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The NCAA Tournament is the single greatest betting event perennially. With the thrills, chills and heavy favorite spills, the Madness always delivers. Here are quick thoughts and the lean on Utah State vs. UCLA in the first round of the Midwest Region.
No. 10 Utah State (26-7) vs. No. 7 UCLA (22-10)
Date: Thursday, March 20
Time: 9:25 p.m. ET
TV: TNT
The pick — UCLA -4.5 (-110, BetMGM)
Inside the nearest teepee, tip a bong with the ghost of Bill Walton. UCLA should have its way against Utah State on Thursday.
Fading the Mountain West is usually a profitable endeavor. Since 2006, the conference is a laughable 26-53 (32.9%) against the spread in the NCAA Tournament.
For the non-math majors in attendance, that’s on par with this dunce’s score on a test about thermodynamics. No es bueno.
The Bruins are likely to cancel many of the Aggies’ strengths. Utah State is a stupendous second-chance team, but UCLA is highly adept on the glass. Spaniard Aday Mara — a 7-foot-3 lane clogger — presents a daunting matchup.
Most interestingly, despite its offensive rebounding squeezes, Jerrod Calhoun’s club is woeful at preventing one-and-dones, ranking No. 268 in defensive rebounding percentage over its last 10 games. The battle of the boards could get lopsided.
Both teams don’t defend the arc. So whoever splashes the loudest will have a significant leg up.
Still, if the Bruins’ down-low muscle flexes, they should add to the MWC’s tournament misery.
Season record: 26-23, +2.42