(USA TODAY Sports)`Zion Williamson and Duke might have clinched the overall top seed in the NCAA Tournament after a victory against Florida State on Saturday night. Meanwhile, Auburn, Tennessee, Michigan, and Michigan State earned bids to their respective conference tournament championship games. Elsewhere, a host of other tournament champions were crowned on Saturday. Here’s a summary of last night’s sports betting action on the hardwood along with a preview of Sunday’s games.
Duke Makes Case For Top Seed
With Williamson leading the way, the Blue Devils appear to be the team to beat in the NCAA tournament. Duke paced 7.5-point underdog Florida State in the second half of Saturday’s ACC Championship game to win 73-63. After a defective shoe took the breath away from an entire fanbase, Duke needed three games to remind spectators exactly who is on top of the heap.
After scoring 21 points on Saturday night, Williamson finished the ACC tournament with a 27-point and 10-rebound average. Zion went 33 for 43 from the field during the tournament on the way to becoming the to MVP honors. Fellow future first-round draft pick, R.J. Barrett, added 17 points and 9 rebounds. The Dukies get to relax on Sunday and patiently await a likely top overall seed in the NCAA tournament.
SEC Tournament Championship
Tennessee continues its path to history on Saturday, defeating Kentucky 82-78 as two-point underdogs in one of the SEC semifinals. The game kept a back-and-forth pace throughout until Kentucky opened up an eight-point lead late in the second half. The Volunteers rallied late and pulled ahead with a Lamonte Turner go-ahead three-pointer with 30 seconds remaining in the game. Admiral Schofield added 21 points as the Vols move on to the SEC Tournament Final against…
The Auburn Tigers. Auburn edged Florida 65-62, failing to cover a 3.5-point spread and earn a spot in the SEC Tournament championship for the first time since 2000. White-hot Jared Harper scored 20 points including a game-winning three-pointer with 12 seconds left in the game.
Auburn now meets Tennessee in the tournament final, the latter being a 4.5-point favorite with historical implications. Auburn seeks their second SEC Tournament championship — first since 1985 — and to bolster their NCAA Tournament seed. Tennessee has not won the SEC tournament since 1979. A tournament victory could clinch the first No. 1 seed in the history of the program. The narratives are plentiful with Tennessee needing to get by former coach, Bruce Pearl, to complete the historic
Great Lakes State Superior in the Big Ten
Michigan scoffed at the nine-point spread FanDuel Sportsbook laid for their semi-final matchup against Minnesota, decimating Golden Gophers 76-49. Isaiah Livers dropped a career-high 21 points as the Wolverines earned a chance for a third straight conference tournament championship in dominating fashion.
Awaiting the Wolverines are the Michigan State Spartans who overcame Wisconsin 67-55 en route to a third matchup with Michigan. Cassius Winston scored 21 points while Kenny Goins added a 13-point, 12-rebound double-double in victory. Michigan State looks to defeat Michigan to earn a three-game season sweep over the Wolverines and their sixth Big Ten title. Unsurprisingly, the Spartans are surging late in the season and making a case for a No. 1 seed.
We are the Champions
On Saturday, tournament champions were crowned and tickets were punched. Today, a few additional contests remain to decide conference tournaments.
Yale enters Sunday as 4.5-point favorites to win the Ivy League versus Harvard. St. Bonaventure plays St. Louis as one-point favorites in a win-and-get-in game in the A-10 tournament championship. Georgia State is favored by four to win the Sun Belt Tournament Championship against UT Arlington while Houston looks to win the American Athletic Conference tournament as a 4.5-point favorite against the Cincinnati Bearcats.
On Saturday, Iowa State defeated 17th-ranked Kansas 78-66 to win the Big 12 Tournament. Lindell Wigginton scored 17 in victory as Iowa State likely boosted their tournament seeding with the tournament victory. Both teams await their seeding for the NCAA tournament today.
Sam Merrill led the Utah State Aggies with 24 points to its first Mountain West Conference championship 64-57. The Aggies covered a six-point number as Merrill won tournament MVP honors. Utah State and first-year coach, Craig Smith, await their seeding and could be a threat during the tournament.
Defending NCAA champion Villanova won their third consecutive Big East championship on Saturday in Madison Square Garden. The Wildcats got past Seton Hall 74-72 with double-digit contributions from four players. Seton Hall bettors were able to cash 4.5-point tickets despite the loss. Seton Hall likely punched their NCAA ticket with the previous victory against Marquette while Villanova will need a great effort to make it back to the Final Four.
The Oregon Ducks were favored to win the Pac-12 during the pre-season. Injuries and inconsistent play forced the Ducks into a tenuous position to start the Pac-12 tournament. Oregon needed four victories to make the NCAA tournament. After a 68-48 victory and defensive clinic versus Washington, the Ducks are dancing. The 48 points from Washington is the lowest point total in championship game history. The Ducks now advance to the tournament on a eight-game winning streak.
Stat of the Day
After scoring 21 points in the ACC Championship game, Zion Williamson passed Art Heyman for the most points by a Duke player in the ACC tournament — three games — with 81 total points. Heyman’s 80 points was a milestone since 1961.
Prop Shop: NCAA Men’s Championship Odds
After the victory, Duke remains a huge favorite to win the NCAA championship at +230 on FanDuel Sportsbook. Gonzaga and Virginia are currently tied for a distant second according to the site at +700.
Despite being edged by only a point against Duke in the ACC Tournament semifinal, North Carolina adds value at +1300. Michigan (+1600) and Michigan State (+1400) could see a move in these odds after the Big Ten tournament concludes today.
Players Championship Update
After shooting a 64 on Saturday, Jon Rahm enters Sunday with a one-stroke lead. Rahm surged on the back nine, making an eagle and four birdies, including a memorable birdie at the famous 17th.
At the time of this writing, Rahm is a slight favorite to win the tournament at +210 while second-place Rory McIlroy rests at +250. Tommy Fleetwood, tied with Rory McIlroy, sits at +350 for a come-from-behind victory.
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