fa u plus one and a half minus 110 against memfist in the east Let's shift now to the midwest bin We got four games for this one on friday as well when you look at the midwest. What do you see in there? The midwest is a very very interesting bracket because again incredibly top heavy We knew who houston was going to be on that one line pretty much all year long texas has been on a tear Again jim pre bracket evaluations, right if texas was a two seed in alabama's region and produce region No doubt about it. The longhorns are probably making my final four But because of where they are right now overall against houston knowing how much confidence I still have in the cougars. I'm going to send houston, but I have texas in that elite eight So how does the path all match up from the round of 64 perspective? I will say this the reason I feel confident about houston's draw Despite not being the number one overall seed the top team in the tourney It's because I don't have a lot of confidence in the four or five in this region Of course when you look at the 512 matchup drake is the Shortest underdog that we have against miami and this is the spot jim where that 512 game Where everybody picks the upset in that opening weekend of action since the tournament field expanded to 64 1985 We have seen the five seed win 95 or has a 95 and 53 record So obviously winning outright that idea of upsets being the thing Is not necessarily the truest thing across all four matchups that we have but since the year 2000 In every ncaa tournament except for four. We have seen a 12 five upset The most recent time we did it was the 2018 big dance This game would tell you as the number continues to work to drake's side That miami is going to be in for a dog fight Jim i'm kind of in the same way that I feel about four atlantic and memphis at least at the start is how I feel here So many people are picking drake drake is that 12 seed without a doubt drake is going to pull the upset Well, i'm pretty confident in miami given the pedigree they have from last year Their elite eight run the fact that their guards are back for the most part isa wong leading the way you add in Nigel pack the kansas state transfer A little bit worried about north shadow mere I was hopeful and then I got the report from jim laranega earlier on wednesday afternoon that he hasn't practiced yet And this is not a game where he can sit out and we'll see you in the round of 32 No, no, no, no They need the big man in the transfer mark and saw state to be there for the canes But I really do believe in miami drake is As good of a mid-major as you will find they won a really good missouri valley conference this year Darian devries and what he has done I covered him when he was an assistant coach under gray mcdermot in creighton What he has done since he has gone over to his alma mater and taken over drake has been Sensational his son tucker is Outstanding every guy on their roster is 27 years old and could legally rent a car right now So they have that veteran experience As well and they made the ncaa tournament just two seasons ago So they have some experience in the spots But again, what is miami when you look at a constructed team for the big dance incredible backport Nigel pack isaac long to scores two incredible playmakers Ideally a big man to pair with them in nor shadow mere who again, I hope is available for this game I'm pretty confident in miami. I'd lay the one and a half I've already bet them minus two and a half if I had to rank My favorite bets and I literally sent this around to friends who asked for picks for the tournament Is it was love like and leans miami's probably in the like or leans category But I do believe in miami and drake's becoming way too public for my liking the game right below that gym Is that underdog matchup that I like the most in the tournament. It's kent state against indiana I am called big ten ben. I was crowned big ten ben by having a football rant about indiana in the 2020 season I love my hoosiers. I love what iu can do Had you asked me two weeks before the ncaa tournament began ben If you had to point to a team of the big ten conference after 22 seasons of not winning a national championship Who could break that mold? I would have said indiana because of the emergence of the freshman guard in jaylon hood shafino Paired with one of the best basketball players in the country and trace jackson davis And I was very optimistic about the eventual return of their guard. Xavier johnson He was supposed to be back for the regular season finale against michigan and then 24 hours before that tip He was ruled out for the remainder of the year as he hasn't fully recovered from foot surgery yet That wasn't meant to be air quotes. I I don't want to slander. Xavier johnson. By the way It was just the quote that I saw fully recovered. Anyway, so Xavier johnson not back jaylon hood shafino at times still plays like a freshman and tj d can't do it all himself And who do they get to go up against? Kent state a 28 and 6 basketball team that jim is as tested as any midmajor you will find in the non-conference They have three non-conference losses all against teams that have made the tournament They were a one and a half point underdog against charleston. They lost that game by two They were a 19 point underdog against houston. They lost that game by five They were a 16 and a half point underdog against ginsaga. They lost that game also by single digits only seven I think kent state is as good as you will find at the midmajor level and they have a guard And a playmaker in sincere carry with the nicest beard in the tournament Who will get a just for men nil deal when all is said and done that can win them a game just from his play alone Kent state plus four and a half. Love it. Kent state money line I've already bet that as well jim at the plus 152 number. So that's my upset pick for the entirety of the big dance I feel the most confident in okay, you're picking between the money line the spread money line plus 162 the spread is plus four and a half minus 115 Preference for you if you're taking just one of those where would you go? well I don't mind so that's the I will say this right survive in advance. That's the theme of the ncaa tournament What does that mean win the game doesn't matter what the spread is win the game? So I think a natural reaction then is to look at the money line when you have an underdog that you believe in It also makes a lot of sense to bet the spread. All right If kent state misses out But they lose by two and it was a great basketball game one We will always remember you covered with four and a half so I understand the perspective of Money line is just winning the game out right on picking the underdog to pull off the upset But you also do give yourself a benefit of the spread and plus 152 or 162 Whatever the money line is right now is a good bit of extra sense on your dollar for that bet There's no issue with picking the spread in this position But I for this game specifically gym as I focus back on kent state and iu I feel very confident about the golden flashes I bet this one money line But I do understand the idea of taking the spread because it could be a very competitive basketball game They don't come through with the overall upset, but you cover your number as well So I mentioned before that our guest earlier today was austin cass. He is an indiana resident He's an iu fan his two favorite futures bets were kent state and drake To make the sweet 16, uh, you know not obviously parlayed because I can't but like He wanted both those teams because he thought that both miami and iu were a little bit weak relative to their seats So synergy synergy between two independent guests both Taking a look at this midwest region. I feel like again. He's an iu fan. You're a big 10 guy Yeah, it kind of reflects the sentiments justifiably around this conference right now It was such a benefit for indiana to play in the ncaa tournament last year Right and win the first four and get that bunk get that bugaboo off their back So to speak of not having been there in five years And then for this year to have the season play out the way it did to have trace jackson davis come back To sweep the season series against produce something indiana fans will remember outside of what happens here in the ncaa tournament To earn that four seed their highest seed line since the 2013 ncaa tournament when they were a one who lost to who In the sweet 16 or round of 32 whatever round that was the four seed syracuse jim That was the point I needed to make right there. But anyway, it was their highest seed line in a decade Great benefit program moving in a good direction. Mike woodson actually a good coach They recruit. Well, they are bringing back some talent in hood shafino in zavier johnson when he returns healthy miller cop Who knows but you have tray galloway, you know, there were good pieces this year to focus on even as tjd departs So great to get that four line. Who's your 13 seed? Kent state's just a terrible matchup. So I do like the golden flashes. I'm glad that Austin cast is that what you said? Yep. Yep. Austin cast agrees with me. I do Think miami wins so we see that slightly differently And I actually have miami knocking off kent state because I think the backcourt for the canes Would be a very tough matchup for sincere carry and kent state But again at one just final point It's why I like use some of the top half of that bracket because if the eventuality is a very close miami team getting there or A 12 or 13 seed. I really like the cougs in that spot Well, you're betting against the big 10. Austin's betting against indiana. I have boise state over north western. So We're all betrayers. That's that's just how it goes. Let's talk about the west and talk about I mean, like luckily we get to ignore that game. Well, let's talk about the west I like western jim. Let me just say but go ahead. No, he likes north western too. Uh minus one and a half. I'm I'm wary I had the emotional hedge. I did fire eventually. Um On boise state, you know, I it took me a while to convince myself to do it, but I I did do it So here we are. Anyway, let's talk about the west four games on friday. What you see in there Yeah, I mean the west region is by far the most difficult region in all of the tournament I think the game that will highlight the slate the game that highlighted selection sunday from a narrative perspective Is yukon and iona a potential big east matchup of head coaches in years to come With rick patino being floated for every job that is available in the big east right now But namely st johns. I mean the story lines in albany. It could not be better. I'm incredibly high on this yukon team I have yukon making it to the elite eight When you look at this west region jim, there are four teams ranked in the top nine of kenneth palmeroy's efficiency ratings In kansas, the top seed in this portion of the bracket is number nine. They are behind ucla yukon and kenzaga It's a murderous row of a bracket in the ncaa tournament I don't love yukon laying nine and a half against iona the gales have only been an underdog once this year Outside of this game before we get the tip on friday evening in albany. It was against richard patino and new mexico They did not cover in that game as a three three and a half point underdog. I don't love Anything in this game I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the theater that i hope is dan hurley and rick patino getting too close To one another there was an angle that i look at for genzaga against grand canyon Jim i have genzaga in my final four as i mentioned i'm very high on this zags team I think they've figured out the backcourt The defensive variance scares me because as we know for to be a true contender Pre-tournament in terms of what your metrics say just adjusted offense and adjusted defensive efficiency The gap can't be too large kenzaga is the most efficient offense in the country They rank 76th in defense scares me a little bit and it hasn't really progressed despite the fact that zags Aren't a nine game win streak entering the big dance But I think they take some of the onus off themselves jim that we have seen The last two ncaa tournaments that elite team in college basketball We knew it was going to be baler and genzaga could mark few finally get his bulldog bulldogs to the mountaintop of college basketball Nope, could they do it last year with chet home grin and withdrew timmy as good as it could look Nope, but here's one consistent thing about the zags. They have reached at least the sweet 16 in seven consecutive ncaa tournaments So when you're watching this game on friday against grand canyon and your two buddies next to you go Oh, man, the zags always choke it in the tournament could never bet them say to them. No, they do not choke it That is a false narrative. They have made it to the sweet 16 in seven consecutive ncaa tournaments Have they won the whole thing? No, am I picking them to do so? No, but just make sure your friends No, genzaga is not a choke artist at least relative to where they stand this year. It's a big spread Right. It's a large spread against gcu a team full of veterans That actually has some ncaa tournament experience as well If i'm looking for genzaga, i'm going to look for that offense to come out hot on friday I'm going to bet the zags in the first half laying the eight and a half is where I got it I wanted some action on a team I feel confident about reaching the final four that I actually think has a positive first round match I'm not necessarily scared between the three and 14 like I might be in other areas of the bracket So genzaga laying the eight and a half in the first half. It was a thought that I had Last year, who did the zags play as the one seed? I don't I can't remember off the top of my head, but I did genzaga I think there were 22 and a half point favorite I bet genzaga laying 11 and a half 12 and a half in the first half from the same idea One of the best offenses in the country get off to a hot start roll this team Take the gas off the take the foot off the gas in the second half Whatever get out with your 18 point win. Not sure they're going to cover 22 and a half If I remember correctly the zags were down for a good majority of the opening half I can't remember exactly the halftime margin, but it was close and I bet the zags laying Four and a half like six and a half something like that at the half and that came back When I bet that live and that eventually hit is genzaga I think ended up winning by nine or ten points never came close to covering But that's another wrinkle where you have these large favorites in a higher seed versus much lower seeded game And you can have those live betting opportunities if genzaga doesn't get out to the hottest start in the first half Or wherever else you see it around the bracket You can still get that first half spread for genzaga So at eight and a half minus one 12 on genzaga in the first half eight and a half the number there Against grand canyon. So sounds like that is the angle ben is leaning towards there Let's finish up in the south just a two game slate on friday in the south region when you look over there ben What are you seeing across that pair of games? So when you look at the south right now baler a team constructed that I think at the bottom half of the bracket Originally, I was going to look at to make some noise baler had bit me in the rear end gym multiple times Toward the end of the season baler started to play really good basketball They lost their first three big 12 games started to figure it out a team not with the same exact names But in similar construction to won the national championship two seasons ago over genzaga Three incredible perimeter players at the guard position led by chiante george kind of banged up to end the year But adam flagler had experience off the bench lj. Cryer to pair alongside with the perimeter player a lot like maceo teague Jared butler davion mitchell a couple of years ago Although davion mitchell one of the best on ball defenders in college basketball that year and baler was a much better defensive team In 2021 than they are right now entering the 2023 big dance But the big guys they have down low jonathan chamochachua Flo thombo had experience on that national championship run as well I really like the baler from that perspective. Don't love them against ucsb ucsb a really good team in the big west this year a top 10 cover team for a good majority of the year before Not covering as many numbers towards the end of their conference slate. Don't limit anything really in that game I do love creating i've mentioned many a time how confident i am in the blue jays of still having that possibility of being a national champion Where I saw them before the year. I love the number I believe it is at five and a half as I lean close because my eyesight is terrible I believe it's still at five and a half. I would bet creighton minus five and a half. It's in my love Category yes creighton left a couple of holes to be figured out toward the end of the year Certainly in covering numbers, but I think top to bottom one through five Then you could add in the sixth man in serger barney rice for texas It's the two best starting fives in the country texas and creighton with the guard position They have in ryan nemhardt martha kaluma. They do it all trey alexander You have the big man and ryan kalkbrenner one of the best offensive players in the country And in the big east and then you have baler shireman the guy that was the reason everybody was picking South dakota state to knock off the fraudulent providence fryer's last year. It didn't happen But he's as good of a dynamic stretch long three four you'll find in college basketball So I think one through five under greg mcdermot. I love creighton They will have to buck the trend of not reaching the sweet 16 under greg mcdermot It does scare me but I do believe if there's any team to ever do that in the program history of the creighton blue jays It would be this iteration So I really like laying the five and a half against nc state a team that has really really good guards But a team I was surprised let's say jim to see get one of the final buys in that 11 Seed portion of the bracket. I think creighton handles business on friday That spread as you mentioned five and a half with minus 105 on that if they win if baler wins He said you don't have a lot of interest in that game. They'd swear off on sunday How do you feel about creighton in that specific matchup? Is that one where you're feeling pretty confident about them as well? I mean, it sounds like you are but I want to just double check to make sure That specific matchup is okay by you Yes, and that rematch of last year's round of 32 where creighton was an eight against baler the one and gave Baler all they could possibly handle or maybe even greater than that regardless It was that rematch from last year where ryan caulkbrenner didn't play arthur kaluma a freshman at the time went berserk It was one of the reasons that I think you could be incredibly optimistic about this creighton team entering 2022 23 so I would expect I mean if creighton's a Five and a half point favorite in the 611 matchup against nc state and baler's a Double-digit favorite in the 314 matchup against uc senna barbara that baler's probably a short favorite I would look at creighton outright in that game against the baler bears All right, we're pulling for creighton for you pulling for Tend to buck our expectations based on what we're thinking going on into the tournament That is ben stevens fight him on twitter at ben scott stevens check out the morning after on sports grid as well Ben it is a pleasure as always to talk to you have fun next couple of days Enjoy the tournament and i'm looking forward to talking to you once again soon. Yes very very soon jim I'm incredibly excited for the tournament and is going to be a great couple of days made Hopefully even better if all of the bets that I've shared out just cash I need that as well. So check out ben on twitter at ben scott stevens as a reminder We do have our thursday show up if you're looking for that with austin Breaking down his thoughts on the thursday games find that on covering the spread and over on the fan duel youtube page No show tomorrow. We are off because the double show today But back with you friday talk nfl free agency with ryan williams get that by subscribing to covering the spread Wherever you get your podcast. I am on twitter at jim sonnis j i m S a n n e s we'll talk to you all again soon. Enjoy the basketball the next couple of days This has been covering the spread right here on the fan duel podcast network