What a packed blog we have today with 3 heavy hitting conferences. Congrats to Wright State on winning the Hagen’s Horizon League while Bryant beat the piss out of Wagner for the Northeast Conference crown. Bellarmine also won the ASun, but because they were too good too fast in D1 sports,they don’t get to go to the big dance. Maybe the dumbest rule in sports is having D2 schools wait 4 years to compete in postseason play after they move up to D1. Delaware also fucked up our UNC Wilmington future, and South Dakota State and Gonzaga took care of business (they’re just kids…but WHY ARE YOU FOULING WITH 12 SECONDS LEFT, DOWN BY 12?!?!?!)..let’s get into it.
Mountain Best Conference
FINALLY. I’ve been waiting for so long to gas this conference up, and the time is finally here to give it the recognition it deserves. The odds reflect the seeds of the conference…but if I’m an underdog, I would want to be on the top of the bracket, playing either Boise State or Wyoming to get to the Finals. Nevada and New Mexico don’t really move the needle for me, and UNLV isn’t the greatest odds at +700 to beat Wyoming and Boise before getting to the finals. If we look to the bottom of the bracket, I’d want to avoid SDSU as long as possible. Utah State is the 7 seed, they should take care of Air Force, then have a tough, but doable test against CSU before playing SDSU in the Semis–at +1100, I like those odds. BUT IF YOU REALLY WANNA MAKE MONEY, HAMMER THE POKES +600, WYOMING BY A BILLION.
Pac-12
Since I’ve started viewing the Pac-12 with fresh eyes, everything has gone to shit. Oregon looks lost as Colorado took the 4 seed from them, Stanford has fallen off a cliff and ASU has come out of nowhere. I’m going back to saying this conference sucks. If I’m taking anyone other than UofA in this conference, it’s gotta be from the bottom of the bracket where they won’t play until the final. USC is at +1000 and probably the only team worth a sprinkle. A couple weeks ago I’d be all over Oregon +1500, but they disgust me, regardless of how much their backs are against the wall.
It Means More Conference
The bookies and I still think Kentucky is the best team in the SEC, but they have a tough draw with Alabama in the quarterfinals, Tennessee in the Semis and whoever comes from the top of the bracket in the finals. I’m looking toward the top for value, where my darling final four future Arkansas is. They’re at +750, and definitely worth a sprinkle, but they have a tough quarterfinal matchup against LSU. If you saw that game a couple weeks ago, it was a circus with bodies hitting the floor everywhere and the ball going everywhere but the basket. I like a good back-against-the-wall, gotta have it for a tournament bid story, and Florida is 100% in that camp. They’re at +4000 and definitely worth a sprinkle with the talent they have on their roster.
Southland
It’s Nicholls, New Orleans, and the rest of the field in this conference. My favorite, and the bookies favorite is Nicholls state at +100, maybe you can hedge them with New Orleans at +400.
Navy and Colgate are dukin’ it out for the Patriot League in a standalone final tonight. Our Vermont pick is still looking golden in the America East Semifinal. Probably will just post picks on the twitter machine again. Love you, bye.
The Morning Flush 