Champion$hip $aturday Pick$: $emifinal Doubleheader Edition

The bubble has been robbed. Houston is an official bid thief, muddling the Bubble in the process. Dominating the final four minutes of play, the Cougars won the CUSA Sectional and a bid into the Dance for the first time since 1992. And CUSA becomes a two-bid conference for the first time since the Big East defections. Three hours into the final big day of the season, things have already proven industry with one bid stolen and the another thief Miami giving Duke all it can handle. It might be a weak bubble this season, but it certainly hasnt been lacking in dramatics the last 72 hours. We’re pulling our hardest to get a 2-1 early afternoon into the books. We’ve got 1-1 in the clubhouse. Illinois +7.5 is the rubber match with the book right now. Less than four to go and it can go either way. Here are my picks for the rest of the afternoon. Give me to 5:00 and I’ll have the nigh card to complete my picks posted. Cheers!

Vandy -2 over Missississppi State, 1 Unit….You want me to bet on Vandy? Sure, why not. Actually, I was already there. I comitted myself to taking SEC East teams over SEC West teams in coin flip games this sectional. So far, so goodt with a 3-2 record. The losses have been thanks to the notoriously unreliable South Carolina and Florida outfits. Vanderbilt doesnt strike me as unreliable. I think the biggest secret in college baskeball is just how talented this Vandy team is. Per Rivals, this team has six 4-star and one 5-star recruit on the roster. That’s pretty much the ‘Dorres rotation. And, only one of those guys is a senior. Five are either freshmen or sophomores. This is about as guru approved a team out there. In Vanderbilt. Nashville. University of. Look out for this team, especially if UK has widespread NBA defections. They could be preseason SEC favorites come November. But pimping aside, its all about SEC East vs SEC West for me.  The East was 32-11 vs the West this year. So, I’ll take Vandy basically straight up in this one.

Xavier -2 Richmond, 1 Unit……I respect Richmond a lot. They have great guards and can shoot you right out of the building. For all I know, there could be a better than 50/50 chance they do that today to Xavier and this pick sinks like a lead balloon. But, I like X. I truly feel they’re the better team. More talented at least. I think they close this out and, at least for today, send a message that despite the A10 Renaissance they’re the team to be reckoned with from the conference. I see Xavier winning a hard fought 72-67 win.

NC State +4 over Georgia Tech, 1 Unit…..here’s my theory. The Jackets have been headcases all year. Sleepwalkers. Inconsistent. I wonder if they’ll let up a bit thinking the bid they had put in jeopardy appears to be in safe mode after yesterday’s big win. The Pack meanwhile are facing elimination again. But, perhaps today they’re not playing as good of a team as they’ve played the last two days? To me, like I hinted at in the Bid Thief post, this game strikes me as a motivantional mismatch, that we so often see during bowl season, in favor of the Pack. I think they get this one straight up, but will take the points, natch. It’s beginning to feel a little bit like 2007 for NC State fans. We’ll see if they can finish the deal this time around.

Sam Houston-2 (-135) over Stephen F Austin, 2 Units…..we’re digging into the Southland Conference Finals for this pick. I dont know if you caught the comment section in this post from earlier in the week. But War Blog Eagle Jerry, a mid-major hoops addict in his own right, tabbed Sam Houston as his mid-major sleeper in the NCAA Tournament. Well, they have to get there first. But, I will take that recomendation to the bank in this sectional final.You know what, make it a double play!  It’s a coin flip game really, per the books. If they are indeed the best Southland entry since Northwestern State, then this should be a winner. If not, dont look at me. Direct your comments towards The Plains. Will I share the loot if it hits? I dont know, maybe I will ask Jim Calhoun.

Akron-1  over Ohio, 1 Unit…..I know the folks in the Frank Solich Mafia at RARWCATZ will likely put a hit out on me for this selection, but I have to take Akron in this one. They’re all but playing at home in Cleveland. They were the best team all season in the MAC. This has been one of the craziest tournaments out there. How crazy? The lower seed is actually 6-6 SU. The second and third seeded teams went one-and-done. Ah, how about the fact that OU is the 9th seed. This is the ninth seed vs the top seed with an automatic bid on the line. Akron at least has added a dose of sanity by winning its games, but was extended to OT by the 7th seed EMU CAW and went down to the wire in the semifinals against Western. This is where underdogs have been making money, but this is a pick ‘em, so I will take the team I thought before the weekend would win this sectional. I’m sticking to those guns. I think the outlandish results so far in this field is why this game has suck tight odds and isnt something like Akron -3 or -4. I’ll take the value and let it ride.

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