With the Sweet Sixteen field set, it’s time to blow out the candles, gift ourselves handsome plus-money futures and celebrate the action. What lookahead markets has this Molly Ringwald’s undivided attention? Read my play in the South Region below.
The pick: Marquette to win the South Region (+205, MGM)
One of the NCAA Tournament’s biggest question marks involved Tyler Kolek and his strained oblique. Two games into the postseason’s main event, he has responded with 39 points, 11 rebounds and 22 assists.
Safe to say, the nation’s best point guard is properly healed and owns the field.
Bars. Sign me, Jay-Z.
[ More Sweet 16 futures: East Region | Midwest Region | West Region ]
Though the number has declined from my original Final Four investment, the Golden Eagles to reach Glendale at greater than +200 odds is still an extraordinary value. Without question, they’re the biggest threat to Houston or Duke in Dallas.
The Fightin’ Al McGuires feature the best backcourt in college basketball. Kolek’s smooth and steady orchestrations, timely dishes and consistent with-a-kiss conversions routinely leave would-be defenders baffled. His tag-team partner, Kam Jones, has flourished as an all-around points compiler, beating wannabe detractors off the bounce and hitting bull’s-eye triples along the perimeter.
Tyler Kolek has been ballin' for Marquette in the NCAA tournament 👏 pic.twitter.com/aNz418PxnQ
— ESPN (@espn) March 24, 2024
The duo’s electrifying efforts — combined with Oso Ighodaro’s interior brawn, David Joplin’s three-point splashes and Stevie Mitchell’s versatile skills — explain why Marquette ranks No. 23 nationally this month in effective field-goal percentage offense, having shot 53.4% from two and 37.9% from three.
No slouches on defense, Shaka Smart’s squad ranks No. 75 in eFG defense over its last seven games. During that stretch, the Golden Eagles have yielded 52.1% shooting inside the arc and only 33.8% outside of it. Additionally, they’ve forced a miscue on 17.0% of opponent possessions.
Marquette doesn’t showcase much depth and often gets waxed on the glass. Still, it’s a proven team with a dominant backcourt that feeds the “guards win in March” mentality. Kolek and Jones are the formula. The fandom isn't random.
Yep, so many dad rhymes.