The Madness Continues

So…how are those brackets shaping up? I don’t want to flex too hard on you guys, but aside from one regrettable Kentucky Elite 8 pick, mine is looking pretty clean. And after a three-day hiatus during which I thought about absolutely nothing else, I’m more than ready to dive into the Sweet 16 🍿

• The tournament’s opening week had all the drama and intrigue we’ve come to expect from one of the greatest events in sports, from upsets to double-overtime thrillers to the magic of Jack Gohlke 😎

All the 1 and 2-seeds made it through the first two rounds unscathed, but that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been some movement among title favorites. With just 16 teams remaining, take an updated look at championship odds 👇

Sweet 16 action tips off later tonight, and as much fun as it was being totally unproductive during the day last week, we’ve got a juicy four-game slate that should be well worth the wait ⬇️

📍 #6 Clemson vs. #2 Arizona

• Spread: Arizona -7.5

• Moneyline: Arizona -315, Clemson +250

• Over/Under: 152.5

• When: 7:09PM EST on CBS

How about the ACC, huh? It was another down year for the conference in the eyes of most of the national media, but yet again ACC teams are showing out when it matters most 😤

Clemson didn’t enter the tournament with as much noise as the other three ACC teams that are still kicking. In fact, they were one of the more popular first round upset picks. But veteran-heavy squads like the Tigers often thrive in March, and they seem to be doing just that 📈

• But the same holds true for the Arizona Wildcats, who have been nothing short of dominant so far with a pair of 20-point victories. Led by the last ever PAC-12 POTY Caleb Love, four seniors in their starting lineup average double-figures, which is not the type of team you want to face this time of year 😳

📍 #5 San Diego State vs. #1 UConn

• Spread: UConn -10.5

• Moneyline: UConn -670, SDSU +470

• Over/Under: 135.5

• When: 7:39PM on TBS

College teams aren’t truly dominant until some talking head declares that they could beat a professional team…so congrats to the UConn Huskies for reaching that tier 😂

Sure, it’s an idiotic take, but UConn is pretty dang impressive. They’ve hardly broken a sweat so far in their campaign to repeat, with 20+ point leads at halftime in each of their games. An SDSU team that just dusted Yale should be their stiffest competition yet, but the Huskies are double-digit favorites for good reason 💪

📍 #4 Alabama vs. #1 North Carolina

• Spread: North Carolina -4.5

• Moneyline: North Carolina -184, Alabama +152

• Over/Under: 173.5

• When: 9:39PM on CBS

While the ACC has exceeded expectations, it’s been tough sledding for the SEC so far with only two of their eight bids (tied for the most) escaping the first weekend 😬

Alabama has done their job so far, but with two wins over double-digit seeds, they haven’t really been tested yet. And unfortunately for them, tests don’t come much tougher than this UNC team, fresh off an impressive double-digit victory over Michigan State 🤧

📍 #3 Illinois vs. #2 Iowa State

• Spread: Iowa State -1.5

• Moneyline: Iowa State -122, Illinois +102

• Over/Under: 145.5

• When: 10:09PM on TBS

Saving the best for last, at least according to the oddsmakers, with this night cap bordering on pick ‘em status. And it’s easy to understand why it’s expected to be a tight one 👀

• This ain’t your standard Big Ten-Big 12 showdown; it’s a battle between the two conference tournament champs. And to add to the intrigue, it’s a true clash of styles 👇

Neither team has faced too much adversity yet this tournament, but I’m with Vegas on this one — the night is ending with a rock fight 😤

Trivia Question: Which conference holds the record for the most tournament bids in a season?

For My Parlay Gurus

Since I’m not really trying to sweat one out post-midnight tonight, I think I gotta stay away from the last game of the evening, but here’s where I’m leaning on the other three 👇

• Clemson +7.5 vs. Arizona: -115

• UConn -10.5 vs. SDSU: -118

• UNC -4.5 vs. Alabama: -104

$100 on this bet would win you $578 — if we hit, make sure you email [email protected] for a chance to win an Overtime hoodie*. Many will enter, only some will win 😉

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Trivia Answer: The Big East sent a record 11 teams to the tournament in 2011, including the eventual national champion UConn

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